If you’re planning a trip and looking for the best things to do in Singapore, Gardens by the Bay will show up everywhere. And once you get there, you understand why. It’s one of the few places in Singapore that actually looks better in real life than on social media.
I added it to my 3 days in Singapore itinerary and ended up spending way more time here than I expected. I went in thinking I’d just walk around for a bit, and somehow I stayed for hours without even noticing. And came back the next day.
Singapore is hot and humid most of the time, so yes, you’ll sweat more than you’d like, and air conditioning will suddenly feel like the best invention ever.
I was a bit skeptical before going, too. I’d seen the place so much on social media that I expected it to be slightly overrated in real life.
It wasn’t. The moment you get there, everything feels a bit unreal, and it’s the kind of place you end up really enjoying, not just visiting.
Things to know before visiting Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
Gardens by the Bay opened in 2012 and is part of the city’s idea of becoming a “City in a Garden“. It’s a huge space right next to Marina Bay Sands, with a mix of futuristic structures, indoor domes, lakes and green areas. It sounds like a lot, but once you’re there, everything feels very easy to navigate. You don’t need a strict plan. Just start walking and you’ll naturally move from one area to another.
A few things worth knowing before you go:
- Walking around the outdoor gardens is completely free. You only pay for Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, the OCBC Skyway, the Supertree Observatory and Floral Fantasy.
- The two domes are open 9 AM to 9 PM, and Floral Fantasy opens at 10 AM.
- Bring a light jacket or something with sleeves. Going from Singapore’s humidity straight into an air-conditioned dome is a proper shock, and it’s the same story in every mall and restaurant in the city.
- The place is much bigger than it looks on the map. You’ll walk more than you think, and the humidity does the rest.
Where to stay near Gardens by the Bay – best hotels
The most convenient area is Marina Bay. You can walk to the gardens, you’re close to the MRT, and you don’t waste half your day getting there and back. Downtown and Chinatown also work if you want cheaper options and don’t mind a short ride.
Here are my picks, depending on budget. Click each one to check prices and availability:
- Low budget:
Rest Bugis Hotel– simple rooms in the Bugis area, with an actual rooftop pool, which is rare at this price point. Bugis MRT and Haji Lane are both a short walk away, and you’re one train ride from Bayfront.
- Mid-range:
Carlton City Hotel Singapore – two minutes from Tanjong Pagar MRT, with a rooftop pool and a bar on the 29th floor looking out over the city. Chinatown and Maxwell Food Centre are both close by
Amara Singapore – right next door to Carlton City, recently renovated, with a Balinese-style pool that feels more like a resort than a business hotel. Same easy MRT access.
- High-end:
Raffles Singapore – colonial-era, all-suite, personal butlers, and the birthplace of the Singapore Sling. Stay here once in your life if you can swing it
Marina Bay Sands – the famous one, with the infinity pool. You’ll end up sleeping in the building you keep photographing from the Skyway. Direct access to the Shoppes and the ArtScience Museum.
How to get to Gardens by the Bay
The easiest way is by MRT. You can stop at Bayfront Station, follow the signs, and in just a few minutes you’ll already see the Supertrees in front of you. There’s also a Gardens by the Bay station, which drops you closer to the Satay by the Bay food area at the far end.
If you’re already around Marina Bay, you can walk. There’s an overpass from Marina Bay Sands that gives you a great first view over the Supertrees and the domes, and it’s by far the prettiest way to arrive.
I personally walked all the way from the Bugis area, which sounds like a lot, but it was a very pleasant walk. Singapore is super clean, safe and easy to navigate, so even longer distances don’t feel that bad.
Cloud Forest Singapore (don’t skip this)
Cloud Forest Singapore was one of my favorite places in the entire city.
The moment you walk in, you see a massive indoor waterfall, around 35 meters high, and everything feels a bit unreal. It looks like a jungle, but cleaner, cooler and way more comfortable to explore. The dome recreates a mountain climate at around 2,000 meters altitude, which after a morning in Singapore heat feels like walking into a different country.
You go up with the elevator and then walk down through different levels, surrounded by plants, mist and walkways. I thought I’d spend maybe 30 minutes here, but it turned into almost 2 hours.
Time your visit with the misting if you can, which happens every couple of hours between 10 AM and 8 PM. Walking the suspended aerial path while the whole place fogs up around you is the single best moment inside the dome. Look out for the carnivorous plants near the top too, the Venus flytraps and pitcher plants.
