Singapore: A City in a Garden (Must Visit Green Spaces)

Singapore is known globally as a business hub and for its modern skyline, yet the city’s identity is most visible in its green spaces. With more than 400 parks, four nature reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage tropical garden, greenery in Singapore is not a luxury. It is part of how the city works and how people live.

Nature softens commutes, shelters playgrounds, lowers the temperature while cleaning the air, frames dinners with friends and offers quiet places to slow down at the end of the day. For anyone relocating, these spaces can make a new city feel familiar. Small rituals begin to take shape: a morning walk, a weekend trail, an outdoor brunch, a picnic after work with the kids. These are the details that build a sense of belonging.

I curated this guide based on my own explorations around the island. I’ve visited every location (most of them, many times over) and personally photographed each space featured here and in our Instagram carousel. Choosing only twenty was surprisingly difficult. Singapore offers more natural beauty than most people expect so consider this a starting point rather than a full list.

🕰️ Heritage Spaces that Feel Like Another World

Singapore Botanic Gardens

A calm, timeless landscape that earned UNESCO status for both history and science. In the late 1800s, research here helped establish the rubber industry across Singapore and Malaya, led by botanist Henry Ridley, whose tapping methods transformed rubber into a major regional export. Today the Gardens are best known for the National Orchid Gallery, along with peaceful lakes, winding forest paths, open lawns, an outdoor amphitheatre, cafés and restaurants. Visit at sunrise when the air is cool and the gardens feel almost private.

NOG Clock Tower, Botanic Gardens

An elegant landmark slightly hidden near the Bandstand. Many visitors miss it, even though it is one of the most photogenic corners of the gardens (and a perfect meeting point in the sprawling 82 hectare green space). It feels like a secret spot tucked into the greenery.

Fort Canning Park

A hilltop that has carried royal palaces, colonial military posts and wartime bunkers. History here sits quietly under the trees. The slopes are shaded, the architecture is dignified and the views feel peaceful without leaving the city centre, plus you’ll really get your steps in with the incline.

Sang Nila Utama Garden, Fort Canning

Inside Fort Canning, this garden is inspired by 14th century Javanese royal courtyards. Reflective pools, carved stone and tropical foliage come together to create an atmosphere that might remind you of Bali. 

Japanese Cemetery Park

The largest Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia. Its quiet paths bloom with soft pink flowers mid year, creating a scene that feels surprisingly close to springtime in Japan. It is a place for stillness, not crowds.

🌳 Reservoir Trails and Forest Escapes

Lower Peirce Reservoir

Wooden boardwalks touch the water and monkeys leap freely through the trees. The air feels slightly cooler and the view across the reservoir is almost cinematic. A lovely place for slow walking, quiet photography, or watching some locals fish.

MacRitchie Reservoir

Best known for longer trails and the treetop walk, MacRitchie attracts runners, hikers and explorers who want a real forest escape. It is more active than Lower Peirce and ideal for newcomers who enjoy being outdoors for a few hours at a time.

🦜 Mandai: Wildlife and Nature Immersion

Mandai Boardwalk

A pathway that glides along the edge of the reservoir. The water catches the morning light and the trees feel close enough to touch. Easy terrain makes it suitable for families, strollers and relaxed weekend outings.

Bird Paradise Nature Park

Bird Paradise blends lush planting with waterfalls, aviaries and close wildlife encounters. It feels more like a curated outdoor habitat than a traditional park. Families appreciate how immersive it is, and even adults without children often spend several hours here.

🌊 Coastal and Waterfront 

East Coast Beach

Sea breeze, open sky and gentle waves. This is where you see morning joggers and people enjoying breakfast by the water. Weekdays feel especially calm with Sundays being the busiest days as the beach is enjoyed by “helpers” on their day off.

East Coast Park

A full seaside lifestyle hub with shaded trees, barbecue areas, cafés and long cycling paths. Many families choose to live near this coast because it becomes part of their weekly routine.

Changi Beach Park

A quieter, nostalgic coastal stretch with long walking routes and fishing spots. It feels more like old Singapore with less commercial activity and more space to breathe. It’s also a great spot for watching planes take off and land at nearby Changi Airport. 

Sentosa Cove

A marina side neighborhood within Sentosa that offers tree lined boardwalks and tranquil water views. It has the relaxed feel of a coastal community rather than a tourist zone.

🏙️ Green Urban Icons and Design

Henderson Waves

A sculptural pedestrian bridge that rises above the trees. Its curved seating areas are perfect for watching the sunset. It is often regarded as one of the most beautiful bridges in Asia.

The Meadow, Marina Bay

The largest open lawn in the city centre. Ideal for picnics with skyline views, quiet breaks on the grass or watching the world move by around the bay.

Parkroyal Collection Pickering

A hotel that functions like a vertical forest with more than 15,000 square metres of planted gardens. Visitors do not need to stay overnight to enjoy its lush design. The greenery is open to anyone who walks through the lobby or enjoys the hotel’s dining options. If it looks familiar, perhaps it’s because parts of HBO’s futuristic hit show, Westworld was filmed there.

Flower Dome

The world’s largest glass greenhouse, featuring rotating seasonal displays. An excellent rainy day outing and a favourite for visitors who want a nature experience without hiking. It’s conveniently located within the Marina Bay complex. 

Changi Airport

Trees, gardens and the tallest indoor waterfall in the world are all set within a travel hub. With more than 2,000 trees indoors, the airport introduces Singapore’s identity before visitors even step outside. The remarkable shopping and dining hub, Jewel, is just as popular with city residents who aren’t travelling -- it’s a destination in and of itself. 

🍃 Dining and Lifestyle in Green Spaces

PS Café, East Coast Park

Palm trees, sea air and long brunches with a view of the shore. This is an easy option for hosting visiting friends or simply enjoying a relaxed afternoon outdoors. It’s one of my favourite places to stop for a morning coffee (or weekend 1-for-1 mimosas)!

Open Farm Community, Dempsey

A garden to table restaurant set among edible plants and sculpture. It is casual yet thoughtful and works well for families, food lovers and slow lunches with people you enjoy.

🧭 How Newcomers Can Use This Guide

• In your first month in Singapore, choose three places to explore: One waterfront, one heritage garden and one forest or reservoir.

• Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon or evening for cooler weather.

• Save our 20 location Instagram carousel for quick ideas and visual reference.

• Treat nature as part of daily life rather than a weekly outing. Singapore becomes easier to love when greenery becomes part of your routine.

🌼 Final Thoughts

Creating this guide felt like an exercise in appreciation. Singapore offers far more green spaces than most people realise, and many of them reveal their beauty only to those who slow down long enough to notice. I hope these twenty places help newcomers find their own rituals and small moments of calm within the city.

Whether you live here temporarily or plan to stay longer, nature is one of the best ways to understand Singapore. I’m sharing the places that have helped me feel at home here, and I hope they do the same for you.

By Lauren Kubis, Founder of Red Dot Relocation