A visit to the Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest in Singapore is one that will be hard to forget. Housed within a 58-metre high columnless glass dome, the breathtaking attraction highlights the fragility of the world’s cloud forests.
What exactly is a cloud forest? These are forests found in certain regions of the world where mountains rise to 3,000 metres resulting in forests persistently blanketed in mist and fog.
To view them, you would normally need to travel to the inaccessible reaches of Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa – or you could visit Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest dome instead. Together, the Cloud Forest and the adjacent Flower Dome make up Gardens by the Bay’s Cooled Conservatories.
Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for some useful tips to know when you are planning a visit to the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay.
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Inside the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay
The Waterfall in a Dome
Stepping inside the Cloud Forest dome, you will find it hard not to be impressed by the majestic waterfall thundering down from five streams 35 metres above.
This stunning waterfall dares visitors to brave the mist for a picture at its base. We definitely think it is worth it. In any case you are likely to get wet as you may your way past the waterfall. So, why not get a memorable picture while you there anyway!
Follow the path that leads up around the lush, green plant-covered mountainside – this is the Cloud Forest mountain that you will be ascending.
Orchid Haven
As you make your way in, you will come to the Orchid Haven, a space that normally displays a variety of orchids. Launched on 30 July 2021, Orchid Haven is a dedicated space within the cooled conservatory that will will host both permanent orchid exhibits as well as a changing display.
Therefore, don’t be surprised if there are special changing exhibits being held within the Orchid Haven, for example, exhibitions like Flight of the Moth Orchid and the Azaleas of Shangri-La display.
Getting to the Summit of the Cloud Forest Mountain
You may be wondering how you will be getting to the top of the Cloud Forest mountain? There is no need to worry having to climb your way. There is a lift that waits to take you up to the 6th level.
From the 6th level, you can take a flight of stairs to ascend one level to the Lost World at the summit. Visitors in wheelchairs will find a lift that goes up one level.
Lost World
The Lost World garden at the top of Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest showcases plants that grow at high altitude.
Among the interesting plants here are carnivorous pitcher plants.
You may notice a glass sculpture in the pond at the Lost World. This is the Ethereal White Persians sculpture by world famous sculptor Dale Chihuly. This sculpture was donated by the Tanoto Foundation as a gift to Gardens by the Bay on the attraction’s 10th anniversary in 2022. It also follows Dale Chihuly’s first major garden exhibition in Asia, held at Gardens by the Bay.
Cloud Walk
From the Lost World, you can start to make the descent downwards along the dizzyingly high Cloud Walk.
This metal walkway will take you out towards Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest’s glass dome and offers a wonderful view of the outdoor gardens and children’s playground.
It is also a chance to get an up close view of the epiphytes that cover the exterior of the mountain. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants rather than on soil.
Counted among the ranks of epiphytes are mosses and orchids. They are commonly found growing in the moist environments found in cloud forests and they can get their supply of water from the water vapour in the air.
Those who don’t have a fear of heights can also look down to admire the view. You can get a sense of how high up you are when you see the people the size of ants below.
The Cloud Walk is also a good spot for you to look out at the waters of the Marina Bay.
The Marina Bay is a freshwater reservoir and it is created by the Marina Barrage, a dam that you can see in the distance to the south. Look in the other direction and you can view the Singapore Flyer and the Grand Prix F1 Pit Building.
Cavern & Waterfall View
Exiting the Cloud Walk, you will arrive at the Cavern. This a transitory space where you can take an escalator down one level to get to the Waterfall View.
Waterfall View is a ledge that extends out of the Cloud Forest mountain.
You can peer down to the entrance where you first entered into the Cloud Forest, or take a picture with the backdrop of the falling water flowing down from the Lost World level above.
The Hidden Forest
This is a digital art experience that brings the rare flora and fauna found in real cloud forest ecosystems to live.
Step inside and discover the Tree of Laziness, an orchid that resembles a monkey’s face, and a flirtatious flower that appeals to hummingbirds by day but beckons to bats by night.
The Hidden Forest experience portrays the interconnectedness of plant and animal life in the unique and layered ecosystems of cloud forests.
The experience continues on the floor below to encounter more of the animals of cloud forests up close.
Touch the walls, and a sloth making its slow way along a branch of a Tree of Laziness appears. The sloth also helps to pollinate the tree through defecation of the seeds when it descends to the ground once a week. Spot an Andean Bear, which is also called the spectacled bear because of the creamcoloured fur circles around its eyes, an omnivorous bear reliant on bromeliads for food and the “cup” formed by their rosette-shaped leaves for water.
Find out more about The Hidden Forest at Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay.
Tree Top Walk
Beside the Crystal Mountain area, you will find the second of Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest’s walkways. This is the Tree Top Walk and it offers a canopy-level view of the trees planted at the ground level.
+5 Degrees
Venture further down the mountain and you can learn about the threats facing the world’s environment.
There are displays that provide information about the challenges that the earth’s climate is facing.
Then stop by and take a seat to watch +5 Degrees, a multimedia presentation that vividly highlights the effects of rising temperatures on the world’s environment.
Secret Garden
The way out from the Cloud Forest is via the Secret Garden. This area simulates a ravine filled with moisture-loving plants.
As you take a walk through the Secret Garden, do stop to look up to admire the towering mountain above.
Along the way, there are also magnifying glasses where you can stop to appreciate small plants that flourish in the wet environment of the ravine.
Don’t forget to pause to view the limestone formations either.
The Secret Garden is a nice spot to bid farewell to the Cloud Forest.
5 Tips for Visiting the Cloud Forest
1. Purchase Your Tickets Online
One of the best tips we can give you for visiting the Cloud Forest is to purchase your tickets online. This will save you having to queue for tickets in the heat. Instead, you get your tickets on your phone and make your way directly to the entrance of the dome.
2. Misting Times
The plants at Cloud Forest get “watered” through a mist. The mist comes on at the even hours of the day.
Visit at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm and 8 pm to see Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest turn into a scene from Jurassic Park or Avatar.
3. Take Your Time
There is no need to rush through the Cloud Forest. Instead, take your time and stop to admire the beauty of the flowers. If you take your time, you will notice the small details like the sculptures that decorate the dome. There are different photo spots all through the dome.
4. Look Up & Down
Don’t just look at the flower at eye level. From Orchid Haven and the Secret Garden, be sure to look up too! This will give you another perspective of the wonder of the Cloud Forest.
5. Visit at Dusk or at Night for a Different View
The Cloud Forest looks completely different in the evening. It takes on an added air of mystery when night falls. For a different view, pay a visit in the evening or for the best of both worlds, visit at dusk. Do take note that there is no reentry with tickets. So you can’t visit in the day and reenter in the evening.
Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest
Opening Hours: 9 am to 9 pm, last admission at 8.30 pm
Admission fees apply
Go to the Gardens by the Bay website to purchase tickets.
