The East vs West debate is a well-known rivalry that’s been around for as long as time itself. But with the recent reopening of the newly revamped Chinese and Japanese Gardens, it looks like Westies have a leg up in the debate as it’s also the first heartland National Park in Singapore. So, we went down and braved the heat to see what attractions were worth checking out.
*Disclaimer: Some places were still undergoing construction work and may still need to be opened to the public.
Table of Contents
The Chinese Garden and Japanese Gardens have reopened after 5 years as part of Jurong Lake Gardens. This includes Lakeside Garden which had already been completed a while back. Entrance to all the parks is free and these are open to the public from 6am to 10pm daily. You can cycle along the designated park connector, stroll along the various tracks, and even bring your dog out on a walk as long as it’s leashed.
Cyclists unfortunately can’t cycle inside either Chinese or Japanese Gardens but you can check out these other cycling routes instead.
To get to the Chinese Garden, just take the MRT on the East-West line and alight at the Chinese Garden station. After that, it’s a 5-minute walk to the east entrance of the garden. Rest assured that the walkway is sufficiently sheltered up until the bridge that leads to the gardens.
The Chinese Garden Bridge was inspired by architecture from the Song Dynasty.
As you cross the Chinese Garden Bridge, you will see the Cloud Pagoda in the distance, marking your entrance into the Chinese Garden.
But if you want to go to the Japanese Garden first, take the bus and alight at the “S’pore Science Ctr” bus stop. From there it’s a 6-minute walk to the Japanese Garden Bridge, from which you will first see the Water Lily Garden.
Lakeside station is farther away from these 2 newly revamped gardens but you can alight there if you’d like to start with exploring Lakeside Garden.
The Cloud Pagoda is situated at the top of a small hillock. At 7 stories tall, the structure is hard to miss. It was inspired by the Linggu Temple Pagoda in China. In our opinion, this is by far the most IG-worthy attraction in the gardens.
As you circle around the Cloud Pagoda, you will notice many different statues of the different Zodiac symbols strewn about. Try spotting the one that matches your birth year. Unfortunately, during our visit, the entrance to the stairwell of the pagoda was locked, as there’s still some maintenance work going on, so we couldn’t go up.
Located just a stone’s throw away from the Cloud Pagoda is the Pagoda Plaza, which houses a reception counter should you need help with anything like directions to certain attractions.
If you need to fuel up before walking around, check out EDEN CAFE @ Chinese Garden where the menu features Singaporean classics with a twist. There’s Rendang Burger ($20), Har Cheong Gai Waffles ($22), and Nasi Lemak ($8.90).
The Bonsai Garden will make you feel as if you have stepped back into olden-day China homes. It was designed with Suzhou-style architecture, which emphasises the balance between nature and art. We’ll leave you to be the judge of that.
In line with the theme, there are a number of Bonsai trees scattered about the garden. There is even an air-conditioned Bonsai Gallery housed within one of the corridors, where you can learn about its history in comfort.
Just a short distance later, you will run into the Bonsai Pavilion which offers a nice vantage point of the entire garden. Just like with the Twin Pagoda, be careful of the rocky steps when climbing up and down, as this one has no handrails.
Those who are okay with moving in cramped spaces can also check out the newly built underground cave beneath the pavilion. Move about as stealthily as Indiana Jones did, though you’ll find no hidden treasure here, unfortunately. If you’re a tall guy like me, please mind your head as you navigate the space.
What a beautiful sight!
Should the hustle and bustle of the city be getting you, go for a calming walk to the Stone Boat, set atop the edge of a lily pond, where you can admire the scenery of the lake. Try spotting turtles or lizards frolicking about amidst the scenic landscape of the lily pads.
Once you’ve got your postcard-perfect shot, make the very short voyage to the Tea House Pavilion, which looks like it’s floating on water.
Head further down towards the Twin Pagoda – another not-to-be-missed photo spot. Inspired by the Spring Autumn Pagoda in Southern China, each of the Twin Pagoda is 3 storeys high, and this one can be accessed by the general public. Just be careful when climbing the steps, though, as they are curved and quite narrow.
