Your escape to a surreal world

If there is one place you must spend a bit of money, and plenty of time discovering in Singapore is the iconic Gardens by the Bay. A masterpiece of garden artistry, it is where you get a crash course on the plant kingdom. And the one place where fantasy meets reality is right here, at Floral Fantasy.

Welcome to Garden of Wonder

Spread over 101 hectares of reclaimed land right in the heart of Singapore, right next to the equally famous Marina Bay Waterfront, Gardens by the Bay is a stunning nature park.

From spectacular architecture and innovative horticulture practices to environmentally sustainable design, Gardens by the Bay offers plenty for those who are willing to explore this lush green park. Reason enough for it to have consistently been earning accolades and winning awards.

With themed gardens from different regions of the world, several climates and habitats are showcased in its cooled conservatories. No wonder it has been drawing tourists and locals alike since opening its doors to the public in 2012.

Your complete guide to Gardens by the Bay

This blog focuses on Floral Fantasy, one of many attractions at Gardens by the Bay. However, if you want a more comprehensive guide to all the attractions, you can read the full blog here.

You can also read individual blog posts on each of the attractions, including the gigantic Flower Dome, the stunning Cloud Forest, the suspended OCBC Skyway and iconic Supertree Grove and Observatory, and the Garden Rhapsody Light and Sound Show.

You can also check out the timing and ticket prices for each of the conservatories and shows, at the Gardens by the Bay website which has all the information to help you plan your trip.

Where beauty is there in plenty

This is where fantasy meets reality. Where scenes from Lord of the Rings merge with fabled stories of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It is a world that features hanging bouquets of exotic flowers or a towering sculpture that either smiles or grimaces at you depending on where you are standing.

Welcome to Floral Fantasy. While it may be smaller than the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories, it more than makes up with its sheer offerings. It is a world filled with hanging bouquets, imaginative floral displays, and towering sculptures.

As one of the main attractions within the Garden by the Bay that opened to the public in April 2019, it has plenty to offer. Spread across 1,500 sq m of space, this cooled conservatory features over 3,000 varieties of exotic plants, flowers, and trees on display. Where else can you see plants such as the ominously sounding Darth Vader begonias and Japanese Fuchsia hybrids, or even a special enclosure that houses colorful poison dart frogs? Chances are, step into Floral Fantasy and you will be transported to another parallel world that is part Alice in Wonderland, and part The Lost World.

Explore different landscapes

Floral Fantasy is divided into four settings – Dance, Float, Waltz, and Drift. So, whether it is a beautiful bouquet that is suspended from high ceilings in Dance, clicking a photo with Nobu – the garden guardian who watches over his fauna in Float, Waltz where the poison dart frogs now call home, or the dark cavern in Drift with more than 50 species of plants from Central and South America, including orchids that grow from the rocks, and ferns hang from the ceiling. There is also another of Singapore’s famed residents, the Merlion. This wooden sculpture was previously a part of the floral display at the Flower Dome. He has now taken up permanent residency here at Floral Fantasy.

Floral Fantasy seamlessly merges art, nature, and technology into one enriching one-of-a-kind experience that is, well, Instagram-worthy.

Unfortunately, there is one last section that was closed when I went there – Fantasy 4D Theatre, where you get to experience Gardens by the Bay through the eyes of a dragonfly. However, this was in 2022, immediately after COVID-19 restrictions had been removed. Hopefully, I will be luckier the next time.

By the way, let me know if you managed to spot any of Nobu’s nine fairy friends hiding among the flowers. I didn’t.

Plan your magical escape

Gardens by the Bay is located at 18 Marine Garden Drive, Singapore 018953. Thanks to its central location, in the heart of the city, and its proximity to the Marina Bay Sands resort and the Central Business District area, it can be easily reached by various modes of public transportation.

However, I found it most convenient to hop onto Singapore’s super-efficient MRT system. It is one of the best forms of public transport I have used in this city. Once you get off at Bayfront Station, look for signs directing you to Gardens by the Bay. Brace yourself, it is quite a long walk, and depending on how you pace yourself, should take about 10 minutes. As for those of you keeping track of your daily count of steps, smile at yourself and march on. Once you reach the end, walk down a flight of stairs, and you will have reached Gardens by the Bay.

While it is open on all days of the week, check for specific timing, depending on which day you plan on visiting. You can visit the official Floral Fantasy page to know more about opening hours, ticket prices, things to do, and lots more.