On Top of the World: A Guide to CapitaSpring Sky Garden
Despite being highly urbanized, Singapore still boasts pockets of greenery in the form of public gardens and parks. But did you know that some of these gardens and parks are located on top of buildings?
One such example is the CapitaSpring Sky Garden. It’s more than just your typical roof garden; it’s located in one of the tallest buildings in Singapore, so you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world!
If you’re staying in Singapore’s central area, don’t miss out on this. For a memorable experience, feel free to use this article as your guide.
Things to Know
Address: Level 51, 88 Market St, Singapore
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—8:30 to 10:30 am, 2:30 to 6 pm
- Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Admission Fee: Free
Contact Number: +6567133948
Website
Background
CapitaSpring is a skyscraper located in Downtown Core that was designed by architectural firm BIG and architect Carlo Ratti. Featuring eye-catching architecture, this building has a height of 280 meters, making it one of the tallest buildings in Singapore.
This skyscraper serves as a conventional office space, and a significant part contains a co-working area. There are also various food and retail options available here.
Two gardens—Green Oasis and Sky Garden—are integrated into CapitaSpring so that the tenants, professionals, and even casual visitors have a space to go to if they want to take a break from their work.
How to Get There
MRT: Riding the MRT is the best way to get to CapitaSpring. You just have to ride the train to Raffles Place station, take Exit A, then walk to the building.
Bus: If you prefer the bus, the bus services that pass by CapitaSpring are 10, 147, 167, 186, 57, and 970.
Car: For people with cars, there’s a parking lot within the premises. The parking rates are S$3.15 per 30 minutes from 7 am to 5:59 pm and S$3.75 per entry from 6 pm to 6:59 am the next day.
Best Time to Visit
CapitaSpring Sky Garden is only open for a limited time during the weekdays. You only have two time slot options—in the morning and afternoon—and both are good, so it’s up to your personal preference.
That said, I recommend visiting either at the earliest time possible (8:30 am) or late in the afternoon (4 pm–5 pm). This is because the sun won’t be harsh during this particular time, so you don’t have to worry about getting sunburned.
What to Do
Walk along the green path
CapitaSpring Sky Garden is a garden first and foremost, so it’s not a surprise that the first thing you’ll see when you step outside the elevator is a burst of greenery.
Most of the garden is overrun with planters of various herbs; walking along the path makes you feel like you’re exploring a farm.
If you love to garden in your spare time, you might be interested in checking out the plants featured here. Doing so will give you an idea of what plants you can get for your garden at home.
Enjoy panoramic views of the city
CapitaSpring Sky Garden is located on the 51st floor of one of the tallest buildings in Singapore. Like an observation deck, it gives you gorgeous panoramic views of the city.
When I came here, I was able to spot some of the nation’s beloved neighborhoods like Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar, and Outram Park.
The view of the Marina Bay area is a bit obstructed, but you can still see the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, and the Esplanade.
Visit the Green Oasis
The Green Oasis isn’t technically on the same floor as CapitaSpring Sky Garden, but many visitors to the Sky Garden also stop by the Green Oasis, so you might be interested in visiting this one as well.
The Green Oasis is another garden in CapitaSpring, which is located from Levels 17 to 20. Just like the Sky Garden, this one is filled with all sorts of greenery; there are also windows that give you a glimpse of the city outside.
If you’re tired of walking around, there are sitting areas where you can rest. These areas even have power sockets, so feel free to charge up your gadgets in the meantime.
Treat yourself to a fancy meal
If you’re hungry after exploring Sky Garden and Green Oasis, you might want to check out the restaurants there: Kaarla Wood-Fire Grill and Oumi Modern Japanese Kappo Restaurant.
Just keep in mind that these restaurants are kind of pricey. That said, if you can afford to splurge, take this opportunity to treat yourself to a fancy meal; be sure to dress up for the occasion as well (smart casual dress code)!
Also, since these restaurants have separate operating hours, you can come here even when Sky Garden is already closed to the public. Since they’re located on the topmost floor, you can enjoy a stunning view while dining.
Kaarla Wood-Fire Grill
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—12 to 12:30 pm, 6 to 11:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—11:30 am to 3:30 pm, 6 to 11:30 pm
Pricing: $$$
Contact Number: +6585183763
Website
What makes Kaarla impressive is that they’re committed to their sustainability goal. They get their herbs and vegetables from their backyard, which boasts 10,000 square feet of space; for the rest of the ingredients, they team up with local producers.
As for the cuisine, Kaarla Wood-Fire Grill specializes in Australian dishes. Some of the ones worth trying out are the Australian market oyster with fig leaf and the vintage Angus flat iron steak with native mint salsa verde.
They also have an extensive selection of wines, so don’t hesitate to order a bottle to wash everything down.
Oumi Modern Japanese Kappo Restaurant
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—12 to 12:30 pm, 6 to 11:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—11:30 am to 3:30 pm, 6 to 11:30 pm
Pricing: $$$
Contact Number: +6598378248
Website
If you’re looking for a Japanese restaurant, Oumi has you covered!
It’s a kappo restaurant, a type of restaurant that lets you order a la carte dishes with seasonal ingredients. A chef will cook the dishes right in front of you, so it’s a pretty cool dining experience.
The assorted sashimi is my personal favorite because I love seafood. If you don’t like seafood, I suggest trying their Wagyu teppanyaki with red wine sauce or the ukokkei karaage (fried black silkie chicken with kaffir lime).