There are also moving dinosaur installations, which sound a bit random, but actually make the whole place more fun. If you’re traveling with kids, this will probably be one of their favorite spots in Singapore, full stop.
One thing to know: you can’t usually buy a ticket just for Cloud Forest. It’s sold together with Flower Dome, around 46 SGD for adults and 32 SGD for children. Book online in advance, it saved me from waiting in line.
Flower Dome Singapore (worth it or not?)
Flower Dome Singapore is right next to Cloud Forest, and you’ll end up visiting both anyway since the tickets usually come together.
It’s officially the largest glass greenhouse in the world, which sounds impressive, and it is. It’s nicely done, with plants from all over the world and everything super organized. But it didn’t give me that same wow feeling. For me, it felt more like a botanical garden, just a cleaner and more polished one.
The parts I actually enjoyed were the baobab trees, the cacti and succulent section, and this small colorful village with little houses, which is honestly very cute and great for photos. The central display changes a few times a year, so what you see will depend on when you go.
It’s still worth seeing, especially since it’s part of the whole Gardens by the Bay experience. But if I had to compare, Cloud Forest was on a completely different level.
OCBC Skyway Singapore experience
OCBC Skyway Singapore is the suspended walkway between the Supertrees and, for me, one of the best spots in Gardens by the Bay if you want a really good view over the city.
The platform is about 128 meters long and sits around 22 meters above the ground. It might sound a bit intimidating if you’re not great with heights, but it doesn’t feel that high once you’re up there.
Tickets are 14 SGD for adults and 10 SGD for children. They quote around 15 minutes on the bridge, but nobody’s actually timing you up there – I stayed a lot longer and no one said a word. Most people don’t linger that long anyway, since there’s not much to do beyond walking across and taking photos.
Best time to go: don’t rush it. Go up before sunset so you can catch everything, daylight, sunset, and then the moment when the city lights turn on. It’s also one of the best places to watch the Garden Rhapsody light show from above.
There’s also a Supertree Observatory, on top of the tallest Supertree at 50 meters, for the same price. The two are quite similar and I wouldn’t do both. The Skyway is more fun to walk, the Observatory sits higher and has a clearer view of Marina Bay Sands. Pick one and spend the difference on food.
Opening hours: 9 AM to 9 PM.
Garden Rhapsody
In the evening, everything changes.
The Garden Rhapsody light show takes place in the Supertree Grove and it’s easily one of the best things to do in Singapore at night. The trees light up, the music starts, and for a few minutes, everyone just stops and looks up.
The show runs daily at 7:45 PM and 8:45 PM, lasts about 15 minutes, and it’s completely free, which still feels a bit unreal considering how good it is. The theme changes regularly, sometimes once a month, sometimes even twice. I caught the Christmas version, and it was one of the most beautiful things I saw in Singapore.
You can watch it from the ground or from the OCBC Skyway, and the experience feels completely different. My advice: go lie down on the grass right underneath the Supertrees. Everyone does it, nobody feels silly, and it’s a hundred times better than watching from a distance. If you can catch both showings, do one from below and one from above.
It does get quite crowded, so don’t expect a quiet, peaceful moment. But it’s 100% worth it anyway.
The Supertrees
The Supertrees are the most iconic part of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
They range from 25 to 50 meters in height and are covered in real, living plants. Beyond making for a great photo, they quietly do actual work too, collecting rainwater and generating solar energy for the gardens.
During the day, they’re already impressive. At night, once the lights turn on, they become something else entirely.
Other spots inside the gardens
Besides the main attractions, there are a few smaller spots that are worth your time. These are the places where you slow down a bit and take a break from the crowds:
- the small beach near the Sea Shell sculpture
- the water lily pond
- Dragonfly Lake bridge
- Serene Garden
- Heritage Gardens, with sections inspired by Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures
- World of Plants, a quieter tropical area most people walk straight past
- the Children’s Garden, with water fountains kids can run through, which is a lifesaver on a hot day
- Floral Fantasy, a small indoor attraction full of hanging flower arrangements, around 24 SGD, takes about 45 minutes
There’s also a giant floating baby sculpture somewhere in the gardens that nobody warns you about. You’ll turn a corner and there it is. It’s called Planet, it’s art, and it’s very strange.
