Sime Forest is part of the larger Central Water Catchment Nature Reserve. The forest is bounded by the golf courses of Singapore Island Country Club on both sides and the two reservoirs of MacRitchie and Upper Pierce. The old Sime Road runs through the mature secondary and pocket of primary forests that complete a full circuit round the MacRitchie Reservoir by connecting network of walking trails.
Hikers, joggers, birdwatchers and nature lovers pack the forest on weekends after the National Parks Board built a treetop canopy boardwalk and lookout tower in the Reserve. Several parts of the forest have wooden boardwalk cut into the deep interiors.
This is the best place in Singapore for watching forest birds. Forest jewels such as the Red-crowned Barbet, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Asian Fairy Blue-bird, Banded Woodpecker, Purple-throated Sunbird, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Thick-billed Green-pigeon, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and Crimson Sunbird can be best observed from the top of the seven-storey high Jelutong Observation Tower.
The MacRitchie Tree Top walk is also worth a visit. It is one of the longest and tallest suspended bridge across the rainforest in the region.
Sime Forest has various access points. Drive-in visitors have to park their vehicles at the Venus Drive carpark or the road end of Rifle Range Road, follow by a kilometre walk to Nparks Ranger Station or the Jelutong Tower. Walkers can use the MacRitchie Jogging Track.
Edu Outdoor Activities has experienced Bird Guides who can tell you every species of birds in the Sime Forest. The best time for forest birding is early morning between 0700 – 1000 hrs.
