Beginning June 29th, visitors to Singapore will be able to add one more attraction to their already long list of things to see - The 133-acre Bay South Garden. Located in the city's swanky Marina Bay, the eco-park is the first of three attractions under the Garden by the Bay project, a 250-acre (the size of 190 football fields) green initiative embarked on by Singapore's government in 2006.
While it promises many wonderful attractions, the most anticipated one is the Gold and Silver Gardens - A series of the 18 gigantic super-trees that were inspired by the tallest and most dominant rainforest trees.
While made from metal, the trees that range from 80-164 feet in height, are as eco-friendly as their greener counterparts. Their large canopies do not only collect rain water, but also, absorb heat and provide shade, helping the over 200,000 species of flowers and ferns planted around and below them, flourish. Thanks to their built-in photovoltaic solar cells that capture the sun's energy, they also provide enough green energy to power the park lights and water pumps.
Even better is the fact the some of the giant trees are linked together to form a 420-foot long skywalk, enabling visitors to stroll around and enjoy the view from the top. For those that wish to linger a little longer, there is even a restaurant!
Besides these gorgeous 'trees', the Bay South Garden is also home to The Flower Dome, a giant conservatory filled with some of the world's most exotic flower species, The Dragonfly Lake that is filled with various species of fish and plants and many other eco-friendly attractions.
Home to over 5 million residents, Singapore boasts of one of the highest population densities in the world. While beautiful, the popular tourist destination is largely an urban sprawl - Something, the government is now trying to change with this $700 million USD initiative. Their mission is to transform Singapore from a 'City Garden' to a City In A Garden'. If the other two green initiatives are as cool, we have no doubt they will succeed.
Resources: digitaltrends.com, gardenbythebay.org.sg