Tag: marina bay sands mall

Some unmissable spots in Singapore

Many told us Singapore can be seen in 2-3 days. Well we stayed for a whole week and I can’t say we saw everything. We were absolutely enchanted with how modern, futuristic and green this little country is. At the same time it’s also very traditional and vibrant with many different cultures put together on such a small area. I’m sure we will go back at some point to discover more secret spots that Singapore has to offer but for now we want to suggest few absolute musts that no one should skip!

  1. Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay are the most futuristic place I have ever seen in my life. The most prominent part are the SuperTrees that are massive man-made trees with their own ecosystem that creates energy used every evening for the most spectacular light show. Those are not the only attractions. There are plenty of other gardens, parks and even lakes to see there. This Avatar-like area deserved a separate post so read it here.

  1. Marina Bay Sands Skypark observation deck

Marina Bay Sands Mall is a pretty impressive spot for all the shoppers. With our tight budget and eyes set up for remarkable experiences rather than things we didn’t spend much time around there. Regretfully we also didn’t spend any time in their hotel in the same building. But we did go to the observation deck which is absolutely unique. It literally looks like a boat on top of a 50-sth store building. How often would we be able to see something like that, right? Unmissable!

The construction itself is mesmerizing but the views top even that. Coming just before sunset we could enjoy the views on the Gardens by the Bay bathing in stunning light. We could even see their light show from above. Priceless.

Above the observation deck there is a huge 150m infinity pool available for people with a bit of a higher budget… hotel guests.

  1. The Little India

Bollywood music cracking from doubtful quality speakers, smell of spices, omnipresent screaming.. yep it’s Little India. Little chaos among the kingdom of perfect order. That’s why we loved it so much. Obviously it’s still Singapore so you won’t spot much dirt but you won’t get Deli belly either. Except for the food and coconut water we loved the crazy colors of the houses, especially the ones of Tan Teng Niah villa.

  1. The Orchard Library

This little, charming library is everything a book-lover could potentially need. It’s beautiful, peaceful, centrally located, it has comfy sitting space, competent workers and lots of books on many different subjects! You can just walk in and sit back with a book, escaping the buzz of the city and heat!! Yep, it has pretty good airco and that’s a big benefit in a city like Sinapore.

  1. National Gallery Singapore

Except for the obvious fact of having great exhibitions the building itself is a gem!! We especially loved the modern atrium connecting the gallery with the former Supreme Court. Going further to the Supreme Court part of the building we found an amazing terrace with spectacular views on Marina Bay Sands.

  1. Shophouses

Singapore has an incredible collection of shophouses. Although Joo Chiat Perankan Houses are the most popular I wouldn’t say they are a must. They are quite far from downtown and in the center there are so many stunning streets with lots and lots of shophouses in different styles and from different periods. Simple, modest houses along Erskine Road are a stunning example of 1840’ Chinese marchants’ houses. For more ornamented ones you should hit Petain Road and for our favorites Emeral Hill Road. Keep your eyes open, they are everywhere!

  1. Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens in Singapore is where local life starts before the heat of the day begins. It’s where people go for running, yoga, tai chi or zumba. The entrance is free except additional attractions like the Orchid Garden, probably the most beautiful part of the park.

  1. Food markets

Singapore can be very expensive so local food courts are little life savers. We especially loved the Indian food that they served but they also had Malaysian, Chinese and even Middle Eastern cuisines. The most famous one is Telok Ayer Market but keep your eyes open for others! They're everywhere!

  1. Apple store

Not a very common thing to put on a list, I know, but the new Apple store has one of the most heavenly staircases I have ever seen! Besides it’s a popular spot to hang out, the upper floor has a very comfy sitting area for the clients… or anyone with an Iphone.

  1. Former Old Hill Street Police station

Definitely one of the most spectacular buildings in the city. It’s impossible to miss those 927 windows with shutters in all colors of the rainbow. I can’t even imagine how marvelous it had to be to live there as a policeman many years ago. Yep there were many living quarters in there. It’s such a shame you can’t really visit the inside since nowadays it’s the Ministry of Communication and Information as well as the Cultural Ministry. I guess the corridors of this marvelous building will remain a sweet secret reserved for the few working in there.

  1. Vertical gardens

Pretty new concept that is already booming in Singapore. Some buildings have multiple outdoor terraces jammed with trees and plants. More and more are joining in placing enormous vines covering whole walls. The most famous ones are: ParkRoyal and Oasia Hotel.

