Singapore Botanic Gardens Review

Singapore Botanic Gardens Review, based on visiting numerous times and having brought many foreign friends there. (You'll find ¼ of Singapore's Heritage Trees in this UNESCO site!)

Founded in 1859, the Singapore Botanic Garden is a 82-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Singapore’s most popular attractions, visited by both tourists and locals. It is not only the 1st UNESCO heritage site in Singapore, but also the 1st and only tropical garden on the UNESCO list. 

Also, did I mention that it is FREE? (There is only 1 part- the National Orchard Garden- which has an entrance fee, but it's not expensive. If you're looking only for free things to do in Singapore, click here.)

Note: due to Singapore's heat and humidity, I HIGHLY recommend wearing clothing made of natural fabrics such as cotton. I usually wear shorts and a tank top myself.

The Gardens are based on a Four-Core Concept, with the four cores being:

• Tanglin: the heritage core where you can find the historic Gardens
• Central: the tourist bit
• Bukit Timah: the educational area
• Tyersall-Gallop: the newest extension of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. You’ll also find an elevated boardwalk and some of the tallest trees that can be found in Southeast Asia here. (They grow up to 20 storeys tall!)

What To Do in the Gardens

A day in the Botanic Gardens is basically a nice day out in a park. You'll find lots of types of flora, fauna and wildlife. Over 180 species of birds have been seen at the Botanics, and I've even spotted monitor lizards!

One of the best things to do at the botanic gardens Singapore is the National Orchid Gardens Singapore. It has a 4.9 rating on Klook AND all the foreign friends I've brought there have loved it. Some even say it's the BEST thing they did in Singapore!

Since 1928, the garden has had its own flower breeding programme and you'll find 1500 species and 3000 hybrids there.

There is also a colonial plantation bungalow dating back to 1886 (Burkill Hall.)

Tip: you'll need at least 1hour for the National Orchid Gardens Singapore. Part of the garden is simulated to resemble a high elevation forest so the temperature will be much lower (16-23 Celcius)- if you get cold easily, you may need a light jacket!

Don’t forget to look out for the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid (Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim), Singapore’s national flower.

Seniors & students get discounted tickets so remember to bring proof of status, such as your student card. In addition, note the Orchid Garden opens later and closes earlier than the main Singapore Botanic Gardens so plan appropriately.

The Gardens has 3 lakes:

• the Swan Lake (the most popular hang out spot)
• Symphony Lake (where performances are held throughout the year)
• Eco-Lake

Built in 1866, the Swan Lake is the oldest ornamental water feature in the Gardens. You'll see lots of locals walking their dogs here.

Around 1.5 hectares in size, and up to 4m deep, this artificial lake is home to a pair of real (naturally mute) swans and a bronze sculpture of the swans- Flight of the Swans, installed in 2006- can be found in the middle. There is also a gazebo where you can take shade from the sun.

Fun fact: the artist who sculpted the swans has also designed many of Singapore’s stamps and coins!

Tip: if heading straight to the Swan Lake, you might find it best to enter via the Tanglin Entrance.

Trivia: in 1892, the Swan Lake had its own Crocodile! None have been seen in recent times since so no fear.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens has a great roster of events (I've attended several), such as:

• Concerts by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It’s particularly pun to visit the Gardens when a concert is held so do check the Gardens’ website for timings.
• Exhibitions
• Sketching sessions
• Occasional Free Tours (Often there’ll be 2 tours- an English and a Mandarin tour)

In this 1 hectare-large garden, you will find several hundred types of gingers and other plants, such as giant Amazon water lilies, as well as a small waterfall.

It's a great spot to take your Instagram photos!

Note: The Garden is located close to the Halia restaurant and other facilities such as the washroom.

5. Gallop Extension

In this 8 hectare extension, you'll find:

• 2 heritage buildings dating back to 1898 and 1906: 1 is the oldest surviving black and white colonial house in Singapore. 
• They are home to the Botanical Art Gallery and Forest Discovery Centre @ OCBC Arboretum, the COMO Adventure Grove, Mingxin Rambler's Ridge and OCBC Arboretum.

(In case you're wondering, OCBC is a major local bank.)

Getting There: the extension is a bit separate from the main Botanic Garden zone and is about 25 minutes on foot from the Botanic Gardens MRT. (If coming by public transport, you might want to consider taking a bus to Holland Road instead, as that walk is only approximately 10 minutes long.)

Here you will find over 30 species of bamboo- some of which grow up to 30m in height!

