What to Do in Singapore: Visit Gardens by the Bay!
It is not without reason that Singapore has become famed for its stunning Gardens by the Bay showcasing more than a million plants and 19,000 different species. What you should really allow yourself time to do, even if you have only a short time in Singapore, is to visit the magical gardens here at Gardens by the Bay. The popular gardens with the Supertree Grove, the OCBC Skyway, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest at the foot of the Marina Bay skyline have with their impressive constructions become a landmark and an icon of Singapore in the 21st century.
Ainnelise Niyvold Liundbye UPDATED: 26 MAR 2020
The artificial Supertree Grove in Gardens by the Bay, overlooking the surrounding Marina Bay area, features huge tree constructions of concrete and steel in psychedelic colours, each rising between 25 m (82 ft) and 50 m (164 ft) into the air.
In all there are 18 trees, 12 of them set in a cluster embracing the 22-metre (72 ft) high OCBC Skyway as well as the Supertree Observatory, and the remaining 6 making up the Silver Garden and the Golden Garden. Together they create cool canopies of colourful steel structures and synthetic branches.
What to Do in Singapore – Visit Gardens by the Bay
Everything here is designed as sustainable as possible. Some of the Supertrees even have solar photovoltaic cells installed to exploit the solar energy for lightening up the Grove by night.
At the same time the Supertree trunks grow vertical panels of a botanical uniqueness. Thousands of epiphytes like vines, orchids and ferns climb these panels and make up a soilless, lush universe located opposite the fascinating Marina Bay Sands SkyPark.
After a design competition in 2006 and 5 subsequent years of preparations and construction works, Gardens by the Bay opened back in 2012 as the remarkable result and the new hip site to visit in Singapore. The garden areas can be divided into three sections: Bay Central, Bay East and Bay South, all three located on the city’s waterfront.
The aim was to convert the areas into a city in a garden with abundant flora integrated into the cityscape as a huge urban outdoor recreation space.
Here, in the Gardens by the Bay, the original idea of a world garden of flowers and plants from all continents was brought to life in form of a giant botanical garden complex right in the middle of bustling Singapore.
No need to say that the budget for the innovative ideas was skyhigh. The entire construction project had a $1.035 billion budget with an expected annual operating cost of approximately $58 million.
Grab the opportunity to walk the 22-metre (72 ft) high and 128-metre (420 ft) long OCBC Skyway connecting some of the funny Supertrees. From up here you will be able to enjoy stunning views of the architectural marvel and the surrounding cityscape.
The Supertree Observatory at the canopy of the tallest Supertree is the latest feature to visit – It is an open-air rooftop deck where you can enjoy scenic views of the Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore skyline. Inside you will yet find awesome learning experiences to try!
Two impressive cooled and energy efficient conservatories, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest rise in the spectacular garden. The Flower Dome features a lovely Mediterranean-zone flora, and the Cloud Forest displays a variety of tropical mountain plants as found for instance in the elevated Andes forests shrouded in perpetual mist. Ventilation for the cooling process is strikingly provided by the Supertrees. The concept is sustainability.
Burnt waste notably produces energy for a steam turbine contributing to the cooling of these domes, some of the largest greenhouses in the world. By cooling the domes, the vegetation from other, colder climates on the globe can perfectly thrive here in the tropical, hot and humid Singapore.
When paying Singapore a visit, let this be a top priority.
Do absolutely include Gardens by the Bay when deciding what to do in Singapore: come to see the alluring horticultural lungs located in the middle of the city, ingeniously woven into technology and botanical art. Let your imagination explode here in the multifaceted city oasis.
Overlooking the Marina Bay, it is by far one of the best attractions in Singapore, surprisingly located right next to the financial hub.
It is an imaginary world, a futuristic grove of fictional trunks that is now a big draw here – no visit to the city without including Gardens by the Bay and the fantastic tree-shaped columns transformed into a modern, technological forest in Singapore.
Inspiration for the spellbinding grove came from the Western Australian giant Karri Trees. Here they are the picture of a fanciful and fictive world, yet a blend of organic and inorganic. High-tech and natural elements unite in a symbiosis drawing the curious visitors.
In the evening the Supertrees even turn into lightening giants displaying a multitude of colour formations against the dark sky. A horticultural light and sound show, superior to any other outdoor performance in the city, plays out here in the fantasy garden.
The place is a futuristic and science fiction-like space that has become a magnet in the city for both residents and visitors. On an annual basis millions of people visit the Singapore Gardens by the Bay to see the famous icons for themselves.
Singapore is definitely a city with green spaces popping up everywhere. When you are done here in Gardens by the Bay and maybe almost about to leave again, you may just want to pass by the most recent add-on to the portfolio of Singapore gardens. In the Changi Airport’s gardens you will stumble upon another chapter of extraordinary indoor and rooftop gardens to pursue any fascination of unusual gardens you may still hold…
What to Do in Singapore – Visit Gardens by the Bay
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