You can not visit Singapore without visiting the futuristic wonderland that is the Gardens by the Bay. You just can’t. Standing beneath the super trees at any hour is just something else. Indoor waterfall – check, beautiful flower dome – check, gardens that you could just meander through for hours on end – check, views of the city – check, oh and not to mention the bi-nightly symphony of lights that will have you hanging off of every last word of ‘Staying Alive’. If all that doesn’t do it for you, then there’s simply not a lot of hope. Even David Attenborough is a Supertree fan!
Firstly, let’s begin with the back story of this ethereal melange of fabulousness. The Gardens By Bay was created in 2012 when the Singaporean government set out on their mission to create a ‘City in a Garden’, specifically, a futuristic botanical garden aimed to boost the quality of life through trees, exotic flora and waterfront gardens whilst flaunting the city’s astonishingly magnificent skyline.
These exquisite gardens span well over 250 acres and cost 1 billion Singapore $ to build so approx £565,000,000 – an astronomical amount of money albeit very well spent. The park consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. The largest of the gardens is the Bay South Garden home to the worlds largest Flower Dome, the splendid Cloud Forest and the otherworldly Super Tree Grove.
So, without further ado, lets talk visiting options, times and ticket prices.
How to get to the Gardens by the Bay:
Whenever we visit Singapore, we tend to walk everywhere. Simply because it’s a money saver. Although public transport isn’t particularly expensive in Singapore, it is still the area we choose to scrimp and you get to explore all those nooks and crannies that the MRT speeds straight under.
We have stayed in the China Town/Clarke Quay area a couple of times now and from there find the nicest walk to be along Queen Elizabeth Drive, under the bridge of Esplanade Drive along the waterfront in the direction of the Helix Bridge, towards the ArtScience Museum. Alternatively, if you’re treating yourself to a stay at the Marina Bay Sands then its super easy to reach the Gardens by the Bay, just cross the overhead bridge between the hotel and the gardens.
Moreover, if you’re looking to catch the train, then the closest station to the Gardens by the Bay is the Bayfront MRT, reachable by both the Downtown and Circle Lines. The park is less than a five-minute walk from Bay front MRT, follow the signs for Station Exit B, join the underground link way, cross the Dragonfly Bridge, pass through the Malay Garden and you’ll come to the Supertree Grove.
Much like many other locations in Singapore, the Gardens by the Bay has free WIFI access. Yes, a very bougie working location for all those diginomads. Additionally, the Gardens are very well recorded on Google Maps, so you can easily search for the location you want to head to.
When to visit the Gardens by the bay:
All year round! Head to the Gardens early in the morning or later in the afternoon if you want a less crowded experience.
Opening Hours:
The opening hours across the Gardens by the Bay differ slightly depending on what you want to see. I mean it’s highly likely you want to see it all, which by the way is more than doable in 1 day, but just bear in mind these times.
The ‘outdoor gardens’ including the Supertree Grove and Dragonfly Lake are open from 5.00am-2.ooam every day.
The ‘cooled conservatories’ so the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are open from 9.00am – 9.00pm every day.
The OCBC Skyway is also open from 9.00am-9.00pm every day, at peak times time-slots will be issued, so just consider that when planning your visit. We found that entrance to the Skyway was most popular just before the 7.45pm Garden Rhapsody show. Unless that is something you are desperate to do then I would avoid that time. The light show is much better viewed from a spot underneath the trees or the balcony opposite the Marina Bay Sands anyway.
Admittedly, we have not visited the Floral Fantasy attraction as it opened just after our last trip to Singapore in 2019. But it looks too incredible *trawls Skyscanner for next available flights* for me to not include in this post. The Floral Fantasy experience is open from 9.00am-9.00pm daily.
For those visiting the Gardens by the Bay with children, entry to the Children’s Garden is between 10.00am-7.00pm and is closed on Mondays.
Cost of VISITING THE GARDENS BY THE BAY:
Everything that you need to know regarding hours and admission costs can be found here. In a nutshell, if you only want to visit the gardens and the incredible Supertrees then admission is FREE. If you want to visit the Cloud Forest & Flower Dome then you can bag a combined ticket for $28 = £16 approx. (adults) and $15 =£8.50 £approx.(children).
ATTRACTIONS:
On our first visit to Singapore we beelined for the Gardens by the Bay and genuinely standing beneath the Supertrees for the first time will forever be one of my most cherished memories of my time travelling. We spent four days in the city on our first visit and we explored the gardens to our hearts’ content. Incredible sights aside, the refreshing temperature of the conservatories is SOOOOO welcome in the intense heat and humidity.
Supertree Grove
The Gardens by the Bay is home to 18 Supertrees, 12 of which can be found in the main Supertree Grove. I knew as soon as I saw David Attenborough’s Planet Earth 2 that we had to visit this Avatar-esque utopia. The tallest of the Supertrees soars to a height of 16 storeys and offers splendid views of the epic gardens and beyond.
