Gardens by the Bay

Ariel view of the Park 

The Gardens of the Bay is a colorful futuristic park in the Marina bay area of Singapore. This is the most visited attraction in Singapore and is truly a spectacular creation. The park was built on 250 acres of reclaimed land and the sheer size of it is best seen from the observation deck of  the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. More information on this is available in my blog linked here  https://www.travelwithravi.com/search/label/City%20of%20Singapore

The Gardens have three main attractions-The Super Tree Grove, Cloud Forest conservatory and the Flower dome. I suggest you dedicate a whole day for this park. Begin the day early by visiting the observation deck on the Marina Bay Sands hotel to get an overall view of the entire city and  of the Garden. 

Then continue down to visit the Garden. 

Map of the Garden

You can enter the park via the overpass from the Sands and the Dragonfly bridge. Head over to "The Supertree Grove". This attraction is a collection of 18 tall tree like structures with an elevated walkway that gives you wonderful views of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Singapore downtown and the port. There is an elevator that takes you up to the skyway. The Supertree Grove hosts a spectacular light and music show at night which is must see . Click on my you tube link to get a flavor of the show

https://youtu.be/bSwXfLAVqyU

Supertree Grove

Super tree Grove 

 The inspiration for the shape and size of the trees come from the Karri trees of Australia. The designers were focused on making these structures as  environmentally efficient as possible. The structures range from 20 to 50 meters in height and are built with a concrete core. They are designed  have photo voltaic panels at the top to produce electrical energy for lights. A rainwater harvesting system collects water for irrigation, fountains and the cooling systems of the domes. The structures also act air intakes and exhausts for the park buildings. The design is a clever fusion of nature, art and technology. for more information on the architecture refer to the link below:

https://grant-associates.uk.com/projects/supertrees-gardens-by-the-bay

Take the elevator up to the skyway to get a closer look at the structure and the plantings. The structures are clad with planting panels with an irrigation and misting system built in. the plantings. There are more than 200 species of plantings on the trees consisting of ferns, orchids, vines and other tropical plantings. The lights for the night show are carefully  embedded within the plantings and are well hidden. the picture below is a closeup of one of the planting panels. 

View from the Skyway looking down at the garden below. A nice resting spot as there is a cafeteria nearby for refreshments. If you look beyond the oval lawn there is an elevated walkway which makes for a perfect spot to observe the night light show. 

Marina Bay Sands Casino and Hotel 

The Skyway also offers a great view of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, the Big Eye and the Flower dome. You can also get great views of downtown Singapore and the port of Singapore in the far distance. 

 

Flower Dome and Big Eye

Cloud Forest 

After spending a few hours at the Supertree Grove head over to the Cloud Forest. It offers a cool respite to the hot and humid weather usually found in Singapore. Designers for this attraction recreated a mountain within the huge glass dome like structure. The environment inside replicates the cool and moist conditions found in tropical mountains.

Map of the Cloud Forest 

 As you enter the Cloud Forest you get an amazing view of a mountain and a waterfall giving you the feeling of having wandered into a misty tropical rain forest. The temperature is noticeably cooler and the entire structure and the view is awe inspiring. As you follow the path around to the elevator you pass by an astounding Orchid enclave. Here you get to see orchids from all parts of the world including a miniature variety that needs a magnifying glass to observe. 

Take the elevator all the way up to the top and begin your journey through the different strata's of the Cloud forest. You will notice that there is a distinct temperature and humidity level at the top to simulate the expected climate of a mountain top. The fine mist that is emitted from a series of cleverly hidden pipes in the vegetation simulates this. The plantings are typical for these elevations and changes as you walk down along a remarkable suspended walkway. 

The description of the different plantings and their growth patterns are shown below on clearly marked guide boards. 

The walk down is along an elevated cantilevered walkway which in itself is an amazing feature of the garden 

    

 

Flower Dome

After spending a few hours at the Cloud Forest its time to be awed by the beauty and size of the world largest conservatory - The Flower Dome. This huge glass enclosed park, houses about 32,000 plant species and flowers from the regions of Africa, Mediterranean, Australia, California. The climate inside the dome is adjusted to match these regions. The following pictures show the  vibrant colors of the flowers and its impossible not to leave without taking hundreds of pictures. 

              

After taking in all this floral beauty, don't forget to cap off the visit by staying for the evening sound and light show at the Supertree Grove. The following Youtube video will give you a sense of the beauty of the show.

https://youtu.be/bSwXfLAVqyU