Singapore is the world’s only city-state, having gained independence from Britain in 1963. With a population of 6 million, the country is a global commerce, finance and transport hub. It is small, about 2/3 the size of New York City, measuring 50 km from east to west and 27 km from north to south, with nearly 200 km of coastline. Despite its density and many high-rises, there’s wonderful running in Singapore, due to an active greening policy, which has covered the island with tropical plants, parks, and trails. Singapore is one of our favorite cities to run in Asia.
Some of the best places to run in Singapore are downtown in the marina area, with waterfront paths and the iconic Gardens by the Bay. Other waterfront runs include the East and West coast linear parks, the Singapore River, and Macritchie Reservoir. Favorite parks & gardens for running include Fort Canning, the Botanic Gardens, Judong Gardens, & Pasir Ris Park. Trail runners will love Clementi Forest, the Southern Ridges Route, Bukit Timah, and Pulau Ubin Island. There’s also excellent waterfront & park running near the Airport. It’s also worth a quick trip across the Straits of Johor for some excellent running in Johor Bahru at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.
Runner Notes: Singapore’s weather is consistently hot & humid, so use caution! Many of Singapore’s running spots are well lit at night, which is helpful as there are not late sunsets due to Singapore’s location close to the equator. Singapore’s public transportation system, the MRT, is excellent: a combination of trains, subways, and light rail.
