00:00Most people know Singapore for its glittering skyline and manicured gardens.
00:04But just a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland,
00:06it's a sanctuary home to colourful reef fish and even reef sharks.
00:16I'm on my way to Sisters Island's marine park,
00:18which has just been named a Hope Spot.
00:22It's a title given to places that are vital to maintaining
00:25the ocean's health and biodiversity.
00:28Big Sisters Island is the only part of the marine park that's open to visitors.
00:35Depending on the time of day that you visit the island,
00:37you might be able to do an intertidal walk or take a dip in the lagoon tidal pool.
00:42Right now, the tide is low, so I'm seeing lots of hermit crabs
00:45and other creatures like this anemone shrimp.
00:58And if the tide is high, don't worry.
01:00You might still luck out and spot animals swimming in the shallows,
01:03like this black-tipped reef shark.
01:06Oh, it's so serene here that I almost feel like I'm not in Singapore.
01:09If I send this photo to my mum, I think she would think that I'm overseas or something.
01:18Just a walk away, more marine life can be found at the floating boardwalk.
01:27This floating boardwalk is the first in Singapore that doubles as a research site and a coral habitat.
01:33So what's so cool about this is that there are these moon pools
01:36where you can see what researchers are experimenting on.
01:39Can you see?
01:42I always thought I had to travel out of the country to see corals,
01:45so I'm quite amazed that I can casually see them growing on the panels here.
01:51Corals provide food and shelter to other marine life.
01:55The healthier corals, the more wildlife will find in our waters.
02:01At the heart of the island is a coastal forest,
02:04with a 230-metre trail running through it.
02:08Unlike mangroves, coastal forests grow right at the ocean's edge,
02:12with their roots above the watermark.
02:16With so much of Singapore's coast reclaimed,
02:19natural coastal forests like this have become incredibly rare.
02:25The trail leads to this two-storey viewing deck
02:27where you get panoramic views of the island.
02:37I had a lovely time here on Big Sisters Island
02:40and I'm really glad we have this little spot away from the rush of the city.
02:43I think it's truly heartening that such rich biodiversity exists right here in Singapore.
02:49And now that this is a hope spot, hopefully more people will come
02:52and appreciate what the island has to offer.
