Singapore Zoo Review: Is It Worth it?

Singapore Zoo has a reputation that feels a little suspicious.

I mean, people love this place.

And they’re not casual about it either. When I announced to readers that I was going to be travelling to Singapore this year, I had multiple people reach out to recommend that I head to the city’s zoo. Several told me it was the best zoo in the world. Let’s just say that this has never happened for any country I’ve travelled to before!

Still, even with a plethora of sales pitches as enthusiastic as these, I wasn’t entirely convinced.

I mean, zoos don’t really have the best reputation, do they?

I’ve only been to a handful of zoos over my 16 years as a travel writer, but the vast majority of them have left me feeling kind of unsettled. They nearly always offer up this depressing blend of concrete, cages, pacing animals, and a lingering feeling that you probably shouldn’t be supporting this.

Singapore Zoo, though, I was told was different.

In particular, one thing that Singapore Zoo does is get rid of the cages.

As you can see from my photo above, at Singapore Zoo, there’s very little to separate you from the animals themselves. Instead of barriers, bars, and fences, the animals are instead separated from visitors using a series of deep moats, which are then hidden by dense vegetation. It’s an interesting concept and it’s one that results in you feeling like you’re seeing animals in their natural habitat.

It’s a much more pleasant experience, that’s for sure.

There’s more space for the animals to roam around in, there’s much more greenery, and it all feels very immersive.

Still, just because it feels like it’s a better situation for the animals, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. In this guide, I’m going to share an in-depth review of Singapore Zoo, covering how it’s set up, what you’ll get to see, how to make the most of your time there, and whether it’s worth visiting (plus the ethics of doing so).

Let’s get stuck in.

An Introduction to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve 

If you love animals, you’ll be delighted by the array of wildlife parks in Singapore. The Mandai Wildlife Reserve is home to five different animal attractions, and you could easily spend two full days of your vacation (or one very action-packed day) just strolling around them all.

The main attraction is Singapore Zoo, which is what this guide is focused on. But in addition to that, you also have the Night Safari (a late-night park for viewing nocturnal animals), Bird Paradise (a bird park showcasing anything from flamingos to penguins), River Wonders (featuring animals that live near/in rivers, like manatees, capybaras, red pandas and even giant pandas), and Rainforest Wild Asia (themed around the Asian rainforest, where you can see langurs, sun bears, and tigers).

On the Mandai website, you can buy single entrance tickets for Singapore Zoo, or combine any of the aforementioned attractions in a multi-park pass. I’d recommend the Two Attraction Destination Pass and using it for Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari, but there’s also the Six Attraction Destination Pass, which gives you access to everything.

What Makes Singapore Zoo Different?

I touched on this briefly before, but Singapore Zoo does a lot of things differently.

Once you’re inside, the first thing you’ll likely notice is how different the layout is to other zoos in the world. Instead of having rigid themed areas, Singapore Zoo is divided more into broader habitat-style zones that blend into one another, so the transitions feel much more natural.

What helps add to the experience is the fact that you have to actually look for the animals.

I mean, it sounds obvious, but often at traditional zoos, it’ll feel like the animals are positioned very clearly in front of you for maximum visibility. At Singapore Zoo, I wouldn’t even say that you’re guaranteed to see the animals you want to. But as someone who has taken safaris all over Africa, and visited wild animals in their natural habitats, it’s something that helps to add to the feeling that you’re fully in nature.

The zoo is also lot bigger than you think it’ll be. As in, you could spend an entire day just at Singapore Zoo, racking up 25,000 steps as you did so! This complex is enormous.

The good news is that there’s plenty of shade within the park, which is something that’s rare in Singapore! Much of the time, you’ll be walking under trees or along covered sections, and there’s plenty of benches for when the humidity gets to be too much.

One bonus to the zoo’s size that I have to mention is that it helps disperse the crowds. Because the space is so spread out, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to hang out with the animals on your own without dozens of people jostling to take the same photos of you.

