Guide to Jurong Lake Gardens: Nature, Playgrounds, Clusia Cove Water Play & Starbucks Lakeside

Kids love the large playground with climbing structures as well as Clusia Cove water play at Jurong Lake Gardens, while parents flock to the Starbucks Lakeside for coffee with a view

Jurong Lake Gardens is a great park to head to with the kids (we also like Gardens By the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens for some outdoor play)! Situated in the heartlands around the beautiful lake (where you may spot otters), this huge park in Jurong encourages families to explore nature (something we at Sassy Mama are 100% for!).  Jurong Lake Gardens is centred upon the concept of “Biophilia”, our innate emotional connection with nature (much like the Nature Playgarden at Hortpark). Kids will love the Clusia Cove water playground plus the huge playground called Forest Ramble (with slides, rope courses, see-saws and swings), which encourages kids to imitate animal movements like scurrying, slithering and climbing! There’s also an inclusive Therapeutic Garden created for children and adults with special needs, Singapore’s largest skate park, a bouldering wall and Starbucks Lakeside, one of the most scenic Starbucks outlets in Singapore!

Jurong Lake Gardens comprises three gardens – Lakeside Garden (formerly Jurong Lake Gardens West), Chinese Gardens currently undergoing re-development and Japanese Gardens (formerly Jurong Lake Gardens Central) also currently undergoing re-development.

NB Clusia Cove and Forest Ramble are closed on Mondays for maintenance except for Public Holidays (as well as  Tuesdays if the preceding Monday is a Public Holiday) while the rest of Jurong Lake Gardens is open.

Here are the highlights of Jurong Lake Gardens!

1. Clusia Cove: Free Water Play for Kids

Clusia Cove within is where you’ll want to head when it gets too hot for the kiddos. The water playground experience of Clusia Cove is cleverly designed with tidal patterns, surface ripples and directional currents that mimic the water movement of coastal shores.

Kids can wade in and control the water flow using the sluice gates, muck about in the cool pools and follow the channels that lead to rock pools. Don’t worry it’s pretty shallow here (about shin deep). There’s also a closed-loop water recycling system that treats water naturally without chemicals. There’s a café near Clusai Cove, called Fusion Spoon for casual Western and Asian dining and restrooms for taking a shower and cleaning up after the fun.

Where: Lakeside Garden, Nearest car park is the Jurong Lake Garden North Car park (turn in at Chinese Garden Rd)
Opening Hours: 8 am – 7 pm. Clusia Cove is closed on Mondays except for Public Holidays (as well as Tuesdays if the preceding Monday is a Public Holiday).

2. Free Kids Playground Forest Ramble

With structures to climb on, swing from, and slide down – there’s so much for kids of all ages at this free playground within Jurong Lake Gardens. Officially it’s for kids ages 5- 12 years, but younger kids will have fun at the playground. There are 13 different adventure play areas to explore at Forest Ramble. Everything here is nature-inspired based on the actions and motions of the animals that inhabit the freshwater swamp.

Jump on mini trampolines, wobble on log seesaws, and make your way through rope obstacle courses in the Squirrel Play area. There are Adventure Bridges to navigate and an Otter Play zone with a scramble of logs for kids to balance on and test their motor skills.

Read more: Games to Get Kids Moving and Nurture Fine Motor Skills Through Play

There are ropes to climb, bright blue blocks to build with, nine swings in different designs – from bucket swings to hammock swings, a wooden maze and hideouts where kids can pop their heads out of little transparent bubble windows much like a crab pops out of the sand. Plus long winding slides that resemble a snake coiling around a tree. Make sure you dress the kids in leggings or long shorts as the slides are all metal (and go early before they heat up too much from the sun!).

Where: Lakeside Garden, Nearest car park is the Jurong Lake Garden North Car park (turn in at Chinese Garden Rd)
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm *Forest Ramble is closed on Mondays except for Public Holidays (as well as Tuesdays if preceding Monday is a Public Holiday).

Read more: Spot Wild Animals in Singapore

3. Best Spots for Photos in Jurong Lake Gardens

The grasslands are where photographers head to for the best photos within Jurong Lake Gardens. This area is popular with wedding and family photography sessions too. The picturesque Grasslands area is 3.5-hectares dominated by tall grasses with bird hides located within. Bird spotters look out for the many streams where birds may be seen especially Grey Herons and Oriental Pied Hornbills.
Where: Nearest car park is the Jurong Lake Garden South Car park (turn in at Japanese Garden Rd).

