Clementi Forest Guide: A Wild Hike in Singapore

The Clementi Forest is the best wilderness trail you could get in Singapore for me. The forest remains pretty raw despite the construction going on around its perimeter, cue now the Rail Corridor. You’ll also get a beautiful morning mist floating in between the valley of towering trees. The trade-off: a muddy route and some bashing.

Having done several hikes overseas, I am pleased to find this hidden gem. Since my return from New Zealand after an unusually long Working Holiday season (it lasted two years), my nature trails have dramatically dwindled or crashed. So you can imagine how happy I was to have finally attempted this nature booster of a trail.

I visited Clementi Forest in June 2023. It rained the morning before my visit.

Getting There

There are two entry points to get into the trail.

Most other blogs list Opp Ngee Ann Poly Bus Station as the trailhead, as you get to walk by a canal and into the valley of towering trees and the large leafy Indian Taro plants.

The second option is to walk down the Rail Corridor from King Albert MRT station/ bus stop and enter Clementi Forest from the maroon trail.

The trade-off of choosing Option 2 over 1 is you’ll miss out on the misty morning sight. For 2, it gets you directly above the dusty red metal beams.

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Landmarks

1) Opp Ngee Ann Poly Bus Stop

The closest MRT station is King Albert Park MRT on the Downtown line. From there, take another 15 mins stroll (around 3 bus stops) to the Opp Ngee Ann Poly Bus Stop.

If travelling via bus, buses 52, 61, 74, 75, 151, 154 and 184 ply the route.

From the bus stop, enter the trail via the canal. You would see a beaten-up trail. Follow that till you reach point 2 – somewhere in the middle of Clementi Forest.

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2) Clementi Forest

Enjoy the morning mist! Your shoes should be very wet, and probably muddy now. Along the way, expect to walk up a couple of small but steep muddy slopes. You could clean your muddy hands with the dew droplets from the leaves. ;D

Take note of the slippery roots!

Your shoes will definitely get muddy as you inch closer to the Red Metal Beams.

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3) Red Metal Beams

There will be a steep decline to a small stream towards the red metal beams. You could try to stay dry by inching along the riverbank. 

But there’s also a chance of false solid ground, and you stepping into a bog like what my buddy unfortunately did.

Since your shoes are already muddy and wet, choose to walk in the stream itself, which was around mid-shin level when we visited. Bear in mind, days of rain could elevate the water level! It rained pretty heavily on the previous morning before we visited.

From the red metal beams, slowly climb or walk up to higher grounds with a sign that belatedly tells you not to enter the canal (from the rail corridor side).

The sign is also where other hikers could enter the trail from the perfectly manicured Rail Corridor Track.

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4) Forgotten Railway Track

Follow the beaten path by the sign and you’ll soon find the metal rail of the forgotten railway.

It is a pretty straightforward path from the track to the tunnel, with not much bashing. Though expect sections of mudfest again. There are portions where you would need to crawl under or over fallen tree trunks.

We saw lots of ants scurrying around. If you’re not wearing socks like me (I was wearing amphibious hiking shoes), you might get beaten by a few that managed to hitchhike on.

There are also plenty of vertical metal beams along the way on both sides of the railway track. These were probably used to stop debris or mudslides coming down and blocking the track in the olden days.

The Forgotten Railway Track reminded me of the Forgotten Bridge in New Zealand, which was a highlight of a multi-day canoe trip.

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5) Tunnel

The tunnel could have been a place to shoot some paranormal shows (we saw a few weirdly discarded shoes) or dramas like Alice in Borderland (the part where the King of Spades started chasing the players through a tunnel).

If it has rained for several days, try and spot some tadpoles or small fish swimming in the puddles by the railway track!

You could call it a day and exit the track via the bus stop above the tunnel, or push on towards Sunset Way.

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6) Sunset Way

This part of the forest is the easiest portion. Well, we aren’t really in Clementi Forest now that we have passed through the tunnel. On the other side of the road, the forest is called the Maju Forest.

Exit via a slope towards a cluster of HDB blocks.

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Getting Out

If you’re hungry and feeling like pampering yourself, there are several cafes in the HDB cluster.

For us, we took the bus out along Clementi Road and stopped at Beauty World Food Centre for some much needed economical noms – we went without breakfast – before heading back home, heart full, shirts stinky, and shoes very much wet and muddy.

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Additional Notes

1. This trail was relatively easy but may be difficult for some who are more attuned to manicured trails like MacRitchie or Bukit Timah.
2. You will definitely get wet and muddy, so having a spare set of clothes helps.
3. Try not to wear shoes that are nearing their end. We saw lots of discarded soles along the track. If you are going to do that, don’t abandon your soles!
4. Long pants or shorts do not matter. 
5. The mosquitoes are still gonna get you despite the insect repellant.
6. Do your walks early! Enjoy the magical misty moment.
7. Don’t attempt this alone. Imagine finding yourself alone, half stuck in the bog.
8. Follow the beaten-up trails. You might step on empty spaces if you try to make up your own path.
9. IMPORTANT: This path is not maintained by NParks – which explains its beauty and also danger. Do it at your own risk.