Thursday, October 4, 2007

Chek Jawa Boardwalk Tours

All of us can now visit Chek Jawa any tide thanks to the launch of the Chek Jawa Boardwalk on 7 July 2007!

The Naked Hermit Crabs have designed a special tour on the boardwalk to introduce everyone to Chek Jawa!

Enjoy the great view and find out more about Chek Jawa. Join us to check out rare coastal plants, cute fiddler crabs, aggressive mudskippers, sturdy mangrove trees, interesting bugs and more!

For more photos of the boardwalk, check out the following blog entires:
- First NHC Guided Walk at Chek Jawa Boardwalk
- An Outing at CJ Boardwalk
- Naked Hermit Crab preview at Chek Jawa

When is the next walk?
Date: Yet to be confirmed
Time: Yet to be confirmed
Duration of walk: 2 hours
Cost: $4 (does not include transport to Pulau Ubin and Chek Jawa)
Meeting Point: Chek Jawa Info Kiosk, in front of House No. 1 at Chek Jawa, a short walk from where the van drops you off location map

How to join us?
Please book your walks by sending an email to nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com with "Chek Jawa Boardwalk Tour" in the subject line and these details:

(a) Name and contact no. of lead person
(b) Number of adults
(c) Number and age of children

Why is the group size limited?
Firstly, there aren't many volunteers right now to help conduct the walks. Secondly, it's much more enjoyable for you if the group is small. You don't have to jostle to see or hear the guide, or the wildlife being discussed. If we were unable to accommodate you this time around, hopefully you could join us in our future trips? If people enjoy our walks, we promise to continue to hold more of these walks.

Who is organising this walk?
The Naked Hermit Crabs! Who are we? Why are we naked? and more gruesome details.

Why are the walks charged?
Your contribution of $4 per person will help partially cover the transport cost for the guides, and the costs of training and developing the walks. The bulk of the costs are currently funded through personal contributions by the Naked Hermit Crabs. The Crabs will of course gratefully accept any additional donations to this cause! Thank you!

How to get there?
Chek Jawa is on Pulau Ubin.

To get to Pulau Ubin, take a 10-min boat ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal (at Changi Village). The boat leaves as and when there are 12 passengers, and you pay your boat fare after you get onto the boat. You'll go through the same process on your return trip to mainland Singapore. The boat ride costs $2/person each way, meaning $4 to-and-fro.

From Ubin Jetty, you can take a van to Chek Jawa. the van drivers will usually gather near the Ubin Info Kiosk near the jetty. The ride takes about 15 min, and the van will drop you at the entrance to Chek Jawa. You need to go through the gate and walk for about 2-3 min to reach the meeting point - Chek Jawa Info Kiosk. The van ride also costs $2/person each way, meaning $4 to-and-fro.

You can also rent a bicycle at one of the shops near Ubin Jetty, to cycle to Chek Jawa. It'll cost you about $5/bicycle, but note that terms and conditions vary among the shops.

As the trip from Changi to Chek Jawa takes about 30 min, please ensure that you start off earlier to reach the meeting point in time.

More details on how to get to Ubin on the wildsingapore website which has details on how to get to Changi, how to get on a boat, and about hiring a van or bicycles on Ubin.

More details on Chek Jawa on the wildsingapore website.

How much will it cost to get to Chek Jawa?
The boat ride costs $2/person each way, and the van ride $2/person each way. So total cost for a round trip journey is $8/person.

Bicycle rentals start from $2-3/bicycle/hour, or you can rent it for the whole day from $5. Terms and conditions vary. There are several bicycle rental shops at Ubin Town.

Why is the group size limited?
Firstly, there aren't many volunteers right now to help conduct the walks. Secondly, it's much more enjoyable for you if the group is small. You don't have to jostle to see or hear the guide, or the wildlife being discussed. If we were unable to accommodate you this time around, hopefully you could join us in our future trips? If people enjoy our walks, we promise to continue to hold more of these walks.

Why can't I sign up for 100 people from my company?
The Naked Hermit Crabs are small and ... well ... naked. We are very sorry that we can only handle small groups at this point in time.

What to prepare for the walk?

1. The walk itself should take about 2 hours. But if you include the journey to and fro and leisure time, it will probably take about 4 hours. So ensure that you bring enough water and also some snacks.

2. We will be staying on the boardwalk and we are NOT going onto the intertidal area. Wearing a pair of comfortable shoes will be sufficient.

3. Bring a hat or umbrella in case of hot weather.

4. Please be prepared for wet weather. A poncho will be more reliable than an umbrella as you won't have to struggle with the wind. If there is heavy rain or lightning (which can happen without rain), the walk will be stopped or aborted.

5. We will meet on Ubin even if it rains, as we will proceed to have the walk if the rain stops or is less heavy and there is no lightning.

6. You may also want to bring insect repellent as there are mosquitoes in the area.

7. All stuff will have to brought along for the walk, so keep the backpack light.

1 comment:

  1. THANKSSSSSS for the walk!!! and the food =D

    ReplyDelete

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