Singapore Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel Guide

Singapore Hidden Gems｜Accidentally Stumbled into a Tropical Rainforest! 🌴|||Hi everyone, good evening~ I’m here to recommend two relatively lesser-known travel spots in Singapore—the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Marina One, both places I visited during my recent business trip downtime. I personally love them and wanted to share my notes with you all.

1️⃣🌳 Singapore Botanic Gardens
🔖 Introduction
Singapore’s first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Covering 74 hectares, it boasts over 20,000 species of subtropical and tropical exotic flowers and precious trees.
🚇 Transportation
Near Orchard Road, get off at Napier MRT station and walk to Tanglin Gate (East Entrance).
(There are 4 other entrances; please check maps for transportation details.)
🎫 Admission
The gardens are free to enter; the National Orchid Garden charges SGD 15 per adult, SGD 3 for seniors aged 60+ and students, and free for children under 12.
📝 Experience
From the Tanglin entrance, you are surrounded by tall, lush forest trees all the way through. Tropical plants grow and bloom here, radiating vibrant life energy that refreshes the soul. It feels like your body and mind are being cleansed by the garden’s pure and lively energy.
The National Orchid Garden inside the Botanic Gardens houses thousands of orchid species, each with unique shapes and rich colors, ranging from bright and vivid to elegant and subtle. There is also a cool house (The Sembcorp Cool House) maintained at 16-23°C, providing a comfortable environment to admire rare orchid varieties.

2️⃣🏙️ Marina One
🔖 Introduction
A mixed-use development combining commercial and residential spaces, consisting of four high-rise buildings and a central ecological park called the Green Heart, featuring offices, residences, and retail.
🚇 Transportation
Close to Gardens by the Bay, accessible by walking from three MRT stations: Marina Bay, Shenton Way, and Downtown.
📝 Experience
Being in the open-air central ecological park surrounded by four skyscrapers doesn’t feel oppressive at all. Walking along the spiral pathways enveloped by dense tropical plants feels like wandering into a rainforest valley. Looking up at the wavy exterior walls of the high-rises feels like being inside a giant’s ecological crystal ball. It’s stunning, fascinating, and truly amazing.

Overall, these two spots are rich in natural atmosphere, with spectacular scenery and pleasant environments, and fewer crowds. They are definitely worth visiting on a clear day to deeply experience the charm of this garden city and fully connect with nature. Highly recommended!