Visiting Singapore Zoo

The Singapore Zoo is part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve and, as multiple people have told me, is as stunning as the Bird Paradise. The question is, are they right?

Now, while I have visited the Bird Paradise, the Zoo is a first for me, and something which had been on the must-visit list for years, but I never managed to get to it until now.

Yes, I am visiting today, but it's looking like a repeat of my visit to the Singapore Bird Paradise, with the weather gods seeming to be working against me, as it is overcast with rain threatening. Oh well, from my research, it seems there are many places to hide from the weather.

There are many ways to get to the Zoo, but being very close to the Bird Paradise, I decided just to repeat that trip, so after fuelling up with breakfast, it was off to the MRT.

Now there are several MRT stations close to my hotel, but given the closest station to the Zoo and the drop-off point for a dedicated shuttle bus is Khatib which is on the North South Line.

In this case, the ideal station is City Hall, which is on the right line, with the destination being 11 stops away, so not too bad. And yes, given how good the MRT is, it's not a problem; the trains are comfortable and air-conditioned, and, since it's a workday outside the morning peak hour, it should not be too crowded.

Getting to Khatib and heading for the shuttle bus pick-up point, and in a rare case of perfect timing, the bus was just arriving. The fare is very cheap at S$2.50, and they even take credit cards; to be precise, it looks like that's the preferred payment method. I cannot remember if this was the case when I visited the Bird Paradise, but regardless, it's a good sign.

A local friend warned me that buying anything at the zoo is a horribly expensive experience, and in some cases makes airports look cheap. So I stocked up at the MTR station, where, conveniently, there is a Giant supermarket which is a really good place to stock up on snacks before heading for the bus.

Anyhow, after stocking up and getting on the bus, it was not crowded; I actually got a seat, and as is my way, struck up a conversation with some locals who turned out to be retired and using a government program to visit the zoo. They asked me where I was from, what I thought about Singapore, in short, another positive encounter with some locals.

One thing to note, when I visited in November 2024, there was a fair amount of construction still underway, not that this was a real problem, and hopefully it will be completed when I next visit. I would not let this put you off from visiting, as in typical Singapore style, there is minimal impact on visitors.

Checkout the signage, it's pointing to not only the zoo, but River Wonders and the Night Safari, hmmm interesting, I had heard of the River Wonders, but the Night Safari was a new one on me, and something to look into for a future visit.

I had purchased my ticket online, so getting through the entrance was quick and, as expected, totally painless. As for the costs, it's close to what I paid for my visit to Taronga Zoo back home in Sydney, so not cheap but not excessive.

Getting through the entrance, the first thing I notice is it's very green, er, well, no real surprise as it's known as a rainforest zoo. Checking the map, this place is even bigger than expected, and very well laid out, so it's time to wander, and hopefully those weather gods will be nice to me.

Rather than covering every exhibit, here are some of the animals, all of which were in large open enclosures, with not a single steel bar in sight. Just like at Taronga Zoo, the animals looked very well cared for, had plenty of space, and were all well fed.

Yes, I managed to see a fair amount of the zoo before those weather gods decided I had enough fun for the day. The rain started, but it was not heavy, just annoying.

On the plus side, there are plenty of places to shelter from the weather, and then comes the shuttle tram, which runs around the main parts of the zoo. I got on this shuttle, figuring I would use it as a mobile rain shelter.

As the rain started to get heavier, I decided to head for some shelter, which was not just standing under a tree or sitting on the shuttle.

As the shuttle headed for one of the stops, I noticed what looked like a display area, so I got off and headed down the steps to check it out.

Just look at the photo on the right, if any was needed, that's what happens when those weather gods want to remind me who is boss.

As for what's there, not much, just a display that was being set up, oh well, nothing to see, but at least there were seats to wait out the weather, and a vending machine which had ice cream at a price which was not too horrible.

That vending machine was the latest issue. I put in the code for the ice cream; it beeped, but nothing came out of the slot. Grrrrr, I really must complain about this when leaving.

The rain lasted about half an hour, and checking the sky, it looked like it might stay dry for a while longer, so back to the shuttle.

Checking the map, I decided to head for the big cats, as all I had seen were the stunning Malayan Tigers, and the map showed Lions and Cheetahs, both of which were a must-see.

Arriving at the Lion enclosure, it seemed to be empty and more than a little wet.

Hmmmm, interesting, but a closer look showed them:

A Lioness hiding in a small but dry cave, then a male out in the rain, who looked like he would prefer to be anywhere but out in the weather.

The rain was not too bad, just annoying, yes, but not going to stop me, and just looking at the Lions, it's a no-brainer who is the smarter, the Lioness in the dry and the male out in the rain. Read into that what you will.

Moving on to the Cheetahs, just as the rain started to get heavier, they were heading for shelter and a long way away, not that the distance is a problem, as I was using a 500mm lens.

Thinking my timing was bad, as I was looking through the viewfinder, one just turned around and looked straight at me. Thankfully, my reflexes are good, and I managed to get a single shot.

Ok, the rain was getting heavier again, and this time the sky looked ominous, so I made the decision to head back to my hotel.

Yes, I know my camera is water-resistant and has proved to be pretty good in the wet, but this time the rain was heading for tropical downpour level, which is way too much to risk.

Next visit, I will have the Osmo 360 on a head mount, which is totally waterproof, so expect updates regardless of those weather gods.

Back to the shuttle bus to the closest stop to the exit, followed by an easy walk on the most welcome covered walkway.

Anyhow, my final thoughts on the zoo are quite simple: if you are in Singapore, make time to go visit, and if possible, take in the bird paradise also. Highly recommended