When in Manila, and as a Filipino passport holder, Singapore is one of the few countries you can easily fly in and explore visa-free.
I went to Singapore a couple of months back and with the recent opening of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, I didn’t miss it for the world. The Gardens by the Bay is an icon, covering 101-hectare with garden containing various species of plants and flowers that are housed in controlled conservatories. Supertrees were also built to contain some flora and this definitely transformed Singapore literally into a “City in a Garden”.
The Gardens by the Bay is divided into the Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. On June 29, 2012, the Bay South Garden was opened to the public which made my trip in Singapore this July a perfect time to pay it a visit. After seeing lots of awesome photos of Gardens by the Bay, I made sure that it was part of my itinerary. With awesome friends that I have, they made my plan come true because I was able to go to Gardens by the Bay two nights in a row.
A balloon-like lamp post at Gardens by the Bay
You can go to the Gardens by the Bay by foot through Bayfront MRT. This is a newly-built train stop that provided easy access to the Bay South Garden.
Going by Foot to the Bay South Garden
You can pass through a stylish walkway decorated with mirrors, and large walls printed with plants and flowers that create an illusion of a forest when you stand still looking into one mirror.
Would not miss a photo
The main reason why I wanted to visit Gardens by the Bay is to witness the awesomeness of the supertrees. The supertrees brought a certain vibe like being in the movie Avatar. If my memory serves me right, the appearance of these trees are quite similar to the ones I saw in the film. There are 11 supertrees at the Bay South Garden and each is built with environmentally sustainable system. Each has four major parts — the reinforcement concrete core, trunk, planting panels of the living skin, and canopy. Over 162,900 flora from more than 200 species and varieties are planted on these supertrees.
Supertree Grove and OCBC Skyway
Walking around Bay Garden South, a lot of statues and emblems can be found that are part of Singapore’s culture. For one is this Buddha resting in one spot with the ginormous trees in the background.
Buddha with the Supertrees
If the supertrees at Gardens by the Bay are amazing at daytime, wait till the darkness sets in and the trees light up with sheer awesomeness. A brief lights show is also held at around 8PM while showcasing the lighting of the trees.
Supertrees Light Up Gardens by the Bay at Night
Supertrees on the Other Side (Near the Singapore Flyer)
The Gardens by the Bay is still a work-in-progress as some parts are still unavailable to the public. But a large portion of the garden is already open and along with the supertrees, conservatories like the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest were also opened. Unfortunately, I was not able to check them out so if you have already been on either conservatory, feel free to share your experiences on the comments section. Might schedule to see them soon.
When in Manila and you suddenly felt the urge to visit Singapore, make sure Gardens by the Bay is in your itinerary.
18 Marina Gardens Drive Singapore 018953
Tel: (+65) 6420 6848
FB Page: Gardens by the Bay
Find out how to go to Gardens by the Bay via train (Circle Line) here.
Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Like Avatar with the Supertrees
