SINGAPORE’S Gardens by the Bay is to be a top attraction for Gulf-based families planning Eid vacations, as on-target summer visitor numbers indicate the city-state as a preferred holiday destination, said Dubai-based tourism officials from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Gardens by the Bay, which was officially inaugurated on June 29, 2012, spans an impressive 101 hectares and is nestled in the heart of Singapore’s new downtown, near the Marina Bay Sands, a spectacular destination for entertainment, business and shopping.
Mohamed Hafez Marican, area director for the Middle East and Africa, STB, said. “Singapore offers a multi-ethnic twist on Eid Al Fitr, and Gardens by the Bay is a sight that visitors will not want to miss out on.”
The super park showcases 18, massive steel ‘supertrees’ that shoot up through the foliage, illuminating Singapore’s already sparkling skyline. The 25- to 50-m-tall tree-like structures, designed by landscape-architecture consultant Grant Associates, in collaboration with Wilkinson Eyre Architects, also aid in Singapore’s green initiative, collecting rainwater, generating solar power, and acting as venting ducts for the park’s conservatory.
The billion-dollar Gardens exhibit more than 220,000 plants from every continent except Antarctica, with 163,000 plants of more than 200 species of bromeliads, orchids, ferns, and tropical climbing flowers.
The cooled-dry conservatory, the Flower Dome, features flora from the Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions, allowing nature lovers to get up close and personal with plant species like baobabs, indigenous to Madagascar, bottle trees, olive trees and date palms.
The Cloud Forest, a moist yet cool complex, houses a 35-m tall mountain complete with the tallest indoor waterfall enfolded in abundant greenery.
After taking in the one-of-a-kind green and educational experience, Gulf families who may have already visited the Harry Potter Exhibition at lushly green Mount Faber will want return for a joyride in one of Singapore Cable Car’s Angry Birds cabins. Tickets are available at Imbiah Lookout on Sentosa, Harbourfront Tower 2 and The Jewel Box. Tickets are priced at Dh105 ($28) for adults and Dh66 ($18) for children. Family packages start at Dh200 ($54).
Dubai-based STB officials have announced that on-target visitor numbers are indicating that Singapore will be a top destination for Gulf families this summer, thanks to an array of newly opened family-friendly attractions.
The city-state has already received more than 14,000 visitors from the UAE for the first quarter of 2012, an 18 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2011.
Earlier this summer, STB predicted a 20 per cent spike in the number of Gulf visitors to Singapore.