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 A DIY Guide toLabrador Nature

Reserve Walking Trail

How to get thereIntroductionLabrador Nature Reserve is a gazetted reservecontaining an indigenous ecosystem that housesSingapore’s rich biodiversity. This includesSingapore’s only protected coastal cli vegetationand rocky shore. Lying adjacent to the reserve is a10-hectare park.

Experience the ascinating connection betweenthe landscape and historical themes by tracing the

 journey back to the 1870s. Follow the landmarkswith interpretative signage that show how Labradortransormed rom a thick coastal orest andmangroves to what it is today - a tranquil naturereserve with relics o Singapore’s World War II past.

This trail will take you into the dense secondaryorest housing diverse ora and auna. Youwill walk through Singapore’s only coastal cli vegetation and enjoy a spectacular view o Singapore’s oshore islands rom the lookout deck.The trail will then lead you down the cli and intothe park.

Ater your walk, spend a relaxing aternoon baskingin the sun along the sea. Have a picnic and watchthe waves lapping against the shore. Or, sit backand soak in the breathtaking view o the SouthChina Sea, the Southern Islands and passing oceanliners and cruise ships.

By Bus:

• Bus services 10, 30, 51, 143 and 176take you to Pasir Panjang Road. Fromthere, proceed on oot via Labrador

 Villa Road.

• Bus services 61, 93, 97, 100, 166 and963 take you to Alexandra Road.Alight on the same side or oppositeNOL Building along Alexandra Roadand proceed on oot via Labrador VillaRoad.

• Service Parks 408 is a direct servicethat plies between HarbourFrontBus Interchange and Labrador Park(Saturdays, Sundays and PublicHolidays rom 11 am to 9 pm). The

service departs rom the interchangeevery 30 minutes.

By Car:

Enter Labrador Villa Road, o PasirPanjang Road, and park at Carpark A,B or C

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Highlights

•BetransportedintoSingapore’shistoricalmaritimeandwarpast

•Getupcloseandpersonalwithdiversefora and auna

•WalkthroughSingapore’sonlycoastalcliffvegetation(Guidedtouronly)

•EnjoythepanoramicviewofSingapore’soffshoreislandsfromlookoutdeck

•Appreciatethebeautyoftheseafromvantagepointsalongthepromenade

Dragon

Teeth's Gate

Red Beacon Machine

Gun Post 

Portcullis 6 Inch Quick

FiringCannon

Fish

Poison Tree

Start

End

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Maritime History TrailBegin the trail at Carpark C. Walk along thePromenade that overlooks Keppel Harbour and FortSiloso on Sentosa Island and you will arrive at theDragon’s Teeth Gate ( ).

Also known in Chinese as Long Ya Men, it wasoriginally a natural rock outcrop that stood in thewaters just o Labradors’ shore. These waters now

house Keppel Harbour, Singapore’s main port sincethe 19th century. This rock outcrop used to serve asthe gateway to Keppel Harbour’s western entrance,acting as a navigational guide to sailors travelingthrough the narrow channel.

The landmark was blown up in 1848 to widen thechannel or modern ships to sail through. Whatstands today is a symbolic replica o the original.It was installed in 2005 or the commemorationo the Singapore Celebrations or the 600th

Anniversary o Admiral Zheng He , the amousChinese explorer.

A stone’s throw away stands a red beacon( ), which also served as a navigational guide in

the maritime history and marks the shortest distancebetween Sentosa and mainland (about 240m).

War History TrailBesides its maritime history, Labrador played asignifcant role during World War II. Military installationswere built on the highest points (now inside thenature reserve) overlooking the reserve below.

A machine gun post ( )in this area is one o several war relics you will see. This bunker wasbuilt to guard 12-pounder guns on the hill rightabove. Another machine gun bunker is locatedbehind Toilet B.

As you walk along the promenade beore headingtowards the orested part o the trail, enjoy thespectacular view o the sea and southern islands.

This area, which used to be part o the old PasirPanjang (or Long Beach), was a popular seasideresort with private pavilions and beach houses romthe late 19th century.

During the late 1930s, the British elt that PasirPanjang beach would be an easy place or theenemy to land. By 1940 the jetties and pavilionshad been replaced by machine gun posts andbarbed wire obstacles, and Pasir Panjang beachceased to be a place o recreation.

The next part o the trail takes you to the orestedareas o the reserve. Walk through the Old For tEntrance ( ) next to Carpark B. The brick wallsyou see here are remnants o the wall o an old ortbuilt around 1886. A portcullis (or vertical iron gate)spanned the gateway o this s ea-wall, closing o entry into the ort rom the seaward side. The ortwas also protected by the thick mangrove swampand steep clis, which made it impossible or anyoneto climb. Only inantry could pass through thisportcullis, and all supplies, ammunition and garrisonsupport to the ort had to arrive by sea. T his makesit the only gateway to the ort until a road was builtrom the landward side in 1892.

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You will walk past another war relic - a displayo 6-inch quick fring cannon ( ) . The barre ldisplayed here is authentic. This relic was discoveredat the ormer Beach Road Camp in 2001. Thesecannons, aimed south and seaward with concretebarriers behind them, were originally intended asdeence rom coastal attacks. However, during the1942 invasion, the Japanese attacked rom theNorth. In the battle or Pasir Panjang, these guns

aided the Malay Regiment by fring high explosiveshells at enemy troops advancing along the coastalroad. Tunnels and bunkers beneath the battery wereused to supply ammunition and to house the troops.

Nature TrailThe secondary orest beyond the 6-inch quick fringcannon was ormed by a process called succession.It provides a habitat or a diversity o trees, shrubs,plants and climbers. The orest canopy consistsmainly o tall sea apple trees (Syzygium grande ),and some sea almond trees (Terminalia catappa).From March to May, and rom August to October,the synchronised owering and shedding o leaves

give the tree crowns a dierent colour.

The crown o Syzygium grande is dense withmassive widespread branches and can grow up to30m tall. Its leaves are thick and leathery. Flowersare white, and ruits are oblong and eshy.

Commonly called ketapang or Sea Almond( ), this is a common ast growing tree thatcan grow up to 25 m in height with a spreadingpagoda-shaped crown. Its big leaves are arrangedin rosettes. Flowers are greenish-white in colour.The ruits are oblong, attened and thick. Thename o the tree is derived rom the almond tasteo the seed.

Look out or lianas while walking along this naturetrail.

FaunaAs you walk through the secondary orest lookingout or signs o wildlie, be mindul that thesemammals, reptiles, birds and insects, all playimportant roles in the orest. Some 50 specieso birds and 11 species o butteries have beenrecorded here and the species lists are still growing.

Plantain squirrels eeding on ruits are also acommon sight. They are usually ound in a widerange o habitats and are identifed by their orange

bellies, with black stripes that run down the sideso their bodies.

On a lucky day, you may even get to spot Malayanmonitor lizards ( ) and skinks roaming around thenature reserve. Listen to the cicadas which liven theorest with their loud singing.

PromenadeBack at the promenade, look out or a numbero interesting coastal trees. The Fish Poison Tree(Barringtonia asiatica) ( ) contains saponinthat fshermen use to stun fsh. Look down atthe ground or its uy owers, which open atnight to release strong scents to attract nocturnalpollinators such as moths and bats.

Another coastal tree you can see at the promenadeis the Sea Grape tree (Coccoloba uvifera) ( ) .This tree bears reddish, eshy ruits that resemblegrapes. This tree is easy to spot; just look out orthe rusty red colour o the trunk and round-shapedleaves with clear veins.

Ater your walk, linger at the promenade and enjoythe sea-breeze and spectacular view o the sea.

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