Guide to Singapore Zoo

Published: July 18, 2024
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Animal lovers will relish the opportunity to visit this immensely popular zoo. Singapore Zoo is designed around the concept of housing animals in naturalistic environments and is home to more than 300 different species. It’s also one of the most beloved animal parks in the region and attracts around two million visitors per year. Come here to encounter a wide array of fauna from across the globe, including everything from Asian elephants and sea lions to reptiles and the world’s largest population of captive orangutans. Spanning multiple themed areas, the zoo itself is an expansive animal park that takes hours upon hours to explore fully, so be sure to prepare in advance of your visit. To help you plan your time at Singapore Zoo, we’ve put together this helpful guide. It’s designed to make the most of your zoo experience and includes tips for visiting, must-see exhibits, and ways to save on admission.

Singapore Zoo Tickets

Looking for discount Singapore Zoo tickets? Snag a Go Singapore pass. You’ll spend less on admission to the Singapore Zoo and dozens of other popular area attractions. Save up to 52% on combined admission versus paying at the gate. What’s more, you can choose from two pass options:

  • All-Inclusive Pass – All you can do for one fixed price. Includes admission to the zoo as well as 30+ attractions.
  • Explorer Pass – Choose a number of attractions and visit them over a 30-day period. Includes admission to the zoo plus your choice of other attractions.

Singapore Zoo Tips for Visiting

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  • Singapore Zoo covers a great deal of terrain—we recommend hopping aboard the tram to get around easier (especially if you are traveling with kids or an individual with impaired mobility).
  • We definitely recommend consulting the Singapore Zoo map prior to your visit. It will help you plan your path through the zoo and highlight what you want to see the most.
  • Those traveling with little ones who need a bit of help getting them around might want to rent a stroller or wagon.
  • If you’re visiting the zoo with some extra bags or your luggage, you can opt to rent a locker or leave your oversized luggage at the Rental Services counter for a small fee.
  • Don’t forget the basics: sunscreen, an umbrella, comfortable walking shoes, and bug spray. See our section below for more on what to bring.
  • Flash photography is prohibited for the sake of the animals—keep this in mind when snapping photos of your favorite critters.
  • All animal shows are included with park admission! If you’d like to enjoy one of these special events, consult the show schedule.
  • For those who do intend to take in an animal show, the zoo recommends that you arrive 15 minutes prior to the show start to get the best seats.
  • Likewise, you have the option to feed certain animals during pre-designated times. Check out the feeding schedule for reference.

When is the Best Time to Go to Singapore Zoo?

You should plan to spend a full day at the zoo. It’s also advisable to go early to avoid the crowds as well as to increase the likelihood of seeing animals at their most active. The more time you allow yourself to spend at the zoo, the more feedings and keeper talks you can enjoy. These special experiences take place at scheduled intervals throughout the day; consult the operating calendar before your visit to see what you’ll catch during your trip.

What to Bring

  • Water: Singapore Zoo is massive, so you’ll definitely need to stay hydrated. It’s an especially hot climate during the warmer months so extra water is highly recommended.
  • Sunscreen: Ditto for sunscreen—you’ll be outside in hot weather quite a bit and the last thing you want is a bad sunburn.
  • Umbrella: The climate in Singapore can be temperamental, so be prepared for a sudden downpour. A rain poncho wouldn’t hurt either.
  • Camera: One of the best parts of Singapore Zoo is the many opportunities you’ll get to see unique animals up close. Capture these moments with a camera or camera phone so you can remember your experience.
  • Picnic: While the zoo offers plenty of dining options, you can save money by bringing your own picnic lunch. Please remember to eat only in designated picnic areas.
  • Insect Repellent: It also gets quite buggy in the zoo, especially with so much natural vegetation devoted to the animal enclosures. Be sure to use bug spray or another form of insect repellent.

