An afternoon at Fort Canning Park

Living in an island city-state like Singapore can be pretty stressful. Where our children’s education is based on test after test after test. Where everywhere you look all you see are cars and concrete buildings. Sure, we have lots of greenery, but it's hard to get a real breath of fresh air in this city!

Need some fresh air? Somewhere you can really relax? I know just the place.

If you love nature and the wonders of the past, come down to Fort Canning Park! Located just a stone's throw away from Singapore's civic district, it is a wonderful(not counting the stairs!) retreat located on a small hill, full of greenery, shade, fresh air, and the mystical sweetness of the mysterious past.

Fort Canning Park offers various recreational and educational experiences. With its lush greenery and relics from the past, is a great place for all to relax, unwind and explore after a long day of hard work. Despite the park’s small size, there is just so much to do here, due to the park’s rich history.

Where once the first botanical garden in Singapore was now sits the Spice Garden. Containing over a hundred species of plants, it is a small replica of the once 19 hectare garden first established by Raffles himself as an experiment. Tours are conducted by at-Sunrice, the culinary academy located at Fort Canning Center.

A pair of impressive, grave gothic style gates leads the visitor into Fort Canning Green, where a Christian cemetery once stood. You can still see remnants of these gravestones embedded into the walls leading up the hill, offering visitors a brief view of what used to be. Many arts performances and festivals are held here in Fort Canning Green.

(The gothic gates, old Christian graves and Fort Canning Green. The three letters above gate, IHS, stand for Iota Heta Sigm, the first three letters of the Greek word for Jesus.)

Overlooking Fort Canning Green is Fort Canning Center, a restored military barrack, now home to the Singapore Dance Theatre.

One area visitors simply must visit is The Battle Box. Located some 9 metres underground, it was used as an emergency, bomb-proof command center during The Battle of Singapore. It was where the British surrendered Singapore to Japanese forces, on the morning of 15th February, 1942. Guided tours are available for a price of $5 for children and $8 for adult. Through the use of specially crafted life size figurines and audio and visual effects, the tour takes visitors back to that fateful morning, where Singapore fell to the Japanese. For more information please visit: the Battle Box.

(Entrance of The Battle Box, and one of the specially crafted figurines.)

But there is more at Fort Canning than just historical relics.

Located at the Hill Street end of Fort Canning Park is yet another one of its treasures, Flutes at the Fort, a fine dining restaurant housed in a beautiful black and white bungalow which used to be home to Fire Chiefs. Capitalizing on the park’s abundant greenery, the bungalow radiates with warmth and quiet charm. But the place isn’t just beautiful; the food too is succulent and luxurious. A tad expensive, but definitely an excellent place to celebrate a special occasion, or spend a romantic evening with that special someone, away from all the noise and traffic and troubles of life. For more information, please visit the restaurant’s website.

There is just so much to do at Fort Canning Park, so many hidden jewels to find. So come down to Fort Canning Park today for a breath of fresh air, rich history and luxuriant greenery!