Not only are the Supertrees incredible to look at but they are also an eco-haven, comprised of over 158,000 plants consisting of 700 varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowers from all over the world, including species from Brazil, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
The structure of the Supertrees is simply a work of art and the array of artfully planted colours is just beautiful. If you cant tell, I am a huge fan of the Supertrees and if it was remotely feasible I’d have my own Supertree Grove. Alas backpack life.
Flower domE
A horticulturists dream – officially the largest glass greenhouse in the world, the flower dome showcases a wealth of exotic plants from five continents. You can meander through the Baobabs and bottle trees, olive groves and magnificent Mediterranean gardens.
Although not our favourite of the two cooled conservatories we did enjoy wandering through the nine different flower gardens. The flower display changes frequently to reflect seasonal changes and current festivals. When we visited in November it was the ‘Orchid Extravaganza’ which we loved, who knew there were so many varieties of orchid!
Cloud FOREST
On to our favourite of the two conservatories – the Cloud Forest, a magically, mysterious world blanketed in mist and full of fascinating plant life. Not only is this epic indoor forest home to flora and fauna from the tropical highlands but also the worlds tallest indoor waterfall.
Definitely head to the cloud forest first as it gets super busy. As you can imagine, the falls are a popular photo spot, so if you make the cloud forest your first stop of the day, you will stand more chance of avoiding the crowds. The waterfall is seriously impressive but we really enjoyed the cloud walk around Cloud Mountain, its honestly spectacular.
OCBC Skyway
If you want to appreciate the technical wonders of the Supertrees then take a stroll along the OCBC Skyway – a 128m long aerial walkway between the super trees. Not only can you appreciate the intricacies of these futuristic trees up close but the views across the Gardens and beyond are rather splendid.
In saying this, if you did want to avoid one admission fee and save on costs then I would say that the OCBC skyway would be the one to miss. Yes the views are marvellous, but in my opinion the best place to marvel at the Supertrees is from beneath these remarkable structures.
GARDEN RHAPSODY
As I mentioned in my Singapore Guide, if you’re visiting Singapore and specifically the Gardens by the Bay, then you can not miss the Garden Rhapsody light show. Be transported to a different world with the Supertrees alight in a spectacular cacophony of light and sound. The balcony is arguably the best viewing spot for the show, but go back for a second time and get a different perspective and lay underneath the Supertrees – be prepared to be dazzled!
The Garden Rhapsody has been taking place since 2015 and it is FREE to enjoy this spectacle, composed by award-winning Lighting Designer Adrian Tan and music composer, Bang Wenfu. The extravaganza takes place daily at 7.45pm and 8.45pm!
FLORAL FANTASY
Since Our last visit to the Gardens by the Bay, a new thematic attraction has opened. As if I needed another reason to go back to Singapore! Anyway, Floral Fantasy opened in 2019 and is by all accounts a whimsical symphony of flowers, artistry and technology providing a dream-like experience for visitors. It comprises four diverse garden landscapes, each showcasing a different concept, as well as a 4D ride.
I highly doubt you needed much convincing to visit the Gardens by the Bay, if you are heading to Singapore I am sure it will be on your list of things to do. Hopefully this guide has just consolidated that for you. Honestly, its such a delightful way to spend the day and you’ll just want to keep going back.
WHERE TO STAY:
I always bang on about using booking.com and for good reason. There are so many perks, from becoming a Genius member, to discount deals – you can’t really go wrong. Just bear in mind what you are looking for and filter that search down to the small print. For instance, we always filter for ratings 8+, Wifi and air conditioning.
I’ve popped some recommendations below that hopefully cater to your budget option, whether that be a sod it, it’s pay day let’s splash all the cash or an, I need a comfy bed to fall into asap kinda trip.
A SPLURGE OPTION:
Marina Bay Sands – now if you’re going to splurge in Singapore, then it has got to be the iconic Marina Bay Sands. We stayed here on our first visit to Singapore and honestly it was incredible. Swimming in that infinity pool is just something else. The location is unbeatable. The service is impeccable and the pool side triple cheese toasties are bang on. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
A SLIGHTLY KINDER TO THE BANK BALANCE OPTION:
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay – the location of this hotel is arguably one of my favourite areas in Singapore. Clarke Quay is a bustling area with lots of restaurants, bars and it’s super close to everything. It offers a 24-hour rooftop fitness centre, two spa pools and a 40m swimming pool that overlooks the both Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay.
A BUDGET FRIENDLY OPTION:
HipsterCity Singapore – We stayed at this hostel on our most recent visit to Singapore and can not fault a thing. The prices are brilliant for such a pricey city, the location is good and easy to reach. Choose between Double loft beds or single beds in dorm rooms with shared bathrooms. Each pod bed comes with a light, privacy curtain and designated locker space. There’s also a shared kitchen and communal lounge area. We also had some documents shipped here and the hostel were so helpful in receiving/signing for them.
If you were looking for tips on what else to do in this spectacular city then please check out my guide on What to do in Singapore, if you’re thinking of splurging and staying at the Marina Bay Sands then read this in-depth review and for food recommendations check out my Vegetarian Guide to Singapore.
Omg this looks so stunning!! xx
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