When you travel to a few cities or countries you start to notice that a lot of them have similar tourist attractions. Almost every city has an open-top bus tour, every city has a zoo, and most cities have a collection of museums. After you have been to a few cities you start to realize that many are not worth a visit. Some museums just don’t have the quality on show that others boast and some zoos only have animals that you could probably find in your back garden. This idea is especially true when it comes to botanical gardens. There are so many places in the world that have botanical gardens and they always appear high on the “Must see activities” list, but are any of them really must-see? We have selected three botanical gardens that you actually shouldn’t miss.
Botanical Gardens, Singapore
Singapore is a city that has become a must-see tourist destination in a short amount of time. While once it was simply a convenient place to stopover it is now the end destination for many travelers. This is because the government has invested massive amounts of money to make the city a unique place that is a playground for the senses. The airport alone is on the list of activities that everyone raves about (which has a butterfly park inside).
One attraction that is worth seeing is the botanical garden. It is the only tropical garden that is listed as a UNESCO heritage site in the world and therefore has a stamp of approval that no other garden can boast. However, if flora is something you are after then Singapore also has the flower dome which is an air-conditioned greenhouse that is simply spectacular. The issue with Singapore then is not whether the gardens are worth seeing, they are, but whether you will have time considering how many amazing things there are to check out.
Botanical Gardens, Montreal
The Montreal gardens are not the most spectacular in terms of the variety of plants and flowers. However, they are impressive. In the gardens, there are massive art installations that are absolutely stunning. These alone make the trip worthwhile and the variety of different gardens on show only add to the appeal with the Japanese and Chinese gardens our personal favorites.
Botanical Gardens, Rio de Janeiro
When you visit Rio there are a couple of things you have to do. You have to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, Copacabana beach, and Sugarloaf mountain. Yet there is a danger that while you are moving from A to B to see the top attractions you are missing some incredible things along the way. Rio is a city famous for its nightlife and it’s larger than life attractions but it also has some incredible hikes, lesser-known beaches, and a stunning botanical garden.
While you have to take a tram to reach the Christ the Redeemer and it is a beautiful ride make sure you pay a visit to the botanical gardens that are located far below the statue. The garden has been in place since the early 1800s as back then the King of Portugal wanted to use the site to grow spices and herbs taken from Asia for the European market. With almost 7,000 species of plant, this garden is truly outstanding.
These are three of our favorite botanical gardens in the world. For a fantastic variety of plant life and something that appeals in a more natural way, we suggest Rio as the front runner. For the sheer spectacle, you must visit the dome of Singapore and the botanical garden too. For the human element, we think that Montreal offers something truly unique too. All have their own appeal and all really are a must-see attraction.