Where to eat
Skip the cafés inside the domes. They’re average and priced like you have no other option, which you do.
The one place worth eating at inside the gardens is Satay by the Bay, a proper hawker centre at the far end. Otherwise, wait until you leave and head to Lau Pa Sat, one of the best food spots in the city, especially in the evening when the street closes to traffic and the satay stalls take over.
Don’t underestimate the size of Gardens by the Bay
This is something I didn’t fully realize before going.
The domes and the Supertrees are only part of it – Gardens by the Bay is a huge area, with a lot of walking involved. There are quieter spots, lakes, small bridges and random corners you’ll probably stumble on without planning for them.
It’s nice, but between the heat and the humidity, it can get tiring faster than you’d expect. Don’t plan your day too tightly around it. Give yourself some flexibility.
How much time to spend at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
This is definitely not a quick stop. Budget at least 2 to 3 hours for the main areas, and give Cloud Forest alone 1 to 2 hours if you actually stop and look around.
For the full experience, half a day works best, and staying for the evening light show turns it into almost a full day.
If I had one visit, I’d arrive in late afternoon, start with Cloud Forest, move to Flower Dome, wander the gardens for a bit, catch OCBC Skyway before sunset, and end at Supertree Grove for Garden Rhapsody. That order keeps you from backtracking.
Gardens by the Bay tickets price and how to buy
Walking around the outdoor gardens is free.
For the main attractions:
- Cloud Forest + Flower Dome: around 46 SGD for adults, 32 SGD for children
- OCBC Skyway: 14 SGD
- Supertree Observatory: 14 SGD
- Floral Fantasy: around 24 SGD
👉 You can buy tickets at the entrance, but I’d recommend booking online to avoid queues, especially during busy hours.
Recommended tours and tickets in Gardens by the Bay
If you want to skip the ticket queues, or you’d rather have someone explain what you’re actually looking at, book online in advance. You’ll find combo tickets covering the domes plus the Skyway or Observatory, small-group guided walks through the Supertrees and Cloud Forest, and even private photography sessions if you want the shot without a stranger’s elbow in it.
Click the ones you like, check the prices and see what’s available.
What to know before visiting Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
Is Gardens by the Bay worth it?
Yes, without overthinking it. It’s one of the places that actually looks like the photos and gives you more than expected once you’re there. If you’re planning a Singapore itinerary of 3 days, this should be near the top of your list.
How much do Gardens by the Bay tickets cost?
Prices are in the tickets section above – the short version is that the outdoor gardens and the light show are free, and the domes are the one ticket really worth paying for. Prices have gone up noticeably in the last couple of years, so it’s worth double-checking before you go.
Which attractions are actually worth paying for?
The two domes, without question. After that, pick one of the Skyway or the Observatory, not both, since they’re very similar. Floral Fantasy is a nice extra if you’re traveling with kids or you really like flowers, but I wouldn’t call it essential.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
You don’t have to, but I’d recommend it. Booking online saved me a long wait at the counter, especially in the afternoon when everyone shows up at once.
What’s the best time to visit Gardens by the Bay?
Late afternoon into the evening. That way you get the domes, the sunset from the Skyway, and the light show all in one visit. Mornings are quieter and cooler if you’d rather avoid crowds.
What’s the weather like?
Weather in Singapore is random. It can look perfectly fine and then suddenly start raining, and that can mess with your plans. I found that out the annoying way at the Skyway. I was literally ready to buy the ticket and they just told me it was closed because of the rain.
Nothing dramatic, I just had to wait, and the rain doesn’t usually last long. But both the Skyway and the Observatory rooftop close during storms, so don’t pay for either if the sky looks threatening.
Best photo spots inside Gardens by the Bay Singapore?
If you want good photos, these are the spots:
- OCBC Skyway at sunset
- the Supertrees during the light show
- Dragonfly Bridge
- the water lily pond
- Floral Fantasy
And yes, you’ll see people trying very hard to get “that perfect shot”. Some of them deserve an award for creativity.
Final thoughts
Gardens by the Bay is one of those places where you go for a short visit and end up staying much longer.
Between Cloud Forest, the views and the evening light show, you get a mix that’s hard to find anywhere else, and once you look at a map of the place, you realize just how much there actually is to explore.
If you like walking, architecture, and places that don’t feel rushed, this will easily become one of your favorite spots in Singapore.
