Adventure Singapore: Ketam Bike Trail

I just rode the Ketam Mountain Biking Trail on Pulau Ubin, a small island off Singapore, and I am impressed. I think this has the potential to be the best MTB trail in Singapore.

While The Tampines MTB trail I wrote about earlier can offer riders a ‘quick fix’, getting to the Ketam trail is at least a half day affair. You’ll need to get yourself over to the Changi Point Ferry Terminal, and then catch a bumboat for the 10-minute ferry ride to the island of Pulau Ubin. If you didn’t bring your bike with you, you can rent a ‘mountain bike’ at Ubin Village when you get off the ferry.

Getting to the Trail is a pleasant 15-minute road ride towards the western part of the island. There should be signs to guide you to the start of the bike trail when the trail is officially open in January 2008.

When I first rode this trail 3 months ago, it was still a work in progress. I thought it was a little too technical, and reminiscent of the Kentridge MTB trail. No surprise, since the same guys are involved in the construction of both these trails.

DirTraction, the trail builders, have made some very intelligent changes since then. There are 8 km of beautiful singletrack trail, which circumnavigate Ketam Quarry Lake. It is tight, twisty jungle singletrack, which occasionally opens up to spectacular views of Ketam Lake and the sea. There are 3 levels of challenge. Most intermediate riders will opt to ride the black diamond trail, which have sections hard enough to make you think twice. Yummy!

t took us one hour and 15 minutes to ride the trail, including stops to take photos and having to re-ride sections we failed to clear on the first go. Novices should stay off the black diamond trail. It’s a long way down to Ketam Lake and if you goof, it could be very bad for you!
I
Photos:
All photos captured with a Pentax Optio 43WR