Ultimate Gardens by the Bay Guide – Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Floral Fantasy, Supertrees & More

Opened in 2012, Gardens by the Bay is a manmade attraction in the central part of Singapore. Spanning more than 100 acres in area, the park has become one of Singapore’s iconic spots due to its massive supertrees and thanks to its strategic location, just next to Marina Bay Sands and overlooking the city’s scenic Marina Bay. 

Gardens by the Bay is one of Singapore’s most popular tourist attractions, being a hit with both foreigners intrigued by its look that seems to come straight out of a science fiction movie and locals who come periodically for its seasonal exhibitions. 

The most intuitive way of categorizing the different areas of Gardens by the Bay is by segregating it between the paid and free areas. The bulk of the outdoor sections – such as the Supertree Grove, Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, outdoor gardens and sculptures do not require any admission fees. On the other hand, the indoor areas – such as the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome and Floral Fantasy are chargeable. Walking through the 22 meter high skyway at the Supertree Grove is also chargeable even though marveling at these same “trees” from the ground level is free. This guide will cover both the main attractions of Gardens by the Bay with an emphasis on the paid areas and also some free sections.

Cloud Forest

Entering the Cloud Forest for the first time, one is greeted by a 35 meter tall mountain with a 30 meter tall waterfloor cascading down. This humongous greenhouse measuring 0.8 hectares in area aims to mimic a tropical forest in the highlands up to 2,000 meters tall (think: Cameron Highlands in neighboring Malaysia). The temperature inside the Cloud Forest is deliberately kept cool – at about 23 to 25 degrees celsius – to mimic a mountain environment and also to help sustain plants that grow in higher elevations.

One can expect plenty of lush greenery inside the Cloud Forest. Visitors start from the ground, circling around the mountain until they reach its interior or its “cavern.” Inside the cavern, one finds the Crystal Cave – a room filled with plenty of real stalactites and stalagmites. 

Take the lift up to the summit of the mountain. The Lost World features the type of vegetation one normally sees at higher elevations in tropical Southeast Asia. This is also a good spot to survey what’s going on down below or to admire the views outside. One can get glimpses of the skyscrapers in the CBD from here as well as Marina Bay Sands and even the Singapore Flyer.

A spiraling walkway then takes visitors down gradually, with plenty of photo stops along the way to let one admire the waterfalls even more. This is one of the most photogenic areas inside the Cloud Forest so it is best to try to get ahead of the crowds if you can while here.

Tip: Make sure to be at the Cloud Forest during one of these timings: 10AM, 12PM, 2PM, 4PM, 6PM, 8PM. This is when you will see mist billowing out of the waterfalls, thereby creating an even more dramatic effect. There is a slight science fiction tinge to the whole scene if you come in the evenings!

Before exiting the Cloud Forest, make sure to check out the Secret Garden – hard to miss as it is on your way out. I was particularly intrigued by the various types of mosses and ferns featured here, including the types I’ve rarely seen elsewhere.

Opening Hours: Daily, 9AM to 9PM

Admission Fee (access to both Flower Dome and Cloud Forest): S$28 (adult) / S$15 (child) | S$20 (adult) / S$12 (child) – Singapore residents

Book discounted tickets here

Flower Dome

Situated just next to the Cloud Forest, the Flower Dome is another greenhouse filled with a wide variety of plants. While the Cloud Forest aims to mesmerize with its dramatic mists and mountain/waterfall centerpiece, the Flower Dome aims to take visitors through various parts of the world with subtropical Mediterranean climates. Subzones here include the Australian Garden, South American Garden, South African Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Californian Garden, Baobabs and Succulents Garden. There is also a photogenic Flower Field in the middle which seems to be perpetually busy with visitors looking to take selfies.

While here, I particularly enjoyed the Bottle Tree section of the Australian Garden. I was quite intrigued with the unusually plump trunks of these trees that stood majestically within the grounds of the Flower Dome.

Another personal highlight was the Mediterranean Garden. While I did not find any unusual looking plants here, I quite enjoyed the fragrant scent emanating from the pines and cypresses. 

The Succulent Garden is a great way to experience desert vegetation without venturing into an extremely dry or hot environment. The cacti here come in many and often, unusual shapes and sizes. I also noted that there was more to the usual green that I see, including succulents that were blue and even pink in color.

