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Visit Singapore Zoo, One of the World’s Best Zoos According to TripAdvisor

I have mixed feelings about zoos. I love animals and enjoy being near them but a big part of me feels they’re better off in the wild. I think more and more people feel that way these days.

I used to go to the zoo once a week to sketch animals when I was still in art school. When I couldn’t go home for Christmas one year, I drove from San Francisco to spend the holidays at San Diego Zoo. When we got married and started traveling, I made it a point to visit at least one local zoo on every trip. But that stopped a few years ago. As much as I enjoyed going to zoos, some were negligent in their husbandry practices. It was depressing to see the animals in such a poor state. Zoos were supposed to make you feel happy, not sad, so we decided to go only to zoos that we knew put the well being of animals first. That’s where TripAdvisor comes in.

TripAdvisor is my go-to travel website which I use to plan every trip. I refer to its wealth of user reviews to evaluate hotels, attractions, restaurants, and zoos. If I see a poor rating or too much negative feedback, then I avoid it at all costs. This applies ESPECIALLY to zoos.

I had heard wonderful things about Singapore Zoo and going to their TripAdvisor page only confirmed the hype. Not only is Singapore Zoo a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence awardee with a stellar 4.5 star rating, it also ranked 5th OVERALL on their list of the world’s 10 best zoos as determined by TripAdvisor users. That type of crowdsourced information speaks for itself.

It’s been four years since we last visited a zoo — Taronga Zoo and Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney, Australia — so to visit the world’s 5th best zoo after a four-year drought was pretty exciting. Admission to the zoo is normally SGD 35 for adults and SGD 23 for kids, though discounts are available. More information at the bottom of this post.

Singapore Zoo

Soon as you pass the turnstiles, you’ll be greeted by this awesome cotton-top tamarin exhibit. It’s an open-air setup so the tamarins aren’t inside any enclosure. The exhibit consists of two trees connected by bamboo stalks which they use to cross back and forth. Really cool!
Singapore Zoo

Aren’t these little guys cute? There was a whole group of them running back and forth between the trees. The bamboo stalks are high enough (I hope) to keep any idiots from trying to touch the tamarins, or worse, grab their tails. 👿
Singapore Zoo

White rhinoceros with funky earring. I may have mixed feelings about zoos but seeing this big guy safe with his horn intact makes me thankful we have them. Singapore Zoo is spread out over 26 hectares of land and houses more than 2,800 mammals, birds, and reptiles. It’s a 9-time recipient of the Best Leisure Attraction Experience Award from the Singapore Tourism Board.
Singapore Zoo

Cheetah pacing back and forth in front of the glass. I think this girl wanted to hunt. The enclosures at Singapore Zoo are nice and spacious with naturalistic settings. Some have viewing panels to the side like this one.
Singapore Zoo

A pair of zebras. I wonder if a cheetah can take down an adult zebra. Probably not.
Singapore Zoo

Warthogs doing warthog things. Hey Pumba, where’s Timon?
Singapore Zoo

There he is! Cute little buggers these meerkats. 🙂
Singapore Zoo

This was fun. The zoo has a feeding program where they allow guests to feed certain animals at different times of the day. We got here just in time for the giraffe feeding. They also offer feedings for many of the other animals like the elephants, goats, rhinos, lions, and baboons. That little guy is still too short to reach over the rails so all he can do is watch while his parents get all the treats. 😆
Singapore Zoo

If I remember correctly, it cost SGD 5 to feed the giraffes. I wanted Ren to do it so I could take pictures of her, but they didn’t have any change. Be sure to bring small bills because it looks like a lot of fun. We envy you blurry face lady! 🙁
Singapore Zoo

Check out that tongue! 😯
Singapore Zoo

The mighty leopard. She looks so much more powerful than the cheetah.
Singapore Zoo

Eensie weensie caiman catching some rays.
Singapore Zoo

Iguana chillin’ like a boss.
Singapore Zoo

Gila monster. Isn’t she a beauty? Gila monsters are one of the few lizard species that are venomous.
Singapore Zoo

Vine snake looking coy.
Singapore Zoo

Komodo dragon, the badasses of the lizard family. It was once thought that toxic bacteria in the dragon’s saliva was responsible for taking down prey, but it’s been found that they actually kill with venom. The dragon’s venom rapidly decreases blood pressure, expedites blood loss, and sends its prey into shock and ultimately death.
Singapore Zoo

Giant Aldabra tortoises
Singapore Zoo

Bornean orangutan just hanging out.
Singapore Zoo

African penguins saying what up?
Singapore Zoo

Not sure what these large birds are. Storks maybe?
Singapore Zoo

Asian elephants
Singapore Zoo

This exhibit was awesome. All around the moat surrounding these elephants were huts with stadium style seats which you can get to via a wooden circular platform. We didn’t watch it but you can catch the Elephant Show here at 11:30AM and 3:30PM daily.
Singapore Zoo

This was a scene from the Rainforest Fights Back show held at 12:30PM and 2:30PM everyday. It was lame so don’t even bother unless you have kids. 😆 Apart from these two shows, there’s also the Splash Safari and Animal Friends Show. The Splash Safari features sea lions while the Animal Friends Show has domesticated animals doing tricks.
Singapore Zoo

“Excuse me, but do you know the way to San Jose?”
Singapore Zoo

Baby got back! Check out the crested macaque parading around its big red butt.
Singapore Zoo

Smack that ass!
Singapore Zoo

The mysterious white tiger
Singapore Zoo

Pygmy hippo taking a dip.
Singapore Zoo

The TripAdvisor community got this one absolutely right. They usually do anyway which is why I love them. I’ve visited a few zoos in Asia, North America, and Australia and Singapore Zoo is one of the best and most pleasant I’ve been to thus far.

The animals pictured above are just a fraction of what you can find at the zoo so I’ve included a link to the Singapore Zoo map to show you exactly what’s there. It’s a big, beautifully landscaped zoo with a diverse collection of animals that look happy and well cared for. Space and husbandry don’t seem to be issues here. Like the rest of Singapore, the grounds are clean and immaculately kept. There are plenty of signs with tidbits of information about the animals, including some that are meant to educate the public on the threats these animals face and what we can do to help them.

Admission to the zoo is usually SGD 35 for adults and SGD 23 for kids ages 3-12. But if you purchase advance tickets online, then you can lower the cost of admission by getting a ParkHopper Pass. If you go to any 2 of these 4 animal parks in Singapore — Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, and River Safari — then admission to each one can be as low as SGD 22.05 for adults and SGD 13.05 for kids. If you go to all 4, then admission to each drops to SGD 15.53 and SGD 11.03 respectively! ParkHopper passes are valid for 7 days from the date of your first visit.

If you want to visit just Singapore Zoo, then you can get a discount on admission by purchasing your tickets from Klook. Follow the link to purchase tickets to Singapore Zoo from Klook.

Singapore Zoo

80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 6269 3411
Website: www.zoo.com.sg
Twitter: tweetWRS
Email: [email protected]
Operating Hours: 8:30AM-6PM daily

ADMISSION:
Adult – SGD 35
Children (ages 3-12) — SGD 23

HOW TO GET THERE:
Take the MRT to Ang Mo Kio station (NS16). Exit the MRT station and cross the street to the bus station. Take Bus 138 to Singapore Zoo.

For more Singapore travel tips, check out our First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Singapore
The First-Timer's Travel Guide to Singapore

Disclosure

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The Lovely Pets

Friday 24th of February 2023

This article is a great guide to visiting the Singapore Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in the world according to TripAdvisor. It provides useful tips and information for anyone planning to visit the zoo.

LEO JACK

Wednesday 28th of November 2018

Wonderful post. Thanks for such detailed information. I am travelling in October with my family. My dad is hemiplegic so he will be in wheelchair. We want to cover both Singapore Zoo and River Safari. How much do we need to walk? Are the pathways easily wheelchair friendly? Is it like really very long walk combining both. Are the outside food allowed inside as I need to carry some homemade food for my father.

JB & Renée

Thursday 29th of November 2018

Hi Leo, we haven't been to the River Safari but Singapore Zoo is indeed wheelchair-friendly. You shouldn't have any problems getting around. I'm sure the River Safari will be the same. Regarding the food, it's best you email them beforehand to explain your situation as many of these facilities have a strict no outside food and beverage policy. They'll probably make an exception in your case if you explain it. Hope that helps and enjoy Singapore! :)

Kartic Gill

Wednesday 28th of November 2018

Thanks for your post on Singapore tourist attractions. Your post inspired me to check Singapore flyer price and it offered me most enthralling experience to my family and friends to spend the vacation in the most beautiful place in the world.

JB & Renée

Wednesday 28th of November 2018

@Kartic Gill: Happy to hear that! :)

Maria

Saturday 20th of October 2018

Ahhh so cute!!! I love animals and I’m glad this zoo seems to be a good one that provides a good habitat for the animals. ? ? ? I went to the Night Safari and it was awesome. These are awesome photos and great description. ? Wonderful post. Thanks for such detailed information.

JB & Renée

Sunday 21st of October 2018

Glad you enjoyed it Maria! Singapore's animal sanctuaries are pretty awesome indeed. :)

Carrick | Along for the Trip

Tuesday 6th of December 2016

Hi JB!

I agree that I have mixed feelings about zoos and animals in captivity, but with the kids in tow they make for a great day out and their efforts do go towards conservation efforts which I can get behind. We've not been to Singapore yet, but it looks like you've pretty well got it covered, so we know where to look! (chuckle)

This looks like a fantastic zoo. It reminds me a lot of the San Diego zoo with the amount of diversity and quality of the exhibits and animal enclosures. Nicely done! Thanks for writing it up.

Safe travels!

-Carrick

JB & Renée

Tuesday 6th of December 2016

Hi Carrick, I agree. Not all zoos are bad. Many really do care for the well-being of animals. Singapore Zoo is one of them as is San Diego Zoo. It's just sad to visit a substandard zoo and find animals in poor condition. :(

Thanks for stopping by and safe travels to you too!