Cycling Singapore

Another country where everyone tells you that cycling is unsafe and the heat will kill you. And about the fortieth country where they are wrong about both.

We have now cycled from Malaysia to Singapore twice and the other way three times. It is about forty kilometers each way and the best bit is as you pass the cars queuing for two hours at the border and sneak through the motorbike/bike lane. In Johor, Malaysia you are on the road most of the time but once you hit Singapore, then it is bike lanes a lot of the time. When you have to use the road the bus lanes are mostly free and available for cyclists.

We have been using the bikes for the ten kilometer round trip to the shops but have also been out adventuring six times exploring the hidden corners of Singapore. After only three weeks we are already telling residents where we have been and they say “Heard of it but haven’t been there.” Alternatively “Where is that?”

We have cycled along six lane highways, back roads cutting through the rain forest, cycle paths, footpaths and jungle trails. Often the distance from highway to trail is less than a kilometer. Similarly the price of a coffee drops from thirteen dollars to three just by moving a kilometer away from the tourist hot spots. Singapore is a vibrant city but also a place of huge contrasts. It is also amazingly green. There are rivers and canals running through the city and parks everywhere. If there is a space it has bushes, flowers and trees. They even plant trees on the skyscrapers and plants hang off them.

A bus driver was inconsiderate (twice, the same driver) but thousands of other vehicles have passed us with no problems. When you are moving in to the outside lane on a three lane highway to turn right, it is nice to feel that people are going to try and avoid you.