Despite the heat, Singapore is still a great walking city

Even with 35-degree days becoming more common, Singapore's street-level surprises and world-class active mobility corridors make it a walking haven.

- Bhavan Jaipragas

If I were still in Hong Kong, this time of year would signal the start of hiking season. Cooler temperatures and lower humidity would make the trails ideal for long, scenic treks.

I would be revisiting familiar routes: Ma On Shan, that imposing saddle-shaped mountain; Tai Mo Shan, the city's highest peak, which leads you past four stunning waterfalls; or The Twins - a sharp, punishing pair of peaks that once seemed insurmountable, but later became my go-to leisurely exercise path.

From late autumn to the end of spring in Hong Kong, it is perfectly normal to spend half a day or more on a long hike travelling out to the countryside, then trekking non-stop for hours through misty peaks, forested valleys, and sweeping coastal views.

But now, back in tropical Singapore, I find myself surrounded by friends who are much more selective about when - or if - they will even consider a long walk.

Here, where heat and humidity are constant, the refrain is always the same: The heat is unbearable beyond 10am, so are you mad?

There are other gripes too: No walking route feels scenic or removed enough from the urban sprawl to make a long trek worthwhile, and the constant annoyance of entitled personal mobility aid users or cyclists, expecting walkers to move aside for them, often turns a stroll into an unpleasant experience.

The retorts I received from those turning down my invitations for long walks were a pointed reminder that I was back living in the tropics - that the tranquil, meditative pace I enjoyed on my Hong Kong hikes might now be something reserved for vacations to cooler, temperate places.

Over a period of five weeks, I decided to challenge this narrative. Venturing beyond my usual walks in Toa Payoh, where I live, I embarked on extended weekend treks across the island, testing the limits of what is possible in Singapore's sweltering heat.

REDISCOVERING THE ISLAND