You’ve probably heard that Singapore is well-known for its Gardens by the Bay, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!
Destination
Singapore
Category
City Highlight Tours
Duration
2.5 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English, 中文
Included
Private Guide
All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
6 reasons to book this tour
Can be 100% customized to your wishes
Get to truly embrace the culture of the city
Learn about Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
Connect with a knowledgeable local
Hear fascinating stories and insights
Discover cultural highlights & their local relevance
What you can expect
Singapore is full of culture and folklore, and on this private tour, your local host is going to take you to discover more about the Gardens by the Bay.
Through your local host’s storytelling skills and different stops, you’ll fully submerge yourself in the culture of Singapore and dive into the subject of your tour, Gardens by the Bay. Discover cultural traits around the Gardens by the Bay and how they have shaped Singapore, from past to the present. Because isn't culture what makes a city truly special?!
As you embrace the local culture, its traditions, beliefs, customs, stories, and legends, you’ll see Singapore from a different perspective. Take your experience to the next level and follow your local host to Marina South where you’ll check out spots relevant to the culture such as The Dragonfly Bridge, Heritage Garden, and Supertree Grove. As you go from stop to stop, you’ll see how the culture of Singapore is in every corner blending in perfectly with the local life.
The local hosts are natural storytellers, each with a different background ranging from history to art. They can't wait to share some of their unique stories and personal anecdotes with you! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Singapore, your Singapore!
Choose your local
Get to know these 8 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Joisse
The Lovely Guide
4.948 reviews
English
Adam
Advent With Adam
5.0
English
Stefan
The Vocalist and Sustainability Advocate
4.813 reviews
English・中文
Peter
Wholesome-Fun Facilitator
4.967 reviews
English・中文
Monica
The Attentive Local
5.0152 reviews
English
Kenny
Adult Educator
4.9133 reviews
English
Jack Zhao
The Passionate Local Specialist
4.8137 reviews
English・中文
Deonne
Sip & Savour Specialist
5.0
English
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at Under Marina Bay Overpass - Singapore to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
Culture of the City
On this private tour, you’ll experience and discover Singapore through its culture. Whether it’s focused on a tradition, a special part of town with a story to tell, cultural beliefs, or around a cultural activity that shaped the city into what it is - this tour will be a cultural awakening you can’t miss!
Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
Your tour will focus on Gardens by the Bay, a very important cultural subject in Singapore. Thanks to your local host, you’ll learn and see how Gardens by the Bay made an impact in Singapore, making you experience the city from a different perspective.
Cultural Highlights
As you deep dive into the subject of your tour, you’ll make stops to visit unique spots that will give you a full picture of the city. Visit The Dragonfly Bridge, Heritage Garden, Supertree Grove, and more and see how these cultural highlights are part of the local life but have so much history behind them!
Storytelling Journey
As you discover the cultural side of Singapore, you’ll be able to embrace it thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time.
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Philippe🇫🇷 France
(About local )
15 February 2025
A few days before the appointment, Peter contacted us to give us all the information we needed to meet in the best possible conditions. And on the D day, we had a great time with him, discovering Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. He's inexhaustible about the park's history, fauna, flora and anecdotes. If you have the chance, choose Peter as your guide - you won't be disappointed!With Peter to discover Gardens by the Bay
Lynn🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
8 February 2025
Wow! What an enjoyable and informative tour, Gardens by the Bay with Peter. Peter is everything you want in a tour guide, humorous, informative and very personable. Thank you so much!!!
Lynn and Andrew PenneyWow!!
Janet🇨🇳 China
(About local )
4 February 2025
We had a great time with Stefan in the Singapore zoo. Stefan gave us good advice to enter the Zoo in the morning. The schedule and route were very well-organized (we entered the park early and got to see the most spectacular feeding scene in the morning, we also watched the 10:30AM performance). Stefan also provided us with audio guides and headphones, allowing us to listen to the commentary at any time. I can also feel Stefan’s great passion for animals, the good understanding of the animals in the zoo and the fun facts of the animal was really good. I highly recommend Stefan if it is your first time to visit Singapore.Great tour and highly recommend
Chris🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 January 2025
Peter was a great guide for our tour of Gardens By the Bay. He listened to us and adjusted the tour to our walking speed and interests. He blended information with funny asides that made the experience lively and enjoyable. Flexiblle and Fun
Jon
(About local )
16 December 2024
Monica was a wonderful guide for our first trip to Singapore. She was extremely knowledgeable about the gardens and knew the perfect path to make sure our 3 hour tour got all the right spots - both the obvious tourist spots as well as those garden spots that were off the beaten path. I would highly recommend her.Wonderful Botanical Experience
Linda🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
1 December 2024
Peter was an awesome guide. Although the weather did not cooperate that day, he found spots for us to find shelter while explaining so that is something beyond anyone's control. He was an excellent guide. Very easy to communicate with. He was punctual and delivered what we had discussed. Would definitely us him upon a return trip to Singapore. Excellent English. He is a great guide. We saw so much more with him than we would have on our own. Highly recommend!Great tour of Marina Bay, Singapore
jkoenemund🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
22 November 2024
Just perfect!
