What is kayaking?
Kayaking is a water sport that requires the use of a kayak to manoeuvre across the water. A kayak is a craft that is low to the water, whereby a double-bladed paddle is used. Most kayaks are closed decks. However, sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are also gaining popularity in modern days.
History of kayaks
Kayaks were created more than thousands of years ago. The kayak frame was made using driftwood and whale skeletons, and seal skin was used to create the kayak body. The primary purpose of kayaks back then was fishing and hunting. The kayak allowed hunters to catch their prey successfully due to their stealth capabilities.
Some kayaking activities to consider:
Kayaking | Kayak Fishing Fever |
| Speciality | Kayak Fishing |
| Pricing | The Playground $129 for 4 hours Big Boat Small Boat $129 for 4 hours Sandy Shores $129 for 4 hours |
| Website | https://fever.sg/ |
| Address | 120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa, 098942 |
| Contact | +65 8850 8501 |
| Operating Hours | Daily: 7 AM to 6 PM |
| Review 1 | This was hands down the best experience and activity I have done in Singapore. By Gharib Nehme |
| Review 2 | It is a really great day out if you like an active form of fishing. By Maurice van Empel |
| Review 3 | The kayak fishing was by far one of my trip’s highlights! By Alma Ikhwan |
Kayaking | Adventure Paddlers |
| Speciality | Kayaking and stand up paddling |
| Pricing | $45 – $80 |
| Website | http://www.adventurepaddlers.com.sg/ |
| Address | Ohana House 131 Pasir Ris Rd, Singapore 519148 Ohana House Loyang 159W Jalan Loyang Besar, |
| Contact | +65 9737 7944 |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Thursday: 4 AM to 12 AM Friday: 24 hours Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM to 12 AM |
| Review 1 | Good place for water sports such as kayaking and stand up paddling. The water here is very calm, so it’s suitable for beginners and family with kids. The best timing to do kayak or sup here is during high tide and in the morning. They also rent out water sports equipment with a reasonable price. By Aipie |
| Review 2 | Very good service by Kelvin. Our group thoroughly enjoyed the outing. Very accommodating and will recommend Kelvin and adventure paddlers anytime. By Conrad N. |
| Review 3 | Done stand up paddle here a few times. Chill place to check out. By Molvin Yiu |
Kayaking | Paddle Lodge MacRitchie |
| Pricing | http://scf.org.sg/pages/boat_booking |
| Website | http://scf.org.sg/pages/boat_booking |
| Address | MacRitchie Reservoir |
| Contact | +65 6258 0057 |
| Operating Hours | Daily: 9 AM to 10:30 AM 2 PM to 4:30 PM |
| Review 1 | Experience the serene environment, clean and cool water body, as well as fresh air while canoeing. My first time canoeing alone here, paddle lodge uncle helped me to carry my canoe to the pontoon. By Ong Ding Sen |
| Review 2 | A good place to kayak! Serenity and peacefulness when you are surrounded by green and water. By Matthew Tan |
| Review 3 | Although the area in which you are supposed to kayak is not a whopping lot for amateurs and recreational purpose, it’s quite decent. The staff were helpful, the place is quite serene and nice. Just make sure to reach there before 4.15 because by 4.30 they stop renting kayaks. Happy Kayaking! By Subhrajit Samanta |
Kayaking | Water Sports Centre |
| Speciality | Kayaking, Canoeing, Dragon Boat rentals and courses |
| Pricing | https://www.sportshub.com.sg/kayak-canoe-rental |
| Website | https://www.sportshub.com.sg/water-sports |
| Address | 8 Stadium Walk, Singapore 397699 |
| Contact | +65 6653 8900 |
| Operating Hours |
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| Review 1 | Beautiful place to chill in the early morning and evening. Can get quite hot after 9am. Kayaks are available for rental but this place is generally used for training for dragon boats and kayaks. By Matthew Tan |
| Review 2 | Great place for water sport activities. By Joel Tng |
| Review 3 | You can kayak here over a great view with shower and locker facilities provided! Love this place. By Yvonne |
