During the Labour Day and Hari Raya long weekend, it was evident that many Singaporeans were looking for places where they could relax and have fun to make up for lost time during Covid-19 restrictions.
Pulau Ubin turned out to be a wildly popular getaway spot, with TikTok videos showing hundreds queuing at Changi Point Ferry Terminal to hitch a boat ride to the island.
Some of them stopped waiting after standing in line for 45 minutes with no end in sight.
On Monday (2 May), TikTok user @botakbonsai posted a 23-second video showing hundreds of people waiting in line at Changi Point Ferry Terminal to take a 15-minute bumboat ride to Pulau Ubin.
Pulau Ubin is a scenic spot that is home to a diversity of wildlife. It’s also where you can find fish farms and Singapore’s last remaining kampung, as well as a good place to hike, cycle, and unwind in nature.
The queue stretched a long way past the ferry terminal, with what appeared to be hundreds waiting in line.
According to AsiaOne, the TikToker, Glenn Lim, had planned to take his family to Pulau Ubin for a biking trip. They reached Changi Village at about 11am but decided to stop queuing after 45 minutes for the sake of his two-year-old.
Source: @botakbonsai on TikTok
He said his original video was two-and-a-half minutes long before he edited it down to the current version. He added in the comments section that it was his first time seeing such a queue.
That’s not the end of it. Another TikTok video by @bipengiri shows a similarly long line on Tuesday (3 May).
With their masks on, passengers both young and old patiently queued on paths, under leafy vegetation, and under shelters, determined to get to their destination.
Some had bicycles and young children in tow.
Source: @bipengiri on TikTok
Well, as they say, queuing is almost a national pastime for Singaporeans, especially now that Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. But even then, some netizens had difficulty understanding why the lines were so long.
One said it was likely that people were letting loose after being locked up for so long.
Source: @botakbonsai on TikTok
Another quipped that by the time they actually reached Pulau Ubin, it would be time to return to Singapore already.
Source: @botakbonsai on TikTok
One netizen said it would be better to avoid the crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Source: @botakbonsai on TikTok
It can be difficult to understand why so many people insisted on queueing despite the daunting wait.
Maybe they wanted a respite from the city, maybe they really missed Pulau Ubin. At any rate, it’s fine as long as they queue patiently without causing a ruckus.
Still, it’s amusing that so many people thought of the same idea of going to Pulau Ubin.
No matter how you spent it – at home or amidst crowds – we hope you had a restful break over the long weekend.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @botakbonsai on TikTok and @bipengiri on TikTok.
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