Molly🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
20 November 2024
Peter accommodated my elderly grandparents very well customising the tour to their abilities without compromising on content at all! They ended up seeing so much of the gardens and loved the interesting facts as they went around.Took excellent care of my grandparents
sanjana🇮🇳 India
(About local )
25 October 2024
Our first tour in Singapore was with Monica to Gardens by the Bay.Monica along with being super informative is also extremely helpful.It was our first day in Singapore and we were still figuring out our way through the metros.We ended up reaching the other exit of Gardens by the Bay.Monica was kind enough to not only guide our way but personally came to get us at the other exit.
She made our tour a fun one taking such to less tourist spots of Gardens by the Bay and stopping wherever we wanted to for breaks.She also gave us a lot of information on other activities to do and about food culture of Singapore.
She definitely made our trip memorable.Monica is extremely sweet and helpful.
Gerhard🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
7 October 2024
You can do the Gardens by the bay by your own, but you will not get in touch with the spots like when you book a tour with kenny. Kenny is an amazong story teller and as a passionate flower lover he knows everthing about the plants of this green area.
And he knows where you can taste the best Singapore Lhaksa. Gardens by the bay - very impressive
Charlene
(About local )
4 October 2024
From the moment I read Joisse's bio I knew I wanted to spend time with her. We were only in Singapore overnight, so we asked if we could adapt the tour as needed. She said yes and off we went. She shared lots of cultural, political and pop culture with us. We even discussed our prior work which intersected with hers.
if you are looking for a very friendly knowledgeable tour guide Joisse is your pick!
Informative and Friendly!
Richard🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
28 September 2024
We were 5 min. early at the meeting point and Monica was already there, so we could start right away.
After greeting each other Monica explained what we could expect and asked if that was ok or if we had some other wishes. Great start and an even better tour. She showed us everything around the beautifull park and the whole experience felt great for us. We would recommend her as a local guide anytime, thanks again Monica 🙂Fantastic guide!
Kristina🇫🇮 Finland
(About local )
7 April 2024
We had a wonderful tour with Peter in the Gardens by the bay. He is very knowledgeable and took very good care of us. I highly recommend him as a guide, a lovely person indeed. Thank you, Peter!Lovely time in the garden
David🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 February 2024
Monica was a fantastic guide -- informative, enthusiastic, warm, funny, and thoughtful. We spent a wonderful first day in Singapore touring the Gardens by the Bay together, and learned a lot about the city and its culture more broadly. Highly recommend! Thank you, Monica!A great day in the gardens!
joani🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
16 January 2024
Joisse is a fantastic tour guide! Her English is absolutely perfect and she is a pleasure to spend the day with. She was kind and patient and let us rest when we got tired. I highly recommend Joisse if you are looking for an amazing guide!Joisse is Amazing!
Denise🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
22 November 2023
Enjoyed our morning in the Bay of Gardens.We would not have been able to find the little secrets by ourselves.walking with Joisse
Jim🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
15 October 2023
My wife and I had Joisse for our guide for the Peranakan tour as well as the Gardens by the Bay tour, which she was nice enough to combine into one extended tour for us. Our tour was an exceptional experience. Joisse is an outstanding guide who went above and beyond to make our tour memorable. From the moment we met Joisse, her warm and personable nature put us at ease. She was not only friendly but also highly attentive to our interests and preferences. Her knowledge of the Peranakan history and the Katong neighborhood really helped us better understand and appreciate the complicated (to an outsider anyway) history of Singapore. Joisse shared fascinating insights about the history, food (laksa, in particular) and culture of the Katong area as well as showing us hidden gems that we would have never discovered on our own. She answered all our questions with enthusiasm and made the tour not only educational but also engaging. The Gardens by the Bay tour was equally informative but since there was a heavy rain while we were there it did cut down on the opportunities to stroll around a bit. But while waiting for the rain to clear we learned even more about the history of Singapore. If you're looking for a guide who is engaging, knowledgeable, and dedicated to providing a memorable experience, Joisse is the perfect choice. We would recommend her to anyone looking for an enjoyable way to learn more about Singapore.