There’s Tons of Events and Activities

If you’ll be travelling to Singapore with kids in tow, you’ll be excited to learn just how many opportunities there are for them to get up-close to the animals. If I’m being honest with you, it’s actually kind of overwhelming how many talks and feedings are going on every day — especially if you’re a completionist like I am.

When it comes to talks, you can learn more about African Lions, African Painted Dogs, Bearded Pigs, cheetahs, chimpanzees, elephants, tigers, meerkats, orangutans, penguins, Pygmy Hippos, tree kangaroos, and so on. Each of these talks are given daily and usually around midday, so you’ll likely be able to pick just two or three to attend.

But wait! There’s feedings, too! Each day, you can help the zookeepers feed animals as wide-ranging as sloths, elephants, giant tortoises, giraffes, otters, rhinos, zebras, and more.

You can find the timings for all of the activities on the Mandai Wildlife Reserve activities page, so you can start planning what you want to build your itinerary around. One thing to note is that some of the activities and feedings require you to prebook and also cost an additional fee.

There’s one more activity I do want to draw your attention to and that’s the Breakfast in the Wild activity, where you spend 90 minutes having breakfast while you meet various animals (like orangutans, penguins, owls, and sea lions) while learning more about them from the animal keepers.

As I said: the abundance of options can feel more than a little overwhelming!

How to Spend Your Day at Singapore Zoo

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the details and cover what you should prioritise seeing in the zoo, how to plan the best itinerary, and what to ensure you don’t miss out on.

Start early if you can. Not only will you avoid the worst of the heat, but this is when the animals tend to be most active. Singapore humidity is no joke, and while there’s a decent amount of shade throughout the zoo, you’ll still feel it by late morning.

Here’s an up-to-date map of Singapore Zoo. As you can see, there’s a main infinity-shaped route that takes you through the park, with looping side quests scattered along the way. I always recommend that visitors take a clockwise route through the zoo, focusing on the left-hand side of the park first, as this helps you reach the most popular animals earlier.

Once you’ve entered the park, spend your first 15 minutes up on the raised boardwalk of Treetop Trails, where you’ll find several interesting primates. The siamangs were a huge highlight for me: a type of gibbon with a large, booming call. Down in the water, look for gharials (a fish-eating crocodile with a skinny snout) and the exceptionally cute Asian small-clawed otter.

From there, continue on past the tigers and hippos, and loop your way through the Australasian part of the park (keeping an eye out for tree kangaroos as you go), and plan to spend some time at the Primate Kingdom. This part of the park is home to a wide mix of monkeys and smaller primates.

Once you’ve spent time here, head onwards to the Elephants of Asia section. The viewing areas here are wide and relaxed, which makes it easier to just stand and watch without feeling like you’re being shuffled along by the crowd.

From there, continue on towards Orangutan Island, which is one of the zoo’s most popular areas. This is where you’ll see the orangutans in a more open, free-ranging environment, often moving overhead or across elevated structures rather than being confined to a single, small enclosure.

After that, the best approach is to let the zoo unfold a bit more naturally as it’ll now be time to make your way around the right-side of the park.

This is where Singapore Zoo really comes into its own. Instead of rushing from one headline animal to the next, you can slow down and explore the smaller exhibits, the quieter paths, and the areas that don’t immediately jump out on the map. Some of the best moments here come from things you weren’t specifically looking for (shout out to the naked mole rats!)

If you’re planning to attend any of the talks or feedings, this is when you’ll most likely start to head off to them. As I mentioned, most of them take place around midday, which can either be a blessing (a good excuse to sit for a while) or slightly stressful if you try to cram too many into your schedule.

On the right-hand side of the park, there’s plenty to keep your attention, however. From Orangutan Island, I recommend heading to the Tortoise Shelter for a slower, more low-key stop where you can watch the giant tortoises up close.

