HIGHLIGHTS
Pasir Ris Park; Mangrove Forest; Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple
THE GOOD
Pasir Ris has been known for its beach holiday vibes since the late 19th century, when Jewish tycoon Joseph Elias’ 12-bedroom house, later converted into the now-vanished Pasir Ris Hotel, was among the private coastal bungalows of the elite. The lure of the sea is still evident in this trail.
At Pasir Ris Park, embrace the thrill of coastal wildlife-spotting. Near carpark B, birdwatchers gather on a wooden bridge over Sungei Tampines, one of two rivers in Pasir Ris. Hornbills, herons and parakeets chitter and glide.
Trees stand ankle-deep in the brackish waters of the park’s Mangrove Forest, where I spy kingfishers, crabs and macaques.
Even the architecture has charming nautical touches. In Pasir Ris Street 11, Housing Board flats have walls with portholes or facades fashioned like lighthouses. The Bumboat Playground, next to Elias Mall, features the eponymous boat with painted eyes.
These dopamine hits of nostalgia are fleeting, however, and can be appreciated without breaking one’s stride. My gaze rests briefly, then flutters away.
I sink my teeth instead into a full-on sensory experience at Loyang Tua Pek Kong in Loyang Way, a temple with glittering interiors which welcomes different faiths. Tua Pek Kong and other Taoist deities hold court in shrines that extend to the ceiling. There are shrines for Ganesha and other Hindu gods, as well as a keramat to Datuk Kong, a local guardian spirit.
THE BAD
Pasir Ris is a large neighbourhood and walking around it is no joke. I try to race-walk like a pro, but something dies inside when I make it to a heritage spot like Sakya Tenphel Ling, one of the first Tibetan temples in South-east Asia, and find the gates shut.
RATING: 3/5
DURATION AND DIFFICULTY
Three-and-a-half hours, about 10,000 steps. The map at Roots.gov.sg looks straightforward, but distances between some landmarks are farther than I thought.
Loyang Tua Pek Kong in Loyang Way. Photo: Kevin Lim
