Where does one go to escape the hustle and bustle of the modern city that is Melbourne? One place would be the Royal Botanic Garden! We took a tram and here are the myriad of ways to get there.

This free to enter inner city sanctuary is open everyday of the year and there was a palpable sense of peace and tranquility the moment we entered the gates one bright Saturday morning. It was a good move to visit early in the day, before the throngs of sometimes noisy tourists appeared with their selfie sticks. The garden grounds is huge and there were many joggers and brisk walkers too that cool morning.

We first walked past the Arid Garden display. The many species of cacti grown there captured our awe, especially those with budding flowers!

Moving on, the foot paths are well littered with sign posts showing the way to multiple other interesting spots. We chose to head towards the lake and sat on a bench to watch the city skyline as the city woke up to another busy day.

Visitors are able to join guided tours and other fun activities to learn more about the garden attractions. Coming from Singapore where many old cultural relics and buildings have been bulldozed and forever lost in the name of progress, it was with a sense of gratitude that we were able to enjoy a well planned and maintained botanic grounds with trees planted lovingly, decades ago.