Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Bukit Timah Hill is Singapore's highest point, at a mere 163 metres. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (4685736) is a 164-hectare primary rain forest reserve just a half-hour ride from the heart of the city. It is located along Upper Bukit Timah Road, at the end of Hindhede Drive.

Admission is free, and the visitor centre opens daily from 8.30 in the morning to 6.30 in the evening. The reserve is a popular spot during the weekend, with visitors ranging from teenagers on mountain bikes to groups of serious joggers.

The park is clearly marked with trails, and you can breathe in the sights, smells and sounds of an authentic primary forest as you walk. This essentially, was Singapore hundreds of years ago, before development.

Tall timber trees, liana vines and huge ferns abound in the forest. The place also boasts of an abundant wildlife - watch out for the noisy long-tailed macaque, who may just decide to follow you on part of your walk, swinging from tree to tree.