Although we could only enjoy the view from the outside it was such a surreal sight. It literally makes the city center look like a natural jungle rather than a business center.

How to visit the world of Avatar without leaving this planet? Gardens by the Bay

Travelling around the world is a one of a kind experience. That said it doesn’t mean we always see unique sites. Another garden, medieval palace, another Incan ruin. Especially after spending a long time in one country we start to see trends and similarities. But there are rare cases when we see something special. Something absolutely unique. Something we know we won’t see anywhere else, anytime soon. That’s what Gardens by the Bay was for us. A journey to another world, journey to the future. We literally couldn’t help but go back there over and over again. To be honest no words or pictures can quite explain how remarkable the place is… but well we will try 🙂

What are Gardens by the Bay?

Gardens by the Bay are the lungs of this vibrant metropolis. It’s all about nature and humans creating something special around it, not instead of it. The most prominent part of the Gardens are the Supertrees. Those are actually human-made trees serving as vertical gardens, producing energy. It’s a growing concept in Singapore in order to make us live more sustainably and in direct contact with nature. 12 of those giants (25 to 50 m) can be found in the Supertree Grove while the remaining 2 groups of 3 are in the Golden and Silver Gardens.

Except for those there are sculptures, greenhouses, cafes, restaurants and lots of areas to picnic. Although it sounds like a lot, it’s all close together, certainly within walking distance and it’s possible to see the most important sights in a day.

What to see?

Supertree Grove is by far the most breathtaking spot and a must see in Singapore. It’s also an absolute must to come in the evening for the best light show I have ever seen (and I’m a light show freak). It’s free of charge and there are two shows daily at 7.45 and 8.45 pm.

OCBC Skywalk is a 128- meter-long aerial walkway between the Supertrees. It gives a completely different perspective on the trees and Gardens in general. It’s especially spectacular to walk on there during sunset or the light show. It costs 8 SGD (around 5 euro).

Cloud Forest is a greenhouse garden that will take you straight to the Cloud Forests of Peru. The path takes you through the forest and leads you higher and higher to finally end up on a skywalk above the garden. Cloud Forest wouldn’t be complete without a bit of mist and so at certain times of the day (10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm) you can see it mysteriously surrounded by it. The only negative is that as a foreigner you have to buy a joined ticket to both greenhouses. It’s 28 SGD (around 18 euro) and considering that except for the spectacular Cloud Forest you are forced to see the mediocre Flower Dome, it’s a bit of a ridiculous price. For me the Flower Dome was like any other greenhouse garden, except bigger.

Dragonfly and Kingfisher lakes are small lakes that are just perfect for a stroll away from the bustling city. Not to mention there are some great spots to just chill out with your market-bought coffee. A bargain considering how expensive cafes are in this city. After a bit of a rest we also appreciated the photographic perspective that the boardwalk along Dragonfly Lake gives.

Bay East Garden is the most calm, chilled out spot, perfect for a picnic with a view.

Except for the spots mentioned above there are few other gardens and sculptures but I wasn’t overly impressed with those so I also won’t recommend them.

How much does it cost?

Gardens by the Bay are free of charge. You can walk around freely in there and also visit the Supertree without paying anything.

OCBC Skywalk is 8 SGD.

Cloud Forest and Flower Dome cost 28 SGD (joined ticket without possibility to buy only one of the two).

Shuttle service costs 3 SGD for a day. In my opinion it’s not necessary.

Best views on the Supertrees and the Gardens

For me the most impressive view on the Gardens stretches from the platform on the bridge coming from Marina Bay Sands’ mall. I got an impression not many people go that way because you really have to know it exists and I never saw it anywhere online. Walking on the bridge I saw the crown of the supertrees emerging above the greenness of the park. It made me feel like if I was seeing a distant land of Avatar that I’m about to visit.

Marina Bay Skypark Observation deck provides stunning views from far above. You can see the Gardens by the Bay in full glory. To get the best out of the 23 SGD (around 14 euro) ticket we went there before sunset to enjoy the beautiful colors of the sun setting above Singapore as well as the light shows both at the Marina Bay Sands’ mall and the Supertree Grove. If you’re not travelling on a shoestring, there is also an infinity pool above the observation deck reserved for guests of the hotel. Judging by the amount of people in robes there, it’s a rather popular spot.

OCBC skywalk gives a unique opportunity to walk in between the crowns of the Supertrees. It’s tough to put a price on an experience like that. One of the best and most original views on the trees and Marina Bay Sands for sure.

Walking around the trees is also a great way to see them in full glory and fully understand how massive they are.