Singapore Botanic Gardens, Botanical garden and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tanglin, Singapore.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden in Tanglin, Singapore, covering 82 hectares and containing more than 60,000 plants across specialized zones. Sections include a rainforest area, an evolution garden, and thematic plantings that showcase tropical flora from different continents.
The site was established in 1859 by the Agri-Horticultural Society and transferred to British colonial government administration in 1874. Researchers here developed rubber cultivation techniques that fueled the economic rise of Southeast Asia and continue to shape the region today.
The garden houses over 1,000 orchid species and hybrids, many named after dignitaries and political figures. Visitors can walk through the collection and discover orchids cultivated to honor state guests from around the world.
The site opens daily from 5:00 AM until midnight, and general admission is free except for certain areas. Paths are wide and flat, suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, and restrooms and water points are distributed throughout the grounds.
This is the only tropical garden in the world recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, awarded in 2015. The designation honors its contributions to botany and rubber research, as well as its role in distributing tropical plants across continents.
Location: Tanglin
Inception: 1859
Founders: Thomas Stamford Raffles
Official opening: 1859
Elevation above the sea: 33 m
Operator: National Parks Board
Address: 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 05:00-24:00
Phone: +6564717138
Website: https://nparks.gov.sg/sbg
GPS coordinates: 1.31510,103.81620
Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:41
These botanical gardens are research centers with greenhouses, plant collections and exhibitions. They maintain native and exotic plant species in designed gardens. The grounds present different climate zones with corresponding vegetation, from tropical rainforests to desert plants. Visitors find scientific information about botany.
Singapore combines modern architecture with cultural diversity within a compact area, providing photographers with varied settings just a few subway stations apart. The city features futuristic sites such as the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay, standing 25 to 50 meters tall (82 to 164 feet), Marina Bay Sands with its 200-meter (656-foot) high rooftop, and the Helix Bridge, a pedestrian walkway designed to resemble a DNA double helix. The historic districts contrast with these modern structures. Chinatown retains its Chinese temples and arcade houses, Little India its spice markets and colorful facades, while Haji Lane in Kampong Glam lines with independent boutiques and wall murals in a narrow alley. The Merlion Park at Marina Bay, with its 8.6-meter-long (28 feet) statue blending lion and fish, remains the most photographed symbol of the city-state. Sentosa’s beaches, accessible by cable car, add a coastal element to this dense urban landscape.
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