Gardens by the Bay was definitely up there on my list of places to visit when I was planning my trip to Singapore. Since it’s my first time in the country, I figured I should check off the tourist destinations first, and with all the research I did, Gardens by the Bay is always on top of the list. And so be it.
At first, I thought that I might not enjoy it because I had to explore alone. But I was so wrong. Gardens by the Bay was honestly one of the places where I enjoyed most of my time. The only regret I had was I didn’t stay longer. I should have stayed a little later but I only had limited time. Next time, I will!
I had to get my Singapore tourist sim at Bugis Junction before heading to Gardens by the Bay. I skipped Little India and Chinatown and spent a few minutes walking around The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands while trying to figure out where I was heading. From the Bayfront MRT station, I just headed straight and turned right. There’s the sign to Gardens South! Yes!
As expected, there was a lot of walking involved from heading there to going around the entire place itself. It was so huge! It helps to have a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a bottle of water, plus a selfie stick (if you’re solo and are shy to ask strangers to take your photos). Even inside the Gardens, I was still using Google Maps, although there were also maps and signs along the way.
If you feel like biking around, you can. It would have been a nice option for me but I think I needed to download an app for it and it will charge my card or something (there are instructions) so I skipped it and decided to walk.
The entire nature park is 101 hectares of reclaimed land in Singapore (Source: Wikipedia). It’s just near Marina Bay Sands so almost wherever you are in the park, you have a nice view of the majestic Marina Bay Sands hotel. There are three waterfront gardens – the Bay South, Bay East, and Bay Central. I entered the Bay South area at almost 5 PM.
Of course, you can’t avoid tourists doing their own thing, but it was a rather peaceful time of the day when there weren’t so many tourists yet. Walking around allowed me to enjoy my time alone and breathe a different air (is that possible?). Anyway, it’s refreshing to be one with nature in the middle of the city!
I couldn’t help but be wowed. It’s amazing how they built this garden in a city. I kept looking around to make sure I didn’t miss something beautiful.
It’s kind of like a maze in there though. When you check the map, it’s so easy to spot where you’re going, but when you’re already walking around and it’s your first time, you might get lost. But for sure, you’ll find the way – just like I did. 😉 PS: There are elevators or lifts around too.
Supertree Grove
The supertrees are also a must-see. Because they’re super tall, it’s impossible to miss them. These gorgeous trees are a sight to behold. There are currently 162,900 plants of more than 200 species of orchids, ferns, and other tropical flowering climbers covering the supertrees (Source: Gardens by The Bay website).
Good to Know (info taken from their official website):
- Each supertree consists of four parts: a reinforcement concrete core, trunk, planting panels for the living skin, and the canopy
- Eleven of the supertrees are embedded with environmentally sustainable functions like photovoltaic cells to harvest solar energy.
Most of the conservatories at Gardens by the Bay have free admission so you don’t have to worry. You can experience the supertree grove without paying anything, but to get up to the OCBC Skyway (that bridge up there) will cost you 8 SGD for adults and 5 SGD for children.
Rates may change so check it out online. You can book ahead for discounts. I used Klook for all my tickets (affiliate link). 😉
The OCBC Skyway is 22 meters high and 128 meters long aerial walkway. Even though it’s a great experience and an opportunity to take lovely photos, I decided to skip it because I already paid for the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. If you do decide to go up there, you will see the panoramic beauty of Marina Bay, along with the Singapore Flyer.
There’s a restaurant up there too, which I supposed was expensive so be ready to shell out a little more to experience that dining in the sky. 😉
I sat under the supertrees for quite some time to rest, take some photos, people-watch, stop taking photos, and then just take it all in. When I went out from the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, it was already dark so the trees already lit up! Yay, I was waiting for that time because they say, the best time to experience the trees is at night. It’s true! I didn’t have the best camera accessories but I managed to take some decent photos.
My photos don’t do the place justice! But just the fact that I was there made it all so enchanting. Watch out for the Garden Rhapsody light show at 7:45 PM and 8:45 PM (schedules may change). Just lovely.
Can’t get enough of this beauty!
It was a day well-spent. I’d stay longer if I had to, so maybe next time. 🙂 I’m excited to write about my other Singapore adventures!
