Gardens by the Bay: A Must-Visit in Singapore

Whilst planning for my trip to Singapore, there were two spots I knew I had to visit. The Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, and Gardens by the Bay. Handily for me, both of these are within walking distance of one another, and even better just around the corner to my hotel. I had still opted for a taxi from the hotel to Marina Bay though as there were a lot of barriers up in preparation for the Singapore races.

Standing from the SkyPark Observation Deck I was overlooking the twisted metal trees of Gardens just below me. With my direction sorted, once leaving I took a walk along the river to the Gardens. I had been up until 2 am the night before trying unsuccessfully to book my garden tickets (pro tip: Book in advance).

Luckily I had spoken to my hotel’s concierge who had rang the Gardens on my behalf and assured me they would hold a space. But I still wanted a physical ticket for reassurance. We wanted tickets for the Garden Rhapsody, and I was worried I wouldn’t get in. And since this was my only chance I figured I would rather see the Gardens by the Bay in the daytime than try for the light show and risk not being able to get tickets at all.

The Gardens themselves have seen a nature boom over the last few years, which just goes to show that the gardens are popular with wildlife as much as humans. In fact the otter population has benefitted massively over the past few years, prompting the Singapore go government to start relocation efforts to keep numbers down. Still for the time being you can still see Otter families hunt for fish or play in the waterways. And that’ll continue in the future as they aim to reduce, not remove entirely.

Luckily when I bought my tickets at the counter they explained that the light show is free and a non-ticketed event. If I wanted to do the other activities, including the Flower Dome, OCBC SkyWalk and Lights by the Bay (Garden Rhapsody). Those are ticketed activities which you have to pay for.

The rest of the botanical gardens are free to walk around and roam and the light show takes part in one of these areas. You just have to arrive early enough to find a place to sit and enjoy the view. There is a fifth activity the Cloud Forest, which is a temporary installation to help promote the latest Avatar movie. Unfortunately I ran out of time and did not get to visit this part. But it’s always good to have something for when I return.

Composed of collections from around the world. This beautiful glass building is the world’s largest greenhouse. Here you can find flowers from across the world, from Australia, South Africa, California and the Mediterranean. It’s a beautiful walk and the smell of the flowers is incredible.

This treetop walkway takes you up and around the artificial trees giving beautiful views of Gardens by the Bay from above. You walk in line with the Marina Bay Sands which you can see towering above the treetops. It does get very busy on the platform so you have to be constantly moving. But it’s another fantastic view.

The Lights by the Bay is a lightshow that’s completely free to attend. Unlike the Flower Garden and Skywalk, these areas of the Gardens can be walked into without a ticket and enjoyed by anyone for free. They hold two shows a night, one at 7pm and the other at 8pm. When I visited the theme was Rhapsody (not Bohemian Rhapsody sadly) but it was a fantastic show. Laying on the path and looking up at the trees as the lights blinked in rhythm to the music. 

Taking you higher than the SkyWalk, the observatory gives you a complete 360 of the botanical gardens. Allowing you to look down from above or see sweeping views across the city. There is also a small bar here for drinks and the lift up is an experience in itself. 

The Gardens by the Bay is a must visit for any trip to Singapore. And with its variety of options it’s suitable for any budget. Keep things cheap and just sit and enjoy the lightshow, or take advantage of the multiple booking discounts and explore a few or even all of the activities.