Singapore Botanic Gardens

For such a large city, you'll be shocked at the amount of greenery amongst the skyscrapers. And the Singapore Botanic Gardens is the epicenter of this natural, flowering splendor. With its world-renowned botanical library, acres of varied vegetation and free admission, the park attracts both casual naturalists and scholarly botanists. One TripAdvisor user attests, "The Botantic Gardens sprawl all over the place, over hill and dale, encompassing three 'lakes' and a variety of specialized gardens." Numerous attractions dot a map of the gardens; however, we advise that you simply wander through this gorgeous spectacle and unwind. That said: don't miss the National Orchid Garden with its innumerable floral varieties and breathtaking colors.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens are open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight and cost nothing to explore. However, the National Orchid Garden—the park's crown jewel—only welcomes visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and charges $5 SGD (about $3.95 USD) for admission. Students and seniors receive reduced $1 SGD (about $0.80 USD) tickets. Unfortunately, the metro will not deliver you to the gardens. You'll need to take one of the numerous buses that run along Holland Road or Bukit Timah Road to reach it. For more information, consult our guide to Getting Around Singapore and check out the Singapore Botanic Garden's website.