Jurong Lake Gardens: Singapore's Third National Garden
Picturesque Gardens and Nature Parks in the West — Now Bigger Than Ever
Introduction
Tucked away in the western end of Singapore, within the Jurong Lake District and not far from the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, lies the picturesque and family-friendly Jurong Lake Gardens. It is Singapore's third national garden — the first being the historic, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Singapore Botanic Gardens, and the second the futuristic Gardens by the Bay with its two cooled conservatories and 18 Supertrees.
Unlike its siblings, Jurong Lake Gardens is a "people's garden" — designed for families, fitness enthusiasts, and nature lovers rather than for botanical research or tourism spectacles. Spanning 90 hectares, it comprises three distinct gardens: Lakeside Garden (opened 2019), the newly reopened Chinese Garden, and the Japanese Garden — both of which returned in September 2024 after five years of extensive redevelopment.
📋 Quick Facts
| Total size | 90 hectares (3 gardens combined) |
| Opening hours | Lakeside Garden: 24 hours. Chinese & Japanese Gardens: 5:30am – 12am daily. |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Nearest MRT | Lakeside (EW26), Chinese Garden (EW25), Jurong East (NS1/EW24) |
| Time needed | Half a day to explore all three gardens |
| Best time | Morning or late afternoon; avoid midday heat |
🚌 How to Get There
By MRT
- Lakeside MRT (EW26) — 3-minute walk to Lakeside Plaza; 12-minute walk to the Entrance Pavilion. Best for Lakeside Garden.
- Chinese Garden MRT (EW25) — 5-minute walk to the Chinese Garden Bridge; 8-minute walk to Pagoda Plaza. Best for the Chinese Garden.
- Jurong East MRT (NS1/EW24) — 20-minute walk to the Japanese Garden Bridge. Best for the Japanese Garden and Science Centre.
By Bus
Along Yuan Ching Road: 49, 154, 240, 246. Along Boon Lay Way: 180, 335. Along Jurong Town Hall Road: 66, 178, 198, 335.
By Car
Two carparks are available:
- North Carpark (turn in at Chinese Garden Road): 173 car lots. Nearest to Forest Ramble, Clusia Cove, and the Chinese Garden.
- South Carpark (turn in at Japanese Garden Road): 171 car lots. Nearest to the Grasslands, ActiveSG, and the Japanese Garden.
| Timing | Charges |
|---|---|
| Mon–Fri, 8:30am–12pm & 2pm–5am | $0.60 per 30 minutes |
| Sat–Sun & PH, 8:30am–5am | $0.60 per 30 minutes |
| Daily, 5am–8:30am | Free |
| Mon–Fri, 12pm–2pm | Free |
🌾 Lakeside Garden: The People's Garden
The Grasslands
 |
| The Grasslands and bird observatory |
The Grasslands is perhaps the most distinctive feature of Lakeside Garden. This 3.5-hectare open meadow, dotted with rustic wooden bird hides (observatories), offers a rare experience in urban Singapore — vast, unobstructed sky and swaying tall grasses. The hides allow visitors to view small bird species that feed on grass seeds, while also providing shelter from the tropical sun. It is especially popular with bird watchers and nature photographers.
Unlike the mangrove forests of Sungei Buloh, Pulau Ubin, Coney Island, or Pasir Ris Mangrove Park, these grasslands offer a completely different habitat and birding experience. However, the open concept means there is little shade, so the best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon. There is no lighting in the Grasslands, so do not linger after dark.
Rasau Walk
 |
| Rasau Walk and Jurong Lake |
The scenic and much-photographed Rasau Walk is a meandering boardwalk along the water's edge that lets you get up close to nature. It winds through clusters of Nibong (Oncosperma tigillarium), Sealing Wax Palm (Cyrtostachys renda), and Rasau (Pandanus) — hence the name. These are plants commonly found in freshwater swamp habitats; parts of them are constantly submerged underwater, and they have adapted over time to deal with constant flooding.
In Malay, pandanus species or rasau is called mengkuang laut. Laut means "sea" in Malay — though these are freshwater plants, the name reflects their coastal cousins. Pandanus is also commonly known as screwpine. You can find pandanus trees in many parks across Singapore, including Pasir Ris Park and Pulau Ubin.
Alstonia Island
 |
| Alstonia Island Entrance Sign |
Did you know there is a European-sounding island here called Alstonia Island? It is named after a very tall native heritage tree, the Common Pulai (Alstonia angustiloba), which can grow up to 40 metres (131 ft) tall. The island reflects the natural history of the area — its original swampy forests and wetlands — before the industrialisation of Jurong. You can still find Common Pulai trees at Pulau Ubin along the way to Chek Jawa, and along Sentosa's nature trails near the sea.
