Singapore's latest addition to it's line up of tourist attractions never fails to impress. The Garden's By The Bay, situated beside the world renowned Marina Bay Sands, just opened it's doors to the public last June. It grounds are simply immense and the sights are surreal. Just take a gander at the Supertree Grove, huge steel canopies and light up at night.
One way to get there is by taking a cab, that's what we did. You can also take a bus or the MRT but with the MRT it's going to be quite a walk. No worries though, there are lots to see.
Other attractions in the Gardens are the Heritage Gardens, the Skyway, the Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, various food outlets serving different cuisines, and a few event venues. The showpiece of the Gardens however are undoubtedly the two cooled conservatories, The Flower Dome and The Cloud Forest.
The interior of these domes are a blessed respite from the heat, and you could literally feel the pores in your face closing up upon entering. Once you've acclimatized to your surroundings and embrace the ambiance, you then realize how much space there is inside. The Cloud forest is the smaller of the two encompassing 8,000 sq. m. and showcases flora found in humid tropical mountain regions. A man-made 115 foot waterfall greets you with a welcome spray of water near the entrance and the plants that fill the grounds are a delight to the senses.
The highest point of the structure is around 5 or 6 stories high and can be accessed by an elevator. The downward path is via escalators and catwalks that jut out over empty space.
As we worked ourselves out of The Cloud Forest, we passed a gaping lions mouth masquerading as a window. There is also an educational area that teaches us how the park has self-sustaining and ecological features that help decrease it's carbon footprint.
The Flower Dome is the larger of the two domes at 12,000 sq. m. and I believe the more impressive one. It's cool, dry interior replicates the environment found in the Mediterranean and semi-arid tropical regions. The displays here are ever changing to reflect the flowers in bloom over the seasons. These baobab trees (I think) greet you across a wide courtyard.
As you wind down the path, you see an array of colourful blooms of different sizes and shapes.
These drooping flowers remind me of an oriental lantern. I hope that one day I will be able to create an actual lantern that mimics them.
Access to the park is free but entry to the conservatories will cost you between Sing$20 - 28. It is well worth the cost of admission though as there are no time restrictions and there are benches and seats available. You can linger as long as you want and appreciate nature at it's finest in relaxed comfort.
No comments:
Post a Comment