Summary: 3km; Easy ; Wheelchair and stroller accessible; Playground
Here is a walk that will please the whole family:
– parents can learn about Singapore’s history during World War II
– while children can explore WWII fortifications and cannons, run through the forest and play in the playground.
Map and trails for Labrador Park and Keppel Bay
Start : Labrador Park Car Park A ; Finish : Keppel Bay
The Labrador park is not big but it has too different facets:
- The forest where you can discover the fortifications of the Second World War with many explanations, while walking on a pretty shaded path.
- The seaside with fishermen, playgrounds and the pier.
You can just do a short loop in the park, but we loved the walk to Keppel Bay.
The trail is about 3km long and very varied: forest, seaside, mangrove, marina.
Here is the detailed map of Labrador Park:
History
Labrador Park
Between 1905 and 1918, the British army reduced its troops in Singapore to concentrate its forces in Europe to fight in the First World War. But from 1918, faced with the Japanese threat, the British chose to build a naval fleet at Sembawang in the Strait of Johor to protect the region.
In 1935, the British reinforced their military protection north and south of Singapore. They set up artillery in Labrador to notably protect the port of Keppel.
Singapore was considered a difficult fortress to take. However the Japanese took the island in less than 15 days.
Following Churchill’s order, most of the weapons were destroyed before restitution so as not to fall into the clutches of the enemy (“the guns of the fortress must all be destroyed and rendered unusable…”). Thus part of the installations will be destroyed at the same time.
Discover the rest of the military constructions and more information about WWII in Singapore with all the signs in the park.
Keppel Bay
Since the 13th century, ships that sailed from the Strait of Malacca to southern China, crossed the waterway through Keppel Bay.
This is why Singapore’s first docks were set up by the British at Keppel Bay. The first wharf “Dock no. 1” was built in 1859 by Captain William Cloughton.
But it was in the 1900s that the Keppel Bay docks experienced their golden age with the completion in 1913 of the second largest dock: the “King’s Dock”. Its construction took 4 and a half years and used more than 203,000 tons of concrete.
The port was originally called “New Harbour” and was renamed “Keppel Harbour” in 1900 in honor of Admiral Keppel, who fought off pirates in the strait.
Today the docks have been replaced by condominiums and a marina which can welcome up to 200 boats and notably superyachts that could be 190m long.
source : Roots, National Heritage Board
See more photos of this walk.
Tips for your family walk
Labrador Park MRT Station is a 10 minutes walk.
The parks and trails can be closed, always check on the NParks website before going : Labrador NPark page.
Bring water and sunscreen because part of the trail is not shaded and mosquito repellent for the first part.
If you want to eat at Keppel Bay, the restaurant Privé has a little Playground. The food is not extraordinary but correct (I recommend the salads) and above all you can eat and drink a drink quietly while enjoying the view.
More visits
Discover Singapore with your children : an audioguide for the parents and a kit for the children. Seriously fun and enriching family time !
Chinatown
1h30 
1 km 
More family walks
- Thomson Nature Park
- Kampong Glam : From the malay neighborhood to the graffiti art
- Labrador park to Keppel Bay
- Walk down the Southern Ridges
Art & Craft : Discover Singapore and its cultures at home
Coming soon
More photos of Labrador Park and Keppel Bay
