Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay needs no introduction. Over the years, the attraction has gathered locals and tourists alike with her majestic Flower Dome and Cloud Forest that house an impressive collection of exotic flora and fauna. Some of the attractions within its grounds like the OCBC Skyway and Supertree Observatory provide great views of the gardens and Marina Bay area.
It’s also a wonderfully welcoming site – tourists can go there to marvel at its magnificent wonder, families go there for a fun day out in the sun, and young couples go there to create their first memories together.
If you’ve never been to Gardens by the Bay, or think that you have already experienced it all, let us guide you through the full list of must-see sights and fun activities that will enrich your weekend out in town.
1. Flower Dome
Whether you're a plant parent or not, the variety of plants and flowers at the Flower Dome will convert you.
Holding the Guinness World Record for the largest glass greenhouse in the world, the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay features a multitude of different plants and flowers from all around the world.
The sheer size of the Flower Dome gives a clue to the wide variety of species it houses – it is equivalent to about 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools. But its size is not the only thing you’ll notice when you enter its grounds.
The different sections of the Flower Dome comprise the Mediterranean Garden, South American Garden, Australian Garden, and more.
For example, the Mediterranean Garden has a rich display of whimsy and colour – unsurprisingly, it’s been the primary choice for wedding photoshoots.
The Australian Garden, on the other hand, has an array of plants shaped by its country’s unique climate, resulting in a rugged and earthly display worth exploring in full over an afternoon.
If you read ‘The Little Prince’ as a kid, you’ll be chuffed with the Flower Dome’s collection of Baobabs. These are towering, bulbous trees usually found in the regions of Africa and Australia. And, of course, on the fictitious planet of B-612 from the classic children’s story.
Its Flower Field has a stunning floral display that gets changed periodically to reflect the changing seasons, along with planned festivals and themes happening in the gardens.
Its latest is Dahlia Dreams, an event ringing in the new year on the Chinese calendar with vivid shades of red and orange on beds of exotic dahlia flowers. If you are planning to visit the dome on another period of the year, be sure to check out the Gardens by the Bay website for the latest events.
Are you intrigued by the wide range of flora and fauna at the Flower Dome and wish to understand more and hear from the team? You can join in on one of the Garden’s many free guided tours for an educational journey.
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 9:00am to 9:00pm. Closed once a month for maintenance, more info on website.
2. Cloud Forest
After exploring the Flower Dome, it's time to head to the Cloud Forest. Stroll along aerial walkways to get to the top of the mountain and be rewarded by unique sights and sounds along the way.
If the majority of Gardens feels like a thriving city of its own, the Cloud Forest will stun you with its immediate grandiosity.
The indoor forest features a 35m-tall indoor waterfall, along with a rich display of large trees, ferns, and flora arrangements that loom over like mountains.
On top of the Cloud Forest’s already awe-inspiring views, it’s taken on a new form this season. The fictional world of ‘Avatar’, the 2009 sci-fi blockbuster movie, has returned with the highly-anticipated sequel ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, which released in theatres last December.
The occasion has everything to do with Cloud Forest, as it's received a temporary facelift by adopting aspects of the film’s nature-rich planet, Pandora.
With this version of Cloud Forest, it sports bioluminescent environments, mystical creatures lurking at every corner, and cultural artefacts of its indigenous people, the Na’vi.
The Avatar-inspired immersive walkthrough event in the Cloud Forest is currently running and will end on 30 June 2023. To fully experience the wondrous sights of the Cloud Forest, Pandora included, we recommend setting aside at least 90 minutes of your day for it.
Cloud Forest Ticket Prices:
|
Adult (Singapore Resident) |
S$27 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Singapore Resident) |
S$23 |
|
Senior (60 yrs old and above) (Singapore Resident) |
S$23 |
Cloud Forest & Flower Dome Ticket Prices:
|
Adult (Singapore Resident) |
S$27 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Singapore Resident) |
S$35 |
|
Senior (60 yrs old and above) (Singapore Resident) |
S$30 |
|
Adult (Non-Resident) |
S$53 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Non-Resident) |
S$40 |
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 9:00am to 9:00pm. Closed once a month for maintenance, more info on website.