What to Do at the Zoo

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Singapore Zoo encompasses a wide array of themed animal exhibits that are designed to mimic the animals’ natural habitat. We’ve highlighted the different zones below and which animals are found within each one. Australasia Featuring a selection of marsupials from Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, this exhibit host kangaroos, wallabies, pygmy hippos, cassowaries, and more. Elephants of Asia This beautiful exhibit is designed to evoke the cultural significance of elephants as well as their natural environment. The human spaces feature Burmese architecture, while the animal spaces include plenty of space for this herd of five female elephants to play. Fragile Forest Contained within a vast biodome, this exhibit mimics a tropical rainforest habitat. Your path through the exhibit will evoke a journey through the rainforest as you encounter animals from insects and frogs, to lemurs and sloths. Frozen Tundra This exhibit captures the climate of the Arctic region to make its inhabitants feel right at home. Meet raccoon dogs from Japan and a pair of wolverines - and remember to bundle up as you walk through this area. Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia Echoing the ever-changing landscape of this unique part of Ethiopia, this exhibit houses animals that are found throughout its namesake. Catch glimpses of jackals, meerkats, baboons, and the grand ibex. Primate Kingdom The fun part about this exhibit is the fact that each primate gets its own designated “island” area to live and play in. The moats surrounding each island are filled with fish, and the islands are filled with bamboo, wild grass, and palms to keep the monkeys happy. Rainforest KidzWorld Perfect for your little ones, this section of the Singapore Zoo is filled with friendly critters. Your kids can learn all about a wide variety of animals and even “make friends” with some of the gentler ones, from rabbits and ferrets to goats and ponies. There are keeper talks and animal feedings here as well, with opportunities for young visitors to interact with select species. Plus, there’s a number of entertainment opportunities for energetic kids including a Wild Animal Carousel and a spray fountain. Reptile Garden Encompassing a number of sub-areas—including RepTopia, Tortoise Shell’ter, and Sungei Buaya—the Reptile Garden is home to these fascinating scaly, slimy, and slithery creatures. RepTopia alone houses more than 60 different species in four distinct geographical zones. Treetops Trail Also evocative of a rainforest, this is one of the more immersive exhibits in the zoo. Animals in this zone live together as they would in the wild, with multiple species spread across the different layers of the forest. Be sure to visit the elevated platform to see the critters in the canopy! Wild Africa One of the most remarkably diverse continents, Africa is home to some of the most exciting and amazing species in the entire world. This exhibit recreates that biodiversity to great effect, housing all your favorites including zebras, lions, cheetahs, rhinos, painted dogs, and more.

Where to Eat at the Zoo

There are plenty of dining options within the zoo itself, including everything from fast food and ice cream to the Ah Meng Kitchen (which features sumptuous local cuisine). You can also find the Wild Deli (which includes gourmet sandwiches and pizzas) and the Chawang Bistro (selling everything from seafood pasta to hotdogs).

Save on Tickets with a Go Singapore Pass

The Go Singapore Pass® is the best choice for saving and flexibility. Get Singapore Zoo tickets, plus admission to several other top area attractions. You’ll save up to 52% on museums, tours, and activities versus paying at the gate!

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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Singapore skyline showing the Marina Bay Sands Resort
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Singapore in November

