By air
Changi Airport (SIN), ~25 km
Southeast Asia · Singapore
Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore
Rainforest and orchids in the middle of the city
Getting there
Best time to visit
February to April — drier weather
Don't miss
The National Orchid Garden
Swan Lake
The Rainforest
The Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
Things to do
The National Orchid Garden
Morning walks round Swan Lake
Weekend concerts on the lawn
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Calvin teo · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Walking shoes, insect repellent
A quieter corner
The heritage rainforest patch, older than the city around it
Questions travellers ask
What should I see at the Singapore Botanic Gardens?
The National Orchid Garden, Swan Lake, the Rainforest and the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
Are there events at the Singapore Botanic Gardens?
Yes, there are weekend concerts on the lawn, and you can take a morning walk round Swan Lake.
What's special about the Botanic Gardens' rainforest?
The heritage rainforest patch is older than the city around it. Bring insect repellent and walking shoes.
Where can I eat near the Singapore Botanic Gardens?
Dempsey Hill's dining enclave is nearby.
About Singapore Botanic Gardens
- Forest
Where it is
The Singapore Botanic Gardens lie at the western end of the Orchard Road shopping district in central Singapore, near Tanglin, on rolling ground with lakes, lawns and a patch of original rainforest.
History
The gardens were laid out in 1859 by an agri-horticultural society and passed to the colonial government in 1874. Under Henry Ridley, director from the late 1880s, they pioneered the tapping and planting of rubber that transformed the economy of Malaya, and they later developed the orchid hybrids for which Singapore is known. In 2015 they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first tropical botanic garden on the list.
People
The gardens are a shared green space for Singaporeans of every community, used from early morning for walks, runs and tai chi, and for family picnics and outdoor concerts at weekends. Its horticulturists continue a long tradition of orchid breeding.
Known for
- The National Orchid Garden
- Swan Lake and the bandstand
- The heritage rainforest
- Concerts at the Symphony Lake stage
- The Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
Did you know?
The gardens' orchid breeders name new hybrids after visiting heads of state and other distinguished guests, a custom known as orchid diplomacy.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.