evasberg🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
7 October 2023
This was our first experience with the Withlocals company and can highly recommend them after the 2 and half hr tour of Gardens by the Bay with the wonderful Peter. He not only told us about the gardens, but the history, philosophy, and politics of Singapore and answered the many questions we had. He was thoughtful and kind, organising a taxi for us when we finished and sending us lots of recommendations for the next day’s sightseeing. We highly recommend Peter!We highly recommend Peter!
Paul🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
7 August 2023
Peter gave a great introduction to Singapore and the bay gardens. He was helpful and communicated clearly before and during the tour. He adapted the tour to the hot weather and ended at a food court for our lunch. He sent follow up directions by text to ensure we found our way safely back. Great welcome to Singapore
mfn2ybpths🇸🇨 Seychelles
(About local )
22 July 2023
Ang was very welcoming and accommodating. He brought us little Singaporean gifts and researched a lot about our country. We enjoyed our tour very much. Nice tour
rebecca 🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
24 April 2023
HJ was friendly, informative and accommodating. We really enjoyed learning about the history of Chinatown Great tour of chinatown
Sheena🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
23 March 2023
Ang was very welcoming and an interesting character. He showed us mainly round the Heritage gardens, focusing on the history of Singapore, accompanied by mini presentations, and supporting handcrafted momentos.
The price of the tour does not include the extra cost of the Domes or Sky Walk, but they are well worth a visit after Angs tour.Gardens by the Bay tour with Ang.
Klaudia🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
12 March 2023
We had a wonderful Garden of the Bay Experience with Kenny.
He is well informed , super helpful and a wonderful person !
Go for it ! In Singapur with an Insider
lawrence🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
19 February 2023
Meeting Kenny was interesting as the location was not what I expected, yet he saw us before we saw him so it worked perfectly. I didn't really know what to expect or hope for out of this tour and was very pleasantly surprised by how much my wife and I both were enjoying his knowledge of the gardens. Kenny reads people easily and is so accommodating to individual needs. My wife was growing weary as this was our second tour of the day. He caught on to what her bucket list hope was for this adventure and made a way for it to happen! Words can't describe how blown away we were that he helped us accomplish what we thought couldn't happen this trip. Thank you Kenny for a marvelous experience!Above and beyond
sukanor🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
8 October 2022
We liked our tour with Kenny very much. He has a huge knowledge
and is able to tell it in an interesting way.
Thanks a lot and see you - hopefully - next time.Wonderful Tour
Aléxandros🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
7 October 2022
The walk in the Gardens by the Bay was super informative and money well spent. I can highly recomment visiting it. Ang was very kind and service oriented. Always curious, he prepared the walk very diligently and went beyond what I would expect from a guide. He cleverly used the different gardens to explain the history of Singapore. Thanks for the wonderful exchanges.Very recommendable
Laure🇫🇷 France
(About local )
26 September 2022
Garden by the Bay is a beautiful place. Walking through them with Peter takes them to another dimension. We learned about plants, history, culture, and also got a sneak peak into a sustainable future for Singapor. Peter is kind, knowledgeable and passionate. It’s definetely been a « wow » moment for us. Thank you Peter!Wonderful!
Andrew 🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
9 September 2022
The gardens are incredible and the journey around them was made even more memorable with Monica Great Tour with Monica
Richy🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
6 September 2022
Thanks for showing us the more ‘secret’ side to the Gardens By The Bay Monica 😊 Your knowledge of the flora and fauna of the park, and the garden's wider role in Singapore was greatly appreciated. Monica's great Gardens By The Bay guiding!
