The Night We Finally Saw the Supertrees Light Up

We only had a couple of days left in Singapore, so after finishing our Hop-On Hop-Off tour, we decided to explore Gardens by the Bay. We were basically trying to squeeze in as much as we could before heading to Malaysia. When you know your trip is almost over, every stop suddenly feels more important. We want to leave with as many memories (and photos) as possible.

Before going, Gabbie already warned me that getting to the area where we could watch the light and sound show would involve a lot of walking. I thought she was exaggerating a little, but after a few minutes… I realized she was not kidding at all. The place is huge. Thankfully, it didn’t feel too bad because there was always something interesting to see along the way.

While we were walking, we noticed some people riding bicycles around the area. They looked so relaxed compared to us walking under the humidity. I jokingly told Gabbie that we should rent one later if our legs decided to give up halfway. At that point, it already sounded like a very good idea.

From a distance, I kept staring at the Cloud Forest dome. It looked so impressive even from far away. The structure itself already stands out, and knowing that it’s a climate-controlled dome that recreates the environment of tropical mountain forests made it even more interesting. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go inside because we were focused on catching the evening show. Still, I told myself that it’s a good reason to come back to Singapore someday. There’s always something you don’t get to do on the first visit and that's okay.

As we continued walking, we started paying more attention to the plants around us. I mean, it is Gardens by the Bay, so you’d expect to see a lot of beautiful plants and landscaping everywhere.

At one point, we saw a plant that looked so perfect that we actually started debating whether it was real or fake. It looked like something you’d see in a display, not something growing naturally outside. Of course, after looking closer, we realized it was real. We laughed about it because it just showed how well-maintained everything was.

The longer we walked, the more I could feel the humidity. Singapore weather was definitely doing its thing and I had already started sweating a lot. The funny part is that I was wearing a jacket earlier when we first arrived. I thought it might get breezy later in the evening but I quickly realized that was not the case. I ended up taking it off not long after we started walking. Since my bag was already full, I had no choice but to carry the jacket over my shoulder for the rest of the walk.

At one point, I saw a view that made me stop immediately to take a photo. Everywhere we looked, the place was just beautiful! Clean pathways, unique structures, and greenery that made the whole area feel peaceful despite the number of visitors around.

When we reached a certain spot, Gabbie suddenly told me to pose because she wanted to take photos of me. The problem was that by that time, I already looked tired and a bit messy from the walk. I was sweating, my hair probably wasn’t cooperating anymore, and I was still carrying my jacket on my shoulder like a confused traveler who didn’t plan properly for the weather. I even covered my face in some shots because I was feeling a little shy and sweaty at the same time. So just focus on the view behind me 😆

After our little photoshoot, I took the chance to really look around and capture more photos of the place. Seeing the Supertrees up close was amazing. They’re so tall and impressive that you almost feel small standing near them. It made me think about how places like this are designed to make people stop, look up, and appreciate the moment. I even joked that if you think your problems are big, you should try standing next to those supertrees for a while. They might change your perspective.

After walking for quite some time, we decided to sit down and take a short break. We wanted to rest, freshen up a bit, and just enjoy the view in front of us. That’s when we remembered the chocolate desserts we had with us.

Earlier that day, before we started the Hop-On Hop-Off tour, we stopped by the school where Gabbie used to teach. By chance, we ran into one of her students, and the student gave those chocolates to her.

It turned out to be perfect timing because we were already a bit tired and hungry. We sat there, eating the sweets while looking around at the scenery. Good thing I also brought water with me because we couldn’t find a store nearby at that time.

After resting for a while, we decided to start walking again to find a good spot for the light and sound show. At this point, more and more people were arriving. You could feel the excitement building as everyone started looking for a place to sit or stand before the show began.

We were also trying to locate a comfort room, so I took a photo of one of the signs we passed by. I knew that if we didn’t take a picture of it, we might forget where it was later.

As the sun started to set, the view slowly became even more beautiful. The lighting changed, the sky started getting softer in color, and everything just looked better. We also noticed that there were fewer people left on the observatory deck as the evening went on.

Eventually, we found a good spot where we could stay and wait for the show. Since we didn’t have anything to sit on, we used the paper bags from the chocolates as a seat cover while we sat on the ground. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked perfectly for us.

Right beside us were beautiful lantern displays that were part of a Mid-Autumn event showcasing Korean culture. The lanterns added even more color and atmosphere to the place.

There was also a pavilion nearby that looked stunning in person, especially with the lights starting to turn on around the area. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a good photo of it because there were too many people around.

Then finally, the show started. The supertrees lit up and everyone around us seemed completely focused on the lights and music.

After the show ended, we started walking around to find the exit. Since we weren’t familiar with the layout, we just followed where most of the people were going. That became our simple strategy for the night. We didn’t really mind the idea of getting a little lost. Sometimes that’s part of the fun when you’re exploring a new place.

On the way out, we saw more lantern displays celebrating the Mid-Autumn event. To end our night at Gardens by the Bay, Gabbie took one last photo of me with a lot of tourists around. She laughed and said I looked like a real tourist in that picture.

The photo turned out a bit blurry because I told her to take it quickly. I still get a little awkward taking photos when there are a lot of people watching 🥹