The Singapore Night Safari is hosted on 40 hectares of land, most of which are forests and recreated to resemble the natural habitat of individual animals, such as the rainforests found in several Southeast Asian countries, Equatorial Africa, South American Pampas and even the Himalayan mountains. All this is done to ensure the animals do not feel out of place and probably to allow them to mimic natural behaviour unlike what might happen if placed in unfamiliar or new territories. The best way to see all this in a quick manner would probably be the tram ride that ferries you all over the safari, with running commentary and without the need to expend any energy walking the trail. However, it will probably leave most of you wanting to see more and actually going onto the walking trail after that. I know I did, and so did most of my guests.

The trail on the Night Safari is where a lot of the action is, as you get to see the animals up close and personal whether on a tour or on your own. Most guided tours also provide comprehensive introductions and explanation on each species and other things of note that one might chance upon on the trail. You get to see antelopes, tigers, lions, huge elephants, and a lot of other interesting and queer animals never even seen before in other zoos, which is natural since most of them do not offer the unique experience of viewing them at night in a habitat as close to what they were first discovered in as possible. Another special feature on the walking trail or the tram ride is the sounds of the night, or what I will call the Night Symphony of the Animal Kingdom, that you can hear – an eclectic mix of frog croaks, lone howl of wolves or hyenas piercing the eerie silence, cicadas providing the accoustical backdrop, and other sounds that start to be heard as the animals awake gradually.

Another engaging highlight that is a must-see on another tour to the Night Safari has to be the Creatures of the Night show, which is something beyond most shows that one might experience in other zoos or sea worlds. You will get to interact with the performers and animals, and there are some surprise moments which might either have you shrieking in delight or fright, depending on whether certain animals attract your like or dislike. The Creatures of the Night show is so popular that you will be well served to queue up early, which is faciliated easily with a tour group from what I have seen, since seats cannot be reserved in advance and are on a first come first served basis. What makes it even more challenging is that there are only three shows daily, although the weekends allow one extra show to accomodate the extra influx of visitors due to the day of the week. Another great note about the show is that the animals to perform are not always the same from night to night, and even from show to show within a day, since some might pout while others might be more eager to show the visitors what they have to offer.

For those who also wish to check out the dining options available at the Night Safari, be sure to try out the following restaurants or cafes – Bongo Burgers and the Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant. I particular enjoyed the burgers served at Bongo, very fresh and juicy, not something you might get often elsewhere in the country (although Carl’s Junior rules everywhere else). Ulu Ulu is pretty good too, and might perhaps be a better choice for visitors from other countries, since they provide a wide array of local food served either buffet style or ala carte. You can even get to try sumptious local delights like sambal stingray, Singapore chicken rice and chilli crab (although the best of the latter has to be tried at Jumbo Seafood Restaurant). Prices are very affordable and for the amount of food one gets to consume, they fill your stomach well and can either be a great start to the rest of the safari adventure, or a special way to end the whole trip, as many Singapore Night Safari tour packages do.

Private Tour: Singapore Zoo Night Safari Tour with optional Buffet Dinner
From: Viator

There are many great points to the Night Safari as a whole, although there are some minor negatives. My only gripe is the location, but there is really nothing you can do about it since the Singapore Zoo has always been in Mandai and has to be situated away from the city centre or the rest of Singapore which is largely modernised and urbanised. So be prepared for either a long bus ride if you choose the public transport since there are no train stations nearby. This is where perhaps either getting a packaged tour to visit the Singapore Night Safari might help since transport is provided, or even better having someone you know in Singapore driving you there. The other alternative is to hire a taxi or cab, which is still affordable from most parts of Singapore.