Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Out in the rural northwest, Sungei Buloh is Singapore's first ASEAN Heritage Park — 130 hectares of mangroves, mudflats and brackish ponds laced with boardwalks and bird hides. Between September and March it becomes a crucial pit stop on the East Asian–Australasian flyway, when thousands of migratory shorebirds drop in to feed on the mud. Year-round you'll spot mudskippers, fiddler crabs, monitor lizards and, if you're lucky and careful, a wild estuarine crocodile basking near the water. It's quiet, flat and free, with a visitor centre explaining the ecosystem. Bring binoculars, insect repellent and a hat — there's little shade out on the flats.