Hi everyone!

I've moved the meetup to October 4, since many people have Language meetups on the 3rd (Sorry~ at the time I posted the Outing Meetup I didn't know people had meetups on Saturday). I hope you guys can still make it! :D

While I'm certain that our Korean members have visited the various shopping malls and pubs here in Singapore, I'm equally sure not all of them have experienced the exotic outdoors! So Korean-buddies ~ now's your chance!!! ^^

Anyway, on October 3, 2009 from 1:30pm - 4:30pm, we're going to visit the HSBC Treetop Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir Park. The HSBC Treetop walk has this 250m free-standing suspension bridge where you could appreciate a bird's eye-view of the forest canopy. It's quite cool actually!

There are several paths we could take to reach the HSBC Treetop Walk... we're taking the shortest and easiest trail! Hehehe! We're meeting at Venus Drive carpark then from there, the adventure begins!! Who's with me?!?!! :)

Stuff you could see along the way:

Trees! Plants! Nature!! And of course, animals too (birds, monkeys, etc.)! It's quite a nice change of scenery actually... you'd never think that you're in Singapore! Anyway, here are a few photos:

Difficulty level / Travel time:

Walking from the meeting area to the ranger station should be a relatively easy walk. It would normally take you 30-50 mins, depending on your pace. From the ranger station up to the HSBC Treetop walk, and back to the ranger station, I'd say moderate to a bit difficult (it involves an incline slope). This would probably take another 40 mins. In total I'd say the entire trip would last 3 hours... Sooo, make sure to do some exercise to prepare you for this journey!!

Attire & Things to Bring:

Wear comfortable clothing that's best suited for trekking / hiking. Do bring water or some sports drinks with you (100 Plus would be especially helpful, trust me)! Of course, those of you who want to drink beer like one of those Ajusshis who drink after reaching the top of a mountain may do so... I tried it once. But later on I wish I had a sports drink instead! Hahahaha

Please note that if you're bringing any food or drinks, be responsible enough to throw your garbage at the designated areas (which would only be at the ranger station).

Oh, bring your cameras!!!!

How to Get There:

Map of MacRitchie Trails

For those taking a cab or traveling by car, Venus Drive is near the intersection of Upper Thomson Road and Sin Ming Avenue. You would find Venus Drive on your way to Singapore Island Country Club (starting checking your maps).

If you're traveling by MRT, you can get off Bishan MRT Station and take Bus 410G or 410W and get off at Sin Ming Avenue. From there, we walk a bit. I'm getting there via MRT + Bus... so maybe... we can meet at Bishan Bus Interchange at 1pm. OK?

Questions / Contact information:

For more information, you can visit the NParks website at http://www.nparks.gov....

You can call them up too for more information at 6554 5127.

Okay, c'mon guys! Let's go go go!!!!!

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Here's some information about the HSBC Treetop Walk from the NParks website:

Opening Hours:
Tue to Fri - 9am to 5pm, Weekends and Public Holidays - 8.30am to 5pm. Closed on Monday
Description

The HSBC TreeTop Walk (HSBC TTW) is the highlight of several long hiking routes in MacRitchie that brings you through different stages of mature secondary forest. The first of its kind in Singapore and in the region, this free-standing suspension bridge connects the two highest points (Bukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang) in MacRitchie and offers a bird's eye view of the community of plants and animals that live in the forest canopy. The total length of the walkway is about 250m and its height from the forest floor varies, with the highest point at 25m.

Besides providing another avenue for nature recreation for Singaporeans, the HSBC TTW also play an important role in forest canopy research, an area many researchers were not able to get into because of lack of access. This bridge will help to facilitate surveys and plant identification work and further our understanding of how forest ecosystems work.

The HSBC TTW was officially launched by the Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Mrs. Lim Hwee Hua, on 5th November 2004. The event also marked the start of another collaboration between NParks and HSBC that will reap benefits for the community. As part of efforts to enhance the HSBC TreeTop Walk as an outdoor classroom to promote an interest and appreciation of the natural sciences, HSBC and NParks established the HSBC-GCF (Garden City Fund) TreeTop Walk Fund to support a host of programmes and activities for conservation, education and outreach. This includes programmes for school children, workshops for teachers, training of nature guides as well as the production of educational materials.

The distance to the entrance of the TreeTop Walk is approximately 4.5 km (1.5 - 2 hour walk) from the MacRitchie Reservoir Park and 2.5 km (45 mins - 1 hr walk) from the carpark at Venus Drive. Therefore, a round trip including the TreeTop Walk is about 7 to 10 km (3-5 hours depending on your walking pace).

Please note that the walkway only allows for one-direction traffic. The entrance to the bridge is from Ranger Station via Peirce track.