This article on the Gardens by the Bay Light Show in Singapore was last updated in June 2020.
Twice a night, 12 of the 18 vertical gardens at the Gardens by the Bay’s Supertree Grove come alive in a dazzling 15-minute light and sound display called “Garden Rhapsody”. And the best part, it’s absolutely free. While Singapore isn’t your go-to place for stargazing, this colourful Gardens by the Bay light show matches up pretty well. It’s definitely one of our top things to do in Singapore for first time visitors or couples looking for a bit of romance.
While the show is free, you should always plan ahead so you can get the best out of your experience. This article was created for this purpose in mind – to give you a local insider guide into watching the Gardens by the Bay Light Show with as much information as possible.
Read on to learn more about the Gardens by the Bay Light Show including local tips and tricks to make your visit that much more satisfying. And don’t forget to save our complete guide to Gardens by the Bay.
What is Gardens by the Bay and the Supertree Grove
Before understanding all there is to know about the Gardens by the Bay Light Show, you probably want to learn about the place it is located in – the Supertree Grove in Gardens by the Bay.
History of Gardens by the Bay
Usually city planners want to create green spaces within an otherwise industrial area. Yet the aim here is flipped around to create a “City in a Garden”. So in 2006 an international competition was held to make this dream into a reality.
The winners, both from the UK, were Grant Associates (Bay South) and Gustafson Porter (Bay East). This was narrowed down from 170 firms from over 23 countries. After holding a public exhibition of the master plan concepts, there was only positive feedback with 85% saying they loved the design and 97% stating they would definitely visit.
After the announcement of the S$900 million construction research began where the National Parks Board acquired plants and trees from around the world. At HortPark, a S$7-million research facility was erected where six glasshouses simulated different climatic conditions. After testing, the first shipment of over 210,000 bromeliads, native to the Americas, was carried out.
The first phase of Bay East was opened to the public in October 2011 and the official opening of Bay South was on 29 June 2012. Bay East borders the Marina reservoir and has a total area of 32 hectares and a 2km walkway. It’s probably one of the best areas to watch the sunset and witness the miraculous Singapore skyline with the Singapore Flyer, ArtScience Museum (one of the top museums in Singapore) and Marina Bay Sands in the distance.
Bay South is the largest of the gardens, expanding a total area of 54 hectares and has all the top attractions like the Conservatories, Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Children’s Garden, and of course, the Supertree Grove. These are fantastic spots to visit in Singapore when it rains.
Bay Central serves as a link between Bay South and Bay East. It’s a 3km waterfront promenade that is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll or a quick jog.
Since opening Gardens by the Bay has won many awards including the World Building of the Year in 2012, the President’s Design Award (Singapore) in 2013, the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Themed Entertainment Association in 2014, the Largest Glass Greenhouse (Flower Dome) in the Guinness World Records for 2015, and is always a top pick on Tripadvisor (currently at 4.5 stars in July 2019 with over 50k reviews).
There are constant and ever-changing programs available at Gardens by the Bay, so above the multitude of flowers and plants, you can expect festivals, music concerts and even outdoor movie screenings. But one of the fixtures is the nightly “Garden Rhapsody” that is open everyday without fail and happens within the Supertree Grove.
Interesting fact: The Gardens by the Bay Light Show happens every night except for Earth Hour that happens once a year near to the end of March. Shooting of the Hollywood movie Crazy Rich Asians was even stopped so that they could carry on with the show for the general public.
The Supertree Grove
The Supertrees, within the Supertee Grove are probably one of Singapore’s most recognisable attractions. They measure between 25 and 50 m in height and provide a sort of artificial canopy with the OCBC Skyway bridging the Supertrees at 22m.
While visiting the Supertree Grove is free, going up the OCBC Skyway does have a fee. You can book it in conjunction with a ticket to Gardens by the Bay advance while skipping sometimes very long queue and getting a discount on Klook
Gardens by the Bay Light Show
As mentioned, every night without fail there is a free musical and lights show at the Supertree Grove but let’s talk about what the show is about and where the best seats in the house are.
The Light at the Gardens by the Bay Light Show
Standing at 25m to 50m tall, these iconic tree-like steel structures are bejeweled from top to bottom with colorful dotted lights. These lights blink on and off in time to the whimsical music playing across the garden.
Meanwhile, the huge cone-like structures at the top of each Supertree also glow in changing colours. When you’re looking up at all of the Supertrees’ moving displays against the night sky, you feel like you’re having a mystical, fantasy-like experience.
The best part?
These Supertrees are eco-friendly, using solar panels to harvest light energy to illuminate the trees at night. Taking an Insta-live of the show will not fail to please your followers as it is one of the most Instagram-worthy places to be in Singapore.