3. Supertree Grove and Observatory
If you have plans to visit the Supertree Grove and Observatory, be sure to make time for the Garden Rhapsody light show.
After a visit to the Flower Dome that features wonderful plants you can experience up close, with sights and smells to absorb, you can consider checking out the Supertree Grove, which features 12 of the Garden’s 18 stunning Supertrees.
These Supertrees are not just monolithic wonders – they also present a new, sustainable way of greenery. Each Supertree serves as a “vertical garden”, and they collectively house over 162,900 plants of over 200 species. Some of them are even designed to harvest solar energy.
If you seek a different vantage point, you can also head to the Supertree Observatory! Located at the Garden’s Supertree canopy, you get an unrivalled bird’s eye view of the entire garden grounds and beyond!
Its Rooftop Deck and Observatory Deck lets you survey the Singapore cityscape, with its high-rise buildings and familiar sights, along with the beautiful waters of Marina Reservoir. At night, the city lights add a whole new layer of dazzle that you wouldn’t usually expect.
A staple of the Supertree Observatory is the Garden Rhapsody, a light show with luminous beacons and a stirring, cinematic soundtrack. Be sure to make time for it in the evening: it runs daily at 7:45pm and 8:45pm.
If this show lights a fire in you, be sure to find out the other best light shows happening in Singapore.
Entry to the Supertree Grove is free.
Supertree Observatory Ticket Prices
|
Adult (Singapore Resident) |
S$10 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Singapore Resident) |
S$6 |
|
Senior (60 yrs old and above) (Singapore Resident) |
S$6 |
|
Adult (Non-Resident) |
S$14 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Non-Resident) |
S$10 |
Opening Hours: Daily, 9:00am to 9:00pm
4. OCBC Skyway
Get a view of the Supertrees from 22 metres above ground at the OCBC Skyway.
A walkway with height and splendour, the OCBC Skyway will make you feel like you’re walking among the clouds.
Suspended in mid-air – 22m above ground, to be exact – it provides a close-up view of the Garden’s Supertrees, and also a new viewpoint of the Gardens!
The Supertrees are undoubtedly the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of Gardens by the Bay. With the skyway, you’ll get up close with them and experience one of the best vantage points in the Gardens.
You can also catch the Garden Rhapsody show from the breathtaking viewpoint that the walkway provides.
OCBC Skyway Ticket Prices:
|
Adult (Singapore Resident) |
S$8 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Singapore Resident) |
S$5 |
|
Senior (60 yrs old and above) (Singapore Resident) |
S$5 |
|
Adult (Non-Resident) |
S$10 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Non-Resident) |
S$6 |
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 9:00am to 9:00pm.
5. Floral Fantasy
To put it mildly, the Floral Fantasy garden transforms fantasy into reality. While the entire Gardens feels otherworldly, Floral Fantasy amps it up with a particularly quaint and ethereal aesthetic.
The Floral Fantasy display features hanging bouquets and floral arrangements that capture your imagination and adapt to various landscapes – Dance, Waltz, Drift, and Float. They each have their types of flora that are all immediately captivating.
Another thing to look forward to is its 4D ride theatre: it lets you experience the flight and fancy of a dragonfly, and its everyday adventure through the gardens.
One particularly popular aspect of this garden are the poison dart frogs, a species of frogs with unusually colourful bodies – these help them hide amongst the garden’s exotic fauna. See if you can spot them hopping to and fro!
Floral Fantasy Ticket Prices:
|
Adult (Singapore Resident) |
S$10 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Singapore Resident) |
S$5 |
|
Senior (60 yrs old and above) (Singapore Resident) |
S$5 |
|
Adult (Non-Resident) |
S$15 |
|
Child (3 to 12 yrs old) (Non-Resident) |
S$9 |
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00am to 7:00pm, Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday - 10:00am to 8:00pm. Closed once a month for maintenance, more info on website.
