Gardens By The Bay: A Walk In the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Supertree Grove

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - It was only the day after we checked out from the Marina Bay Sands that we visited the adjacent Gardens by the Bay. With luggages in tow, we marched towards the starting point of the tour. Paying just an SGD 2 for a round-trip ride per pax on the cruiser tram placed near the Bayfront Avenue MRT station to the Gardens by the Bay, we immediately took it without thinking twice. Not only did it help us with our luggages but it also relieved us for a while from the scorching heat of the sun! The tram can easily fit 14 people: 11 of which faces the front, while the remaining 3 seats at the back faces the opposite direction. My brothers and I took the back seats and good thing that we did as sitting there gave us a comprehensive and refreshing view of the park during the 5-minute ride. It was magnificent to see the Marina Bay Sands grew smaller by the distance.

FLOWER DOME

A really short ride was all it took from us to get to the domes. There were two domes in the park, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest, and we were set for the whole day to thoroughly visit both. First stop was the Flower Dome. I was in awe the moment that I stepped inside the dome. The centralized dome was humongous and I felt overwhelmed both by its hugeness and the quantity of trees and flower inside it. As I was walking down on one of the narrow roads, appreciating the different kinds of cacti in front me, it was only then that it dawned on me that these are collections of flowers and plants from all over the world! This dome houses flowers and trees that only those who are well traveled during their lifetime would have the ability to see. However, that dream can now be made a reality in just a day. You do not have to travel far to just see the trees of Africa or touch the plants of Europe or whiff the flowers of America as you can now experience it in this dome. 

The Flower Dome was bright and filled with greens. Walking inside it feels like a walk in the park.

CLOUD FOREST

Adjacent to the Flower Dome is the Cloud Forest. A total opposite of the landscaped and manicured flower beds in the previous dome, the Cloud Forest is a little bit topsy turvy as it was built to resemble a forest. As the gates dividing the outside world to the insides of the dome open before you, a misty surrounding ahead instantaneously welcomes you. As you go through the doorway, you will immediately see where the mists come from: the tall waterfalls. The waterfalls is approximately 7 storeys high and strong water current runs through from the top down to the bottom. The sound may be scary but try to go near the balustrade and look down as you will see there at the bottom a small but lovely rainbow smiling back at you.

Go up and walk along the numerous sky walks for you to experience a different kind of high. It seems scary at first especially for those who are afraid of heights but once you get accustomed to it, there is no turning back. You'll get addicted to the feeling. 

SUPERTREE GROVE

After conquering the sky walks, you can now go out to visit and see the Supertree Grove right across the twin domes. The grove comprises of 12 Supetrees, 16 storeys in height and scattered around the place. These unique trees are not standing there in vain; all its foundations and decor has a purpose. They have large canopies that provide shade in the day and a source of entertainment during the night as they come alive with an exhilarating display of light and sound at night. Other than this, the supertrees are built with the form and function of mature trees and they also provide balance as a complement to the tall developments beside them. Take a stroll along the OCBC Skyway, a 128-metre long walkway connecting a Supertree to a second one to see a different perspective of the garden.

If you find yourself thirsty or hungry while you are on top, you can chill out at the 50-metre Supetree-top bistro for a little while before going down.

As 3 PM fast approaches, you will then realize that a whole day would never be enough to fully take in what the Gardens by the Bay can offer. Nonetheless, the visit is already enough to make some great memories out of it. Fall in line again to where the cruiser tram dropped you off and wait for it. Reflect on what you saw and ponder more on it during the ride back to where the tram picked you up earlier that day. It was simply an exhilarating experience for me. It both reminded me about the greatness of our Creator and how we can only do so much as to replicate what he had created. I was just eternally thankful that I was able to see and experience what I just saw.

Price ticket for the two conservatories is at SGD 28 . You can add another SGD 5 for a walk up the OCBC Skyway.