Wandering beneath giant trees that look like they may have landed from out of space. Pondering over just how the plants grow vertically along the tree trunks and wondering how they are watered. Alighting the super trees to enjoy beautiful views over the city and surrounding area is a quintessential Singapore experience and one that is loved by adults and children alike. Especially if you factor in time for a play at the huge water play park and magical Cloud Forest (my five year old loved exploring this dome with its huge indoor waterfall and secret worlds)!

Gardens by the Bay has become a Singapore icon. It was created in 2007 after the Singapore government had a vision to create a ‘city within a garden’. They held a competition for the master plan design which way 70 entries submitted from over 24 countries and the result is history! The gardens are an exciting way to present the natural world in a way that is exciting, innovative and memorable.

My husband and I had visited the Gardens by the Bay on a previous trip to Singapore when I was eighteen weeks pregnant with my first child. We had decided to spend two months in Bali between leaving our home in Sydney and making a new home, and welcoming a new addition to our family, in Byron Bay and needed to have my second scan done. My sister-in-law and her family were living there at the time so it was a great chance to visit them and the city again.

This time Andy was working so Layla, Etienne and I headed to the gardens on our own. We arrived mid morning to find the gardens pleasantly quiet. After finding our way to the super tree garden we bought a ticket (with no queue!) and alighted to what I thought was the famous walkway above the trees. Layla and Etienne loved riding the lift with the 3-d view that made it appear as if were travelling up through the plants. Once we reached the top we enjoyed the view from the huge windows, and the gorgeous roof terrace. That is when I spotted the queue for the Skyway. Oops! Never mind, we had enjoyed the extra-high view and made our way to the queue to buy a ticket for the Skyway. The walkway winds its way in between the giant trees, allowing you to get an up-close-and-personal look at how they are constructed (and how the plants are watered!) and the lookout from up this high is, of course, breathtaking. The kids were both a little uncertain about the heights but found their feet and enjoyed the chance to explore amidst the tree tops.

After a much needed iced-coffee, hello jetlag, night-waking toddlers and steamy tropical weather, we made our way over to the water play park. Along the way we found this gorgeous spot for a little portrait session (Layla’s idea this time, not mine!).

Water play at the Far East Organisation Children’s Garden!

I doubt there are many water play parks in the world with a back drop as lovely as this one! If you have the time, and are travelling with children, definitely pack your swim suits! The garden also has some great little playgrounds and a kid-specific cafe with healthy snacks and treats to fill little bellies and top up energy levels.

Cloud Forest

One thing a visit to the Gardens by the Bay is definitely not, is cheap, and my two year old was getting pretty tired and grumpy by this time. It was so tempting to call it a day and head home, but when he fell asleep in pram Layla and I decided we’d make the most of the opportunity and head to the Cloud Forest. And boy am I glad we did! It turned out to be such a highlight of the day.

Home to the world’s largest indoor waterfall, a plant and flower covered mountain shrouded in mist, a treetop walk, a cloud walk and a visit to a ‘lost world’ and ‘secret garden’ this place is heaven for little and big dreamers alike. It is a beautifully atmospheric and serene place to visit and the perfect place to contemplate whether there might be fairies living amidst the collections of crystals and ponds. We stood in awe of the waterfall, walked through archways of orchards, followed a path through the lost world, felt the spray on our faces as we stood behind the waterfall and so much more.

Not just for fun and frivolity, there was a great educational exhibition which talks about the impact we humans are having on our natural world. Layla was fascinated and concerned all at once and eager to find out what we could do to help the earth. It is so lovely to see her learn about and interact with the world and show such interest and empathy for her surroundings.