Best things to do in Pasir Ris

On a 1852 map of Singapore, what’s now known as Pasir Ris today was listed as “Pasier Reiss” – it’s rumoured that the name comes from the Malay words pasir, meaning ‘sand’, and iris, which is ‘to shred’, referring to the stretches of white sandy beaches there.

If you’ve not been to the East-side district in recent times, here’s a refresher on the best things to do in Pasir Ris, with fun things to do for everyone of all ages.

1. Go horseback riding at Gallop Stable

Image adapted from: @cherylbitesyou, @iamshirleyho via Instagram

Gallop Stable at Pasir Ris Park is the OG stable in Singapore, where you can bring your little ones to experience pony rides, trail walks, or even just horsey encounters without membership fees or any of the costly fees that usually come with this activity. Prices start at $45 for 20-minute pony ride sessions, and $65 for 30-minute horse-riding lessons.

NSmen and senior citizens enjoy concession rates, with classes priced at $35 for a 45-minute ride. If you’re looking for a new activity to occupy your elderly family members that goes beyond the usual line dancing and mahjong, this could be a great option.

P.S.: Besides horse riding, Gallop Stable also has bunny and pony feeding ($2), and your little one could even host a pony-themed birthday party here.

Address: 61 Pasir Ris Green, Singapore 518225
Opening hours: 10am–7pm, Daily
Contact: 6583 9665 | Gallop Stable website

2. Walk among mangroves in Pasir Ris Park

Image credit: @aningmals via Instagram

Long before our time, Pasir Ris was an area of low-lying mangroves, its only inhabitants a Malay kampung. By the 19th century, it had become a recreational retreat for the upper class, with beachfront holiday bungalows lining the coast.

Image credit: @cliveyism via Instagram

Today, the Pasir Ris Mangrove Boardwalk takes you through a 6-hectare mangrove forest where you can spot Nipah Palms, which produce the attap chee we find in desserts, as well as critters such as Giant Mudskippers, Mud Lobsters, and even Smooth-coated Otters.

Address: Pasir Ris Park, Area 1, Singapore 519640
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 1800 471 7300 | nparks.gov.sg

3. Spy on birds from a 3-storey bird-watching tower

Also within the mangroves is the Pasir Ris Bird Watching Tower – a 3-storied structure that gives you views over Sungei Tampines. ICYMI, over 400 species of birds have been recorded on our little island, including migratory birds that pass through our skies.

Image adapted from: im_a_noobtographer, @blimp_img via Instagram

On an average day, you can expect to see beauties including the Black-naped Oriole, Grey Heron, and other vividly coloured birds such as Monk Parakeets, Collared Kingfishers and Blue-throated Bee-eaters. Then, during the months of August-April, visitors to the area include Arctic Warblers and even the Amur Paradise-Flycatcher.

Address: Pasir Ris Park Mangrove Boardwalk, near Carpark C, Singapore 519640
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 1800 471 7300 | nparks.gov.sg

4. Paddleboard at KOKOMO Beach Club

Image credit: KOKOMO Beach Club via Google Maps

Outdoorsy peeps, you’ll find your next weekend hangout at KOKOMO Beach Club, where you can kayak, do stand-up paddleboarding, and get SeaOPS-certified. Whether you’re looking to simply laze on the beach, or head out to sea on an adventure, you can get your watercraft rentals here for both solo and doubles activities – with views to Pulau Ubin.

Address: 131 Pasir Ris Road, Carpark E, Pasir Ris Town Park, 519148
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm | Sat-Sun 9am-6.30pm
Contact: 6238 8072 | KOKOMO Beach Club website

5. Catch your own fishy supper at D’Best Recreation Salt Pond

Image credit: @elimchew77thstreet via Instagram

If uber-fresh seafood is your thing, then put D’Best Recreation Salt Pond on your Pasir Ris agenda. Not only is this fishing pond open 24 hours, it’s also Singapore’s largest saltwater fishing park, with ponds that are stocked with snappers and the prized garoupas, plus threadfin – AKA ngor her – some of these are monster-sized, weighing up to 70kg too.

For the more recreational fishers and young’uns, there’s the Sure Catch Zone, with shallower waters, and experienced staff to guide you along. For members, prices start from $35 for 3 hours of fishing in the Pro Pond, which spans 47m in diameter. Non-member prices go at $70 for 3 hours, and $120 for 6 hours. Each paying adult gets to bring a kid aged under 12 for free on every day but Friday.

P.S.: Start fishing at 7pm Mondays to Fridays, and you get to fish all day until 12am for $35 nett.

Address: 90 Pasir Ris Central, Pasir Ris Town Park, Singapore 519635
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: +65 6583 9030 (also WhatsApp available) | D’Best Recreation Salt Pond website

6. Entertain the kids at 10,000sqft-big Tayo Station

Image credit: Tayo Station

Over at lifestyle and entertainment hub Downtown East, the largest of its kind in Singapore’s east side, you’ll find Tayo Station, a sprawling 10,000sqft indoor playground that’s themed around the South Korean animated series Tayo the Little Bus.

Suitable for kids from 1-12 years old, Tayo Station houses play areas, edutainment spaces, and sensory play arenas – all in air-conditioned comfort so you and bubs can escape the heat and rain.

While Downtown East needs little introduction, consider this your reminder that besides the little ones, there are plenty of entertainment options for the biggies too, including GreenBox by My Golf Kaki, an indoor golf simulator hub, Bait N Catch, a prawning pond, HaveFun Karaoke, the brand’s first themed karaoke outlet, and Upwall Climbing, a rock climbing gym. Or, if supermarketing is your idea of fun, there’s Don Don Donki, Scarlett Supermarket, and even good ol’ FairPrice.

