With nasty germs potentially lurking indoors, there’s no better time to pack a picnic and enjoy the fresh air. Here are 18 of the best places for a picnic in Singapore!
We’ve already explained why Covid has got us hankering for outdoor dining, and you know we love Singapore’s many fabulous parks every day of the year. So when given the chance to combine the two with a picnic? Yes, please!
Whether you want to go all gourmet and pack your own picnic food, or you’re out and about and want to take advantage of a nice weather day (did someone say, Wine delivery in an hour?), we’ve rounded up our favourite picnic places all over the island. We’ve also noted which parks have on-site access to picnic food provisions!
Ready, set…picnic!
Bishan – Ang Mo Kio Park
With its pond gardens, babbling brooks, and scenic bridges that seem straight out of a Monet painting, Bishan-AMK serves up picnic-worthy scenery in spades. It’s also one of Singapore’s largest parks – which means you can socially distance responsibly and have plenty of picnic space to yourself. NB: This particular park is big on grassy expanses but light on actual picnic tables, so be sure to pack a picnic blanket!
Changi Beach Park
If you’re after lovely views and a nice sea breeze (isn’t that half the appeal of having a picnic in Singapore?), head to this out-of-the-way park near the airport. There are also BBQ pits and a playground. Hot tip: The nearby Changi Village Hawker Centre and Little Island Brewing Company both offer takeaway that makes for perfect picnic food!
Chinese and Japanese Gardens
Sadly these two picturesque spots within Jurong Lake Gardens are closed for renovation works until June 2021 – but they are just too pretty not to include! In the meantime, we think the Butterfly Field makes for a lovely alternative picnic spot!
Esplanade Roof Terrace
So this isn’t a park exactly, and chances are you’re not going to have lots of privacy or extra personal space, but there are plenty of benches and some supremely killer views. In short, it doesn’t get more unique than an Esplanade Roof Garden picnic. Nearby in Esplanade Park you’ll also find more benches, lots of shade, and more of those stunning views of Marina Bay.
Fort Canning Park
Explore old forts and underground bunkers before rolling out the picnic blanket on the massive lawns at Fort Canning Green (it’s no coincidence they hold Shakespeare in the Park and Ballet Under the Stars here!). Pack a ball or a kite so the kiddos can play on the grass after finishing their nosh, or bring the scooters and do some laps of the reservoir on the shady paths. And if they’re really good let them have a play at the Jubilee Park Playground! You’ll find toilets inside Fort Canning Centre.
HortPark
Singapore’s one-stop gardening hub is also the perfect spot to let the kids roam free while you snack on your lunchtime nibbles — peep that stunning gazebo above! HortLawn is the best place to spread out on the grass and even includes some shade (plus it’s conveniently close to the entrance and the toilets)! Post-lunch, head towards the Nature Playgarden playground to let the little ones play, climb and slide!
Labrador Park
With beachfront picnic huts and BBQ pits, huge expanses of grassy lawns, and a shady hillside with benches and ancient military battlements to explore, Labrador Nature Reserve may offer the best bang for your buck if you’re looking for the perfect picnic in Singapore.
Lazarus Island
Lazarus Island offers one of the best beaches in Singapore thanks to a lovely stretch of sand and shallow waters with some endemic flora and fauna that gives this island its own distinct signature. Do note, however, that there are no bathroom facilities. Shade will also be limited, so make sure you’ve got your sun hats and plenty of sunscreen!
MacRitchie Reservoir Park
With a restaurant, toilet facilities, a lovely waterfront lawn and plenty of shelter all near the entrance, MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a fab spot for an easy family picnic (just beware the aggressive monkeys!). If you’re after more shade and solitude, take a hike into the jungle and munch in peace at one of the many shelters located along the trails (just be sure to pack out whatever rubbish you have).
