chloedickensonLast Updated on 15th December 2023
AD | Some experiences in this post about Gardens By The Bay Singapore were gifted. This post also includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
The Gardens by the Bay are one of the most renowned attractions in Singapore and are an absolute must-do while you’re in the city.
Whenever you Google ‘Singapore‘ or search for it on Instagram, you’ll be inundated with thousands of images of these beatific trees and flowers that sit right bang in the middle of the city, just behind Marina Bay.
Gardens by the Bay was one of my absolute favourite things to do in Singapore and it’s definitely somewhere that you need to add to your Singapore itinerary, regardless of how long you’re there for.
This post includes everything you need to know about Gardens by the Bay, including the Supertree Grove, the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome. Plus, there’s some bonus pictures and content about the Gardens by the Bay at Christmas time!
Supertree Grove – Gardens by the Bay
The Supertree Grove is arguably the most famous and beloved part of Gardens by the Bay and is undoubtedly one of the most photographed areas of Singapore.
There are 18 Supertrees in and around Gardens by the Bay, with 12 of them belonging to the Supertree Grove.
They’re remarkably photogenic and look absolutely spectacular during the day and at night.
The tallest Supertree in the Grove is an impressive 16 storeys high and you can also enjoy the views from the Supertree Observatory which is located at the canopy of the tallest tree.
They’re also completely free to see, so you can spend as long as you want wandering around underneath them and admiring their impressive stature.
As part of the Supertree Grove, you can also visit the OCBC Skyway which is essentially a canopy walk around the mid-point of a few trees in the Grove. You do have to pay for the OCBC Skyway and it’s currently $14SGD per person.
Matt and I didn’t do this when we were visiting Gardens by the Bay as we’d already seen excellent views of Marina Bay and the Gardens from numerous vantage points.
However, I’ve heard great things about the Skywalk and it’s definitely something you should consider doing while in Singapore.
Garden Rhapsody Show
At 7.45 PM and 8.45 PM every night, the Supertrees put on a show called ‘Garden Rhapsody’ which is a light and sound show that lasts for around 15 minutes.
When we were in Singapore, we watched the Garden Rhapsody show on Christmas Eve and it was without a doubt one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had and one of my absolute favourite memories from Singapore.
You can see some videos of the Garden Rhapsody show on my Singapore Instagram Highlights!
- Opening hours: 5 AM to 2 AM daily
Cloud Forest
The Cloud Forest is one of two conservatories at Gardens by the Bay and it’s essentially a huge conservatory dome that’s shrouded in a refreshing cold mist.
It’s also home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall which towers above at an impressive 30 metres tall.
The Cloud Forest is home to a plethora of exotic plants such as orchids, ferns and pitcher plants.
It can get pretty chilly in here so consider bringing a jacket with you! Although to be honest, with Singapore’s intense humidity outside, we actually found the Cloud Forest to be a breath of fresh air!
Inside the Cloud Forest you can also find a “mountain” which is donned with planted walls where the plants live on top of one other.
If you have a particular penchant for all things flora related, then you’ll love seeing the bromeliads, ferns, begonias, carnivorous pitcher plants and beautiful orchids.
Even if your flower knowledge is limited to roses, lilies and daffodils, you’d be hard pressed to ignore the fascination that’s on display inside the Cloud Forest.
The 30-metre high indoor waterfall shrouds the entire conservatory with a perpetual mist that helps keep the plants alive and thriving.
Furthermore, there’s also a Cloud Walk and Treetop Walk that you start at the very top of the conservatory (accessed by elevator), that you then walk all the way down in a sort of loop around the middle of the Forest and the waterfall.
In my opinion, the Cloud Forest was slightly better than the Flower Dome (see below) and it was significantly quieter when we visited as we didn’t go in until 8 PM when it was last admission.
Top tip: if you suffer from hay-fever, you may really struggle inside the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome so perhaps reconsider your visit, or consider taking some strong antihistamines before you visit (like Matt did!).
- Opening hours: 9 AM to 9 PM daily
Flower Dome
As I mentioned above, we were also gifted entrance into the Flower Dome too which was also incredible to see, albeit just a little too busy for my liking (we did visit in the middle of the day on Christmas Eve though haha!).
The Flower Dome holds the Guinness World Record as the largest glass greenhouse in the world and once you’re inside, you can certainly vouch for that well-deserved title!
Inside the Dome, you’ll find a plethora of ever-changing floral displays and exotic plants from five continents around the world.
The climate inside reflects that of a dry and cool Mediterranean one and it truly feels like you’re in a different continent with each garden area you step into.
There are nine different gardens inside the Flower Dome and each one represents a vast variety of flora.
Make sure to see the one-thousand-year-old olive trees and Baobabs too!
When we visited the Flower Dome, it was Christmas time so the whole place was decorated in a festive spirit.
The theme for Christmas 2019 was that of a Scandinavian influence so they had a miniature Hallgrimskirkja church from Reykjavik, Iceland, as well as numerous Nordic and Finnish gnomes and elves decorating the whole conservatory.
Some of the top areas to see inside the Flower Dome are the Australian Garden, the South American Garden and the Succulent Garden, just to name a few!
- Opening hours: 9 AM to 9 PM daily
As you can see, the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore are an absolutely fascinating attraction and I love how there’s so much to see and do there!
You could easily spend a whole day exploring everything but I think at least 3 hours will be a sufficient amount of time to see the Supertree Grove, the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome.
Thank you so much to 365Tickets for gifting our tickets to see the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome; we had an incredible time!
Related posts:
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tour Singapore
- 25+ Best Things To Do In Singapore
- The Best Places To Eat & Drink In Singapore
- How To Spend Christmas & New Year In Singapore
- YOTEL Singapore Orchard Road Review
Pin for later – Gardens by the Bay Singapore
Which part of Gardens by the Bay looks most fun to you? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @imjustagirl_16.
*Prices in this post are accurate as of the currency exchange rate in February 2020.
Wow, the pictures look amazing. Recently my sister-in-law had visited Singapore and she could not stop gushing about the place, especially the gardens by the bay. Looks like I have got to plan a trip soon!
It’s such an incredible place! I’d definitely recommend a trip there if you can!