On our trip to Singapore, that we took in 2018 with our kids and elderly parents, we visited Gardens by the bay the day after visiting the Singapore Zoo. Actually, by the time we reached here, it was almost 8:00pm. Which was a little before the closing time. As a result, many of the food outlets were shutting down for the day, the ticket counters were closed and there was not much crowd around. Basically, things were shutting down. I so wish I had done my research on what to expect from Gardens by the Bay. So that I would have allocated more time to visit this place. And explore it better.
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If you plan to visit Gardens by the bay while on your trip to Singapore, I recommend you reach here by the evening, maximum 6:00pm. So that you have time to visit the attractions and enjoy them. And you can also stay over till dark so that you can enjoy the spectacular lightings afterwards.
An introduction to Gardens by the bay
Gardens by the bay is a nature park in the heart of Singapore. It is very close to Marina bay, and walkable from the Merlion. It spans over a hundred hectare of land. So, it is very huge. And you need minimum 2-3 hours to explore the major attractions inside the Gardens by the bay. I must say that the Gardens by the bay is very popular and one of a kind, so even if you have just 48 hours in Singapore, do visit here. Actually, it doesn’t need any introduction as it is world famous. However, we just briefly mention here some of the main components of this amazing garden.
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The 3 zones in the garden : The Gardens by the bay is divided in three major garden zones – each one displaying beautiful glass greenhouses for plants. These are namely Bay South Garden, Bay Central Garden and Bay East Garden.
The conservatories : There are two conservatories as well in the Gardens by the bay – The Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest.
The supertrees : Furthermore, the Gardens by the bay are typically marked by the “Supertrees”. These are vertical gardens that range at height of 35-50 meters. They can be spotted from far and wide. And at night these supertrees exhibit spectacular lightings. They house several ferns, vines, orchids and other such plants.
The horticulture gardens inside the premises: The horticulture gardens are themed based on the horticultural heritage of the main cultural groups that reside in Singapore. These include Indian, Chinese, Malay and Colonial themed gardens.
How to reach Gardens by the bay
The Gardens by the bay is in the main city of Singapore. So, it can be easily reached by a taxi. If you are using the MRT, you should get down at the Bayfront MRT station. And then head to Exit B. And then you need to follow the underground linkway. Finally, exit the linkway and cross either the Dragonfly bridge or the Meadows bridge to enter into the Gardens by the bay. We actually took the Dragonfly bridge to the Gardens by the bay. But we first visited the Merlion and then from there we walked to the Gardens by the bay. It proved to be a little confusing initially as it didn’t occur to us that we have to take the bridge. If you get confused at any point, best is to ask the locals around for the way.
Things to do in Gardens by the bay
Don’t go by the name to assume what to do in the Gardens by the bay. Since, it is not just any ordinary garden. There is a lot of things that you can do inside the Gardens by the bay. And there are a lot of places to visit. Also, there are special attractions for kids. Listing below few things that you can do while you visit the Gardens by the bay:
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Enjoy the Garden Rhapsody. Around 8pm every night, there is a light and sound show at the Supertrees. It is called Garden Rhapsody. It goes on for around an hour. Visitors are welcome to enjoy this show.
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Enjoy a panoramic aerial view of the Supertrees and the landscapes of the Gardens by the bay by walking on the OCBC skywalk that connects two of the largest supertrees.
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Have a meal on the highest supertree at a height of 50 meters.
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Just relax walking around and admiring the well laid out and maintained landscapes of the Gardens by the bay
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Take some instagram worthy pictures and admire the beautiful glitter of lights on the Supertrees as it gets dark.
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Take on the adventure trail inside the Gardens by the bay. It comprises of trampolines, balancing beams, hanging bridges and other adventure options.
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Just besides the adventure trail is the Children’s garden, dedicated to kids below 10-12 years of age.
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Visit the horticulture gardens.
How to commute to Gardens by the bay
Nearest MRT station is Bayfront. The Gardens by the bay MRT is under construction. It is scheduled to start operating in 2021. One can also walk to Gardens by the bay from the Merlion or Marina Bay. There is a taxi stand right inside the main entrance, near Mcdonalds. One can hire taxi to and from this spot to any part of Singapore. In short, almost all kind of transport options are available to commute to Gardens by the bay. The Gardens by the bay are closed on Mondays. Tuesdays through Fridays they are open from 10:00am to 7:00pm. And on Saturdays and Sundays, they are open from 9:00am to 9:00pm. However, as stated earlier, we would recommend strongly visiting much earlier in the evening so that you are able to explore the garden properly.
Tips on visiting the Gardens by the bay
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You can combine a visit of Gardens by the bay with Marina bay and Merlion. You could visit the Gardens, and then head to Marina bay in the evening. Stay there till it gets dark and then visit the Gardens back to enjoy the lighting and the shows.
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If you are visiting here beyond dark, you can have dinner in one of the several food outlets inside the Gardens. A Mcdonalds near the main entrance as well as the food outlet on the Supertree seem to be pretty popular.
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Try to time your visit on a Saturday or Sunday so that you can stay in the garden longer. But later on, the taxis at the taxi stand start decreasing in number and the fare also increases due to the surcharge. So, do remember that.
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The attractions are not limited to the ones mentioned in this post. Because as we write, more garden attractions are being added to Gardens by the bay. Visit their official website here before going there so you will be aware of the latest attractions.
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There’s a ticket to visit the domes and the insides of the supertrees. Which can be bought from the counter at Gardens by the Bay or online as well from the official site of Singapore Tourism. We recommend buying online to save your time.
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