Singapore is a bustling city where everything seems to be in fast forward mode. You will see people walking so fast so early in the morning to catch the train or bus to work.

Scenes like these can be amusing to observe for a first time traveler but can certainly cause some major headache if these keep playing and playing before your eyes. If you find yourself in the middle of Singapore’s crazy world and would like to get away from it even for just a bit then you can head back to your hotel to relax. Who could resist staying in your hotel room most especially if you are enjoying excellent service at the Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel Singapore? But for the more adventurous person, a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens could be a better option. This garden is a quiet place where you can take it easy even for an hour or two.

This wonderful landscaped green sanctuary is a huge park that is located very close to the famous Orchard Road of Singapore meaning that it is only a thirty minute walk away from the city’s big shopping malls.

The Singapore Botanic Garden has a number of entrances namely Tanglin Gate, Nassim Gate, Cluny Park Gate, Burkill Gate, and through Bukit Timah. It is pretty easy to reach the garden as it is accessible from various forms of transportation. The MRT line will not get you to the park directly but the nearest station is the Orchard Station. The next option would be to either take a taxi cab or take the bus. The better and less expensive option is to take the bus specifically bus numbers 7, 77, 123, 106, 502, etc. As for the taxi, there is an available taxi loading and unloading area at the Visitor Center located along Cluny Road.

This amazing garden offers a number of attractions to all its visitors wherein most attractions can be visited for free. You can also stop worrying about losing your way within the garden as there are directional signs all over the place.

If you go through the Tanglin Core, you will come across the Swan Lake which is marked by a lovely Swan Lake gazebo. You will see a lot of swans here being fed by visitors.

Take a leisure walk and you will reach the National Orchid Garden where you can view numerous varieties of orchids on display. You will see orchids of different sizes and color. There is an interesting section where some orchids were named after celebrities!

From here, you can visit the Ginger Garden which is located near the Orchid Plaza. Spend some time to appreciate the man made waterfalls and the small cave which can be found behind the waterfalls. There is also a cafe nearby where you can sip some hot coffee or have snacks.

Another appealing attraction of the Singapore Botanic Garden is the Singapore Herbarium. This houses over 650, 000 of herbarium specimens. Some collections from Singapore and Malaysia even date back to the 1880s. Plant collection data are entered into one database using a special kind of computerized method called the Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System (BRAHMS).

In another part of the garden, you will come across the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. This is the first children’s garden in Asia and was put together in order to encourage children to learn more about plants and appreciate them more. Children are introduced to the importance of plants and how plants provide our daily needs.

At the park, you will also see Symphony Lake. This is a favorite hangout place and you will notice people having picnics here or exercising. Some musical performances are also held at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage which is located right at the middle of Symphony Lake. Depending on the season or schedule, night performances are usually done by the Singapore Orchestra.

I recommend, though, that you visit the Singapore Botanic Garden early in the morning so that you can do a bit of brisk walking and watch people practising tai chi within the park. To better enjoy your stroll, it is advisable to wear comfortable footwear and bring an umbrella just in case there is a sudden change in the weather.

Being surrounded by lush green grass, by flowers, ponds, and nice water lilies will definitely make you enjoy your leisure stroll within the garden. You will be one with nature and will savour every minute of it.

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

I. SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS
Operating Hours: 5:00 am to 12:00 midnight daily
Admission Fees: absolutely FREE

II. NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN

Operating Hours: 8:30 am to 7:00 pm daily where the last ticket will be sold at exactly 6:00pm
Admission Fees: S $ 5.00 (adults); children (12 years old and below) will be admitted for FREE

III. Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden

Operating Hours: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (closed every Monday)
Admission Fees: Free

IV. The Singapore Herbarium

Operating Hours: 8:00 am to 5:30 pm (Monday to Thursday); 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (every Friday); closed during weekends

Posted in Attractions, Singapore

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