Singapore has once again raised the standard for airports in Southeast Asia. Famed for its exceptional attractions like the butterfly garden and the jewel rain vortex indoor waterfall, Changi Airport has recently opened yet another attraction that just might be the next tourist attractor: the Bamboo Grove.
With a bevy of bamboo species collected from all over Asia, the Bamboo Grove captures that natural zen atmosphere like the bamboo garden in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Indulging visitors in a serene retreat in the midst of the never resting airport scene. In this article, we will give you a glimpse of Changi Airport’s newest bamboo garden spot.
Bamboo Grove: the first outdoor bamboo garden in an airport
Incorporating a thoughtfully crafted landscape with serene and wellness-inspired elements, Bamboo Grove is a newly opened outdoor nature space by the Changi Airport Group (CAG). The idea of building a bamboo garden first came up when the CAG horticulture team was discussing what to do with the small plot of land on the outskirts of Terminal 2. Subsequently, the team decided to transform the old tree bank into a tranquil bamboo sanctuary as a rest stop for visitors along the Changi Airport Connector.
Inspiration for the bamboo forest was drawn from the calmness and tranquility of East Asian landscapes, particularly the famous bamboo garden in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan. According to Traveltradejournal.com and the Changi Airport Group webpage, the open-air garden features a colorful array of Asian bamboo species, such as the Monastery Bamboo, Sacred Bali Bamboo, Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), Buddha Belly Bamboo (Bambusa ventricose) and the towering Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) that can reach up to 30 meters tall when fully grown.
To give off that zen-like atmosphere, the garden also displays plants, flowers, and huge boulders that are strategically placed across the garden. Stone slabs form a simple pathway, guiding visitors through the lush forest. While benches and lighting fixtures provide comfort and practicality, turning the Bamboo Grove into a peaceful haven for tourists to unwind and relax.
Bamboo Grove as a getaway from the busy airport life
As explained by Shaiful Sulaiman—the project lead of Bamboo Grove, the nature space is purposefully designed to be a sanctuary where visitors can stop by and soothe their minds from the crowded surrounding. Like many other gardens built at Changi, he hopes that the lush greenery of the Bamboo Grove will provide visitors with tranquil opportunity to recharge among their hectic flight schedules and give a small burst of energy for them to keep going.
Access to Changi Airport’s Bamboo Grove
Strategically located near Terminal 2 of Changi Airport, the Bamboo Grove is just a three-minute walk from the Hub & Spoke Café, making it the perfect spot to get some fresh air or take some instagramable pictures after a good meal time.
Unlike the cactus and butterfly gardens, which are exclusively open for transit passengers only, the good news is the Bamboo Grove is open to the public 24 hours a day, with no entry fees. So, if you happen to transit at Changi Airport, you can pay a visit to Bamboo Grove any time and enjoy a soothing natural bamboo scenery in between your flight.
