The ultimate guide to the countryside in Singapore

At 57-hectares and with a range of natural and green habitats, Kranji Marshes is Singapore's largest freshwater farmland. The nature reserve is home to 170 species of birds, 54 types of butterflies, and 33 different kinds of dragonflies. It was cultivated since the ’70s when the Kranji reservoir was dammed, forming a wild diversity of terrains such as marshland, grassland and secondary forests.

The 10.65-metre-tall Raptor Tower offers a panoramic view of the surrounding marshes. Educational boards are placed around the open-air observatory deck of the tower, helping the eagle-eyed identify birds and pick out landmarks such as the Moorhen Pond and the BBC Shortwave relay station in the distance. From November to March, you can also catch raptor birds – otherwise known as birds of prey – that include migratory visiting species such as the Black Baza and Japanese Sparrowhawk.

Strap on your best walking shoes and trudge through the swamps of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to learn more about the flora and fauna that call this mangrove forest home. This wetland reserve of mangrove swamps, ponds, and secondary forest is also home to 140 species of birds. Take a spot at the observation hides or rent binoculars to bird-watch. But keep a lookout for warning signs about the estuarine crocodiles – they’re known to be around the area albeit uncommon.

The froggy farm is home to about 10,000 of the amphibians, the majority of which are American Bullfrogs. Staffers here are more than happy to show you around and tell you everything there is to know about frogs – entry to the farm is strictly by appointment from Tuesday to Friday, but it opens to walk-ins over the weekend and public holidays. And this might sound a little macabre, but you can even eat these croaking critters. The farm is known for a Chinese dessert called hashima, made from the dried fatty tissue found near the fallopian tubes of female frogs. If the little green jumpers make you squeamish, you might want to hop to the next farm instead.

Established in 1988, Hay Dairies houses about 800 goats of mixed breeds, and all of them get to live like bleating royalty. That’s because every goat here chews on hay shipped straight from the US, as well as special feed flown in from Australia. Perhaps that’s why Hay Dairies’ goat milk tastes so much better than off-the-shelf brands in your supermarket fridge – we kid you not. Drop by in the morning to catch the goats being milked (from 9am to 10.30am), then bring a few bottles home at the end of the day.

What began in 2000 as the brainchild of Ivy Singh and her husband Lim Ho Seng has since grown (pun intended) to one of the most beloved farms on the island. Groups can go on a guided farm tour or partake in activities like the Discovery Harvest, a 30-minute treasure hunt where you'll be given a list of plants to harvest. Known for more than just its organic produce, Bollywood Veggies has, over the years, expanded to include a culinary school and a museum. There’s even a bistro that uses fertiliser- and pesticide-free ingredients harvested from the backyard. It doesn’t get fresher than this.

Had steamed fish at a hawker centre recently? Well, there’s a good chance that your grouper came from Khai Seng Fish Farm. The 23-year-old fish farm is one of the few to bear the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore’s stamp of approval to operate a retail outlet in its premises. So aside from checking out how our food is reared, you’ll be able to bring home red tilapia, patin, grass carp, giant snakeheads, and other species that are even fresher than the ones you’ll find at your neighbourhood wet market.

What started as a humble turf supplier has grown into one of the largest and most reputable one-stop-shop for turf, landscape, and plants in Singapore. Whether you're looking for cow grass, carpet grass or pearl grass for your garden, you'll find a variety at its retail garden centre. While you're at it, bag some plants like bonsai, frangipani, orchids, potted plants, and even gardening materials to keep your green thumbs busy.