Kayaking | X’treme Kayaking |
| Speciality | Kayaking courses, expedition, rentals |
| Pricing |
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| Website | http://xtremekayaking.org/ |
| Address | 43 Admiralty Rd W, Singapore 759962 |
| Contact | +65 9684 8468 |
| Operating Hours | Daily: 9 AM to 6 PM |
| Review 1 | Gilbert is a very good kayaking coach. Experienced and patient. Very knowledgeable about local waters and technical skills needed for 1 and 2 star courses. Highly recommended to attend his classes. Learning how to go on expeditions around Singapore waters are very important for us to learn about how to survive and stay safe. Never put yourself in a dangerous situation. By Win Tai |
| Review 2 | Mr Gilbert is an amazing, patient and experienced coach. He is very friendly and is always willing to help us out. Having him with us out at sea feels really safe. I really enjoyed his lessons!! 10/10 recommended. By Winn Rashi |
| Review 3 | Most amazing time spent with my son! Felt really safe with Coach Gilbert, who has 20 years of experience coaching. His instructions were clear, picked up some good tips, felt much more confident in the kayak after our 1st day’s class. His wife was really helpful and friendly. Can’t wait to finish tomorrow’s class to get our 1 Star Certificate! SAF Yacht Club Sembawang has clean toilets and good shower facilities.By Karen Wong |
Kayaking | PAssion WaVe |
| Speciality | Kayak and Canoe rental |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/pa.passionwave/ |
| Address |
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| Contact | Bedok Reservoir
Marina Bay
Sembawang
Pasir Ris
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| Operating Hours | Bedok Reservoir, Sembawang, Pasir Ris Monday: Closed Tuesday to Thursday: 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8 AM to 6 PM Marina Bay Monday: Closed Tuesday to Sunday: 9 AM to 6 PM |
| Review 1 | A great way to try out kayaking or canoeing! You have to check when they are open to being able to paddle, as well as a lookout for the weather. Category 1 (lightning storms) will stop ALL outdoor activity, and there is a little shelter or things to do in poor weather so come prepared. You will be able to see schools or teams training in their racing kayaks or dragon boats occasionally too. The National Schools Canoeing Championship as well as the National Schools Dragon boat competitions are held there. If you’d like to watch such races, check the race schedules with PA Paddle. By See Ming Jie |
| Review 2 | Great place to hang out by the reservoir. Activities open to the public include running, tree-top adventure, fishing (specific locations), wakeboarding, and water activities such as dragon boating, kayaking etc from PA Water Venture. By Chen Yang |
| Review 3 | Today 2019 June 16(Sunday), I went single kayaking on BR. Was dressed like going for a swim in the swimming pool. Was a hot afternoon. but nice clean kayaking. very calm water. Restricted to about 1/5 area of BR and away from the main thoroughfare of the dragon boats. But good enough at $9 for 2 hours. This month has promo…1-for-1. 2nd kayak is free. Cheap good fun. Safe for family outings. By Jack Koh |
Kayaking | Ola Beach Club |
| Speciality | Kayak rentals |
| Pricing | Single Kayak: $25 per hour Double Kayak: $35 per hour |
| Website | https://www.olabeachclub.com/ |
| Address | 46 Siloso Beach Walk, 099005 |
| Contact | +65 8189 6601 |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Thursday: 11 AM to 9 PM Friday and Saturday: 10 AM to 10 PM Sunday: 10 AM to 9 PM |
| Review 1 | Ola Beach is fun and exciting. The water show in the evening is must watch. It is also near skyline Life so you can chill the weekend. The beach is also quite clean and well maintained. You can also find good places and bars to eat and drink nearby the beach. By Rahul Sohandani |
| Review 2 | Best beach view with Sundown and friendly staff! Good food! The food portion is worth it! A lot of food and drink varieties! Min spend is reasonable for bed space and table space! The pool is not ready yet! Hopefully soon! Easy walk from the beach car park and beach station! By N Ag |
