Skip to main content
A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
Official website links end with .gov.sg
Government agencies communicate via .gov.sg websites (e.g. go.gov.sg/open). Trusted websites
Secure websites use HTTPS
Look for a lock () or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Government officials will NEVER ask you to transfer money or disclose bank log-in details over a phone call.

Call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if you are unsure if something is a scam.

Pulau Ubin

Quarries of Pulau Ubin

Pulau Ubin's granite quarries once played a vital role in building modern Singapore, supplying stone for iconic structures such as the Causeway, the Istana, and several lighthouses. Today, all six quarries are inactive and have been transformed into scenic viewpoints and thriving habitats for wildlife, offering visitors a glimpse into the island's rich industrial past.

Last updated 27 May 2026

Granite had economic value to Singapore and was used in the construction of the early public housing and roads on the mainland in the 1970s. It was also used in the construction of the Causeway, Istana, and Raffles Lighthouse. The Horsburgh Lighthouse on Pedra Branca Island, the oldest of four lighthouses in Singapore waters, was also built with the granite mined from Pulau Ubin. 

All the quarries here are inactive now. Mined to around 40m below sea level, these deep quarries have since been improved upon and turned into scenic viewpoints and habitats for biodiversity. The six quarries in Pulau Ubin are Balai Quarry, Kekek Quarry, Ketam Quarry, Pekan Quarry, Petai Quarry and Ubin Quarry.

Pekan Quarry

Pekan Quarry was previously known as Ho Man Choo Quarry but was renamed to reflect its proximity to the main village (“pekan” is Malay for “town”) of Pulau Ubin. The site had two quarry pits that “merged” into one as the pits filled up with rainwater. The water at Pekan Quarry overflows at a drainage point that leads to the sea. A look-out point was provided in 2007 to enable visitors to enjoy scenic views of the quarry. This has been very well received by visitors who often stop here to take photos. 

Pekan Quarry is today a habitat for herons. As part of the habitat enhancement programme, floating wetlands, which will provide nesting and roosting sites, will be installed. 

 

Ketam Quarry

Formerly known as Aik Hwa Quarry, the company operated from 1964 to 1999. It employed more than 100 workers, most of them residents of the island. In the 1990s, the company was supplying Singapore with 160 to 180 tons of granite every month, or 30 to 40 percent of Singapore’s granite demand for construction works.
The quarry was closed in May 1999 and many of the company’s former employees retired and left the island. Those who remained on the island became fishermen or farmers or operated shops to cater to the growing number of visitors to the island.

This was the last granite quarry to be closed on the island.