Around South East Asia: Part Eight

In which I explored the Lion City

11.12.2022: Tour Day 5

Singapore is an island country, largest port in Southeast Asia. We drove towards the Merlion and reached the statue at 3:45pm. The Merlion is part-lion and part-fish. The fish-like body symbolizes Singapore’s origins as a fishing village. The statue’s head represents the city’s original name of Singapura (lion city in Sanskrit). Everyone got into taking selfies and clicking photos. Some opening their mouth, as if drinking the water falling from the Merlion, some holding the water in their hands and what not. We could view the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, etc. Then we headed to the Clarke Quay Jetty River Cruise ticketing counter, to hop on a bumboat with the Singapore River Cruise. The entire ride lasts for 40 minutes, with a speaker describing the monuments around the river. In short, it's a city orientation tour.

Marina Bay Sands

It is a resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore and a landmark of the city. It includes a hotel, a convention-exhibition center, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, a large theatre, restaurants, two floating crystal pavilions, art-science exhibits, and the world's largest atrium casino. 

The complex includes three towers topped by the Sands Skypark, a skyway connecting 340-metre-long (1,120 ft), set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower. We walked through the whole mall to reach the lift which would take us to the Skypark. Due credit to December, the mall was decorated with lots of  Christmas trees. The lift took us swiftly through 54 floors to the Observation Deck. We got a bird's eye view of the city. We watched the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Super Trees, Art & Science Museum, Merlion, Flyer, the flowing river on one side and the port on another side. We also saw a Singapore Cruise. 

We got back to the ground and walked our way to Flower Dome. It was a long walk till the Domes, we reached there by 6:30pm. There is a Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Garden by the Bay's Flower Dome

The world's largest greenhouse has collection of exquisite florals and lush plants. Tour different gardens such as the Mediterranean Garden, Succulent Garden, Australian Garden, Californian Garden, Olive Grove, South American Garden, South African Garden, The Baobabs and Flower Fields. You can zoom in the image and read. 

We spend an hour getting lost in this flower world. There were Christmas tree decoration all over the dome.

Super Trees were not included in our itinerary, we watched those from the area near the Flower Dome. Post that we headed for dinner at Spice Grill at 8:30pm. As we were early to the hotel, I was spending time at the 7 11 shop and in the hotel, talking to group members. But at the end I had to go to my room. One more night to go.

Read next: Around South East Asia: Part Nine