Alkaff Gardens, Japanese garden in Bidadari, Singapore.
Alkaff Gardens is a historic garden in the Bidadari area of Singapore, featuring an artificial lake, rowboats, and several tea houses spread across the grounds. Paved pathways with granite chips connect the different sections of the site.
The site was developed as a public garden in the early 20th century and gradually received Japanese and Chinese design influences over time. During World War II, the British military used the grounds as a base for the Singapore Volunteer Field Ambulance Corps.
The garden shows Japanese and Chinese design elements, visible in the tea house structures and the Pearl River-style boats on the water. Visitors walking through the grounds can notice these two traditions side by side in the architecture and layout.
The site is in the Bidadari area and is easy to walk through, as the pathways are well laid out and connect all parts of the grounds. Visiting in the morning or late afternoon is more comfortable, since shade is limited across most of the open areas.
The name comes from a wealthy Arab-Indian family who owned the land and opened it to the public as a leisure destination. After the war, the property was sold and turned into a school campus, which still occupies part of the site today.
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