Singapore to Pulau Ubin

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 5 min read

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Pulau Ubin is the closest thing Singapore has to a time machine: a rustic island of wooden kampong houses, mangroves and quarries just off the north-east coast, largely unchanged while the mainland grew into a metropolis around it. Getting there is refreshingly analogue too — a short crossing on a traditional wooden "bumboat" that leaves not on a printed timetable but whenever enough passengers turn up. If you're arriving fresh into the city, see our Singapore airport to the city guide first.

The bumboat from Changi Point

Bumboats to Pulau Ubin depart from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal, in the north-east of Singapore near Changi Village, reachable from the city by MRT to Tanah Merah or Pasir Ris and a connecting bus. The crossing itself takes only around 10 minutes, covering the short stretch of the Serangoon Harbour to Pulau Ubin's main jetty.

The boats generally run from around 6am to 7pm, but there is no fixed schedule — each boat departs once it has around a dozen passengers aboard, so waiting times vary from a couple of minutes at busy weekend periods to considerably longer on a quiet weekday morning. Fares are low, paid in cash directly to the boat operator rather than by EZ-Link card as on the mainland's MRT and buses, with a small surcharge for bringing a bicycle. If you're travelling outside the usual operating hours or in a smaller group, it's sometimes possible to charter a boat privately for a higher per-person rate.

Why there's no other way

Pulau Ubin has no bridge or causeway link to mainland Singapore, unlike Sentosa with its cable car and boardwalk, so a boat is the only way across. There's no bus route that reaches the island for the obvious reason that there are no vehicle ferries serving it either — private cars stay on the mainland. Flying is irrelevant over such a short hop, and the island's own transport, once you arrive, is limited to walking, hired bicycles and a small number of shared taxis that potter along the island's unpaved tracks.

What to see on the island

Pulau Ubin preserves a kampong (traditional village) way of life that has largely vanished from the rest of Singapore, with wooden houses on stilts, rubber and durian smallholdings, and a handful of residents who still live there full-time. Bicycle hire is available right at the jetty and is by far the most popular way to get around, since the island's main roads and trails are largely unpaved and spread out further than is comfortable to cover entirely on foot.

The island's slower pace is very much the point: while the rest of Singapore has been continually rebuilt over the past half-century, Pulau Ubin was largely left alone once its granite-quarrying industry wound down in the late 20th century, and its remaining kampong residents and small community of holdout smallholders have kept the atmosphere of a much older, rural Singapore intact. Signposted trails link the main sights, and it's easy to lose an unhurried hour or two simply cycling between them without a fixed plan.

Highlights worth building a visit around

• Chek Jawa Wetlands, on the island's eastern tip, protects a rare mix of coastal habitats — coral rubble, seagrass, mangrove and mudflat — connected by a boardwalk and a coastal viewing tower.
• The former granite quarries, now flooded and turned into quiet lakes, are a legacy of the island's mining past and a popular stop for cyclists.
• Small seafood restaurants near the main jetty are a good option for lunch before or after exploring, since options thin out quickly once you're away from the village centre.
• The Ubin Fireflies Park and surrounding mangrove boardwalks are worth a detour for visitors interested in the island's wetland wildlife.

Timing your visit

Pulau Ubin has no shade to speak of on its open trails and gets genuinely hot by mid-morning, so an early departure from Changi Point is the most comfortable way to see the island before the heat sets in. Weekends bring noticeably more visitors and shorter waits for a full boat, while weekday mornings are quieter but can mean a longer wait for the bumboat to fill. Most visitors budget a half to a full day, depending on how much of the island they intend to cycle — a loop taking in Chek Jawa and the quarries comfortably fills three to four hours at an easy pace.

Which should you choose?

There isn't really a choice to make here beyond timing: the bumboat from Changi Point is the only way across, so the main decision is when to go. An early-morning departure on a weekday gives the most peaceful visit, while a weekend trip trades a little more crowding for shorter waits at the jetty. If you're building a wider look at Singapore's islands, our guide to Singapore to Sentosa covers the very different, fully developed island at the opposite end of the spectrum, and Singapore to Bintan covers the international ferry option for a longer island escape. Travellers with only a few spare hours between flights should instead see our Singapore layover guide, since Pulau Ubin's unpredictable boat timing doesn't suit a tight connection.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Singapore to Pulau Ubin?

Take a bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. The crossing takes about 10 minutes, and boats depart once enough passengers are aboard rather than on a fixed timetable.

Is there a fixed ferry timetable to Pulau Ubin?

No. Bumboats generally run from around 6am to 7pm and leave once roughly a dozen passengers are aboard, so waiting times vary through the day.

Can I pay by card for the bumboat?

No, fares are typically paid in cash directly to the boat operator, so it's worth bringing small notes before you set off.

How do I get around Pulau Ubin once I arrive?

Most visitors hire a bicycle right at the jetty, since the island's roads and trails are unpaved and spread out. Walking and a small number of shared taxis are the other options.