Latifa🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
24 August 2022
The best tour guide ever ,it was realy a nice experience with Mr Ang I would realy recommend anyone who wants a tour guide to go for him ..such a kind hearted and a good teacher i was realy satisfied and learnt alooot from him…looking forward to meeting him again once more ,this time i will bring my friends too they gotta be enlightened too🙂
liu🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
29 May 2022
Ang explained Singapore history well, the education materials are well prepared, we had a good experience with AngGood experience
Luke🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
18 April 2022
Monica was a great, knowledgeable and lovely guide. We were taken through a lot of areas we would likely just miss, while also seeing the main attractions. Full of interesting stories and information, this was a great tour with a lovely guide. Thanks!Lovely experience
Signe
(About local )
7 March 2025
My partner and I had a 24 hour layover in Singapore and wanted to make the most of it with a food tour. Stefan was a great guide, showing us around three neighborhoods in the city and tailoring our tour to what we were interested in and had time for. We especially enjoyed seeing multiple hawker markets while learning some history and architecture along the way. If we’re back in Singapore, we’d absolutely take another tour with Stefan!Wonderful morning food tour
Teri
(About local )
4 March 2025
10 star tour! Monica was punctual, informative and gave us a wonderful tour of Singapore. I highly recommend her as your guide. I think we really lucked out having her as our guide. Fabulous Monica
Jane
(About local )
3 March 2025
A bit disappointed with this trip. Stefan was pleasant but only provided information when asked and didn’t try to connect with us. Had 3 dishes at a Hawker centre which were great, only got very limited info when prompted and then a quick dash to Gardens at the Bay for the lightshow. Stefan didn’t appear to notice that we were lagging behind. We were meant to have further snacks at satay at the bay but they had stopped serving (which seemed to surprise Stefan) so could only have a couple of drinks and some spring rolls ( nice but we can get them at home!) that we paid for. This wasn’t the experience that we hoped for.
We said we were tired and would like to get a taxi/grab back to our hotel but Stefan wanted us to go to the MRT and get a taxi at Orchard. It didn’t feel like our needs were taken into account. Hmmm
Dominek
(About local )
3 March 2025
I had a fantastic experience with Stefan as my tour guide in Singapore! He was incredibly friendly and welcoming, making me feel comfortable from the start. His deep knowledge of Singapore's history, culture, and everyday life made the tour both informative and engaging.
It was a pleasure to have him guide me through the city's highlights, sharing interesting insights along the way. He also gave great recommendations, including the must-do experience of going up to the Supertrees—an unforgettable view!
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a knowledgeable and personable guide in Singapore. Thank you, Stefan! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Stefan – THE Singapore Tour Guide
Donna
(About local )
3 March 2025
Peter was everything we expected and more he was the quintessential guide to Singapore very knowledgeable very friendly and made us feel like he was a friend highly recommendPeter was amazing
Louise 🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
1 March 2025
From our first contact Peter has been a wonderful resource . Pre-travel he answered our questions including the best way to getting our hotel from the airport, to planning our tour with him.
He accommodated my wife’s mobility issues (bad knees)by setting a balanced pace , taking escalators and elevators instead of stairs .
And all this before we discuss the tour .
We have travelled enough to acknowledge that having an experienced , articulate, and understandable guide is important . Peter is all that, and much more
His experience and flexibility allowed us to see much more than we would in the limited time we had together.
Peter’s information was just right . We wanted to know about the country , history , people and cultures. Peter provided enough to inform and entertain, as he also has a good sense of humour. We altered our tour to make sure we saw the light shows , make a boat ride , and see the essential sites .
If you are fortunate enough to tour with Peter , you won’t be disappointed.
Louise , Darryl and Jory ( three 60 something Canadians .) See more, stress less with Peter
Kone’🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
26 February 2025
Thanks HJ for a wonderful tour. My time slot was later in the day and so by the time we visited some of the eateries a few have already closed, but that was fine. HJ was able to locate some great local delicacies. HJ also took me on a wonderful history tour of Chinatown, information I would not otherwise have known on my own.
