Whenever I travel, I always make it a point to do activities that take place in or help me reconnect with nature. I love going on hikes, going camping, or spending a day at the beach. As much as I love cities, something must be said for being in the great outdoors. Being outdoors recharges me. Being in nature allows me to refresh my mind and let go of all my troubles. It re-centers me, which is why I appreciate it when cities have green spaces within them that allow me to escape from the hustle and bustle for a while. It also just so happens that, in my opinion, no other city does this better than Singapore.
Singapore cares a lot about its green spaces. In fact, one main goal of the city-state is to transform itself from a “Garden City” to a “City in a Garden”. You can see this all over the island as the area of green spaces either built recently or previously established by the city is staggering. Singapore continually finds ways to innovate on how it designs its green spaces. In this post, I’m going to detail several of Singapore’s top green spaces that need to be on your itinerary for your next visit to the country. These are all places I’ve personally visited, and I can vouch for all of them.
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Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore’s undisputed top Green space is also coincidentally its one and only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated on over 200 acres of land, the Singapore Botanic Gardens are a horticultural paradise. Different kinds of plants take up residence in the park, arranged to form interesting pathways that include bridges, lakes, and ponds. It’s huge, sprawling, and can keep you occupied for hours. This was my favorite green space in Singapore, and on my last trip I spent 4 hours wandering the park and didn’t even get to see everything.
Highlights include the National Orchid Garden and the Children’s Garden, but you can’t go wrong with exploring any part of the whole park. This place is also popular with a lot of locals, who can be seen jogging and exercising around the park throughout the day. This makes the botanic gardens perfect for people watching. I would highly recommend including this attraction in your itinerary as it is Singapore’s top green space in my opinion.
Gardens by the Bay
Probably the most famous attraction on this list, the Gardens by the Bay are a direct consequence of the initiative to turn Singapore into a City in a Garden. The country invested millions of dollars to create this one-of-a-kind complex, and this place does not disappoint. Walking up to the Gardens, you’ll notice the incredibly tall supertrees which actually function as vertical gardens that hold 160,000 plants of over 200 species. Every night, the supertrees light up in sync to music as part of the Garden Rhapsody light and sound show. It should be noted that the Supertree Grove, which is where all the supertrees are located, is free to enter.
But you should definitely pay to enter the two glass conservatories as I think they are some of THE top things to do in Singapore. The Cloud Forest, which features the second tallest indoor waterfall in the world, features plants that are only located in high altitudes. It’s a breathtaking space and one that you would be remiss to not see for yourself. The Flower Dome on the other hand is the largest glass greenhouse in the world, and houses plants from every corner of the world. This is undoubtedly one of Singapore’s top green spaces, and one that shouldn’t be missed.
The Jewel
Another green space that was a result of Singapore’s City in a Garden initiative, the Jewel is a fantastic feat of engineering. Featuring the tallest indoor waterfall in the world (yes, beating out the one at The Cloud Forest), the Jewel’s layered pathways that lead to its upper levels are filled with different kinds of foliage.
The space was carefully designed to encourage exploration, with different views and plant life filling the space from the ground floor to the top. The top of the Jewel also has a lot of green spaces, including some fun topiaries. Be sure to spend a few hours here, whether after you arrive or before you leave. Without a doubt, the Jewel has cemented its place in Singapore’s pantheon of must-see attractions.
The Southern Ridges
Totaling over 10 kilometers of trails, the Southern Ridges are Singapore’s most underrated Green spaces. Its most famous spot, the Henderson Waves, tower over 100 feet in the air as it connects Telok Blangah Hill Park and Mount Faber. Other iconic spots include the Canopy Walk and the Alexandra Arch. When I visited, not that many people were utilizing the space.
I only saw maybe 6 joggers running different parts of the ridges. This is a shame because the Southern Ridges just envelope you and make you forget that you’re in a city. It makes for a good short diversion on your way in or out of Sentosa via cable car, as there is a cable car station at Mount Faber.
Fort Canning Park
Another underrated entry into Singapore’s top green spaces list, Fort Canning Park is a green oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of Singapore. Located in the colonial district, it is home to many iconic Singapore landmarks such as the National Museum and the Battlebox. It’s also the first location of the Singapore botanic gardens and is home to many well-manicured areas and historical exhibits and installations.
Its central location also means you can easily access it from anywhere in Singapore. Many people forgo placing this on their itineraries because it often gets eclipsed by other green spaces. But if you have extra time to kill in Singapore it would be well worth your while to visit this space.
Singapore is one of the most “green” countries in the world and has invested a lot of time and money into creating these spaces. Other countries should follow suit and place the environment at the center of their urban development. We all must do our part to protect it before it’s too late.
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