It’s hot, it’s humid and it’s often wet. But in reality, Singapore’s climate is pretty uniform year-round, with very few weather extremes to worry about. November heralds the start of monsoon season so yeah, you can expect a few short, sharp downpours in the afternoons and evenings, but nothing a small umbrella or pocket poncho can’t handle. You’ll find it pleasantly warm the rest of the time, so be sure to pack light cottons and linens, floppy sun hats and sunscreen as you would for any vacation in the tropics. Oh, and don’t forget the mozzie repellent – those bitey little blighters just adore that sweet Singapore humidity! As ever, booking well in advance is the best way to lock in cheap prices on flights and accommodation but, as this is low season, you can also expect late deals as hotels push to fill rooms. Either way, November is one of the best times of year to grab a Singapore bargain. Things to do in Singapore in November Mandai Wildlife Reserve Nature lovers need look no further than Singapore’s premier wildlife reserve. This vast expanse of jungle, rainforest and wetland north of the city boasts not one but four distinct parks. Bird Paradise, the newest addition at time of writing, is a colorful cornucopia of pretty plumage and sweet birdsong; an enormous aviary where you can get up close to pink flamingos, turacos, toucans, rockhopper penguins and all manner of other feathery critters. The reserve is also where you’ll find Singapore Zoo and the famous Night Safari, as well as the awesome River Wonders attraction, where water-loving beasts of the world – manatees, piranhas, Indian gharials, giant pandas and more – live their best lives. Sentosa Island A day trip to Sentosa is a quintessential part of any Singapore experience. Heck, you could spend at least a week on this fun-packed south coast resort island, and still not have enough time to see it all. Start with the quite excellent cable car ride from the main island, easily Singapore’s most scenic ride, before diving into everything else this tropical playground has to offer. We’re talking the epic Universal Studios Singapore, SEA Aquarium and Adventure Cove water park. And that’s just for starters! Hit up Siloso Beach for powdery white sands, balmy waters and, um, forest luge tracks, or take the scenic route to Fort Siloso – an elevated Skywalk that takes you high above the forest canopy. Foodie Fantasia All that activity making you hungry? Singapore’s hundreds of world-class food courts and hawker centers have your back. Dodge the afternoon downpour to while away a few hours in old-school favorite Lau Pa Sat, a Singapore landmark with street food so exquisite it might just prove life-changing. The sheer variety of international cuisines here – Vietnamese, Filipino, Malaysian, Korean, Indonesian – is mind-boggling, so you’re sure to find something to tickle those tastebuds. Our advice? Look for the stalls with the longest lines and gorge on small plates from as many vendors as you can manage. Think umami chili crab (the Singaporean national dish), delicious sambal-laced laksa, red-hot rendang curry and – for the truly adventurous (and unsqueamish) only – fried pigs’ fallopian tubes in kung pao sauce. Yum! Get Some Culture Singapore’s galleries and museums are second to none. Start by immersing yourself in thousands of years of Asian history at the epic National Museum of Singapore where trying to decipher the enigmatic Singapore Stone is just one of the many fun activities available. The National Gallery houses more than 9,000 contemporary and modern artworks from Singapore and southeast Asia, with highlights including Georgette Chen’s evocative series of family portraits and Singaporean Choo Keng Kwang’s woodcuts and oil paintings. Hit up the futuristic ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands for immersive exhibitions and a gallery that’s packed with eye-popping VR artworks. The museum’s in-house cinema screens a curated selection of classic movies, documentaries and arthouse films for Singapore’s hip crowd. What’s on in Singapore in November? Visitors to Singapore in November – especially late November – will find a city already gearing up for the festive season. Never anything short of spectacular, the gorgeous Gardens by the Bay ramp things up to the all-singing all-dancing max with their awesome Christmas Wonderland event. Get your snow fix at Blizzard Time, visit Frosty’s Fairground for all manner of prize-winning opportunities, and enjoy a romantic stroll beneath the 75,000 festive bulbs that illuminate the aptly named Walk of Lights. And if it’s lights you want, you’ll find some of the very best along Orchard Road, which also just happens to be home to the finest (and largest) malls in town. This popular annual attraction, titled ‘Christmas on A Great Street’, more than lives up to its boastful name, with oodles of street food stalls, pop-up gift stores and more carnival rides and Christmas villages than you can shake a candy cane at. November is also when the Singapore International Film Festival rolls into town, giving fans of (mostly) Asian and world cinema a rare chance to catch exclusive screenings, as well as attending industry workshops, discussions, director Q&A\s, awards ceremonies and more at glittering venues across the city. It’s always worth going along, even if just for the celeb-spotting opportunities alone! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
The bandstand in Singapore Botanic Gardens.
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Singapore in May

