Today I would like to talk about the Gardens by the Bay complex in Singapore. One of the most recognized places in Singapore, Gardens by the Bay complex features two climate-controlled conservatory domes, Supertree Grove containing famous world-known artificial tree constructions connected by the bridge, and a third smaller garden featuring the floral exhibition. The ticket to visit two observatories will cost you $28 and a visit to the floral fantasy will add another $20 to your total bill. These are the tourist rates (residents pay smaller fees) in Singapore dollars so, when translated to US dollars, the amount you pay is slightly lower. Given that this is the biggest tourist attraction in Singapore, you need to go early in the morning to be able to beat the lines, as waiting time to buy tickets during peak times might reach multiple hours. I arrived at the complex around 10AM on a weekend and only had few people in front of me at the line.
The first dome I visited was called a Flower Dome. As can be understood from the name of the observatory, the main attraction featured inside was the floral collection. During my visit, the theme of the Flower Dome was the Tulip Festival paying tribute to the famous tulips from Holland. The themes in the Flower Dome change throughout the year and each exhibition last about two months. As I was checking the Gardens by the Bay website when putting together this blog post, the current theme at the Flower Dome is called Orchid Extravaganza and features a variety of orchids.
The very first thing that stands out when you walk into the dome is the temperature. This must have been the coldest place in the entire Singapore, as the temperature inside was around 70F (20C). Given that temperature outside was in the high 90F (30C) with humidity reaching 90%, this was a fantastic change of pace. I no longer felt like dying (the feeling I have constantly experienced outside) and I was able to enjoy the beautiful flower arrangements set up around the dome. It is hard to describe the flower arrangements, so I will leave the visuals to the photos taken inside, but I have never seen so many flowers in one place. All of the flowers and plants you see in the photos are real and none of them are fake!
Another thing that I enjoyed in the Flower Dome is the fact that while there were a lot of visitors, I was still able to walk around the dome and come up to flowers without having to wait in line or wait for crowds to disperse. Maybe it would have gotten busier as more people arrived throughout the day but I was able to enjoy the exhibition without much wait and hassle. Even though I did not make too many stops to read about different types of orchids, I still spent a little over an hour in the Flower Dome. If you are really enthusiastic about flowers, I would imagine you will spend much more time in there!
The second observatory located near the Flower Dome is called the Cloud Forest. The main attraction featured inside of the dome is a 138 ft (42m) "Cloud Mountain" which is a giant construction with plants and flowers on the outside to hide the metal frame. Visitors get to ride to the top of the mountain in the elevator built inside of the metal frame and then descend down via the bridges built on the outside and taking you all the way down. At the top of the mountain you also have a waterfall which coupled with the flora around the mountain makes you feel like you are somewhere in the Amazon.
While the Cloud Forest observatory is smaller than the Flower Dome, it is taller due to the mountain. You spend majority of your time walking around the bridges connecting different levels of the mountain. I am not too afraid of heights, but I will tell you that being on top of the mountain makes you very nervous especially when you are taking photos on your phone! Cloud Forest also features a lot of different plants and trees found around the world and putting all the elements together makes the atmosphere inside of the dome unbelievable. I felt like I was in the real-world Jurassic Park and marveled at the creative genius of the creators because I could not comprehend how much thought and effort went into creation of this dome.
Another exhibition which is featured at the Gardens by the Bay complex but is located within a walking distance of the domes is the Floral Fantasy. I was lucky enough to be in Singapore at the time when this exhibition opened up, as it was a brand new attraction. Floral Fantasy features garden landscapes within a small building and provides visitors with the beautiful floral compositions to admire. It is nowhere as impressive as the domes, but the number of flowers in the exhibition and the smells inside of the building were actually pretty interesting. At the end of the exhibition you get to enjoy a 4D ride where you get to fly around the Gardens by the Bay complex as a dragonfly. So if you don't mind spending $20 and have free time, then visit floral fantasy as well, however, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest should definitely take priority in your bucket list!
Another attraction located in the Gardens by the Bay complex is the Supertree Grove. Many of you have seen the futuristic looking trees that light up at nights and are connected by a bridge, or what is called a skyway. Admission to the bridge is $8 (again, Singapore Dollars) per ticket and you get a chance to walk in-between these trees and see them up close. During peak hours your visit is limited to 15 minutes only, however, I would say that 15 minutes is probably more than enough. At night time, these trees light up and there is a music show where the trees "dance" to the music. The music show features a theme and the trees are lit up with different lights to create a really cool experience. The Supertree Grove is free for visitors, so you do not need to buy any tickets. You can just come and enjoy the shows two times every night!
In conclusion, I would like to say that Gardens by the Bay complex is probably the most futuristic concept I have seen in my entire life. I have not seen anything remotely similar to that anywhere else, so to me the visit to Gardens by the Bay was a revelation of sorts. I would highly encourage anyone visiting Singapore to make Gardens by the Bay their first stop on the list of attractions. Looking back at my trip to Singapore, this was one of the most memorable experiences, so hopefully some of you get to experience this as well.
