Although Singapore is such a small island, over half of it is covered in greenery. The island has plenty of forests, reserves and parks waiting to be explored. The island’s first botanical garden was started in 1822 by Sir Stamford Raffles (who is also the country’s founder). Called the Botanical and Experimental Garden, it was mainly used to grow fruits and vegetables and remained open only for a few years and shut down in 1829.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a sprawling seventy hectare park that was opened in 1859 by the, now defunct, Agri Horticultural Society. It was built on a parcel of land in Tanglin given by the colonial government to the club in exchange for land near the Boatside Quay. Originally, the land was all forest and it fell upon Laurence Niven, the superintendent, to design the garden. Much of the current arrangement of the Singapore Botanic Garden can still be attributed to Laurence Niven.
The main highlight here is the National Orchid Garden. Featuring nearly one thousand different species of orchids and almost twice that many hybrid varieties, the orchid garden contains one of the largest orchid collections in the world. Sights inside the orchid garden include the Orchidarium, the Tan Hoon Siang Misthouse, the Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad House and the Coolhouse. Notable highlights inside the botanical garden include the Rainforest, the Evolution Garden, the Ginger Garden and the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. Entry into the botanical garden is free and one need only buy a ticket to visit the National Orchid Garden. The botanical garden is open daily from 5 am to 12 am and is an interesting place for tourists to visit.
Tourists planning on having an extended vacation in the country should consider staying at serviced apartments Singapore. They provide guests with all the amenities found in a hotel while also making them feel like they are in their own home. There are a few good Singapore apartment hotels around, with the La Residenza Serviced Suites being a popular option. Conveniently located next to shops, restaurants and most importantly an MRT Station, it is a great place to stay.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