As Singapore lurches towards the busy summer season, May presents one of the last opportunities to see the city in (relative) peace and quiet before the vacationing hordes descend. It’s also one of the hottest and most humid months of the year here but, again, it’s all relative on an island where the climate doesn’t really vary all that much from one end of the year to the other. Read on for our expert guide to visiting Singapore in May. Visiting Singapore in May Temperature: 77–88°F • Average Rainfall: 19 days/month • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day Don’t let that scary-looking rainfall stat put you off: May is so hot and humid in Singapore that, believe us, you’ll be glad of the respite provided by those occasional brief downpours. These short thunderstorms are mere amuse bouches for the monsoon season proper, which arrives in June and doesn’t begin to peter out until September. There’s also sunshine in May, and lots of it, so prepare accordingly by donning massive Jackie O sunglasses, light cotton and linen clothing and the floppiest, widest-brimmed sun hat you can lay your hands on. Or make like the locals and pack a parasol for the midday sun and an umbrella for the afternoon downpour. Like the climate, hotel prices don’t vary much across the year in Singapore. But May, loosely speaking, is low season, so you’re more likely to find good deals now than, say, in June or July. Our advice? Book well ahead to take advantage of any early bird discounts that may be available. Things to do in Singapore in May May’s hot, humid weather means you won’t want to be outdoors all the time. Indeed you’ll likely find yourself sweatily seeking out air-conditioned malls, restaurants, hawker centers and, heck, even public transport, every hour or so, just to get a bit of respite. A great way to spend a sizzling May day is to get out and about early, discovering the kinds of fine outdoors attractions that have earned Singapore its ‘Garden City’ nickname before the heat really begins to bite around noon. Dodge the soaring temperatures with a few indoor attractions in the afternoon before seeking out a beach or rooftop bar for cocktails at sunset. Perfect. Singapore’s many gardens and forests are great fun for exploring, and have the added benefit of providing a bit of natural shade and temperature control on warm days. Hotfoot it to the spectacular Gardens by the Bay where the OCBC Skyway provides some fine aerial views from 22 meters up in the canopy of the park’s iconic Supertrees. Or stick to the trunks, where your morning stroll is absolutely gratis. Step inside the vast durian-shaped hothouses for ancient olive groves, a sky-high waterfall and carpets of colorful blooms that emit an intoxicating riot of perfumes. Across town, Singapore’s Botanic Gardens provide further opportunities to smell the roses. And orchids. And Rafflesia. This sprawling 200-acre oasis also has a picture-perfect bandstand and peaceful Swan Lake, ticking off your Instagram and picnic requirements in one fell swoop. Equally alluring are the Southern Ridges, where six miles of elevated walkways and jungle trails, weave along the island’s south coast, connecting Mount Faber Park and the Labrador Nature Reserve. Expect to see (and hear) a rainbow of native birdlife as you tiptoe through the treetops, including orange-bellied flowerpeckers, red-whiskered bulbuls and many more tropical critters. Don’t miss the decidedly more manmade structure that is Henderson Waves, an architectural masterpiece of steel that snakes across the trees and, at 36 meters above ground, is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. A little further north, MacRitchie Reservoir (pictured above) is a huge natural playground with, yes, another epic treetop walkway that links the park’s highest points, plus plenty of running and walking trails and, this being a reservoir, an abundance of water for kayak enthusiasts to explore, perhaps spotting the occasional monitor lizard or macaque along the way. Hazy May afternoons in Singapore are best spent over long lunches in air-conditioned hawker centers. Order a sweet and refreshing bandung (condensed milk and rose syrup over ice) and gorge on local specialities including chicken rice, chili crab and pork satay before hitting the (also air-conditioned) mega-malls for a spot of light retail therapy. As evening approaches, catch the cable car across the bay to the tiny resort island of Sentosa, where a cocktail at the beach bars or dip in the 85°F waters that lap palm-lined sands are the ideal way to top off your day as the sun disappears over the horizon. What’s on in Singapore in May? Vesak Day is celebrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Which, for those paying attention at the back, generally means sometime in May. It’s a public holiday and precipitates an island-wide festival in celebration of the life of Buddha, usually manifested in various religious and cultural activities in and around Singapore’s many temples. Join the festivities at landmark beauties including the Insta-perfect Burmese Buddhist Temple and Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery, where you can also witness awesome candlelit processions at the end of the day. Culture vultures rejoice! For May is also the month of the Singapore International Festival of Arts, which showcases some of the finest in theater, music, dance and visual arts from Singapore and around the world. A wide and varied program includes ticketed performances as well as a number of free events around the city. But, if your idea of a great day out tends to involve giving your credit card a workout in chic boutiques, swanky stores and big-brand emporia stuffed with clothes, accessories, gadgets and toys, we also have something just for you. The Great Singapore Sale kicks off towards the end of May, bringing extended shopping hours and whopping great discounts (often as high as 70%!) to some of the city’s biggest retail outlets. Just don’t blame us when you get a fevered call from your bank manager the next morning! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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