Bukit Timah nature reserve

If you've been to the Guindy national park in Chennai, and thought it small (2.82 sqkm), then you ought to visit the Bukit Timah nature reserve in Singapore. At 1.64 sqkm / 400 acres, it is really small for a protected reserve; but it truely lives up to the adage 'good things come in small packages'! A sanctuary for primary rainforests in a city where much of it has been replaced by artificial gardens, the nature reserve is a really nice place to get away, get some exercise and 'see the trees'.

The bukit timah reserve is part of a larger protected area - along with the central catchment reserve of singapore it covers some 3000 odd sqkm and is protected by the Parks and Trees act of 2005. It is bound by four reservoirs - the McRitchie, Upper Pierce, Lower Pierce and Seletar reservoirs. The nature reserve acts as a catchment area for the water in the reservoirs and maintains the quality of the water.

At 163m, the summit at the reserve is the highest point in singapore. It once served as a granite quarry, but quarry activities have long been abandoned.

Watch this space, there's a lot more to come on the BT nature reserve.