Saturday, October 17, 2009

Singapore Night Safari Adventure

I'm a Singapore Tourist Lah Series

Our first night in Singapore was spent walking around in the jungle, dark, tired and sweaty, but all those creatures at the Singapore Night Safari kept us interested and excited - we actually stayed until they needed to close. Lol!

Preparing for a Night Safari



We arrived at the Changi Airport in Singapore late in the morning on a Saturday. Our plan was set - have lunch, go home to drop off our bags, go to Orchard Road to change some money, visit the Raffles Hotel for some original Singapore Sling, then off to the Singapore Night Safari!


Quick tips:


~ Wear something light and cool, shorts are allowed at the park.
~ Wear walking shoes. Yes, there will be a lot of walking. A LOT of walking.

Getting to the Night Safari


We were planning to commute to the Singapore Night Safari from Orchard Rd. (in the city) but forgot the directions and bus numbers to take so we took a cab instead. :p It's not so expensive if there's 3 or 4 of you sharing. ;-)

We were pleasantly surprised to note that it was not so far away from Orchard Road...

If you do intent to commute, the easiest way is to take one of the chartered buses that will take you directly to the Night Safari. From the city, buses begin at 6PM.

For the location and schedules, visit the Singapore Night Safari Website.


The park opens at 7:30PM, but the shops and restaurants open at 6:00PM. Make sure you leave some time for lining up for your tickets (there's always a long line). Also, reserve some time to browse around the shops for souvenirs.

The park closes at 12midnight, almosright after the last Creatures of the Night Show - more on that later.


We arrived at around 8PM and lined up for our tickets. Entrance fee is S$22.00 (or approx Php660.00) for adults and S$11.00 (or approx Php330.00) for children 3 to 12 years old.

You will also have an option to take the tram tour with a tour guide. This route takes you all the way around the whole park, but stops only briefly at certain points. If you are able to walk for longer than you usually walk (lol) I would recommend you take the foot trail instead.

Quick tips:


~ The best time to arrive there would be around 7PM. That will give you ample time to have a relaxed pace and see the whole place before the final Creatures of the Night Show.
~ Taking the foot trail would give you more time to look around and watch the animals walk around, eat, hunt or just lounge around in their natural habitats. Plus it's great exercise. 

Food at the Night Safari



We asked if we were allowed to bring food inside the park and they said we were, but remember to be careful and avoid attracting the attention of the animals because they'll be able to smell the food (or maybe because WE are the food lol).


There are several restaurants available there, a couple for a good sit down meal, and a couple more of fast-food type foods like burgers and fries. They're a bit pricey though, so if you can, better have dinner before going to the Safari. I would recommend going for one of those Food Republic places. Ah yes. It's very similar to our local SM Food Courts, only more stores with different Asian Food.

Quick tips:
~ Have dinner before you go to the Night Safari to have more time to walk around and enjoy the animals.


~ If you do bring food inside, share - but not with the animals. Lol.

Free Shows at the Night Safari


After we arrived, the Bornean Tribal Performers started shortly. This is a free cultural show with fire dancing, climbing on poles and playing drums. They have their show at the photomound, near the area of the restaurants and shops at 7PM, 8PM and 9PM. It will be good to catch them before you go inside. ;)

Another free show, the Creatures of the Night Show is a MUST SEE when you visit the Night Safari. The do the show daily at 7.30pm, 8.30pm, and 9.30pm with additional shows at 10.30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and eve of public holidays.

We saw the last show, the one at 10:30PM and was really lucky with the seating - 3rd row! I don't want to give the show away, but there are some pretty cool tricks they have there with their featured animals. ;)

Quick tips:

~ If you take the foot trail, give yourself time to walk back to the venue of the Creatures of the Night Show - remember, you will still need to line up for it. 

On the Foot Trail at the Singapore Night Safari

If you enjoy seeing animals but are tired of the Zoo, try the Night Safari. They feature nocturnal animals in their natural habitats. There's even one portion there were the hyenas look like they can jump across the eat you alive. lol. But don't fret, everything is safe there! ;)


Visit the Bridge of Suspense right before the Malayan Tigers, go around the west loop (to your right when you enter) to see the Elephants and Anteaters, go straight to the end of the East loop for the zebras and giraffes. There are a lot of interesting facts and trivia about each animal posted around as well.

Quick tips:
~ DO NOT USE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY. It annoys the animals and it annoys me. lol.
~ The walking trails are circular - keep the map handy in case you get lost.
~ Watch out for mosquitoes!
~ Bring a small umbrella in case it rains, although that is seldom.
~ Expect it to be hot and humid. ;)


Enjoy your trip to the Singapore Night Safari!


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