Address: 1 Pasir Ris Close, Downtown East, Singapore 519599
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 10am–6pm
Contact: 6584 8233 | Tayo Station website

7. $0.80 water fun at Pasir Ris Swimming Complex

Image credit: @thesmartlocalsg via Instagram

It’s definitely not wallet-friendly to head to Wild Wild Wet every weekend, so heads up Easties, there’s Pasir Ris Swimming Complex in your ‘hood too – not everyone can boast of having one water park for everyday fun, and one for the occasional splurge, on their doorstep. This public swimming complex houses 2 water slides, a jacuzzi so you can knead away your week’s stress, and a water playground that’ll keep the kids occupied for hours, then tired out by the end of the day – an all-around win.

Did we mention – entry fees here start from just $0.80 for children and senior citizens, and you can even use your ActiveSG credits to book the slots here.

Address: 120 Pasir Ris Central, Singapore 519640
Opening hours: Tue, Thu-Sat 6.30am-9.30pm | Sun-Mon 8am-9.30pm (Closed on Wed)
Contact: 6583 7390 | Pasir Ris Swimming Complex website

8. Brunch by the water at Bistro By The Park

Image credit: Bistro By The Park via Google Maps

It’s not exactly seaside dining, but close enough at Bistro By The Park, located within Pasir Ris Park and overlooking the fishing ponds. You could even bring your very own catch of the day here so they can prepare it for your dinner. The pet-friendly establishment really comes to life at night, when the lights come on.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich.
Image credit: oXYRSTALo Ong via Google Maps

There’s something for everyone here, with menu items across Roasted Duck Thai Green Curry with Rice ($14.80), Seafood Aglio Olio ($16.80), and Truffle Fries with Truffle-infused Mayo Dip ($12.80). Keep an eye out for their happy hour drinks too, to go with their Fresh Hyogo Oysters ($24.80).

Address: 96 Pasir Ris Central, Singapore 519638
Opening hours: Mon 3.30pm-11pm | Tue-Fri 3.30pm-12am | Sat-Sun 12pm-12am
Contact: 9743 9783 | Bistro By The Park Facebook page

9. Test your navigational skills at the Maze Garden

Image credit: @teocheehean via Instagram

For some truly old-school fun, Pasir Ris Park is also home to a Maze Garden, where there are not one, but 2 mazes to put your navigational skills to the test. Plus, we hear that the bigger maze with tall hedges recently got an extension too.

Organise a game of hide and seek in the maze for some fun in the sun with your family and friends, or see who takes the least time to escape its clutches. We promise this is loads more fun than picking a mall to head to for the weekend.

To complete the fun, head to the Pasir Ris Park Adventure Playground with its multiple play areas covering an undulating terrain, with climbing nets, sliding tubes, swings, ziplines, and themed playsets. FYI, this iconic playground boasts one of the largest collections of swings in Singapore.

Address: Pasir Ris Park, Area 3, Singapore 519640
Opening hours: 24 hours

10. Have plenty of pickleball courts close by

Image credit: PickeliZe

Here’s one perk we bet you didn’t think of when it comes to staying outside the CCR – there’s loads of space for pickleball courts. Within 5km of the Downtown East area, there’s upwards of 10 pickleball courts, including sheltered options at PickeliZe, while if you toss the net further to a 10km radius, your options immediately blow up to more than 30 pickleball courts. Among these are Performance Pickle and Play! Pickle – dedicated courts that are only for you to defend the kitchen at.

Coastal Cabana – 1st new EC in >10 years

And if you’re on the lookout for a home upgrade, here’s one to put on your radar: Coastal Cabana, the first new Executive Condo (EC) that’s been launched here in more than 10 years, ever since Sea Horizon hit the market in 2012. Brought to you by the consortium of Qingjian Realty, Forea Holdings, ZACD Group and Jianan Capital, this new EC will have 748 units on offer across 3- to 5-bedroom configurations.

With the endless hustle and bustle of modern living, Coastal Cabana presents a step away from the busyness of city living, with its proximity to the coastal Pasir Ris Park, and is located just across the road from Downtown East.

Designed to bring resort living to mind, this upcoming EC is under 15 minutes to amenities such as Pasir Ris Mall, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, Tampines Regional Centre, and the enormous IKEA, COURTS and Giant Hypermarts – some on foot, and some by car.

As a mature estate, there’s no shortage of amenities within the Pasir Ris neighbourhood, but this is set to get even better when the Cross-Island Line (CRL) is ready, when Pasir Ris East MRT Station connects you directly to Ang Mo Kio, King Albert Park, and Clementi. It’ll also get you to the upcoming Terminal 5 in just 3 MRT stops.

Even before that happens, you’re already only 650m to Pasir Ris MRT Station; Jewel Changi Airport is also a mere 5 stops, or 15-minute drive, away.

What to do in Pasir Ris

Yes, Pasir Ris is considered an OCR (Outside Central Region) estate, but there’s no shortage of things to do, both in and out of doors, for everyone in the fam. And it couldn’t get any better than if you moved right into the ‘hood, with your very own resort-style pad at Coastal Cabana.

Register your interest for Coastal Cabana here

This post was brought to you by Coastal Cabana.
Cover image adapted from: @outdooradventures_sg, @iamshirleyho via Instagram