With its beautiful stretches of coastline, scenic flowing waterways and thriving wetlands, the North Eastern Riverine Loop is one of Singapore’s most interesting park connectors.

 

This 26 km route follows the natural coastline of Punggol Beach and the riverbanks of Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon, while providing connections to four parks: Punggol Park, Punggol Point Park, Punggol Waterway Park, and Sengkang Riverside Park.

You can also make a quick detour to the rustic Coney Island Park, via the Punggol Park Connector, Punggol Promenade Punggol Point Walk, or Punggol Promenade Nature Walk. 

So go for a long walk or hop on a bicycle for a journey up north by northeast. Here are some highlights along the loop to check out:

 

 

Coney Island Park

 

With its tall and slender Casuarina trees, Coney Island Park offers much to explore for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts. It is an ecologically sustainable green space with many environmental initiatives, focused on conserving energy and water, recycling and retaining natural elements in the park. 

For example, the timber from uprooted Rhu or Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) trees were collected and recycled into park signages, seats, benches, boardwalk, and used to construct parts of the nature play garden at Casuarina Exploration in the park.

Start exploring the forest and mangrove habitats on the boardwalk and move on to the beach which can be accessed at five locations. If you are on a bicycle, you can also ride through the rustic island along the 2.5-km track on the southern part of the island, taking in the beautiful promenade views of the Serangoon Reservoir.

Discover the park’s rich biodiversity; it is home to more than 80 species of resident and migratory birds that can be found in the coastal forests, grasslands, mangroves, and casuarina woodlands. 

Look up to catch the magnificent White-bellied Sea Eagle as it soars above head.
Photo credit: Francis Yap

Try to spot the White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), the largest raptor in Singapore with a wingspan of about 50 cm soaring above, or look for the Common Flameback (Dinopium javanense) that is easily identified by its golden yellow feathers on its back and black and white face pattern. This bird also has stiff tail feathers to help it balance as it climbs the trunks and branches of trees in search of prey.


Punggol Waterway Park

Did you know that the word Punggol in Malay means hurling sticks at the branches of fruit trees to bring them down to the ground – a reference to the area’s history as a fruit-growing district! 

Punggol Waterway Park is one of four parks linked by the Northern Eastern Riverine Loop. It is segmented into four different themes: Nature Cove, Recreation Zone, Heritage Zone and Green Gallery. 

 

Built around the section of Punggol Waterway and located along Sentul Crescent, you can easily spend a full day here, enjoying activities like birdwatching, cycling, exercise, photography or just relaxing and feeling the breeze as you listen to the soothing sounds of cascading water around you.

 

There is a new Therapeutic Garden offering an elevated vista of the waterway. Enjoy the features that facilitate therapeutic horticulture which uses plants to help improve mental well-being. It is located next to Punggol Waterway Park Car Park A, which is accessible from Punggol Walk.

Towards the south-eastern end of the park is the distinctive Lorong Halus Red Bridge. After you stop to snap a few photos for your social media account, keep your eyes peeled for a possible rare sight along Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk near the bridge.

 

Photo credit: Kalthom Abd Latiff 

The Tiger Orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum) is the largest orchid species in the world. When in bloom, its flowers are pale greenish-yellow with orange-brown spots and turn darker as it gets older. In Singapore, it flowers in January or July, but may not do so every year, so if you can see these blooms, you can consider yourself lucky!

Punggol Park