We did a morning at Chemperai Boardwalk and Lornie Trail at MacRitchie Reservoir Park last Sunday but there was just the western part of the park. Today we decided to explore the eastern part. It was a bit misty and cloudy when we reached the park.
Starting at the main MacRitchie entrance (off Lornie Road), we made our way to the Prunus Trail, a short boardwalk loop that gently curves around the reservoir’s edge.
The trail is named after the Prunus tree, but here, we also saw chempedak, wild cinnamon, and other native plant species, many marked with educational signs that make the walk feel like a living nature class.
The Petai Trail continued seamlessly from the Prunus Trail and carried us slightly deeper into the forest.
It’s still a boardwalk for the most part but took on a slightly wilder feel.
The tree covers thickened, the sounds of birds and insects intensified, and the occasionally, we could hear monkeys jumping around the branches above us.
One of the greatest joys of walking the Prunus and Petai Trails at MacRitchie Reservoir was the chance to witness Singapore’s native wildlife in their natural habitat up close, and often just a few steps off the boardwalk.
MacRitchie Reservoir is more than just a pretty green space. It’s a vital part of Singapore’s history. Completed in 1868, it was the city’s first water supply system, built during the colonial era.
Similar to our walk last week, our round-trip walk today also took about 90 minutes.
I managed to capture some great moments of various wildlife during our walk.
After having our breakfast at Serangoon Garden Hawker Centre, we decided to go for a short walk at one of the nearby parks where we had not explored before. After a quick search on the internet, we headed to The Japanese Cemetery Park, located in a quiet corner of Hougang.
The park was established in 1891, originally on land donated by Tomiya Okura, a Japanese brothel owner who wanted a burial ground for destitute Japanese women—many of whom were karayuki-san (young women who had been trafficked from Japan to work in Southeast Asia). Over time, the cemetery grew to include Japanese residents, civilians, and military personnel, including some connected to the Japanese occupation during World War II.
After the war, the cemetery fell into neglect, but in the 1980s, it was restored and reopened as a heritage park. Today, it is maintained not only as a burial site but also as a space of remembrance and reconciliation.
There is a Prayer Hall (HÅanden), which is a small, traditional-looking structure near the entrance, the prayer hall is a quiet spot where we can sit, reflect, and observe the rituals of remembrance that persist here.
When we think of cemeteries, we will usually imagine solemn stone markers and solemn processions. But stepping into the Japanese Cemetery Park felt more like entering a hidden garden. Arched gates adorned with bougainvillea welcomed us into a peaceful avenue lined with frangipani trees, pink petals scattered gently across gravel paths.
Scattered throughout the park are hundreds of gravestones, some simple, some intricately carved, many inscribed in Japanese kanji. Small offerings (like coins, incense, or origami cranes) could be seen beside certain graves, left by visitors or descendants.
While Singapore doesn’t have real Sakura seasons, the cemetery is beautifully landscaped and full of flowering plants that give it a vibrant, tranquil charm. In many ways, it felt like a living museum.
This park is definitely not what we had expected prior to our visit.
It had been about 2 months since we last did a Sunday morning walk in a park. Since we woke up early today, we decided to go for a hiking walk at MacRitchie Reservoir, the oldest reservoir in Singapore. Originally known as the Impounding Reservoir, it was renamed in honour of James MacRitchie, the Municipal Engineer who played a major role in its expansion.
One of the more delightful surprises early in the walk was the Zig-Zag Bridge, winds in a gentle zig-zag pattern over the water, offering lovely views of the reservoir and surrounding forest. In Chinese architectural tradition, zig-zag bridges are believed to ward off evil spirits, which are thought to only travel in straight lines.
One of the most solemn and historically rich stops along the trail is Lim Bo Seng’s Tomb, located near the eastern end of the reservoir. Nestled in a quiet clearing just off the path, the tomb is a memorial to one of Singapore’s national war heroes. Lim Bo Seng was a leader of Force 136, a resistance group during World War II that fought against the Japanese occupation. He was eventually captured, tortured, and died in captivity in 1944. His tomb was built in 1946 and is one of the few traditional Chinese-style hero tombs in Singapore.
The Chemperai Boardwalk runs along the reservoir’s edge, offering a peaceful route perfect for families, casual walkers, and nature lovers. It’s an easy stroll, lined with lush greenery and accompanied by the sounds of birds and the occasional splash of fish in the water.
MacRitchie is a haven for biodiversity, with over 1,500 species of plants and animals recorded in the area.
The Chemperai Boardwalk eventually leads to the Lornie Trail, where things take a wilder turn. Unlike the structured boardwalk, Lornie Trail is an earthy path, occasionally root-covered, but undeniably rich in atmosphere. We walked under towering dipterocarp trees, surrounded by the deep green hues of the tropical rainforest.
It’s amazing to think that just beyond these trails lies the bustling Lornie Highway, yet here, all we heard were the sounds of nature, such as chirping cicadas, the occasional rustle of leaves, and the calls of birds hidden high in the canopy.
Our round-trip walk took about 90 minutes, with plenty of pauses to take in the scenery, snapped some great photos, and just be present.