There is another Pulai tree called the Blackboard Tree (Alstonia scholaris). See the connection between "blackboard" and scholaris? You can find this tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Neeram Stream
The Neeram Stream used to be a concrete drain leading from nearby Yuan Ching Road. It has since been naturalised into a series of streams that channel stormwater runoff from the surrounding gardens, cleansing it before depositing the flows into Jurong Lake — one of Singapore's 17 reservoirs. It is part of the garden's sustainability features, just like the recycled water system used in Clusia Cove.
🏞️ Chinese Garden: Reopened September 2024
After five years of closure for redevelopment, the Chinese Garden reopened on 8 September 2024 with a host of new attractions alongside beloved landmarks. Spanning about 30 hectares together with the Japanese Garden, it now features:
- Grand Arch — Renovated to offer an unobstructed "open window" view. The walls have been replaced with a mass-engineered timber (MET) structure housing the Jurong Lake Gardens Gallery and a restaurant.
- White Rainbow Bridge — The 13-arch bridge inspired by Beijing's Summer Palace.
- Twin Pagodas — Three-storey pagodas modelled after those in Southern China. You can climb the winding stairs inside for panoramic views of Jurong Lake.
- Stoneboat — A Peking-style stone boat sitting on the banks of a lotus pond.
- Bonsai Gallery — Over 2,000 bonsais in a Suzhou-style garden, the largest of its kind outside China. Open 9am–7pm (closed Mondays).
- Bamboo Grove & Waterfall — A new addition paying homage to bamboo's cultural symbolism in Chinese tradition. The waterfall helps cool the surrounding air.
- Edible Garden — Features pumpkins, luffas, red long beans, eggplants, and lady's fingers.
- Water Wall Court — A courtyard surrounded by shallow pools and 3-metre-high water walls.
- Cascading Creek — A riverine habitat with five stages: Fern Cascades, Hill Streams, Kasai Creek, Paperbark Swamp, and Nypa Grove.
- Cloud Pagoda — A 7-storey pagoda on a small hill, surrounded by 12 zodiac animal stone sculptures.
🌸 Japanese Garden: Reopened September 2024
The Japanese Garden (Seiwa-en) was built in 1974 and has been extensively remodelled. It is designed for calmness and meditation, drawing from Japan's Muromachi and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. New and refreshed features include:
- Guesthouse — A multipurpose hall built from mass-engineered timber, accommodating up to 1,000 people. It uses natural air circulation to stay cool.
- Teahouse & Guest Pavilion — Next to a tranquil pond, perfect for a meditative pause.
- Breathing Gallery — Open 9am–9pm (closed Mondays).
- Traditional arched bridges, Tōrō stone lanterns, and gravel pathways — Faithfully recreating a traditional Japanese park atmosphere.
The garden is connected to the Chinese Garden by the Bridge of Double Beauty and the new Moonrise Bridge.
👧 Family-Friendly Attractions
Clusia Cove (Water Playground)
A 2-hectare water playground using a sustainable closed-loop water recycling system. One part of the playground is a network of cleansing biotopes — a natural water treatment system where sand beds filter out particulate matter and semi-aquatic plants absorb nutrients. An underground UV room disinfects the water before it is pumped back to the play area.
Kids can wade in, control water flow using sluice gates, and splash about in shallow rock pools. The water is about shin-deep. There is also a café nearby called Fusion Spoon for casual dining, plus restrooms for showering after play.
Hours: 8am–7pm, Tue–Sun & PH. Closed Mondays (and Tuesdays if Monday is a PH).
Forest Ramble (Nature Playgarden)
A nature- and animal-themed playground with 13 adventure zones designed to mimic the movements of animals that inhabit freshwater swamps. Kids can scurry like squirrels, balance like otters, and climb like herons. Features include mini trampolines, log seesaws, rope obstacle courses, a wooden maze with bubble windows, and long winding slides.
Hours: 8am–10pm, Tue–Sun & PH. Closed Mondays (and Tuesdays if Monday is a PH).
💡 Tip: Dress kids in leggings or long shorts — the metal slides heat up quickly under the tropical sun. Go early!
Therapeutic Garden & Butterfly Maze
The Therapeutic Garden is the seventh and largest in NParks' network, and the first with dedicated sections for children with special needs (mild autism, ADHD). It features musical play equipment, scented plants like butterfly ginger and gardenia, and a labyrinth with glow-in-the-dark pathways. The adjoining Butterfly Maze is open daily 7am–7pm.
SkatePark @ Lakeside Garden
Singapore's largest outdoor skate park, with five sheltered skate pods for different skill levels. There is also a parkour park with a 3-metre bouldering wall and The Ride Side Skate Café.
Hours: 8am–10pm, Tue–Sun & PH. Closed Mondays.
Dog Run
A fenced area where dogs can roam off-leash. Open daily 8am–10pm.