The Flower Field in the middle of the Flower Dome features a rotating array of floral arrangements, depending on the season. This is the part that is especially popular with locals. Only a week or two prior to my visit, the field was awash with visitors coming to see the sakura or cherry blossoms on display. 

Opening Hours: Daily, 9AM to 9PM

Admission Fee (access to both Flower Dome and Cloud Forest): S$28 (adult) / S$15 (child) | S$20 (adult) / S$12 (child) – Singapore residents

Book discounted tickets here

Supertree Grove

Search for “Gardens by the Bay” and it is quite likely that you will find pictures of these tall manmade structures as the first results. Ever since the park first opened to the public in 2012, these massive constructs of steel and concrete have become an iconic symbol not just of Gardens by the Bay but of Singapore as a whole. 

Tip: Gardens by the Bay is best visited twice – once in the day and another time at night. A compelling reason to visit at night is to see the Garden Rhapsody lights and music show that occurs daily at 7:45PM and 8:45PM.

The supertrees can be appreciated from the ground, where admission is free, or from the OCBC Skyway, a 128 meter long walkway measuring 22 meters high. This is a great way to see the canopy of the supertrees at a closer vantage point. It also provides a bit of a thrill walking through these open-air passageways so high up.

A newer attraction to open in the supertrees area is the Supertrees Observatory which is situated at the canopy of the tallest supertree. If you are looking for an alternative view to take photos of the surrounding supertrees or even of the nearby buildings, this is a place worth checking out. For a totally unblocked view of the surrounding space, you can climb up to the rooftop deck – the summit of the tallest 50 meter supertree where you can admire the view while enjoying refreshments from the cafe one floor below.

Opening Hours:

Supertrees Grove – Daily, 5AM to 2AM

Supertrees Observatory – 4PM to 9PM (Mondays to Fridays) / 12PM to 9PM (Saturdays and Sundays)

OCBC Skyway – Daily, 9AM to 9PM (each visit is capped at 15 minutes)

Admission Fee: 

Supertrees Grove – Free

Supertrees Grove – S$14 (adult) / S$10 (child) | S$10 (adult) / S$6 (child) – for Singapore residents

OCBC Skyway – S$8 (adult) / S$5 (child)

Floral Fantasy

The Floral Fantasy exhibition is undoubtedly the most colorful attraction in Gardens by the Bay. The folks behind the park have taken greater liberty here compared to the stricter botanic principles in the other paid sections of the park. The set up here is a mixture of live plants, cut and preserved flowers – nicely arranged for a truly photo-worthy scene at every turn. 

There are four sections to Floral Fantasy – namely Dance, Float, Waltz and Drift – with a different theme at each zone. Fun fact – you can find one of Singapore’s famed merlions here.

After going through the Floral Fantasy, I would say that the main purpose here is more to satiate those selfie desires rather than to educate the public about the different kind of flora. For instance, dedicated insta-worthy benches and statues are strategically placed throughout Floral Fantasy as suggested photo-taking spots – something you don’t see in the other domes.

If you are visiting Floral Fantasy along with other parts of Gardens by the Bay, do note that Floral Fantasy is situated closer to the MRT station (Bayfront) as compared to the rest.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10AM to 7pm (until 8pm during Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)

Admission Fee: S$20 adult / S$12 child | S$12 adult / S$ 8 child – for Singapore residents

Book discounted tickets here

Verdict

Despite being a Singapore resident, it took me almost 9 years before I actually checked out the paid areas of Gardens by the Bay. While I have been to the Supertree Grove several times in the past, the thought of going to a purely manufactured botanic construct did not pique my interest at first. It was only during the pandemic, after more than a year of being unable to travel out of Singapore, that drove me to pay a visit. After having seen the Cloud Forest, I would have to say that Gardens by the Bay, including the paid areas, is hands-down the #1 tourist spot in Singapore in my book. It may be purely manufactured but I have to say the whole concept is executed very well. It is a stellar example of a garden of the future and how it may fit a highly urbanized city such as Singapore. Even those without a keen interest in plants are recommended to visit due to the design alone.