| Review 3 | Always my favorite for kayaking and a relaxed beach time. By Saiba Singh |
Kayaking | Kayakasia |
| Speciality | Kayaking expedition |
| Website | https://kayakasia.org/ |
| Address | 59C Temple Street Singapore 058604 |
| Contact | +65 9756 2040 |
| Review 1 | One of the best-equipped kayaking stores in Singapore. Opening hours are not consistent as owner-operators are frequently travelling on kayaking trips with customers. By Te Shan Liang |
| Review 2 | Great kayaking experience with Ling on 2 occasions No debrief or words of encouragement or much interaction between the guides and the customers though.By Zaza Md Taat |
Kayaking | Adventures by Asian Detours |
| Speciality | Kayaking tour |
| Pricing | $98 per pax |
| Website | https://www.adventures.network/mangrovekayaking/?20201027 |
| Address | 34, Pulau Ubin (1-min walk from jetty) |
| Contact | +65 6733 2282 |
| Operating Hours | Daily: 9 AM to 6 PM |
| Review 1 | Great adventures! My kid loves it. Going back for more fun stuff in nature. By Audree Koh |
| Review 2 | This was a fantastic experience for me, my wife and our 7-year-old daughter. We loved it. Highly recommend this to families with good and meaningful outdoor activities in mind. Our guide and instructor; Kenneth, was extremely professional and so knowledgeable. Never knew that our Singapore Pulau Ubin mangroves and wildlife is so diverse. Kayaking in such areas brings about a whole new perspective! Thank you all! By Anand Pillai |
Kayaking | Lower Seletar Water Sports Centre |
| Speciality | Kayak rental |
| Pricing | https://www.schedulista.com/schedule/cmltest |
| Website | https://camelotsg.biz/ |
| Address | 100 Yishun Ave 1, Singapore 769140 |
| Contact | +65 6702 6338 |
| Operating Hours | Daily: 8 AM to 6 PM |
| Review 1 | 1. Very pleasant and friendly, helpful staff. All the way from check-in, to getting your equipment, and then to instructions on kayaking. The staff were all very pleasant and welcoming! 2. Took the introductory promotion – $12 for 2 hrs, which is really reasonable! For families with young kids. 2hrs is quite a long time. I think 1.5hrs would be just nice. 3. Equipment was all really new and well maintained. 4. Seletar reservoir is quite a pretty place to explore.By Andrew C |
| Review 2 | Great affordable recreational experience, with scenic views, when out in the waters. The staff were friendly and professional, while the equipment was well-maintained. You may book & pay online via their website to secure a slot (which we did), but we found out that they actually set aside some vacancies for walk-ins too, so even if your preferred date/timing is sold out online, you can still try your luck on the spot, with weekends being more “competitive”, expectably. We wanted to go for the single kayaks but they were fully booked online so we booked the double one, yet we managed to ask for single ones when we showed up, as those had been originally set aside for walk-ins. As another visitor mentioned, the only limitation would be the presence of quite a lot of waterweed, which hampered the paddling a bit. By Eugene Jiang |
| Review 3 | A nice experience to break away from the usual city activities and laze on the peaceful water of the reservoir. Great as well for an outdoor work-out. The Lower Seletar Water Sport Centre operations are efficient and staff friendly. Recommended! By Stephane Jaquemet |
Kayaking vs canoeing: what’s the difference
Most people are confused between canoeing and kayaking, thinking that they are interchangeable terms referring to the same sport. These two sports are somewhat different though they do share some similarities. However, in some instances, canoeing is an umbrella term that refers to both canoeing and kayaking.
The type of paddles used
Paddlers in a canoe use a single-bladed, flat blade paddle to navigate through the waters. In contrast, kayakers use a double-bladed curved paddle instead. The difference in the paddles causes the canoes and kayaks to move differently.