The Reptile Kingdom — Reptopia — is a huge stand-out for children, filled with a mix of snakes, lizards, and amphibians displayed in modern, immersive environments. Even if reptiles aren’t usually your thing, this section is worth a wander through just to see how far zoo design has come in terms of presentation.

Towards the top end of the park, you’ll find Fragile Forest, which is known for its walk-through biodome environment where animals move freely around you. It’s one of the more unusual sections of the zoo, and it feels noticeably different from the more traditional enclosures elsewhere in the park. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up sharing the space with butterflies, birds, and small mammals moving through the canopy and forest floor at the same time.

There’s also Kidz World, which is exactly what it sounds like: a family-focused area with play spaces and more interactive animal encounters. It’s clearly aimed at children, but it does add to the overall sense that this isn’t just a passive viewing experience. Depending on your energy levels (and tolerance for enthusiastic small humans), it can either be a fun break or somewhere you pass through quite quickly.

You’ll be saving some of the best ’til last when you round everything off with a visit to Wild Africa, where the landscapes open up and you get some of the most classic safari-style viewing in the park. This is where giraffes, zebras, and other large African species can be spotted, and it’s one of my favourite sections, even if it was a bit bizarre to see giraffes in a rainforest environment!

My Singapore Zoo Takeaways

I went into Singapore Zoo expecting it to be good, but not amazing.

What surprised me most wasn’t a single exhibit or dramatic moment, but how consistent the experience felt across the entire park. Even the quieter sections, the ones I would normally expect to skim through, had a level of thought put into them that made you slow down without really realising it.

It also does something clever with pacing. You never feel like you’re being funnelled through a rigid checklist of animals, but you also don’t feel lost or aimless. It’s somewhere in the middle instead, where you’re gently guided but still free to wander.

That said, it’s not flawless. There are moments where visibility is limited, and a few enclosures where you’ll simply see less than you probably hoped for. And depending on your expectations, that can either feel like a natural part of the design or a slight frustration.

Is Singapore Zoo worth it?

That’s the question.

Because a zoo can be beautiful, well-designed, and full of interesting animals, but still not necessarily worth carving out half your trip for. Especially in a city like Singapore, where you’re constantly making trade-offs between very good options.

So here’s my honest answer: yes, Singapore Zoo is worth it, but not for everyone in the same way.

If you’re someone who usually skips zoos because they feel outdated, depressing, or a bit uncomfortable, this one will probably change your opinion more than you expect. It doesn’t erase all the ethical questions that come with captivity, but it does make you realise how different modern zoo design can actually be when it’s done well. The space, the greenery, and the way the animals are presented genuinely set it apart from most places I’ve visited.

But it’s not a casual, quick stop.

You need time here. At least half a day (ideally longer) or you’ll end up rushing through the highlights and missing what actually makes it special. You also need to be prepared for the heat, the walking, and the fact that you’ll probably see more by slowing down than by trying to tick everything off.

If you’re short on time in Singapore, I wouldn’t automatically say this should replace places like Gardens by the Bay or Sentosa Island. Those are still essential. But if you’ve got space in your itinerary and aren’t sure how to fill it, this is an interesting option that I don’t think you’d be disappointed by.

For families, in particular, it’s an easy win.

Is Singapore the Best Zoo in the World?

So, is Singapore Zoo the best zoo in the world?

Honestly, that depends on what you think a zoo is supposed to be.

If you’re expecting something flawless, where every ethical question disappears and every animal is perfectly visible at all times, it’s not that. It still sits in the same uncomfortable space that all zoos do, just with far more thought, space, and care than most people are used to seeing.

But if you’re judging it on experience alone (the design, the atmosphere, the way it slowly pulls you in and makes you forget to check the time) then it absolutely earns its reputation more than I expected it to.

I didn’t go in convinced. I came out understanding why people don’t shut up about it.

Have you ever been to Singapore Zoo? What’s the best zoo you’ve ever visited?

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