Singapore Night Safari Review: Is It Worth It?

Curious about the Singapore Night Safari and searching for a review to see if it’s worth it? If so, then read on. I visited recently and wrote this overview to share my experience and thoughts, to help you decide if it’s right for you. I’ll get into it more below, but this is the world’s first nocturnal zoo and one of Singapore’s most popular attractions. Is it different from a regular zoo? Definitely! Do you see things that you don’t expect? Yes. Does it get your heart beating? Yes. Do you find yourself wondering how they did it? Yes. But the question still looms: is this nighttime adventure truly worth the hype? This post is a review on the Singapore Night Safari, so you can see if you think it’s worth it.

What Exactly Is The Singapore Night Safari?

As I mentioned above, the Singapore Night Safari is the world’s first nocturnal zoo. It’s separate from the Singapore Zoo, bigger than the Singapore Zoo, and with more animals, yet just a short walk away.

Visitors come here to see and learn about animals that are active at night, both nocturnal, like the Malayan tigers and leopards, and crepuscular, like the lions and Asian elephants, who are most active during twilight hours. But it’s much more than just a zoo at nighttime. It really is designed to simulate a night safari. The landscape is designed to simulate the natural rainforest environment of the animals here, and the lighting is set to simulate moonlight, when these animals thrive.

The enclosures, at least many of them, especially for the star attractions that you see on the tram ride, are creatively designed using invisible barriers, like moats and glass. The design provides them ample space and materials found in their natural habitat, so it’s more comforting and healthier for them and it’s more appealing to visitors. Top this off with the low, moonlight-like lighting, which adds to the ambiance and excitement, and the tram ride, and you really do feel like you’re on a safari.

Is a real safari in Africa better? Honestly, yes. I’ve been on many safaris in Africa, but this Night Safari is pretty cool! It’s also more accessible and less expensive than a real safari. When I took the tram, which I recommend starting with, it really felt like we were driving by cool and beautiful animals in their natural habitat. Some of the animals, admittedly the least dangerous ones, walked right beside our tram as we moved by. Others were very close to us with no visible fence.

I found my heart beating a little faster a couple times and my brain was trying to figure out how they did this while still keeping me safe. It’s definitely not the same as walking by sad animals in a cage at a typical zoo.

I fully admit that I’m not a zoo person, as after being on real safaris, I hate seeing the large, magnificent animals that most people come here to see, caged up. Yet, these spaces really appear to be better. Since I’m not a zoo person, I wanted to dislike the Singapore Night Safari, but I was actually pretty impressed.

There are over 900 animals here, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. You can see endangered Malayan tigers, Asiatic lions, clouded leopards, Asian elephants, an Indian rhinoceros, Nile hippo, Tasmanian Devils, Malayan tapir, flying foxes, fishing cats, sugar gliders, and so much more.

This zoo works extra hard to not only create healthy environments for the animals, they also engage in conservation efforts, breeding programs, and help to educate visitors, all while making it entertaining. So many wins.

Now that I’ve set the stage for what the Singapore Night Safari is, let’s get into some more detail and my review (although you can probably already guess where I’m going with it).

Singapore Night Safari Review

As you can see from the list below, there’s a lot to do here at night. Expect to spend 2-3 hours at the park. And as Singapore can be very hot during the day, it’s the perfect time to do so.

The Tram Ride

The tram ride is one of the most popular ways to experience the Night Safari. I suggest taking the tram first as it’s a great overview and you get to see some of the heart-thumping animals of the park right away. The landscape and the animals look very dramatic with the low-level lighting, from the lions, tigers, and elephants, all the way down to the flock of pink flamingos. The tram is also a nice way to start as in addition to feeling “safari-like”, you get a nice overview of the park and get to see some of the walking trails that you can walk later.

The only issue is that most people do the same thing, so there’s often a long line at the tram. The first tram ride starts at 7:15 PM. It’s best to try to get there early to catch that one (the park opens at 6:30 PM), but if the line is too long, try starting with one of the other areas below first. It tapers down as the night progresses.

