Tanglin Area Guide

There are many reasons why Tanglin is one of Singapore’s most desirable neighbourhoods. Nestled between the popular Holland Village and Orchard, Tanglin is quiet, affluent and green. It has a stunning blend of colonial architecture and tropical greenery, and some of the most luxurious homes on the island. Here’s a central spot where you can enjoy a morning walk with the dog around its tree-lined streets and tropical gardens, and then take the short commute into the CBD for a day’s work.

The jewel in Tanglin’s crown is most certainly the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where you can picnic on the greens by the Swan Lake or wander through the orchid gardens. The tropical gardens, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site, are open from 5am until midnight and entrance is free. Spread across 82 hectares, highlights include a small tropical rainforest, the National Orchid Garden, a children’s garden, waterfalls and plenty of sculptures; imagine having all that as your back garden?

Dempsey Hill is a thriving shopping and dining destination with an eclectic mix of furniture shops, art galleries, cafes and restaurants in a leafy green setting. The Adam Road Food Centre is great for local eats, and expect big names and locally owned boutiques in the Serene Centre and Tanglin Mall. By day, you have cultural attractions including the Museum of Contemporary Arts on your doorstep; by night, Tanglin is a fairly low-key neighbourhood and all the liveliest bars are centred around Tanglin Village.

Tanglin has changed with the times from a nutmeg plantation to a military camp in the mid-19th century to one of Singapore’s most appealing addresses. It’s home to plenty of embassies, large properties with gardens, and both new and established low-rise condos. Many of these homes are seriously extravagant with a high price tag attached, and prestigious residential estates include Duchess Residences, White House Residences and Hallmark Residences. For a modern high-rise condo head to River Valley Road. The area is also well-known for its black and white colonial houses in the Dempsey area.

Although Tanglin is very central, and it’s quick and easy to get onto the Ayer Rajah (AYE) and Pan Island (PIE) Expressways, it is lacking in public transport links. You do have access to the Botanic Gardens (Circle and Downtown lines) and Farrer Road (Circle line) MRT stations, but these are both on the very outskirts of the neighbourhood.

Transport links
Tanglin is served by the Botanic Gardens (Circle and Downtown lines) and Farrer Road (Circle line) MRT stations. Although there are no major expressways running through Tanglin, you are just a short drive from the Ayer Rajah (AYE) and Pan Island (PIE) Expressways.

Schools
Invictus Private School will move to its new campus in Dempsey Hill in late 2017.

Healthcare

Gleneagles Hospital has an A&E department.

Shopping
The four-storey Tanglin Mall is a one-stop lifestyle mall, including the gourmet supermarket Tanglin Market Place and the foodies’ paradise Tanglin Food Hall. For independent shops and galleries, head to Tanglin Village, Dempsey Hill and the Serene Centre.

Attractions
Singapore Botanic Gardens is the headline attraction in this neighbourhood.

Bars & Restaurants
Head to the hip and trend dining enclaves of Tanglin Road and Tanglin Village in Dempsey Hill for relaxed family breakfasts, alfresco lunch and evening drinks.

Who lives here?
Singapore's most affluent residents. 

Tanglin Ratings

Tanglin Pros & Cons