Spanning 250 acres by the Singapore River, this award-winning horticultural attraction houses over 250 thousand rare plants and is considered one of the city's best new and most popular attractions. The gardens, which celebrated their first birthday in July this year, were planned by the government to 'bring the garden into the city,' and as they are located near to Marina Bay, it's easy to reach them from wherever you are in the city.
The Gardens comprise three spaces—Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central.
In Bay South, you will find the Supertrees: 16-storey-tall vertical gardens that collect rainwater, generate solar power and act as venting ducts for the park’s conservatories. There is a suspended 128-metre-long walkway between two Supertrees, offering a bird’s eye view of the Gardens and Marina Bay. The cooled conservatory complex won the World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival 2012. The trees are planted with hundreds of species of orchids, bromeliads, ferns and tropical flowers that you can study. After the sun sets, there is a sky show of dazzling lights and sounds in the Garden Rhapsody, which takes place nightly.
Bay East is designed as a series of large tropical leaf-shaped gardens, each with its own specific landscaping design, character and theme. From here, visitors have wonderful views of the city skyline. Bay Central Garden is not yet complete but its worth visiting to experience its 3-kilometre waterfront promenade.
The other major attractions are the two domes in the conservatories, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Both of the large structures are air-conditioned, allowing you some escape from the humidity. The Flower Dome replicates the cool dry climates of the Mediterranean and other parts of the world, while the Cloud Forest replicates a moist tropical highland environment and houses the world's tallest indoor waterfall.
The gardens are adjacent to Marina Bay Sands hotel. There is parking, but it’s easy to reach the attraction via bus or MRT, with the Bayfront station located just over the Dragonfly Bridge from the gardens. The gardens are open daily.