Marina Barrage
For a picnic with a view nothing really beats the green expanse on the rooftop of the new Marina Reservoir! Set against the backdrop of Marina Bay, the enormous lawn is perfect for kite-flying and bubble blowing, as well as letting the kids run wild — it also enjoys gentle breezes off the water, ahhh! Best in the evenings (there’s not a ton of shade during the day) families can enjoy their Marina Barrage picnic dinner while checking out the amazing views and twinkling lights of the Singapore skyline at night.
Sembawang Park
This underrated gem has got it all: BBQ pits and covered picnic tables, gentle sea breezes, a beautiful beach for splashing in, and a fabulous playground that’s typically uncrowded! There’s also plenty of grass, gently rolling paths that are delightful for scooting, and even – score! – toilet blocks with showers.
Sentosa
One of the island’s many beaches would be the obvious choice here – especially since you can bring pets along! But there are lots of other great picnic spots on Sentosa, too – from the waterfront at Resorts World (there are plenty of benches overlooking Keppel Bay, near where the Royal Albatross docks), to the nature trails and scenic treetop trek near Fort Siloso. And there are certainly plenty of places to pick up food and drinks if you decide to picnic on the fly.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
This is the granddaddy of them all – the Singapore picnic motherlode! There are so many great spots for Botanic Gardens picnics, but the most obvious would be Palm Valley – the seemingly neverending expanse of grass between the National Orchid Garden and the Shaw Symphony Stage. We also love the huge lawns near the Eco Lake, the benches and swings near the Bandstand and the fragrant Frangipani Garden, the sloping lawn near the Tembusu Heritage Tree…the list goes on and on! NB: In addition to strategically located toilets, the Botanic Gardens recognizes its own picnic game. You can pick up perfect picnic food to-go at Provisions (located just across from the Orchid Garden and The Halia), while Bee’s Knees near the Eco Lake has just started offering “Picnic Buzz-kets”!
Tiong Bahru Park
Not to be confused with the hipster ‘hood that is Tiong Bahru, this snug little park nestled between Henderson Road and Lower Delta offers up a whole lot more than just its famous train playground (though it is pretty awesome). Throughout the park you’ll find benches aplenty, a relaxing “therapeutic garden,” and a number of sheltered gazebos. There’s a restroom at the northern edge of the park, too.
Toa Payoh Town Park
You’ll forget you’re in the heartlands and will think you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole when you see this park’s stone bridges, landscaped pond, Wisteria trellis, and multiple pavilions and gazebos. There’s plenty of shade for picnics under the willow trees, and there are shelters located strategically along the park’s grassy pathways.
Telok Blangah Hill Park & Terrace Garden
OMG, this just might be one of the prettiest spots in Singapore! Choose from sheltered picnic tables near the carparks, or walk up the Versailles-like stairs of the Terrace Garden, which offers spectacular views of Singapore (plus benches and a gazebo) at the top.
Seletar
Whether you opt for Lower Seletar Reservoir Park with its huge boardwalk, ample fishing spots, and myriad water sports, or instead go for the even more tranquil Upper Seletar Reservoir Park (more grassy expanses, just as much scenic waterfront), you’ll find plenty of perfect picnic spots – and not many crowds. As a bonus, both parks are near some of our favorite kid-friendly attractions; Lower Seletar is near ORTO, while Upper Seletar is 10 minutes from the Singapore Zoo.
West Coast Park
With 50-hectares of open space, this massive park is a fantastic spot for a little nourishment (and a whola lotta adventure!). Kids adore the adventure playground with its flying fox, swings, and rope climbing pyramids, slides and play structures, while mama sits back and relaxes on the grass. If the cycling tracks, the mangrove swamp, the bicycle obstacle course, the exercise garden, the ocean promenade, the pond and the sand play area are not quite enough to keep the fam busy, there are also BBQ pits available for hire and plenty of benches to snaffle. NB: Area 3 is probably your best bet as it faces the water, offers plenty of shady spots, and is close to both bathrooms and food via the nearby McDonalds.
