SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS - Wilderness for beginners

About the Botanic Gardens:

The Singapore Botanic Gardens lie near the city center, within easy reach from Orchard Road.
The Gardens have their origin in the mid-nineteenth century as a leisure park and a venue for horticultural shows. The park soon gained scientific and commercial importance; especially the cultivation of the rubber tree and its distribution throughout the region, as well as the orchid breeding and hybridisation programmes are closely connected to the history of the Gardens.
Apart from theme gardens like the Evolution Garden or the Ginger Garden, the National Orchid Garden is among the main attractions.
 

In addition to the above mentioned attractions, a small patch of primary rainforest can still be found in the middle of the park. Tree ferns, strangling figs, lianas, rattan palms - with more than three hundred plant species on six hectares the Gardens' rainforest is an impressive testimony of the diversity of tropical habitats and a must-see for visitors.
A leisure stroll in the shade of forest giants some fifty meters high and accompanied by the screeching serenades of cicadas is one of the most enchanting experiences.
 

About the tour:

The duration of the tour is about 1.5 hours. It provides background information on the rainforest ecosystem and introduces key plant species and animals.
Also included in the walk is the history of the rubber tree and its significance for Singapore and the region.
The central location of the Gardens and easy trails make this rainforest walk ideal for families and seniors.
 

How to get to the Singapore Botanic Gardens:

• Via Holland Road:
  Bus numbers 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123, 174
• Via Bukit Timah Road:
  Bus numbers 48, 66, 67, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170, 171, 186
• By taxi/car: click here for map.
  For parking facilities, check the website of the Botanic Gardens.

General information:

• Singapore Botanic Gardens
• 1 Cluny Road
• Singapore 259569
• Tel: 6471 7361
• Website: click here

Things to bring:

• Drinking water
• Mosquito repellent
• Rain gear
• Sun protection
• Plastic bags to waterproof valuables and electronic gadgets
• Comfortable walking shoes