Gardens By The Bay: Where Wonder Blooms

When we traveled to Sydney for our nine-day vacay, I purposely chose a flight that has a long layover to another country so we can hit two birds with one stone. I found out that Scoot Airlines provides flights from Manila to Sydney, which has a layover at Singapore for almost a day. I didn’t think twice on booking that. After all, it was the cheapest among the offerings with direct flights included.

Therefore, before arriving at Sydney, we had a chance to roam around one spot in Singapore. We chose Gardens by the Bay since it wasn’t there yet when I last visited the country 15 years ago. I also thought it’s the best place for us to maximize our layover.

Gardens by the Bay is a park and tourist attraction that is built and operated by National Parks Board of the government of Singapore. This government project is part of the nation’s plans to transform its “Garden City” to a “City in a Garden”, with the aim to prioritize and enhance greenery in the city. Gardens by the Bay was intended to be Singapore’s premier urban outdoor recreation space and a national icon.

The structures that define Gardens by the Bay, and Singapore as well, are these futuristic trees called Supertrees. But these trees aren’t just eye candies. They have solar panels on the top, that are used to harness solar energy, and canopies, that are used to harvest rainwater, which is then used for irrigation. Every night, the 12 Supertrees come alive with Garden Rhapsody, a spectacular and magical display of lights and music. Watching it feels like I’m in Disneyland again.

The Supertree Observatory will bring guests at the canopy of the highest Supertree that offers unparalleled views of Gardens by the Bay’s lush surrounds and the Marina Bay area. If you’re curious on what’s on top of each Supertree, then, you’ll be able to see their colorful branches at the observatory. There’s an air-conditioned cafe, The Social Kitchen, and some floor couches for guests to sit and relax.

We skipped climbing up the Supertree Observatory and proceeded to the OCBC Skyway instead. It overlooks almost the same  panorama but, I think, walking at this bridge gives more angles since it is 128 meter-long and it is suspended between two Supertrees. You can also watch the light show from here so I bet it’s great to visit OCBC Skyway at that time. I love that it wasn’t crowded since the number of people on the bridge is just limited.

The lack of natural waterfalls in Singapore doesn’t stop its residents to enjoy water cascades as the country makes up with man-made waterfalls such as the HSBC Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport and this one at Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud Forest. Anyway, the moment we entered the Cloud Forest, we were immediately welcomed by the indoor waterfall and and we can’t help but be mesmerized. It was truly a sight to behold!

The Cloud Forest isn’t just about the indoor waterfall. It’s like a hill, cladded with different plants and placed inside a glass greenhouse. When we visited, the theme was Avatar so we found statues of mystical creatures here and there. From seventh floor to ground floor, it has a descending pathwalk around the mountain so we can discover the plant life at different heights. It was so long that we wanted to give up and wanted to end the bridge immediately but there was no other way.

Flower Dome, the world’s largest greenhouse, is another maze displaying foliage in a different world. With nine various gardens showcasing plants from five continents, the terrain changes as you stroll through the gardens. It was amazing! I actually never seen cactus and succulents that are this big. It is evident that the greenery here is vibrant and healthy. I wish my mom was with me because, for sure, the anthophile in her will leap out of joy.

Divided into four gorgeous landscapes, Floral Fantasy is a collision of flora, technology and art, that creates a fantastical exhibition for visitors. You’ll see a presentation of flowers like as if they are dancing, drifting and floating. Every area of Floral Fantasy is indeed Instagram-worthy. But since we’ve seen enough flowers at Flower Dome, we omitted Floral Fantasy from our trip, too.

These are just the main attractions of Gardens by the Bay but there are also mini parks, lakes, and gardens in the compound that can be accessed for free. Let’s take this newly-opened Flower Carpet, which is the largest in Singapore, as an example. Therefore, even if you’re just here for a casual stroll, you’ll be able to enjoy the sceneries without costing a dime.

There are numerous restaurants, ranging from casual to fast-food, scattered at the vast land of Gardens by the Bay but due to our limited time, we only got to eat at Shake Shack and at this array of food stalls near the Supertree Grove. We only had cards with us and the only stall that accepted card as payment was a dumpling store so we had no choice but to have shrimp dumplings for snack. It was sad because I was craving for the octopus and milk tea from the other stalls.

Visitors love to spend their time here even more because it gives a great view of other icons of Singapore such as the Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer. Through this, I perceived that even though Singapore is a developed city with modern structures and skyscrapers, the nation still values nature as it still raises the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city. The presence of Gardens by the Bay is the government’s initiative to make this happen.