Once you climb the spiral stairwell, you’ll have a beautiful view of the surroundings, where you can even see the passing cars and MRT in the distance. If you face the other way, you can also have a rough overview of the Chinese Garden.
But if you want to have the Twin Pagoda as the backdrop instead, cross over to Passion WaVe @ Jurong Lake Gardens, where you can pose at the balcony corner.
Nowadays, there’s a lot of emphasis on growing your own food whether it’d be vegetables at home or through community gardens. It can be a bit intimidating to start, which is why you can see how it all works at the Edible Garden. This comprises several mini gardens, each one growing different kinds of edible plants, flowers, or herbs.
Situated inside the Edible Garden is also a plant factory, which uses hydroponics similar to the one at Choa Chu Kang Library to grow plants like basil, rosemary, and thyme.
You may already be familiar with the Grand Arch, though it has been made even better now with sweeping views of the garden, thanks to the demolition of the surrounding walls. As you climb the stairs, you will spot intricate motifs depicting Chinese mythology.
The view from the top of the stairwell makes it a good space to catch the sunrise or sunset, and even catch sight of the neighbouring HDB flats in the horizon. It also marks the west entrance of the garden.
Here, you learn more about the attractions beyond just their IG-worthy looks.
Catch another much-needed break from the heat at the new Jurong Lake Gardens Gallery, which details the evolution of the garden from the 1970s up until today. The use of archived pictures, memorabilia, and interactive displays make it akin to visiting a museum.
If the walk has made you peckish, swing by Canopy, a pet-friendly cafe right beside the gallery with an open view of the greenery outside, making for a hybrid el fresco makan pit stop.
Cross the White Rainbow Bridge to cool off with a nice stroll at the new Bamboo Grove and Waterfall section, where you can feel the shiok wind generated from the waterfall get trapped by the bamboo to create a “cooling corridor” effect.
To get to the Japanese Garden from within the Chinese Garden, simply walk across the Moonrise Bridge.
The Sunken Garden is probably what a lot of you have been seeing on socials as the new “it spot” in the Japanese Garden. It is a valley-like garden that looks like it came straight out of Westworld.
As you walk around the green-walled paths that are made from more than 200 different types of plants, you’ll see the sun shimmering down the cenote, inspired by limestone caves.
At night there will be mist sprayed about and light shows, to enhance your viewing experience and take even prettier snaps.
End off your trip with a refreshing drink under the shade at Ice Cream Man and Friends – The Garden Cafe. The cosy spot serves scoops of ice cream starting from $4.50/cup.
You can see the Water Lily Pavillion in the distance.
If you are entering via the Japanese Garden Bridge, the Water Lily Garden is one of the first main attractions you’ll see ahead of you. There are more than 150 water lily species and it is the largest of its kind in Singapore. As you walk around, you can admire the wide pond reflecting the blue sky, with the water lilies further up ahead.
As you reach the Water Lily Pavillion, you can check out the water lilies up close and look out for fish swimming around or butterflies fluttering about.
Fans of aquariums can visit the Breathing Gallery, an air conditioned indoor area housing terrariums and even paludariums – a hybrid of the two. The plants and animals here usually don’t thrive in the tropics, except in this case, where the conditions are ideal.
Finding the vampire crab is harder than playing the game “Where’s Waldo.”
Once you step in, you will be greeted by a 2.4m-long terrarium that houses unique terrestrials like vampire crabs, fish, and plants such as jewel orchids. Try spotting the crabs if you can, though they’re known to blend in within the bushes and we couldn’t find them even after searching for 10 minutes.
A few metres away from that tank is the aquatic zone, which has a collection of displays showcasing different marine plants and fish species.
As you walk around the Jurong Lake Gardens, you’ll find a directory map scattered across the place. You can also go to their website to find the interactive map, where you can plan ahead on which attractions you wish to zone in on.
While it looks like the Chinese and Japanese Gardens are islands of their own, all the gardens are connected via bridges so you can easily navigate the grounds. Just be prepared to walk a lot.
Now that you know what new attractions and features are available, bookmark the Chinese and Japanese Gardens for your next nature expedition. Once done exploring, you can read about the many Lakeside food options that are either a short bus ride or stroll away.
For other cool nature spots, check out:
Photography by Eldora Chong.
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