The tram ride is about 30 minutes. You’ll slowly drive by a variety of impressive animals that look like they’re going about their day in their natural rainforest-like environment. Yet, most are sitting close enough that you will get a good view of them as you drive by. Some will be so close you feel like you could reach out and touch them (like a large tapir that was walking down the road beside our tram).

When we drove by the lion’s area below, this he was growling at us from his resting place. We could feel the vibration of his growls on the tram.

You will be able to take photos, but you cannot use a flash, as it’s not good for the animals. Also note that some will be on the left side of the tram and some on the right, so it does not matter which side you sit on.

I arrived at the Night Safari around 8 PM and the line for the tram was pretty long. I still wanted to start with the tram ride, so decided to wait. The line actually moved fairly quickly. I was in a tram by 8:30. My wait was really not too bad. If you’re visit with small children, they may not be as patient.

Walking Trails

There are also several walking trails through the park. The trails are not only less crowded, they also offer a more intimate experience. These are popular to do after the tram ride.

There are four; the Leopard Trail, Tasmanian Devil Trail, Pangolin Trail, and the East Lodge Trail. They wind through the park and give you a closer look at some of the smaller animals. This is all still in a simulated rainforest environment, so although you’re mostly walking on a paved path, you are walking through what feels like a rainforest jungle at night. Again, the low lighting here amplifies the experience.

Here are the trails in a little more detail.

The Leopard Trail has the clouded leopards (which are in glass enclosures), as well as some unusual animals like the flying fox and lesser bush babies. This trail is the farthest from the main entrance. It’s the trail above in red.

The East Lodge Trail showcases animals from the crossroads of Africa and Asia. You can see the red river hog, sloth bear, spotted hyena, aardvark, and more. It’s the yellow trail in the upper right on the map above.

On the Pangolin Trail, you can see a variety of pangolins, as well as barking deer, armadillo, otter, and binturong (or bearcat).

The Tasmanian Devil Trail is a popular trail as it’s closest to the main entrance. The Tasmanian Devils are also popular as they can be dramatic, sometimes screeching and screaming. There are also sugar gliders, possum, owls, kiwi, and more on this trail. This and the Pangolin Trail are closest to the main entrance.

I recommend deciding which trails you want to walk in advance, or if you want to walk them all, pick a path going either clockwise or counterclockwise to efficiently see them all. As you can see in the map above, sometimes the trails cross the tram path. As it’s dark out, do not worry as guards are standing at these locations to let you know when it’s safe to cross.

Presentations & Performances

There are also presentations and performances at the Night Safari. The most popular is the “Creatures of the Night” show, which is held at 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM, and 9:30 PM daily. It features a variety of nocturnal animals in an amphitheater setting with an LED wall and surround sound. It’s entertaining and educational. This is a good alternative starting place if the tram line is too long.

This amphitheater also gets very busy though, so try to arrive early to get a good seat. You can also book your seats 2 hours in advance.

There’s also a “Twilight Performance”, where performers light up the night. This is daily at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM in the Night Safari Entrance Courtyard.

Keeper Talks

Want to learn more about the animals? Book a Keeper Talk to hear about the lives and quirks of some of these animals. While many Keeper Talks are held during the day, there are also some at night, like for the Tiger, the Tasmanian Devil, and the Wallaby. Note that these Keeper Talks are only on weekends.

See the website for specific times and offerings as they sometimes change.

Restaurants

There is a hawker-like food area in the park called the Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant. There’s a variety of international food here, from Singaporean and Asian dishes, like laksa, a variety of Indian foods, a variety of grilled foods, a beverage and dessert bar, and more.

Seating is open-air with the various eateries surrounding it, so everyone in your group can each try a different one and you can still sit together. It stays open for dinner until 11:00 PM.

I decided to order the Chicken Satay. It was pretty tasty and reasonably priced at about $10 Singaporean, or $7.33 USD. I was impressed as food at entertainment parks like this in the USA are notoriously overpriced.

Conservation Efforts

Even better than all the fun and educational experiences you can have here as a guest, every time someone visits the park, you’re helping to protect wildlife.

