We are back to being ‘Accidental Tourists’ in our home-country Singapore once again, since it is the June holidays and I have planned a series of June excursions for K and I this month.
K has been been sharing with me that many of his classmates will be going on holiday to a foreign country during the June holidays. I have told him that there isn’t a need for us to travel this June, since we can easily become tourists in Singapore.
There are plenty of places that are still rather foreign to us, since there have been many new attractions sprouting out in Singapore the past couple of months; SEA Aquarium (I am likely the last blogger in SIngapore who hasn’t been there), River Safari and quite a number of places within Sentosa island. Yes, we don’t go out much since this mom generally is afraid of the humid heat and crowds.
The last time we visited Gardens by the Bay was almost a year ago, and having heard about their new displays in the conservatories, I took time off this week and went on an excursion of the gardens with K. Like our last visit, we skipped the open-air hot-enough-make-us-melt outdoor gardens and Supertree Groves, since we visited the place in the late morning and stayed there for the next 3 hours. We are likely the rare few visitors to the gardens who have yet to see the light displays of the Supertrees in the evening, as the hb is not convinced that we should be jostling with the crowds on any given weekend.
The Domes in the Gardens were similar to what I remembered from my last visit. I enjoyed the dry temperate ‘weather’ brimming with beautiful blooms in the Flower Dome, and a moist-temperate environment filled with lush vegetation of ferns, orchids and curious pitcher plants in Cloud Forest Dome.
Before heading to any of the conservatories, be sure to pick up a copy of ‘Blow Wind Blow’, a self-guided interactive Garden trial activity guide from the Visitor Information Counter of Gardens by the Bay Canopy area. This activity guide highlights the importance of wind in the pollination process and children from 5 years old and above can use the guide to help them locate some wind-pollinated plants within the Flower Dome Conservatory.
In line with their theme of ‘Flight of Fancy’, the vibrant floral displays are accentuated with the lively addition of balloons and hot air balloons, with the thematic concept extended to both conservatories for June-July 2013.
Over at the Cloud Forest dome, see kites and more hot air balloons displays amid the exotic orchids and beguiling begonias. ‘Blow wind Blow’ activity trail continues to a seed display at the the Crystal Mountain in the Cloud Forest Dome.
Before ascending into the 35m Crystal Mountain by lift, look out for a model train display with its intricate scenery, complete with a kampong house-on-stilts.
The ‘Flight of Fancy’ theme floral display in the cooled conservatories in Gardens by the Bay will be a great wet-weather alternative or if you are like me, looking for places to go with the kid this June and July, without having to suffer under the scorching weather.
However, you may want to consider using the activity trial guide of ‘Blow Wind Blow’, only if your child is 5 years old and above. As the activity guide is not age-appropriate for children below 5 years old, as most may find a challenge to understand the science concepts included in the guide.
Looking out to the Singapore Flyer from Crystal Mountain in Cloud Forest Dome
Information on admission charges and opening hours for Gardens by the Bay can be found here.
Disclosure : I was invited by Gardens by the Bay to visit their new theme displays in the cooled conservatories, but not compensated to write this post. All opinions shared are from my own experience.