6. Heritage Gardens
This heritage-themed garden will have you learn about Singapore's diversity and its people. Image credit: Gardens By The Bay
The story of Singapore is one uniquely made up of the diversity of its people.
In a hat tip to the country’s past and promising future, the Heritage Gardens recounts this journey through its collection of diverse plants.
The garden is divided into four themes – Malay, Chinese, Indian and Colonial. Each theme has plants that are intricately placed to provide the nation's past and its people. The arrangement of the Indian Garden sports the shape of a traditional floral motif, while the Chinese Garden is focused on a tranquil atmosphere.
On the other hand, the Malay and Colonial Gardens provide a feast for the senses. The Malay Garden features a myriad of plants that are grown for food like the Star Fruit (Averrhoa Carambola) and Bread Fruit Tree (Artocarpus Altilis), while its Colonial Garden boasts the most fragrant plant species due to the spices, including Cloves, Nutmeg, Coffee, and more.
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 5:00am to 2:00am.
7. Kingfisher Wetlands
This section of the Gardens is home to the latest attraction at the Gardens and is special for all bird watchers: the Kingfisher Wetlands feature its own unique selection of exotic flora and fauna, and its Wildlife Lookout deck is one that sets it apart from the rest.
With a recent makeover, the Kingfisher Wetlands features over 200 native true mangrove trees and mangrove associates, in a continuous effort by the Garden towards sustainability.
Its lookout deck allows you to spot its habitat of birds, reptiles and other animals bustling all around.
Make it a learning adventure for your children too—Kingfisher Wetlands is filled with educational signs that allow you to learn more about the plants and animals in this unique area.
There are three zones for you and your family to explore: Zone 1, where its natural rock pool and cascades lie, Zone 2A and 2B, where you can admire the Kingfisher cascades that link the Kingfisher Lake and Lotus Pong, and Zone 3, where bird-watchers will have the time of their lives with the lookout deck.
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 5:00am to 2:00am
8. Dragonfly & Kingfisher Lake
While the Gardens is rich in sights, sometimes you may just need a tranquil area to unwind and calm your mind. The Dragonfly & Kingfisher Lake, as regal as it may sound, is perfect for moments like these.
The lake is filled with aquatic life, from exotic fish to migratory birds and humble amphibians. Importantly, this is where the dragonflies and kingfisher birds call home.
While you wouldn’t mistake any other bird for the kingfisher – what with its majestic, bright-coloured feathers – its dragonflies may be a little harder to spot. No matter, just remember to bring a pair of binoculars to start the visual hunt.
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 5:00am to 2:00am
9. Far East Organization Children’s Garden
Have a splashing good time with the little ones at this free outdoor playground at Gardens By the Bay. Image credit: Gardens By The Bay
This is the perfect playground for the kids! A three-part adventure for the young ones to explore and expend all their energy, the Children’s Garden is designed like a little theme park of its own.
Its Water Play Area, designed for kids six to 12 years old, will greet you as you enter its grounds. The play zone is large and filled with colourful water sprinklers and splash buckets, so be sure to prepare them with the right attire before diving in (swimwear is encouraged and footwear is an absolute no-no).
Meanwhile, the Toddler Play Area is simpler in structure and play experience, made effectively for the youngest ones between one and five years old. Think of it as a muscular, more vibrant version of the playgrounds we used to frequent in our heartland neighbourhoods.
There’s a sway bridge, stepping springs, classic swings, and a slide. Its compact area means you won’t sweat trying to supervise your child through their first outdoor playground adventure.
While its Adventure Trail – where suspension bridges, rock walls, large slides and endless greenery lie – is arguably its biggest attraction, it’s currently closed until 10 March for improvement works.
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays - 9:00am to 7:00pm
Even though this list is fairly long, there are even more spaces to explore at Gardens by the Bay – like the Serene Garden, the Sun Pavilion, and much more. If you intend to learn more about the safety and sustainability of the park, along with its bright future, book a slot for their Nature and Sustainability tours here.
Spend a day and experience and celebrate the biodiversity that nature has to offer on a day at Gardens by the Bay!
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