Hiking at the Junction of Geylang, Kallang and Rochor Rivers and beyond

Our planned 2-hour outing at Kallang Riverside Park and National Stadium for Sunday May 5th, 2024, was stretched to a 15km, 5 hour exploration and sightseeing at the Junction of Geylang, Kallang and Rochor Rivers and beyond. Gorgeous weather made colorful buildings, lawns, rivers so much more beautiful   - we were pulled forward by the vista!

Kallang Riverside Park

This small park is right at the junction of Kallang River and Rochor River.  It has a large open meadow, and across the bay from National Stadium. Crossing Rochor river over a small pedestrian bridge, and walking through the underpass of Merdeka Bridge, a roof like large building - the Singapore Indoor stadium - appeared in front of us.

This bay was a busy place - a main training place for kayaking and dragon boat rowing. 

open lawn

National Stadium of Singapore

Highrises by Rochor River 

National Stadium (dome) and Singapore Indoor Stadium (The traditional roof like structure) 

Orange roofed condominium clusters

Looking south, a cluster of buildings with bright orange roofs caught our eyes. We saw these buildings from ECP expressways many times before, from afar. Checking maps, the condominium cluster includes Costa Rhu, Pebble Bay, Parkshore, Sanctuary Green, Water palace, Casuarina Cove, Tanjong Ria and Camelot by-the-water.

Looking toward southwest, the Singapore Flyer (Ferris Wheel) and Sands Hotel appeared in the viewfinder. 

The orange roof buildings, the blue sky, white clouds, and palm trees formed a beautiful tapestry any angle we looked at it. 

Stadium Riverside Walk

Turning right and crossing Kallang river via sidewalk on Merdeka Bridge, we reached the national stadium. There was a rugby tournament going on in the stadium. Courtyard of the stadium and stadium riverside walk are beautiful and a good place for some wildlife.

pacific swallows

black napped oriole 

crow

The stadium riverside walk was a quiet place with a different view of the condominium clusters, Singapore flyer and the sands hotel.

Tanjong Rhu Suspension Bridge

Tanjong Rhu Suspension Bridge and Lookout Tower

The suspension bridge connects the stadium area to the condominium clusters. The lookout tower was a good place to enjoy the vista from a high place.

View from the lookout tower 1

View from the lookout tower 2

We were attracted by the beautiful city landscape, and pulled forward. By now we walked 6km already. Not wanting to walk back, we decided to move forward to Bay East Garden and walk a big loop to go back to Kallang Riverside Park

Bay East Garden and Marian Barge

The trail at bay east garden provides a different and beautiful view of marina bay on this Sunny day with blue sky. The downside was that it has no shade and about a mile long. Seeing the marina bay from Northeast in bright daylight provides a totally different perspective and view. I thought that it was worthwhile to have a hike like the one we had at least once. 

Marina Barge

The ocean

a olive backed sunbird

On the trail of Bay East Garden, I saw flying kites near the marina barge. I wonder where the big open place could be. It turned out to be the big Marina Barge rooftop  lawn - it must be of size equivalent to a few track fields. It is a great place to fly kites even on a calm day due to breeze from the ocean. It is also a great place to see downtown skylines.

infinite meadow?

By now we walked about 10km, it was noon time, and we were hot and hungry. We had ice cream and lunch at Satay by the Bay, which is not a single restaurant but a high-priced hawker center.

Bay west

We walked along the bay west/Maria promenade to go back to Kallang Riverside park.  Along the way, at Marina Bay side, we saw sculptures we did not notice before, and saw the man made concrete landscape in new light.

Despite not well prepared to the extended hiking, and some Sunburn at necks and ankles, we thoroughly enjoyed this trail. 

Notes

This is a good long trail at Singapore - varying and gorgeous city landscapes, rivers, and greenery. Only a clear sunny day with dotted white clouds can make it as beautify as we saw on May 5th. The down side of this trail is that it has very limited shade, thus potential of sunburns.

Sunscreen on all exposed body surface is a must. One should reply sunscreen again after 2 hours under the Sun. Sun sleeve, Sun legging and Sun umbrella are great accessories for long exposure to the Sun.

Singapore's UV level is always very high from 9am to 5pm.