Labrador Park

Located at the southern most tip of Singapore, Labrador Park is a sprawling 16.8ha gazetted nature reserve that has a rich history dating to the early 19^th century, where its landmark outcrop known as Dragon Teeth Gate or ‘ Long Ya Men ‘ served as a key navigational point for ships entering Singapore’s main port of Keppel Harbour.

Labrador Park is a 16.8ha gazetted nature reserve that contains a rich history dating back to the 18th century

The Dragon Teeth Gate was identified back in the 14^th century by the ancient mariner Wang Da Yuan who noted in his travels that Fujian mariners knew these two outcrops as ‘Long Ya Men’ as it reminded them of the two pegs at the bow of their ships, between which passed the ship’s anchor. This iconic outcrop was however blown up in 1848 to widen the western channel access to Keppel Harbour.

A commission of the The Dragon Teeth Gate or Long Ya Men was installed in 2005 to commemorate Singapore’s Celebrations for the 600th Anniversary of Admiral Zheng He, the famous
Chinese explorer.

Located at the southern most tip of SIngapore, Labrador Park overlooks the vast South China Sea

Such was the importance of Labrador and Keppel Harbour that in 1864, the beginnings of a fort were constructed into the coastal Cliffside consisting of concrete bunkers, a labyrinth of underground tunnels and gun batteries. Completed in 1878 it was known as Fort Pasir Panjang and was part of a series of 11 coastal forts that the British constructed to protect Singapore’s waters.

With the imminent threat of World War II and a popular belief that the Japanese would invade from the sea, the fort was upgraded to house 2 six-inch 37-ton guns with a 10mile range. Yet in February 1942, the guns had to be rotated almost 180 degrees to fire at advancing Japanese troops in the Pasir Panjang area but with little effect because of their almost flat trajectory.

Part of the former Fort Pasir Panjang

A former gun outpost is part of the many remnants of what was known as Fort Pasir Panjang

After the war, Labrador Park continued to be a popular beach and nature reserve for many and in 1993 a protection bill was passed to protect the rich marine life that surrounded Singapore’s last remaining rocky seashore. In 2001, a series of previously undiscovered underground tunnels were found and it helped lead to its officially gazetting as a Nature Park.

Labrador Park is now part of the sprawling section of the Southern Ridges and is a hotspot for an array of leisure seekers, from joggers and cyclists, to kite-flying enthusiasts, anglers and families out for a picnic. The construction of the Labrador Train Station (Circle Line) has also made the park more accessible to many and recently a newly constructed boardwalk now connects visitors to Reflections @ Keppel Bay.

If you’re keen to explore Labrador Park, do download this MAP created by NParks.

This red beacon served as a navigational guide in the maritime history and marks the shortest distance between Sentosa and mainland (about 240m)

The newly constructed Labrador Board Walk connects visitors from Labrador MRT all the way to the swanky Reflections at Keppel Bay

A colonial house situated on top of a small hill that one can see along the boardwalk

Labrador Park with its rich marine biodiversity is also a hit with anglers

Remnants from the war or from the sea?