Southern Ridges and Henderson Waves: Canopy Walk from Mount Faber to Kent Ridge

The Southern Ridges is a 10-kilometre chain of hilltop parks, elevated steel walkways, and architectural bridges maintained by the National Parks Board along Singapore's southwestern spine. Linking Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park, and Labrador Nature Reserve, the route lets you walk at treetop level above secondary rainforest with views toward Keppel Harbour, the Southern Islands, and the towers of Marina Bay Sands.

Henderson Waves: Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge

The centrepiece of the trail is Henderson Waves, spanning 274 metres between Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park at a height of 36 metres above Henderson Road. Opened in May 2008 and designed by IJP Corporation with RSP Architects, the bridge twists like a series of seven undulating steel ribs clad in sustainably harvested yellow balau hardwood slats. The curved ribs curl overhead to form shaded shell-like alcoves with built-in timber benches where walkers pause above the canopy, and every evening from dusk the entire structure glows with warm LED illumination across the valley.

The five main sections from east to west

1. HarbourFront MRT and Marang Trail to Mount Faber: Exit HarbourFront MRT Station (Exit D) and climb the shaded Marang Trail steps through mature rain trees up to Mount Faber Peak (105 metres), where Faber Point looks over the harbour and the cable car line toward Sentosa.
2. Henderson Waves: Follow the ridge pavement west across Mount Faber Park onto the undulating timber deck of Henderson Waves into Telok Blangah Hill Park, pausing at the Terrace Garden atop the hill for a 360-degree view of the southern coast.
3. Hilltop Walk and Forest Walk: Descend onto the 1.3-kilometre elevated steel Forest Walk, a step-free grated walkway that zigzags through the tree crowns at eye level with racket-tailed drongos, olive-backed sunbirds, Plantain squirrels, and banded woodpeckers.
4. Alexandra Arch and HortPark: Cross Alexandra Road on the 80-metre curved Alexandra Arch bridge (shaped like an opened leaf) into HortPark, Singapore's gardening hub, which provides water coolers, clean restrooms, themed display gardens, greenhouses, and a cafe for a mid-walk break.
5. Canopy Walk and Kent Ridge Park: Climb from HortPark onto the 280-metre wooden Canopy Walk through Kent Ridge Park, passing Reflections at Bukit Chandu (a restored black-and-white colonial bungalow museum at 31K Pepys Road honouring the Malay Regiment's February 1942 defence of Pasir Panjang Ridge during the Battle of Singapore).

Choosing the best 2-hour segment

Most walkers do not cover all 10 kilometres in one go. The most rewarding 5-kilometre segment runs from HarbourFront MRT over Mount Faber, across Henderson Waves, along the elevated Forest Walk, and over Alexandra Arch into HortPark, where you can catch a bus along Alexandra Road to Telok Blangah or Labrador Park MRT Station on the Circle Line in about two to two and a half hours. Walking from east to west after climbing the initial Marang Trail stairs puts the entire Forest Walk on a gentle downhill gradient toward HortPark, whereas walking from west to east saves the cable car station and sunset views at Mount Faber Peak for the finish.

Timing, wildlife and heat preparation

• Start early in the morning for cool air and active forest birds, or arrive in the late afternoon to cross Henderson Waves as the evening lights switch on.
• Carry at least one litre of water per person, as refill points only appear at Mount Faber, Telok Blangah Hill Park, and HortPark.
• Keep food bags out of sight around long-tailed macaques, and wear grippy walking shoes because steel grating and timber slats turn slick after tropical showers.
• Combine a morning ridge walk with breakfast at Tiong Bahru Market or compare the canopy paths with the suspension bridge at MacRitchie Reservoir.