Singapore is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse parks. Whether you’re looking for scenic views, peaceful nature walks, or exciting family activities, you’ll likely find it in Singapore, since many of the parks are purpose-built with certain audiences in mind. From the towering futuristic structures and stunning displays of flora from around the world at Gardens by the Bay to the peaceful Botanic Gardens — truly, a lush and verdant escape from the bustling city — Singapore’s parks are genuinely imaginative and unmissable destinations.
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7 Stunning Singapore Parks You Don't Want to Miss This Year
Families will enjoy parks with play areas for kids, including Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, with a large playground and plenty of opportunities for birdwatching, or East Coast Park, popular for its bike trails, beaches, and access to water sports. But travelers looking for a more rugged adventure at some of the parks in Singapore are also in luck. Just swing by MacRitchie Reservoir Park, which has an extensive network of trails through the forest (including the famous TreeTop Walk, a suspended bridge about 75 feet above the lush greenery and wildlife below).
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And if you’re interested in Singapore’s history (it was a fishing port turned British colony turned independent city-state), Fort Canning Park is a must-visit destination. It’s a former royal palace with stunning colonial-era architecture.
Singapore may be small at just 268 square miles — less than one-fourth the size of Rhode Island — but it’s got plenty of green and recreational space to go around. These are seven of the best parks in Singapore you’ll regret skipping during your upcoming trip.
Where to find the best parks in Singapore
The best parks in Singapore are scattered throughout the city-state, including in the central business district, along the coast, and in the western part of the island. Most parks are connected by a comprehensive network of public transportation, including buses, trains, and taxis. The best way to move between parks will depend on your location and budget, but the public transportation system in the city is generally on time and very efficient.
Gardens by the Bay
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Gardens by the Bay is a large man-made park (about 250 acres) in central Singapore and is easily accessible by public transportation. It’s not just one of the best parks in Singapore, but one of the best attractions of any type. It’s probably the most famous of the parks in Singapore for its two conservatories, or greenhouses: the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. It also has multiple outdoor gardens, and several themed pavilions, like the Heritage Garden, which showcases Asian gardening techniques. It’s one of the best places for photography in the city.
Don’t miss seeing the Supertree Grove, a collection of towering steel structures covered in plants. Every evening there’s a light and sound show at the grove, which lasts about 15 minutes and is totally free.
But beyond the beauty, what makes Gardens by the Bay stand out is its use of innovative and sustainable designs and technology, like powering itself with solar panels and capturing and recycling rainwater to tend to the plants. It’s part of Singapore’s commitment to environmental conservation; indeed, the country is one of the most sustainable on the planet.
Tickets start around S15 SGD (about $11 US) but vary greatly based on what attractions you want to see, what level of access you want, if you want to attend any special events, and when you want to go. You can buy tickets up to 30 days in advance. Gardens by the Bay regularly hosts concerts, events, and festivals that are open to the public, too,
Singapore Botanic Gardens
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The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a 182-acre botanical garden in the middle of the city. Established in 1859, it is the oldest garden in Singapore and one of the city’s most popular attractions. It was the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Singapore and is the first (and only) tropical botanic garden on the list.
The gardens feature a wide variety of flora, including exotic and native species, as well as several themed sections. That includes the National Orchid Garden, with more than 60,000 orchids, and the Evolution Garden, dedicated to showcasing the fascinating evolution of plants over millions of years. It also has several historic buildings, like the Tanglin Gate House, dating to 1859.
The gardens offer guided tours, educational programs, and events throughout the year. And yet another reason this is one of the best parks in Singapore is that it’s totally free, including the guided tours. That said, there’s a small fee if you want to see the orchid exhibit. It’s usually the equivalent of about $3.
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
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Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is a large urban park in the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio neighborhood of Singapore. It covers approximately 153 square acres and has several recreation areas, including a lake, jogging and cycling tracks, and a skate park. It’s very popular for bird watching thanks to diverse collection of feathered friends that call the park home. Some of the most commonly sighted bird species at the park include Asian koel, white-throated kingfishers, collared kingfisher, and dollarbirds. There are also several bird-watching platforms throughout the park, offering visitors the opportunity to observe birds up close in their natural habitats.
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is a popular destination for families, with plenty of space for children to play and explore the numerous playgrounds. The park has several picnic areas with seating and shade, as well as restrooms and restaurants and cafes. There’s even a butterfly garden with more than 30 types of Lepidoptera — the scientific order for butterflies, which translates to “scaly wings.”
East Coast Park
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East Coast Park is a popular coastal space in southeastern Singapore. It covers more than 450 acres, and because it’s along the coast, it has great views of the Singapore Strait and beautiful sandy beaches.
