After checking out from Hard Rock Hotel at noon, we left for Gardens by The Bay ( 濱海灣花園 ), couldn’t wait to meet up with Supertree Groove ( 超级树 ), one of the latest, hottest attraction in Singapore. Unveiled in June 2012, Gardens by The Bay provides a new attraction for local and tourists, as well as for green initiatives with solar powered architectures and climate controlled domes.
To reach there, we alight at Bayfront MRT Station (CE1), took the Exit B and follow the underground linkway to Gardens by the Bay. Upon exit, we were greeted with Marina Bay Sands hotel, huge in front of us. Cross the Dragonfly Bridge into the gardens which was opened air with no shelter, so the heat from afternoon sun was expected.
From far, we already saw the Supertree Groove, the tree-like structure creating the vertical garden landscape. Constructed from concrete and steel, these unique trees of up to 16 storeys in height stand uniquely around the garden, where twelve are at Supertree Grove, and remaining six at the clusters of threes at the Golden and Silver Gardens.
They are made of four parts: reinforcement concrete core, trunk, planting panels of the living skin and canopy. Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers are planted on the Supertrees.
Besides providing panoramic views for Garden by The Bay, Supertree Groove also create height to balance the tall developments in Marina Bay area. Among these Supertrees, 11 of them are embedded with photovoltaic cells to harvest solar energy, and others are integrated with cooled conservatories and to serve as air exhaust receptacles. Definitely the green within the beauty.
While the large canopies manage to provide shade during day time, they come alive with captivative display of OCBC Garden Rhapsody Light and Sound shows as the night falls. The innovative part: solar energy harvested are used to light up them up at night.
OCBC bank, being the largest sponsor of Gardens by the Bay, is the main sponsor for OCBC Skyway and the OCBC Garden Raphsody. The OCBC skyway is built at height of 22-metres between two of the larger Supertrees, where visitors can walk across the bridge to enjoy a breathtaking view of the gardens.
We suggest visitors to arrive in evening, leisurely scroll under these giants trees while waiting for the light shows arrive. But of course, other than Supertree Groove there are more to see in Gardens by The Bay. The whole area was really big, just the outdoor area is already worth spending one whole day to walk through thoroughly . Or to say, one day is just not enough. Too bad, due to time constraint, we focused only on the Cooled Conservatories and skipped the outdoor Bay South, Bay East and Herritage Gardens.
How to reach?
Via the Circle Line:
Alight at Bayfront MRT Station (CE1)
Take Exit B and follow the underground linkway
Exit and cross the Dragonfly Bridge or Meadow Bridge into Gardens by the Bay
Via the North South / Circle Line:
Alight at Marina Bay MRT Station (NS27/CE2)
Take Exit A and hop onto bus service 400
Alight 4 stops later at the bus stop along Marina Gardens Drive
Gardens information:
Bay South Outdoor Gardens, Supertree Groove
Operating Hours:5:00 AM – 2:00 AM daily
Admission:Free
OCBC Skyway
Operating Hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Daily
Ticket Price: $5 (Adult, Senior Citizen), $3 (Child)
Last ticket sale at 8:00 PM
Last admission at 8:30 PM
* Senior Citizen (≥ 60 years old)
** Child (3 – 12 years old)
Purchase at Ticketing Hub:9:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily
