See animals in huge outdoor enclosure
These zoological gardens have one of the world’s few open zoos – with moats replacing bars – making it also one of the most attractive ones, with animals in environments vaguely reminiscent of their habitats. It contains 332 species of animals (about 3000 actual animals), some of them rare, like Komodo dragons and the golden lion tamarin, as well as many endangered species from Asia, such as the Sumatran tiger and the clouded leopard. The pygmy hippos are relative newcomers; they live in glass-fronted enclosures (as do the polar bears), so visitors can watch their underwater exploits. Animals are sponsored by companies; Tiger beer, for example, sponsors the tigers and Qantas the kangaroos.
There are animal shows throughout the day carrying a strong ecological message: elephants (1130 and 1530) and sea lions (1430, extra show at 1700 at weekends). Animal feeding times are provided upon arrival. There are tram tours (S$5, children S$2.50) for those too weary to walk, with recorded commentaries, and several restaurants. Overall, it is a well-managed and informative zoo and well worth the trip out here.
The unique night safari (http://www.nightsafari.com.sg, daily 1930- 2400, S$22, children S$11; with tram ride S$32/S$16) next to the zoo has been cunningly converted into a series of habitats, populated with wildlife from the Indo-Malayan, Indian, Himalayan and African zoological regions. The park supports 1200 animals belonging to 110 species, including the tiger, Indian lion, great Indian rhinoceros, fishing cat, Malayan tapir, Asian elephant, bongo, striped hyena, Cape buffalo and giraffe. Visitors can either hop on a tram to be taken on a 40-minute guided safari through the jungle, walk along three short trails at their own pace or do both. The whole affair is extremely well conceived and managed, with cultural performances and opportunities to meet and sometimes touch animals, such as pythons. There is also a ‘creatures of the night show’, which on busy nights may be overbooked, so it’s worth arriving early. The experience is rewardingly authentic and children especially have a great time.
The all-in-one ticket, combined Zoo and Night Safari, costs S$30, children S$15. Bear in mind that these combined tickets, although offering good value, don’t include the additional night safari tram ride, which most visitors consider to be a night safari highlight.
To get to the zoo, take the MRT to Ang Mo Kio and then bus No 138 from the station. A taxi from the city will cost S$15-20 and takes 30 mins....
