Singapore | Gardens by the Bay
We spent three days in Singapore - one entirely dedicated to Gardens by the Bay; and it was so beautiful. So, if you've got a spare 7 - 10 hours, you may consider this to be one of the best (and debatably lowest cost) thing to do.
What to Expect:
Gardens by the Bay is a public garden located in front of Marina Bay Sands - aka one of the fanciest hotels built by man kind with the most photographed infinity pool of Instagram. Most of the garden is free; the only paid exhibitions are the Cloud Forest, the Flower Dome, and the OCBC Skyway.
This place is built for photos and is gorgeous. So, bring your camera - or borrow a friends' and be prepared to want to photograph everything. The way Singapore integrates nature and technology is simply refreshing so hopefully you're one of those that don't mind long walks and finding your peace of mind.
Most Important Things to Know:
Before You Go:
Gardens by the Bay has an App with a map and suggested itineraries. I personally didn't download it, but if you are in a wifi zone and can download it, looking back, it would have been nice to have since you can scan QR codes and get more information about plants.
Also, bring a sweater or jacket!! The conservatories are COLD. So while Singapore is boiling, the change in temperature is so dramatic that it could cause you to get a little bit sick.
Tickets and Admissions
Buy tickets for the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. The cost for both conservatories is $28 Singaporean Dollars / $21 USD. Here, you can also decide whether or not you want to take one of the little tours in the red cars. Again, we did not, but if you do want a more informative experience, the tours are 25 minutes long and are fairly reasonable at $8 Singaporean Dollars / $6 USD.
If you're short on time, and you have to pick one or the other - Cloud Forest is the most essential attraction. I liked the Flower Dome, and there's a cool restaurant in there called Pollen that I really wanted to go to, it was okay in comparison to the Cloud Forest.
Key Times and Events to Plan for:
Cloud Forest Misting @ 10.00am, 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm Daily. If you plan your day efficiently, you'll be best off by going to the 6 PM misting and staying inside until the lights come on, probably around 7. You'll get two shows for one. You have to take an elevator to the top of the Cloud Forest and you'll walk your way down to the bottom where there's an exhibition on global warming. If you want to do the walk again, get in the elevator that's on this floor and take it to the top floor again. It's not clearly marked but when the night lights come on, you'll want to walk the cloud forest again!!
SuperGrove Light Show @ 7:45 and 8:45 Daily. After the 6:00 misting, leave around 7:30 and find seats for the free light show. If you have the chance to walk around earlier in the day, look for spots that you would want to sit to see the show. Most people will gather roughly 10 minutes before it starts. I would recommend finding a spot on the side that's a little elevated above the crowd. If you walk around the edge of the SuperGrove trees look for the ledge and try to walk along there to find rocks that are meant for sitting and observing the show.
McDonalds at Gardens by the Bay
It's worth mentioning that this was the best McDonalds I've ever been to in my life. I've low key been trying McD's in every country I've been to - and seriously Singapore absolutely crushed it. Also worth noting that all McDonalds in Singapore are halal. Maybe that contributes to why the quality is so good? Or maybe it's just that Singapore has higher standards than the rest of the world. My bet is on the latter. This is a good lunch spot to start your day with and then have all the energy you need for the rest of your time there.