Attraction
Gardens by the Bay
A 105-hectare waterfront garden at Marina Bay, known for its Supertree Grove, two vast glass conservatories and a free evening light show.
Founded in 1859 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, these 82-hectare gardens hold a pocket of old rainforest and the National Orchid Garden.
Good to know
Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Botanic Gardens have occupied their Tanglin site since 1859 and cover 82 hectares of lawns, lakes and themed gardens. Entry is free, and the grounds include a patch of rainforest older than the gardens themselves, the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden and Symphony Lake with its open-air stage.
The one ticketed area, the National Orchid Garden, is the highlight for most visitors, displaying more than 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids. Arrive early in the morning, when joggers and tai chi groups have the paths and the air is at its coolest. Botanic Gardens MRT station sits at the northern Bukit Timah Gate, while Napier Road brings you in near the Tanglin Gate.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Yes, entry is free every day; only the National Orchid Garden charges admission (S$15 for adults on the standard rate).
The Gardens are open 5am to midnight daily; the National Orchid Garden is open 8.30am to 7pm, with last entry at 6pm.
Café
Specialty coffee bar and roastery in a former hardware shop on Tyrwhitt Road, one of the cafés that shaped Singapore's third-wave coffee scene.
Bar
Award-winning cocktail bar at Amara Singapore in Tanjong Pagar, ranked No. 9 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, known for polished classics.
Thing to do
Opened in 1994 as the first zoo designed around nocturnal animals, explored by tram and walking trails through six geographical zones after dark.
Hotel
Singapore's grand colonial hotel, opened in 1887 by the Sarkies brothers, now an all-suite property with butler service and the birthplace of the Singapore Sling.