Positions of the paddles
Paddlers in a canoe are in a half-kneeling position while kayakers sit on a low seat with their legs fully stretched out. Since paddlers in canoes are kneeling all the time when paddling, they would require stronger endurance as compared to kayakers.
Boat structures
Canoes have an open deck concept and are sharp and pointed at both front and back. This would mean that the inside of the canoe is entirely hollow. Kayaks mostly close-decked, and the interior is enclosed.
Weight of vessels
Canoes are broader and heavier as compared to kayaks. This would mean that canoes tend to sink more when paddling in the water and have more surface area touching the water. The kayaks would be floating on water.
Speed
Overall, canoes are slower and less agile than kayaks because they are more significant in structure and heavier. However, despite the speed difference, Canoes are known for greater stability and more prominent space.
Which is easier: kayaking or canoeing
Most professionals think that kayaks are easier to master compared to canoe. One of the main reason is that canoes require strong balance skills and knee endurance since paddlers in a canoe are often in a half-kneel position. It takes some skill to manoeuvre a canoe, especially under the condition of strong wind and waves. The double-paddles used for kayaking are also easier to use, and the effort used to return one blade to the catch positions is used to power the opposite blade, making it more efficient.
Kayaking certifications
In Singapore, there are a total of 5-star awards for the kayaking certifications. They are 1 Star Award, 2 Star Award, 3 Star Award, 4 Star Award (Sea), 4 Star Award (River), and 5 Star Award.
1 Star Award
For the one star-award course, which is the most basic and introductory course for kayaking, participants are required to be at least 12 years old and able to swim 50 metres with PFD. The course duration is 12 hours, and it will be conducted at simple coastal water. Several technical skills will be taught and tested for the participant to obtain their 1 Star Award.
2 Star Award
The two star-award course would require a One Star Award certification as the pre-entry requirement. The course duration is 18 hours, and the course will be conducted at simple coastal water. Similar to the one-star award, there are also several technical skills taught. However, the two-star award syllabus requires at least one journey of 6km to be completed before graduating from the course.
3 Star Award
Moving on to the more advanced course, the 3-star award requires a two-star award certification, the ability to swim 50 metres without PFD, and a logbook showing required previous kayaking experience before entry to the course. The course duration is 24 hours, with the course being conducted at simple coastal water. Similar to the other award courses, technical skills will be taught. Five journeys of 8km each at two different coastline sections are the pre-assessment requirement for the 3-star award.
4 Star Award
The 4-star award comprises of two specialisations – the sea and river. The disciplines represent the environment in which the course will be conducted. The pre-entry requirements are the Three-Star Award, participant to be at least 18 years old, attended a sea kayak workshop, a logbook showing required previous experience, and 10 open water journeys of 16km each on 2 different sections of coastline, including 2 camp out. The course duration is four full days. The type of craft used is a sea kayak with a close cockpit and immobilised rudder. Technical skills are also covered in the course.
5 Star Award (Sea)
The 5-star award is the last and most advanced kayaking certification to be obtained in Singapore. The pre-entry requirements are Four-Star Award (Sea and Open Water), recognised current first aid certification, 5 sea journey of 30km each, 24 hours of 4 Star skill consolidation, and endorsement by level 4 coach as competent. The course duration is three full days, and technical skill will be taught.
Do I need a license to kayak in Singapore?
The short answer is no. Most kayak rentals offer a wide variety and range of kayaks for you to choose from. There are sit-on-top kayaks that are specially catered for beginners and closed-deck kayaks for those with certifications. Kayak rental services are also family and friends friendly, although children aged 7 to 12 would need to be accompanied by an adult.
Conclusion
Kayaking is a fun and relaxing activity that everyone can enjoy. You do not need to have any certification before enjoying this recreational water sport. Kayaking is also a relatively safe water activity as beginners will be paddling with PFDs on them. Kayaking serves as a reality escapes and may even replace your boring gym routine.
Editor’s Note:
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