Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but cheer up guys, there are a lot of great tourist places in Singapore that are for FREE!  Singapore Botanic Gardens  is one of them, and based on travel reviews, this park is even on the top 5 travel destinations in Singapore.

A lot may say that Singapore is too man-made, well you haven't explored it a lot then. There are so many National Parks in Singapore. Actually their target is for Singapore to be known as the Garden City. They want to offer their residents a lifestyle where city-living can go hand in hand with nature.  And of course, tourists can enjoy these parks as well, for FREE.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a 74-hectare botanical garden which offers an array of botanical and horticultural attractions. They also offer educational and recreational facilities inside the park.

The garden is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight every single day of the year for FREE except for the National Orchid Garden which is charging a modest fee.

Let me share some of our photos:

This park is ideal for a leisurely walk, a relaxing time with  friends and love ones.  Can't wait to bring our kids here soon!

How to get here:

The Park is located in central Singapore and just 5 minutes from Orchard Road.  Visitors can access the Gardens via its three major entrances: Tanglin Gate, Nassim Gate and Bukit Timah Gate.


By Bus/MRT
By bus alighting at Napier/Holland Road (Tanglin Gate)
SBS Transit 7, 105, 123, 174,174e
SMRT 75, 77, 106, NR8
Nearest MRT Station : Orchard MRT (North-South Line) and a 5-min bus ride to Tanglin Gate.

By bus alighting at Bukit Timah/Dunearn Road (Bukit Timah Gate or Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden)
SBS Transit 48, 66, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170
SMRT 67, 171
Nearest MRT Station : Botanic Gardens MRT Station (Circle Line)

By Taxi
There are taxi drop-off/pick-up points at all major entrances.

By Car
Parking is available at:
Botany Centre, Tanglin Gate (via junction of Holland/Napier Road)
Visitor Centre, Nassim Gate (via junction of Nassim/Cluny Road)
Raffles Building (via junction of Evans/Cluny Road)
Visitor Centre, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden (via Bukit Timah Road)
Cluny Park Gate (via Cluny Park Road)
Along Tyersall Avenue (coupon parking)

You will need at least 2 hours just to tour the place but more than that to really enjoy everything that it offers. It is best to visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the brutal heat. Don't forget to bring your camera with fresh batteries! Let me share some of our photos at the National Orchid Garden in a separate post. Ciao for now! Enjoy Singapore! 

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One Fine Morning at Pasir Ris Park, Singapore

Pasir Ris Park is a 71 hectare beach park located in the eastern part of Singapore which is one of the largest in the country, it has a a full length of around 6.5 kilometers. The Park is just around 20 minutes from Chiangi airport and is near Downtown East Complex ( Wild Wild Wet, Escape Theme Park and Costa Sands Resort).  The Park overlooks Pulau Ubin. 

The park is for the whole family, it offers a walking trail, a cycling track and bicycle rental, barbecue pits and picnic tables, a mangrove forest, they have a large playground too, a horseback riding area, bird watching area and also a camping site. I saw some locals doing fishing too.  They allow swimming but rarely you will see the locals enjoying the beach. 

The Pasir Ris Park is just a few minutes away from my husband's apartment,  we both love to cycle so we went there early for a morning of some fun and exercise!

Let me share some of our photos:

I had a chance to spend time with the bird enthusiasts/photographers. They even allowed me to touch their cameras and tried a few shots!

bird photographers

the 3 storey bird watching tower of Pasir Ris Park

The park is very shady, with large expanse of areas covered by large rain trees.  Such a relaxing atmosphere!

How to get here: Take the Bus 403 from Pasir Ris Bus Interchange, it is also a walking distance from Pasir Ris LRT station (around 15 minutes walk).

Overall, this is a beautiful park, nicely kept, huge with so many activities for the whole family  and free!  Unfortunately, the park is far away from the city centre, it is worth a visit only for those living within the vicinity or if you are at the airport looking for a place to go due to a long delayed flight.  For whatever reason and you happened to drop by,  for sure you will enjoy this park. Have fun! Ciao!

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Royal Park Ratchaphruek, Chiang Mai

The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek was originally a celebration hosted by the Royal Thai Government in honor of King Bhumibol  Adulyadej for his 60th anniversary of accession to the throne and his 80th birthday. The first exhibition was held from November 1, 2006 to January 31, 2007 and the second one  from  December 14, 2011 until March 14, 2012.  After the success of the two world-class horticulture expo, Thai government decided to retain the condition of the park as an addition to Chiang Mai's travel destination.

The park was named after the national flower of Thailand, the Ratchaphruek or Golden Shower Tree.

Ratchaphruek Tree or Golden Shower Tree

The Royal Park Ratchaphruek is located at the Royal Agricultural Research Center in Mae Hia sub-district, Mueang district, Chiang Mai Province in Northern Thailand.  It covers 240,000 sq meters.

The Royal Pavillion

The Royal Pavillion

At the center  of the park is an authentic Lanna architecture of Ho Kham Luang Royal Pavilion, actually it is the most beautiful thing in the park for me.  Inside you will find  a painting exhibition about the life and works  of King Bhumibol.

Inside the Royal Pavillion

The Royal Pavillion from afar

the entrance to the park

They have corporate and 22 International Gardens inside the park, 2 to 3 hours is just enough to see everything. We tried to walk but it's just not possible due to the heat so we just took the tram ride on some areas to see the whole park.

Sharing here some pictures of the gardens:

Other zones include the World of Insects and Rare Plants.

Bug World

It is advisable to hire a private driver so you can take your time roaming the place.  The park is open daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Entrance fee is 100baht for adult and 50baht for children.

There is just so much to see here.  You can roam around the park by foot, by bike (20baht per hour)  or by tram  (20baht for adult and 10baht for children). Make sure to visit early morning or late afternoon as it can be really hot during the day, bring an umbrella, a bottled water and your camera with fresh batteries! Make sure to eat also before you come and visit, they have limited stores inside the park.

Enjoy Ratchaphruek Royal Park! Ciao! 

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