This is a great park to swim and sunbathe, windsurf, kayak, or try stand-up paddleboarding. It also has about 100 BBQ pits for public use and multiple food stalls and restaurants lined up just across the street.
If you want to cycle or stretch your legs, take a stroll on the nine-mile connector path. You can rent bikes or skates at several shops in the park. The path is part of the Park Connector Network (PCN), a system of park connectors in Singapore linking various parks, nature reserves, and waterways. It’s a great way to move around the city while avoiding busy roads.
MacRitchie Reservoir Park
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MacRitchie Reservoir Park is one of the more well-known parks in Singapore. It covers about 617 acres and is most well-known for its popular tree top walk.
Called, not suprisingly, the TreeTop Walk, it’s an 850-foot-long suspension bridge about 75 feet above the ground. It’s supported by two steel towers and has exceptional panoramic views of the park and surrounding area. Admission to MacRitchie Reservoir Park is free, but there is a fee for the Treetop Walk: S8 for adults, or about $6 USD.
The park also has several walking trails, ranging from easy loops around the reservoir to more challenging hikes through the park’s jungle-like interior.
Fort Canning Park
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If you’re looking for a park with historical significance, Fort Canning Park is a must-visit. While the park itself is established somewhere between 1950s to 1960s, Fort Canning Hill dates back to the 14th century.
It was first the location of a palace for area kings, then became a British military fort in the 19th century. During World War II, it served as the site of a prisoner-of-war-camp. But after the war, Fort Canning Hill became an important site in the struggle for Singapore’s independence and the creation of the modern city-state. Visitors can explore this history by visiting the various monuments and exhibits in the park, including nine different gardens/distinct areas. Don’t miss the garden growing traditional crops like sugarcane and coffee or the Pancur Larangan (Forbidden Spring), used as a bathing area for ladies of the royal court.
The park is also home to several museums and art galleries, including the Fort Canning Art Center and the National Museum of Singapore. And in the summer, it’s the site of Singapore’s popular Shakespeare in the Park.
Jurong Lake Gardens
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At 222 acres, Jurong Lake Gardens is one of the largest parks in Singapore — and one of the most popular. The park is home to several themed gardens, including the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, and Southeast Asian Garden, as well as a variety of outdoor exhibits, including a bird park and a butterfly park.
The park was designed to be a showcase of the country’s rich cultural heritage and its commitment to environmental conservation. It was formed in the 1960s, when the area transformed from a marshy swamp into a key industrial hub.
There’s plenty to see in the park and it’s best to download or pick up a map, but the Summer Palace replica is one of the most popular attractions at Jurong Lake Gardens. The replica is a miniature version of the original palace designed to showcase the traditional Chinese architecture and landscaping of the original palace. There’s also the waterfront Rasau Walk and a marshy area to protect blue herons.
Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Hari Raya are celebrated at this park each year, as are ongoing concerts and dance performances.
Where to stay in Singapore
There are many options for accommodations in Singapore, including budget-friendly and luxury options. Lyf Farrer Park offers modern, stylish and affordable rooms for budget-conscious travelers. Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard is a chic hotel in the heart of the city, close to popular shopping and dining areas, and Village Hotel Sentosa is a resort-style hotel located on the beautiful Sentosa Island, offering a peaceful retreat from the bustling city. Matador has also rounded up great hotels near the business district and the city’s best Airbnbs.
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
Lyf Farrer Park Singapore
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Lyf Farrer Park Singapore offers different apartment types, so it can fit the needs of most family, friend, or solo travelers. The rooms have modern and trendy vibes and no TVs, so it’s made for people who want to get out an explore. It’s close to shopping and dining options and is within walking distance of the Farrer Park MRT station, so you’ll be able to reach all the Singapore parks with public transportation. It’s also close to the Singapore Art Museums. Rooms start around $120 a night.
Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard: near the botanic gardens
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Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard is in the Orchard Road shopping district in Singapore. Reviews give huge props to the staff and say the rooms are spacious, bright, and relaxing. The hotel is close to popular tourist attractions such as ION Orchard shopping mall, the National Museum of Singapore, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Village Hotel Sentosa
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Village Hotel Sentosa is on Sentosa Island, making it ideal if you want to visit not just the best parks in Singapore, but a few of the theme parks in Singapore. But it’s also close to the monorail, which will get you to almost any of the parks listed here. The rooms have nature-inspired designs and there are four pools in case you need to cool down after a morning of sightseeing. Rooms start around $219 a night. 