GARDENS BY THE BAY

Description

Essentials about the Gardens by the Bay in brief

To describe the picturesque Gardens by the Bay, located directly on Marina Bay in the heart of Singapore, simply as a city park would not do it justice. After all, the Gardens by the Bay are probably, without exaggeration, the most spectacular inner-city park in the entire world. Opened in 2012, the gardens have quickly become one of Singapore’s most popular attractions, and even a national symbol.

The main areas of the Gardens by the Bay

The Gardens by the Bay were created on 101 hectares of artificially raised land and consist of the two main areas Bay South Garden and Bay East Garden, which are separated from each other by Marina Bay. They are connected to each other by the Marina Barrage embankment. Bay East Garden, located on the east side of Marina Bay, is the smaller of the two areas. The main attraction is the two-kilometer-long waterfront promenade, which offers a magnificent view of downtown Singapore with its impressive skyline. The Bay South Garden on the south side of Marina Bay is the larger of the two main areas. Its design is inspired by an orchid and resembles Singapore’s national flower, Vanda “Miss Joaquim.”

The Supertree Grove

The main attraction in Bay South Garden is the so-called Supertree Grove in the middle of the park. This is 12 giant steel structures of varying heights in the form of trees, overgrown on the outside by more than 200 different species of plants and flowers. Three of the Supertrees are connected by a pedestrian bridge 25 meters high. So if you like to enjoy a view of the Gardens by the Bay, don’t miss a walk on this walkway. And the absolutely giddy can enjoy drinks and snacks in a lounge and treetop bar on the central Supertree 50 meters above the ground. For those who prefer to stay on the ground, don’t miss the light and music show at the Gardens by the Bay every evening at 7:45 and 8:45 pm. The garden and especially the illuminated Supertrees are then a very special photo motif.

The Flower Dome

Besides the Supertree Grove, the Flower Dome is another main attraction of the Gardens by the Bay. Covering an area of 1.2 hectares, the gigantic Flower Dome is the largest glass greenhouse in the world. Inside, the climate is mild and dry, making plants from the Mediterranean region, Australia, South Africa and South America feel very much at home.

The Cloud Forest

If you want to cool off a bit after a visit to the Flower Dome, you should visit the Cloud Forest right next to it. The Cloud Forest greenhouse is taller than the Flower Dome, but at 0.8 hectares it is the smaller of the two. Here, it mimics the climate of a tropical mountain region between 1,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level, where plants from Southeast Asia, Central and South America thrive. The centerpiece of the greenhouse is the 42-meter-high Cloud Mountain, which visitors “conquer” by elevator and then descend on a ramp that circles around the mountain. Cloud Mountain is completely overgrown with epiphytes such as orchids and ferns. A 35-meter waterfall – the largest indoor waterfall in the world – provides a pleasant breeze.

The Far East Organization Children’s Garden

In addition to the Supertree Grove and the two glass houses, there are a number of other attractions at the Bay South Garden. Children will love to spend the whole day in the Far East Organization Children’s Garden. The water features of the children’s garden are a delightful way to cool off in Singapore’s usually sweltering climate.

The Heritage Gardens

Anyone interested in the connection between plants and history should take a walk through the Heritage Gardens. The history and culture of Singapore and the importance of plants to all four ethnic groups are presented in four themed gardens representing Singapore’s three main population groups – Chinese, Malays and Indians – as well as the British colonial heritage.

The Canyon, Sun Pavilion and the Lakes

One of the newest attractions in the gardens is The Canyon. Along a 400-meter-long path, strollers can view more than 60 unusually shaped rocks brought to Singapore from the Chinese province of Shandong. Those who feel more at home in desert landscapes should stroll through Sun Pavilion. In the desert-like park, there are over 1,000 plants from arid regions of the earth to see. And last but not least, a walk around Dragonfly Lake and Kingfisher Lake, the two lakes on the grounds of Gardens by the Bay, is an absolutely worthwhile experience.