Gardens by the Bay, covering 101 hectares, was built entirely on reclaimed land. Conceived in 2006, it underwent a global design competition and was finally completed and opened to the public in 2012.
This place was arguably what I wanted to see most during this trip to Singapore. I had originally planned to visit in the late afternoon so I could enjoy both the daytime views and the night scenery without it being too hot. Unexpectedly, I was stuck at Marina Bay Sands all afternoon due to heavy rain, and didn’t head over here until the rain stopped at 6:30 PM. To get here from Marina Bay Sands, you walk through Bayfront MRT station and then pass through an underpass, and you’ve arrived. The area is actually very large; the main outdoor gardens are free to enter, while there are three paid attractions: the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest, and the OCBC Skyway. They all share one common feature: last admission is at 8:00 PM, and they close at 9:00 PM… In order to finish visiting the first two before 8:00 PM and successfully enter the third, we had to move through the first two quite quickly~~~
Along the way, you can see that the park is divided into sections featuring plants characteristic of various regions around the world, as well as small gardens showcasing local features, which is very interesting. If you have time during the day, it’s worth exploring carefully, but once night falls, you basically can’t see much.
Flower Dome
The Flower Dome is a massive conservatory, except that instead of being a greenhouse, it is a cooled conservatory. Covering 1.2 hectares, it is the largest columnless glasshouse in the world. The structure stands 38 meters tall, with the indoor temperature consistently maintained between 23°C and 25°C, simulating a mild, dry climate. It houses plants found in Mediterranean and semi-arid tropical regions (such as Australia, South America, and South Africa).
To be honest, I was a bit disappointed when I first walked in; it even gave me the illusion of being at the Changchun Agricultural Expo…
Cloud Forest
However, the moment I stepped into the Cloud Forest, I was immediately awestruck. This 35-meter-tall man-made waterfall is the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. The plants in the Cloud Forest come from tropical mountain regions at elevations of up to 2,000 meters. The 35-meter-tall artificial mountain is planted with ferns, orchids, begonias, pitcher plants, and more. Additionally, there are Cloud Walk and Treetop Walk pathways, allowing visitors to observe various tropical mountain plants up close.
Moreover, the overall visitor route through the Cloud Forest is fixed and quite long, proceeding from top to bottom. You start by viewing the waterfall from below, then take an elevator to the very top, walk a loop along the Cloud Walk, pass through a cave exhibition in the middle, descend to the Treetop Walk, and further down find exhibitions such as Crystal Mountain, Earth Check, and +5°C. Underground lies the Secret Garden, featuring various plants and sculptures, complete with magnifying glasses for observing fine details. The entire pavilion is rich in content and highly engaging.
OCBC Skyway
This aerial walkway is nestled among 12 Supertree groves, spanning between two 42-meter-tall trees. It is 128 meters long and 22 meters high, essentially forming about half a circle. However, it lacks rigid support and is suspended solely by steel cables in the middle, causing it to sway slightly as you walk. Friends who are afraid of heights should proceed with caution~~~
At night, there is a light and sound show where all the trees change their lighting in rhythm with the music, creating a spectacular display. From up here, you can see Singapore’s Central Business District, the Singapore Flyer, and Marina Bay Sands. In the evening, there is also a light and sound show at the plaza in front of Marina Bay Sands, accompanied by a water screen projection, which must be even more magnificent.
I have to say, Singapore is truly a paradise for man-made landscapes.
Photos in this post taken with SONY A5100 + 16-50 f3.5-5.6, post-processed in Lightroom.
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