Gardens by the Bay named third top attraction in the world: Tripadvisor 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards

Gardens by the Bay has been named the third top attraction worldwide, according to travel guidance platform Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things To Do.

In an April 28 statement, the Singapore attraction was listed behind Edinburgh’s The Royal Yacht Britannia (No. 1) and Barcelona’s Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (No. 2) in the Top Attractions in the World category. It edged out New York’s Empire State Building (No. 4) and the Cayman Islands’ Cayman Crystal Caves (No. 5).

Rounding out the top 10 are Edinburgh’s The Real Mary King’s Close (No. 6), Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland (No. 7), Paris’ Eiffel Tower (No. 8), Memphis’ Sun Studio (No. 9) and Bodoquena’s Cachoeira Boca da Onca (No. 10).

According to a description on Tripadvisor.com, Gardens by the Bay “looks like a fantasy land”. “Wander through the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Skyway, snapping Insta-worthy pictures of Singapore’s skyline. There are also special exhibits, eye-popping sculptures and interactive activities that are fun for the whole family.”

The 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings posted on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period from Feb 1, 2025 to Jan 31, 2026, as well as an additional editorial process.

Gardens by the Bay’s chief executive Felix Loh said in a statement: “For a small city-state like ours, being recognised internationally by Tripadvisor as home to one of the world’s top three attractions is truly humbling.

“This achievement belongs to everyone – our dedicated partners, volunteers and sponsors, and especially to all Singaporeans whose unwavering support made this possible.”

Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome is currently holding its 12th edition of Tulipmania, a floral display featuring 65,000 tulips of more than 30 varieties.

This showcase opened on April 24 and will run until May 17, and features three of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh’s iconic paintings brought to life in flowers. For example, his beloved painting The Starry Night (1889) is recreated with calibrachoas, alyssums, pansies and lobelias.

The display also features a recreation of the iconic Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, as well as reproductions of celebrated works from the Dutch Golden Age, including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (1642) and Johannes Vermeer’s Girl With A Pearl Earring (1665).

In addition, there is a recreation of the historic De Kat Windmill – the world’s last working windmill, located in the municipality of Zaanstad in the Netherlands, that still produces pigments and dyes from raw materials.

Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud Forest is exhibiting Jurassic World: The Experience, which brings to life the cinematic wonder of the Jurassic World film franchise (1993 to 2025) through life-size animatronic dinosaurs, such as a Tyrannosaurus rex and 8.5m-tall brachiosaurus, surrounded by lush greenery and misty waterfalls.

Its Floral Fantasy venue has a My Little Pony Petals of Friendship showcase, featuring fan-favourites ponies Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle from the toyline and media franchise.

There are floral landscapes designed to reflect each pony’s unique personality, and this showcase runs until May 31. Visitors will also get to meet another three ponies – Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Cadance – against a majestic Canterlot-inspired backdrop.

This article was originally published on The Straits Times. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.