4. Therapeutic Garden at Jurong Lake Gardens

The Therapeutic Garden @ Jurong Lake Gardens is a relatively new addition to Jurong Lake Gardens! It’s the seventh and largest therapeutic garden in a growing network of therapeutic gardens created by NParks, and is the first with dedicated sections for children with special needs, catering to those with conditions such as mild autism and ADHD.

There’s also a new butterfly maze adjoining the children’s section of the therapeutic garden. The Therapeutic Garden within Jurong Lake Gardens is wheelchair-friendly and allows visitors to wander purposefully while interacting with nature.

Kids will love the musical play equipment such as a xylophone and percussion drums as well as a set of double swings. Scented plants, such as Butterfly Ginger and various Gardenia species and cultivars, have been planted along the pathway. Look out for the labyrinth with pathways that glow in the dark and floor imprints of the animals and insects found in Jurong Lake Gardens.
Where: Nearest car park is the Jurong Lake Garden North Car park (turn in at Chinese Garden Rd)

5. Jurong Lake Gardens’ Skate Park & Bouldering Wall

The skate park is one of the latest additions to Jurong Lake Gardens – it’s the largest outdoor skate park in Singapore! The five skate pods cater to skaters of varying skill levels and are sheltered for all-weather use. This part of Lakeside Gardens also features a parkour park with a 3 m-high bouldering wall and for your coffee fix The Ride Side Skate Café.
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm Closed on Mondays except for Public Holidays (as well as Tuesdays if preceding Monday is a Public Holiday).

6. Water Sports at PAssion Wave @ Jurong Lake Gardens

PAssion Wave @ Jurong Lake Gardens is where to head to for water sports activities such as dragon boating, kayaking, pedal-boating and canoeing. If you are looking for other kayaking spots, check out our guide to kayaking for families in Singapore.

Where: 100 Yuan Ching Road, Singapore 618662.
Nearest car park: Jurong Lake Garden North Car park (turn in at Chinese Garden Rd)
Opening Hours: Tue to Fri 9am to 6pm | Sat and Sun 8am to 6pm (closed on Mondays and all PH).

7. ActiveSG Park: Jurong Lake Gardens Swimming Pool

Did you know that there’s a swimming pool at Jurong Lake Gardens? ActiveSG Park is located in the south of Jurong Lake Gardens and features a lap pool and training swimming pool, a 24-hour gym, plus an outdoor fitness area where outdoor yoga sessions take place. Other amenities include a wheelchair-accessible Rooftop Garden, rentable event spaces, and an exercise playground.

Where: 30 Yuan Ching Rd, Singapore 618664
Nearest car park: Jurong Lake Garden South Car park (turn in at Japanese Garden Rd)
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm

Fusion Spoon

Fusion Spoon is the only restaurant in Jurong Lake Gardens and offers Western and Asian cuisine best enjoyed overlooking the scenic view of Jurong Lake.
Fusion Spoon, Jurong Lake Gardens, 102 Yuan Ching Rd, Singapore 618663

Starbucks Lakeside

The Lakeside Starbucks has been called one of the most scenic Starbucks locations in Singapore with its indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Jurong Lake and the floating wetlands. Starbucks Lakeside is just a short walk from Lakeside MRT.
Starbucks Lakeside, Jurong Lake Gardens, 106 Yuan Ching Road, Singapore

The Ride Side Skate Café

The Ride Side Skate Café is a casual cafe within Jurong Lake Gardens offering burgers, sandwiches, coffee and tea plus a kids menu at just $6.90.
The Ride Side Skate Café, 108 Yuan Ching Rd, #01-01 Rainforest Pavilion @ Jurong Lake Gardens

Jurong Lake Gardens Map

Want to get a good peek at where to head to within Jurong Lake Gardens before you go? Check out Jurong Lake Gardens Map here or explore the NParks interactive map.

Getting there:
By MRT: From Lakeside MRT station (EW26) it’s a 5-minute walk to Jurong Lake Gardens entrance
By Bus:
Along Boon Lay Way: 180, 335;
Along Yuan Ching Rd: 49, 154, 154B, 240, 246;
Along AYE: 30, 49, 154, 154B, 178
By Car:
Park at Jurong Lake Garden South Car Park (turn in at Japanese Garden Rd/opposite Tah Ching Rd)
or Jurong Lake Garden North Car Park (turn in at Chinese Garden Rd/opposite Tao Ching Rd).

Jurong Lake Gardens is free to enter. It’s open 24 hours daily however each zone may have a separate opening time as indicated above.

Jurong Lake Gardens, Yuan Ching Road, Singapore, www.nparks.gov.sg/juronglakegardens

Read more:
The Best Outdoor Playgrounds in Singapore
Our Favourite Parks and Outdoor Spaces in Singapore