Hikes & Sites
Hike, bike, or stroll your way through the Garden City.
The idea of hiking in steamy tropical temperatures seems daunting, but if you time your trips right (morning or evening strolls), and seek out these quiet spots, you’ll be rewarded with some respite from the urban concrete that makes up most of the city.
Hikes
Southern Ridges
This 10-km (6.2mi) walk connects some of the best parks, views, and landmarks in Singapore, and combines easy accessibility with a feeling of escaping the city’s urban environment. It can easily be done in shorter segments to accommodate your tolerance for heat and exercise.
The entire walk is lovely and diverse, but the segment between Henderson Waves and Mount Faber Park is especially nice, and includes the amazing elevated Forest Walk which takes you on a platform above a dense tropical forest. You can combine that section with a gondola ride to/from Sentosa for a nice day.
You can find a map of the trail here.
Treetop Walk
The Treetop Walk is a neat high suspension bridge (with ever-present and active monkeys) over the forest and can be reached as part of a 3-mile round-trip hike on well-maintained trails through a nature preserve. Longer loops can also be constructed to loop the reservoir for a nice nature getaway experience.
It’s best to start early in the day at the MacRitchie Treetop Walk Trailhead. Bring lots of water as it will get warm!
Address (Parking lot): 1 Venus Drive, Singapore 573858.
Labrador Nature Reserve
Labrador Nature Reserve has a peaceful waterfront setting and a handful of interesting historical sites, including historic gun emplacements hidden atop a wooded ridge and the the Dragon’s Teeth Gate (a marker of historical significance in Singaporean history). If you move along the waterfront towards the east, you can connect with the Bukit Chermin boardwalk which takes you along the bank opposite Sentosa Island, ending at VivoCity mall which has a massive and delicious food court.
Address: Labrador Villa Road, Singapore 119187.
Sites
Gardens By The Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is a massive planned garden park that is well worth a visit to appreciate the Singaporean devotion to engineering grand man-made projects to create experiences for tourists and residents alike.
The Supertree Grove consists of 50m-tall tree-like structures, lit up by an extensive lighting display at night, connected by hanging walkways that give you a bird’s eye view of the surrounding gardens and city.
Also, imagine building a massive rainforest-covered artificial mountain with plunging waterfalls, and then sealing it in an even more massive dome to preserve the rainforest climate. That’s the Cloud Forest dome, and it’s an engineering marvel.
Detailed visitor information is available here.
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953.
Botanic Gardens
Singapore’s Botanic Gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the only tropical garden in the world to receive this designation), and was first established in 1859. For a tiny island, that this impressive botanic garden with thousands of species of plants exists in the heart of the city is remarkable. Don’t miss the National Orchid Garden, where you’ll be able to view unique hybrids of orchids, and Singapore’s national flower.
Need a nibble before or after your visit? Adam Road Food Centre is within walking distance of the gardens, and we recommend trying Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak.
Address: 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569.
Fort Canning Park
This park is nestled in the heart of downtown and contains lovely loop trails, the remains of a significant historic fort, and nice gardens. It’s a peaceful oasis from the surrounding city and combines nicely with a visit to the many nearby museums (like the National Gallery) and/or Clarke Quay for drinks and carousing.
Address: River Valley Rd, Singapore 179037.
Merlion Statue
The moment you arrive in Singapore, you’ll notice pictures, symbols, and souvenirs of an odd animal that has the body of a fish but the head of a lion. This is the Merlion, the official mascot of Singapore. Scroll to the bottom for some history behind the Merlion, or read on if you want to just know about the Merlion statue.
The iconic 70-ton, 8.6m tall Merlion statue can be found at Merlion Park, where it spits water from its mouth into the Singapore River. You can combine a visit to the Merlion with a trip to the National Gallery, Asian Civilizations Museum, or the ArtScience Museum – they’re all within walking distance of each other.
Feel free to take a goofy picture of yourself with the Merlion, it’s almost required. Bonus: There’s a smaller, 2m tall Merlion in a square nearby that you can also visit. Gotta catch ’em all? Here’s a list of Merlions you can visit.
Address: 1 Fullerton Rd, Singapore 049213.