Thanks HJ
I appreciate it Walking in Chinatown
Susana
(About local )
25 February 2025
This is the best way to get to know Singapore. To do this tour with HJ is like to be with a friend that lives in the city and it is showing you around. I loved the hidding gems that we visited and all the historical places. And All the stories that only a local can tell you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!Best way to know Singapore
George
(About local )
22 February 2025
very helpful to learn about how everyday and ordinary people outside of the usual tourist trap lead their lives. Must be done in addition to the Marina bay sands and other traditional tourist spots. Using buses to get around ordinary neighborhoods and hawker establishments is a much better way of experiencing the average citizen life. Only a local can give you the honest truth. Well worth the money and timeExcellent experience with local
Grazyna🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
20 February 2025
Monica was a perfect guide she responded to our general requirements. Showed us places that we never new existed. The whole tour was carried out at a pace that was comfortable. Her passion and interest and historical overview gave us an insight into Singapores development. Monica has a wonderful personality which made the tour very enjoyable.Off the beaten track
J'Tanya
(About local )
20 February 2025
I had a short stopover in Singapore and planned to do a Big Bus Tour, but a friend recommended a more personalised tour. Tricia was my tour guide. She has a great personality and so much knowledge to share. It was like taking a walk through time. Tricia's stories provided historical context while making connections to the present day. She was able to answer all of my questions and took me to little places that would definitely have been missed in a large tour. I wish I had more time with her. There's so much to see and do in Singapore. I highly recommend this tour!The BEST Way to Tour Singapore!
Hector
(About local )
19 February 2025
It was a fantastic tour. HJ took us to very interesting places including a roof top walk where we could see Indonesia and Malaysia. He has a great knowledge of Singapore’s history and the different cultures here. We also went to places not mentioned in the tour guides we researched before coming here. He was very friendly and helpful.10
Ruth
(About local )
14 February 2025
We met with HJ and he was so cool! He took such good care of us. Making sure to walk in the shade and in and out of the AC’s when possible. He is the ultimate local guide that took us through alleys and local spots that only a local would be able to show us.
HJ provided a fantastic overview of Singapore's diverse culture and iconic landmarks. He led us through a well-paced itinerary, including the National Gallery, The Merlion, Chinatown, The Haji Lane and Arab Quarter, stunning views of the city and fantastic architecture.
The included food tastings showcased authentic local flavors – yummy chicken rice from the oldest Chinatown Hawker center. The transportation was the bus and the metro - so cool! We highly recommend this tour with HJ for anyone seeking a comprehensive introduction to Singapore. Thank you HJ!!!
HJ the Ultimate Local Guide
gotfredsonnn
(About local )
11 February 2025
Jack is funny, engaging and an expert on the city’s history. He seems to know everyone and shows you a side of the city that is not bustling with only tourists. Cannot recommend him enough as a guide. Excellent experience
Lynn🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
10 February 2025
What an exceptional day we had touring Singapore with Monica! The route she set out for us was perfect, informative and interesting and of course those clean washrooms!!! Monica has a wealth of knowledge regarding this beautiful city but it is her quick with and easygoing personality that made this tour so special.
Thank you Monica!! Extraordinary!
Peggy🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
9 February 2025
What a great day we had with HJ! He treated us to numerous, yummy treats of Chinese cuisine. We were able to get familiar with several different hawker food centers and local eateries. The food was great, the portions generous, and we enjoyed tasting new dishes we probably would not have ordered on our own. We were also lucky enough to visit with the oldest Loin Dance group in Singapore, tour the Chinese Opera museum, and get a magnificent city view from a nearby roof top building. HJ went above and beyond for us!! Great tour! Great guide! We highly recommend!Fun say in Chinatown!!
Linda🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
8 February 2025
We had a delish 2 hours eating with Ang! It was a crazy hot day and the first thing he did was present us with "personalized" fans. Then he took us to two Hawker Centres, sat us down with drinks and cutlery (at a cooler table) and then charged off, returning with a parade great food. Tons of variety. Then he took us around to the stalls that sold it, pointing out Michlen mentions.
We shared over 15 dishes ( lots if food!) and learned all about Hawker culture. We are totally comfortable in Hawker Centres now!
At the end if 2.5 hours he presented us with gifts- such a nice surprise. Then walked us to the best MRT station for us.
It was a terrific afternoon- had to have a rest after!
Thank you, Ang!
Linda and "Partner"What a character!
Buzz
(About local )
7 February 2025
Joisse was a delight. Not only was she knowledgeable, but her personality was infectious.
Four of us took her tour of the Peranakan Culture tour and found it to be of great interest. Her family ‘s history added to our understanding and it was good to get out of the Singapore downtown area and into a more suburban community.
Join Joisse. You will not regret it. We rate Josse a 12 on a scale of 10
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