Ryan Huxley Emic (.
Google
I have to preface this by saying I actually didn’t pay to enter—but only because I waited at the counter for quite some time and no one was there to attend to me. So, I just went in anyway. Even after I finished walking around and returned to the counter, there was still no one there.
The place is nice enough—not sure what more you’d expect from a mangrove forest. Some parts are unkempt, though: the signs look moldy and worn, and trash (bottles, worn sandals, plastic bags) was scattered around the forest—probably brought in by flooding. Even the boardwalks felt sketchy, like they could give way at any moment. There’s an observation deck as well, but the trees have overgrown it, so you can't really see much from the top. Fortunately, I did see a few birds, but most were probably scared off by visitors. The forest is also surrounded by housing areas, a golf range, and a sports centre, so it’s not particularly inviting for birds or other wildlife. You are likely to find tree climbing crabs everywhere in the forest though.
The whole walk likely takes about an hour—or more if you’re stopping to watch birds and the like. You might want to bring binoculars, as some of the birds are deeper in the forest and hard to spot with the naked eye. I think you can also walk into the swamp if you have the proper gear? Not too sure about it though.