🌱 Allotment Gardens
 |
| Allotment Garden |
The Allotment Garden has about 300 plots where green-fingered residents grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs in raised 2.5m x 1m planter boxes. You will see cucumbers, tomatoes, chilli, bell peppers, eggplants, basil, radish, ginger, spring onions, passion fruit, kangkong, chye sim, kailan, and even Mediterranean herbs like rosemary, lavender, dill, sage, and oregano. Sunflowers make the occasional bright appearance too.
These plots are part of an NParks initiative that you can rent for about $180 for a three-year period. Gardening can be therapeutic and a step towards self-sustenance — perhaps even contributing to Singapore's "30 by 30" vision, where 30% of the nation's nutritional needs are produced locally by 2030. Of course, with the limited size of each plot, it is not enough to feed a family, but it is a meaningful start.
🏊 Sports & Recreation
ActiveSG Park
Located next to the South Carpark, this facility has an indoor gym and an outdoor lap pool. The lobby area with tables and chairs is open at all times.
Pool hours: Tue, Sat, Sun: 8am–9:30pm. Mon, Wed, Fri: 6:30am–9:30pm. Closed Thu (except PH: 8am–9:30pm).
Gym hours: Daily 7am–10pm.
Admission charges apply.
PAssion Wave @ Jurong Lake Gardens
A water sports facility offering kayaking, pedal boating, and other activities, plus event spaces including a rooftop venue. Hours: Tue–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 8am–6pm. Closed Mondays and PH.
🌺 Native Flora to Spot
Singapore Kopsia (Kopsia singapurensis) can be found near the entrance. These small flowers bear the colours of the Singapore flag — red and white — and are native only to Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. It was once thought this pretty flower might become Singapore's national flower, but Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim (an orchid) was chosen instead. Once rare, Singapore Kopsia is making a comeback and can now be found at other parks too, including MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
The beautiful purplish Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia), a favourite with gardeners, is also abundant here. The bright reddish Torch Ginger (bunga kantan) can be found too — its flower buds are used as garnish and flavouring in Malay and Nyonya cooking, especially in rojak.
 |
| Chinese Garden |
Common Pulai, pandanus (screwpine), bamboo orchid, Singapore Kopsia, and torch ginger are some of the trees and plants that can be found not just here, but in many parks across the island.
🎉 Events & Festivals
Jurong Lake Gardens hosts regular events throughout the year:
- Lights by the Lake (Mid-Autumn Festival) — Held annually around September/October. Lantern displays illuminate the Chinese Garden's Twin Pagoda, Teahouse, and Stoneboat. The Rockestra concert at Ficus Lawn is a highlight. Free admission, 6pm–11pm.
- Lunar New Year — The Grand Arch comes alive with light projection shows, zodiac prediction boards, and festive plantings.
- Guided walks — NParks conducts free guided tours every last Saturday morning of the month. Check the official website for registration.
🗺️ Coast-to-Coast Trail
Jurong Lake Gardens is the starting point (or endpoint) of the 36 km Coast-to-Coast Trail, which stretches all the way to Coney Island in the northeast. There are 18 parks along the trail. The next pit stop is Bukit Batok Nature Park, 7.3 km (4.5 miles) away.
🍽️ Where to Eat
- Fusion Spoon — Near Clusia Cove. Casual Western and Asian fare. Great for families after water play.
- The Ride Side Skate Café — Near the SkatePark.
- Starbucks Lakeside — One of the most scenic Starbucks in Singapore, overlooking the lake.
- Restaurant at the Grand Arch — New dining option in the Chinese Garden.
- Nearby Jurong East — JEM, Westgate, and IMM offer plenty of food courts and restaurants a short MRT ride away.
🎯 Final Tips
- Combine your visit with the nearby Science Centre Singapore and the Chinese and Japanese Gardens for a full day out in the west.
- Best time: Morning (7–9am) for birding and photography; late afternoon (5–7pm) for golden light and cooler temperatures.
- Bring sun protection — the Grasslands and open areas have minimal shade.
- Bring insect repellent — mosquitoes are common near the wetlands and streams.
- Closed on Mondays: Clusia Cove, Forest Ramble, SkatePark, Bonsai Gallery, and both Galleries are closed every Monday for maintenance (and Tuesday if Monday is a Public Holiday).
- Pet-friendly: Dogs are welcome on leashes throughout the gardens. There is a dedicated off-leash dog run.
- Accessibility: Most paths are wheelchair- and stroller-friendly.
📖 Did You Know?
The word Jurong may come from a slight misspelling of Jerung, the Malay word for shark! Legend has it that sharks once prowled the western coast of Singapore. That is why the western parts of the island — Jurong and Pasir Panjang — became industrial ports and shipping container terminals, while the swimming beaches (Changi Beach, East Coast Park and Pasir Ris) are located in the east.
Updated July 2026
For more nature walks, check out our guides to Bedok Reservoir and MacRitchie Reservoir.
Comments
Post a Comment