Not only are the exhibits lovingly arranged to encourage natural behavior, helping the mental and emotional health of the animals, some exhibits are home to multiple species, providing social stimulation for the animals. There’s also a nutrition team that works closely with the park to plan the animals’ diets, helping them to maintain optimal health.

The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari park also work with other zoos through what is called, “Managed Species Programmes” to help save threatened species. They also sometimes acquire injured animals and nurse them back to health.

Tickets For The Singapore Night Safari

Night Safari hours are 6:30 PM to midnight, although the first tram starts at 7:15 PM. You can buy tickets online, in advance, or at the door.

Tickets include the tram ride, walking paths, wildlife presentations, performances, and Keeper Talks (on weekends).

How To Get To The Singapore Night Safari

The Singapore Night Safari is a little removed from the main touristy area of Singapore, about a 30-minute drive north of the city (longer via MRT), but don’t be intimated to get here on your own.

When you Google the Night Safari, you will see a lot of organized tours (one of which I’ve recommended below), but it’s not difficult to get here in your own and buy a ticket at a much lower price.

Drive

The drive is about 30-minutes from central Singapore, depending on your starting location. The carpark at Mandai Wildlife EAST is closest to the Night Safari. Parking costs vary by vehicle type. See their website for more details on costs and payment, which requires a special cash card that can be topped up near the car park lift.

Taxi

Taxi is another option. There is a surcharge on taxis departing from the Night Safari park. The surcharge is in effect from 1:00 PM to 11:59 PM, when most people leave the zoo and park. It’s designed to encourage more taxis to be available for guests.

I did not take a taxi, as I heard there may be a line when you are ready to leave, but I imagine sometimes there is a line and sometimes there is not. Lines are likely on weekends when there are more visitors.

MRT

To arrive via public transportation, take the MRT to the Khatib MRT Station. Take exit A and look for the Mandai Khatib Shuttle on the street. It leaves every 10 to 15 minutes. Its first stop is at the Bird Paradise, then at the Singapore Zoo for the Night Safari. From there, follow the signs to the entrance. This is how I arrived and it was very easy to find.

The Mandai Khatib Shuttle runs until midnight and costs S$2.50 each way, which is less than $2.00. I was able to use my contactless credit card for the bus, just like you do on the MRT in Singapore. Depending on what time you depart, there may be a small line for the shuttle bus back to the MRT Station. I left a little after 10:00 PM and only waited about 10 minutes for the next bus to arrive.

There are also other buses you can catch. See mandai.com for full details.

Mandai City Express Bus

The Singapore Mandai City Express bus offers rides to and from the park with multiple pick-up/drop off points in the city at a reasonable price. See mandaicityexpress.com for hotels, times, and costs.

While this option makes traveling here super easy, you have the downside of having to make multiple stops along the way (for each hotel).

Singapore Night Safari Tour

If you prefer to make visiting super easy, book a private transfer with your ticket that includes hotel pick up, like this popular one: Singapore Night Safari with Tram Ride and Private Transfer.

You do pay for the convenience, however, as it’s quite a bit more expensive than using public transportation or driving.

Where To Stay In Singapore

For a full list of the best places to stay in Singapore, in a variety of areas and at a variety of price points, see my post on The Best Places To Stay in Singapore | The Ultimate Guide.

I stayed in a few locations in Singapore and my favorite was definitely the Marina Bay Sands. The rooms are stunning (as is the view), the amenities are top notch, and the location is ideal. I also stayed in Chinatown and the Civic District, which also were great.

Want To See More Of Singapore?

For all my favorite places in Singapore, see my posts below.

• Experience The Best Of Marina Bay | Must-See Waterfront Experiences
• Hidden Treasures & Things To Do In Chinatown Singapore
• The Charming Arab Quarter of Singapore
• 7 Must-See Sites in Little India Singapore
• Joo Chiat Road | Colorful Shophouses, Culinary Wonders & Cultural Fusion
• Is It Worth Visiting Sentosa Island?

Safe Travels!

Julie

Have you been to the Singapore Night Safari, let us know your review.