The Sound at the Gardens by the Bay Light Show
Produced by local music director and composer Philip Tan and lighting designer Gabriel Chan, the theme of “Garden Rhapsody” is “The Trees of Life” to celebrate the harmonious co-existence of Man and Garden. The eccentric, orchestral music actually features recordings of the sounds made by the trees, plants and creatures at Gardens by the Bay.
With over 162,900 plants planted on the Supertrees alone, you know you’re going to hear some some pretty exotic but delightful sounds.
The music comes out of 68 independent audio speakers hidden among the greenery in the area as if there are live musicians by your feet. This surround-sound experience wherever you’re standing in the Supertree Grove really hits home the show’s theme of harmony between Man and Garden.
It drives home the idea that even though Singapore is a bustling cosmopolitan city, we can still be surrounded by the wonders and sounds of nature.
But what we love the most about Gardens by the Bay Light Show is that the performance changes often. For example, during the Mid-Autumn Festival it was changed to a pan-Asian performance, and for National Day every year the show performs a version of Majulah Singapore, the national anthem.
Experiencing Gardens by the Bay Light Show
Take the opportunity of spending some time at Gardens by the Bay Supertree Grove to bring a picnic mat and enjoy this night spectacle lying down.
Top tip: lie down on the seating area directly under the Supertrees for the best views in the house. Come at least 15mins before the show as this secret is becoming very well known (thousands of people read this article every month!) and space fills up quickly.
Later, you can head to the Satay by the Bay
No doubt, the best view is actually from above where you can immerse yourself in the show from the 22m-high OCBC Skyway, a walkway connecting three of the Supertrees which offers panoramic views of the show from up high. There is a S$5 fee to go up and last ticket sale is at 8pm so you will have to come here for the early Gardens by the Bay Light Show.
If you want to go up the OCBC Skyway we recommend you come early as queues can reach up to 50 mins during this time. Another thing to keep in mind is that you will only be allowed 15mins on the Skyway during peak times to time your visit wisely.
Make a special visit during Christmas, National Day and Chinese New Year for special editions of “Garden Rhapsody”, where the blinking lights are timed to the beat of popular holiday jingles. Then you can make your way to Chinatown for some more festivities, or stay on and visit the rest of Gardens by the Bay:
- Buy the combo ticket to Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and OCBC Skywalk here
- Buy Combo ticket for the Singapore Flyer, Cloud Forest and Flower Dome here
GOURMETbus Tour!
There is a really nice bus dinner tour that stops off at the Supertree Grove for the light show as well as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, Esplanade Theatre. The perfect choice if you don’t want to stress about getting there on time and also want to learn some amazing facts about Singapore. You can book the GOURMETbus tour here
Gardens by the Bay Light Show time
Gardens by the Bay is located on 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953 and you can get here on the MRT, yellow line, or by taxi. There is a taxi stop a couple of minutes walk from the Supertree Grove, make sure to ask to be dropped there, the park is huge.
Show times of the gardens by the Bay Light Show are 7:45pm & 8:45pm daily with additional shows during holiday seasons. The show duration is 15 minutes and admission is free.
If you find yourself in need of more amazing things to see in Singapore, then don’t forget to save our choice of free walking tours in Singapore.
Note: As mentioned above, the only time that the show does not run is during Earth Hour, once a year, usually around the end of March.
How to get to Gardens by the Bay Supertree Grove (with Map)
There are three ways to get to Gardens by the Bay:
- Taxi (or Grab): There are a few drop-off points when you type Gardens by the Bay on Grab. The closest point to the Supertrees is the main entrance by the Supertrees in the Golden Garden.
- MRT: Arrive at Bayfront MRT on the yellow Circle and the blue Downtown lines and take exit B which is near the Bayfront Plaza.
- On foot: There are several ways to get there on foot. Read how below.
If you’re in the Marina area, go via the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Shoppes area and take the bridge crossing that’s suspended above Marina Bay Sands hotel lobby atrium. From the Shoppes main atrium, nearest to the casino entrance (not where the convention center is), look for escalators that go up by either Breitling or Franck Muller (pictures below). You’ll see a roof with trees. Cross the main road toward Marina Bay Sands Hotel and then continue across the atrium toward Gardens by the Bay.
If you can’t locate the escalators, cross the road from the Shoppes to Marina Bay Sands Hotel via the only pedestrian crossing there is and look for an external elevator that is right by the main road. You will then be on the same bridge and be able to cross towards Gardens by the Bay. Note that this is also probably the most scenic way to arrive at Gardens by the Bay and also gives you the chance to see iconic Marina Bay Sands.
Lastly, on foot, if you feel like a walk, you can also walk the entire promenade along the Shoppes until the very end, past the ArtScience Museum, descend the ramp that is below the Helix Bridge and you will find yourself following the Marina Reservoir water’s edge.
You will pass Pollen and after about 15min you will reach the Conservatories (you can’t miss them) and the Barrage would be at the very end of that promenade (10min after the Conservatories).
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