A World Heritage garden
Founded in 1859, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 4 July 2015. It is the third botanic garden in the world to be inscribed, after those of Padua and Kew, and the only tropical botanic garden on the List.
It played an important role in introducing plants of economic value to Southeast Asia, including the Para rubber tree. Its 82 hectares are home to more than 10,000 plant species, a well-preserved 19th-century landscape, with the earliest ornamental designed lake in Singapore, and a tract of primary rainforest.
Opening hours, entrances and tickets
According to NParks, which manages it, the Gardens is open daily from 5 am to midnight, and entry is free. Only the National Orchid Garden charges admission; it is open from 8.30 am to 7 pm, with last entry at 6 pm.
Some attractions close in bad weather or for their monthly maintenance: NParks publishes current closures on the Gardens’ website.
The Gardens has several entrances: Tanglin, from Napier Road and Holland Road; Nassim, from Evans Road and Cluny Road; Bukit Timah, near Botanic Gardens MRT station; Tyersall and Gallop, from Tyersall Avenue. Tell us what you would like to see: your chauffeur drops you at the right entrance and can collect you at another.
Around the Gardens: Orchard Road and the city
According to NParks, the Gardens is less than a ten-minute walk from the Orchard Road shopping belt. A morning at the Gardens easily carries on into lunch, a meeting or some shopping in town, then an evening in Marina Bay.
To keep a chauffeur with you for a few hours or the whole day, see chauffeur by the hour; for a business meeting in town, see our executive chauffeur page.
Accessibility and family visits
According to NParks, the Gardens is fully wheelchair friendly, with accessible parking spaces in every parking zone; wheelchairs are lent free of charge at the Visitor Services desks, from 8 am to 5.30 pm. Cycling is not permitted within the Gardens.
The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is open from 8 am to 7 pm, with last entry at 6.30 pm; it is closed on Mondays unless a public holiday falls that day, and welcomes children up to 14 years old, accompanied by an adult.
Planning your visit
Two highlights are better than a crowded programme. A few combinations that work well:
- The Gardens early in the morning, then lunch near Orchard Road.
- The National Orchid Garden in the late morning, then Marina Bay in the afternoon.
- Arrival at Changi Airport, then a walk in the Gardens before checking in at your hotel, if timings allow.
For a day out, the chauffeur and the car remain at your disposal for the time set out in the quote. Tell us the date, the pick-up address and time, the number of passengers, any visits already booked and when you would like to be back. Cars are provided by the Federation’s members, subject to their availability. Let’s talk about your visit, or use our Contact page.