This weekend, gather the family and go on an outing to Keppel Bay. From a breezy boardwalk to a nature reserve that attracts birds and butterflies of all stripes, the Keppel Bay area is full of family-friendly diversions and entertainment.
Bukit Chermin Boardwalk
Take a walk along this 330-metre-long coastal boardwalk for lovely views of the verdant greenery at Bukit Chermin hill and the cliffs of Sentosa island. You can also see schools of fish darting about in the water during high-tide, and sea-grass beds and crustaceans during low-tide.
Labrador Nature Reserve
Home to more than 70 species of birds and 30 species of butterflies, this reserve is a wonderful opportunity to teach your kids about the natural world. A machine gun post and artillery pieces also mark the site of a former British military battlement, which is a perfect selfie spot for history buffs.
Mount Faber Park
One of the oldest parks in Singapore, Mount Faber Park has many lookout points with telescopes where you can get stunning views of the southern part of Singapore as well as of the nearby southern islands. Faber Point, the highest point in the park, also has murals that show the history of Singapore from the 14th century to the present.
VivoCity
VivoCity, Singapore’s largest shopping mall, has something for everyone. There’s retail therapy for the adults; a playground, mini boats and train rides for children; and a 300-metre-long promenade for all to enjoy. With a cinema and a shallow pool on the rooftop that spans the area of four Olympic-sized swimming pools, the mall is also perfect for searing hot days.
Dine in style
If you want a lazy lunch with the family or a fortifying meal after a day out, try the Tamarind Hill restaurant that sits atop a hill in the Labrador Nature Reserve. Housed in an Instagram-worthy, fully-restored colonial bungalow, the establishment serves delicious traditional and contemporary Thai cuisine such as red and green curries and chicken tom yam fried rice.
Alternatively, head to Privé restaurants at Marina at Keppel Bay for a mesmerising sea view to go along with your fushion and Western food. The Prive Grill plates up hay-roasted guinea fowls, rabbit and ale stews and an array of meats. Its lunch and dinner sets are also hot favourites among discerning foodies looking for great value. You can also get slow-cooked Canadian pork belly and roasted whole spring chickens at the Prive Café, and oysters and drinks at the bar.
How to get to Keppel Bay
The Keppel Bay area is well-served by trains and buses if you don’t feel like driving. The Circle and North East MRT Lines will bring you to Harbourfront MRT Station, which is connected to VivoCity and is a short walk to the Bukit Chermin Boardwalk and Labrador Nature Reserve. You can also take the Circle Line to Labrador MRT Station to go to the reserve.
Bus services 10, 30, 51, 143 and 176 will take you to Pasir Panjang Road, while bus services 61, 93, 97, 100, 166 and 963 stop at Alexandra Road. Both roads have bus stops that are a short walk to the Keppel Bay attractions.