Getting There

Address: 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569

Here are several ways to get to the Singapore botanic gardens:

• MRT (Recommended for those on a budget): Singapore has a great public transportation system- cheap and (fairly) reliable. Take the Circle Line or Downtown Line to the Botanic Gardens MRT stop. (From there, take Exit B if going to the National Orchid garden.)
• Taxi: most convenient but also the most expensive transportation method. Note that there may also be surcharges during peak hours.
• Bus: Multiple buses stop along Holland Road and Adam Road (near Botanic Gardens)- 106, 174, 75, 77, 855, 48, 66, 67, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170, 186. However, this option involves the most walking.

Opening Hours & Entrance Fees

• The botanic garden singapore is free to visit. However, there is an entrance fee for the National Orchid garden or if dining at 1 of the eateries in the gardens.
• Opening hours: The outdoor sections are open from 5 AM to midnight. I recommend visiting early in the morning (before 8 am) or in the evening (after 530 pm) if you are not a fan of the heat.

Where to Eat

There are several dining options within the Singapore Botanic Gardens:

1. Halia

Halia is an open-air restaurant.

 The food is OK, but is not considered to be the best in Singapore.

The main attraction is its natural setting which is very harmonious with the gardens. I'd say this is my top dining pick in the Botanics if one doesn't have the biggest budget. (If one does, I'd go for Pangium BUT you might want to dine first THEN explore the gardens, unless you don't mind dining in a posh place sweaty.)

Note: it is OPEN AIR so you won't really get a respite from the humidity here!

2. Botanico at The Summerhouse

Botanico is a grilling restaurant which celebrates European flavours. Word of warning: when you see “European” in Asia, it’s usually a synonym for “more expensive.”

On the plus side, the setting is very romantic though, and it’s often decorated with fairy lights, making a magical ending to the day.

3. Sprouts Food Place at Raffles Building

Located close to Nassim Gate, you can find 5 food stalls at Sprouts, each with different operating hours.

This is probably the place to go if you’re looking for a budget food option in the Singapore Botanic Gardens (but do note that it will be a bit pricier than a regular hawker centre/ food court.)

To be honest, I ate there once and never felt a strong desire to return 😛 (It wasn't bad, just meh.)

4. Pangium

For those who do not have to watch their expenditure, you might want to try Pangium, a restaurant that celebrates the local Straits cuisine.

The chef-owner, Malcolm Lee, also has another restaurant, Candlenut, which was the 1st Peranakan restaurant in the world to get a Michelin star.

It’s hard to find Straits cuisine food outside of Southeast Asia so you definitely should try some when in Singapore. (There are cheaper options to Pangium!)

5. Dempsey

If you’re not set on dining in the Gardens, you’re actually just opposite Dempsey, a popular dining and lifestyle spot in Singapore.

There are plenty of good restaurants and cafes there- it's within walking distance of the Botanics but I would really just grab a cab as the walk is not shaded and not very picturesque.

Note: There are also eateries at Cluny Court which is another popular spot that visitors to the Botanics dine at. However, I find the food offering at Dempsey better.

1. Singapore’s weather is HOT and HUMID. Visit early in the morning or in the evening to escape the worst of it. I swear, you can feel it once it hits 8 am- the weathers just gets so much more unpleasant.
2. If you don’t like crowds, avoid visiting on a weekend.
3. The terrain isn’t difficult to walk on- it’s mostly flat- but thanks to the size of the area, comfortable walking shoes would be a wise decision.
4. Don’t forget the sunscreen, a cap, and refillable water bottle!
5. The Gardens are large and can be confusing to navigate- make sure you have a map, physical or digital.
6. Looking for the best places to take a photo? There are plenty but some of the most popular include the Bandstand and Swan Lake.
7. You will need at the very least 1 hour to explore the Gardens. In fact, if you’re not put off by the heat and humidity, you could happily spend several hours here!

For more Singapore travel tips, click here.

There are many hotels near Singapore Botanic Gardens but none close enough to be considered within walking distance in Singapore's heat and humidity. I'd say your best bet would be to stay at Tanglin and Orchard, with the following being about 25 minutes away on foot. (I do not recommend walking.)

• Jen Singapore: the most affordable of these 3 hotels
• Conrad Singapore Orchard: home to a Michelin starred Chinese restaurant
• St. Regis: the priciest of the 3!

Any questions about visiting the Singapore Botanic Gardens? Ask away in the comments!