Singapore Zoo = THUMBS UP

We didn’t have much time to plan and think about our trip to Singapore but I did try to list an itinerary of the places we wanted to go to. We figured that on our first day, which was  a Friday, we’d head off to Singapore’s Botanical Gardens and visit the Jacob Ballas’ Children’s Garden. I was excited and I knew DW would love the place. A quick Google image search showed what a lovely area it would be for DW. It would make for a perfect first day.

Kaso ang lakas ng ulan that Friday. We got stuck underground and so we made our way through Singapore’s underground maze of interconnected malls and shops. We stopped at a donut shop to eat and at a pet store so DW could look at animals. First day shmirtsday. Garden Shmarden.  I didn’t want DW to be stuck inside malls, we could have done that in Manila!! 😛

ANYWAY, it was still a fun day nevertheless and DW just ran himself ragged. We had Day 2 Planned anyway.

WE ‘RE GOING TO THE ZOO!!

The Singapore Zoo is perfect if you’re travelling with a kid who’s too young to enjoy Universal Studios. We really wouldn’t want to shell out money for tickets just to walk around and look at rides. That’s totally missing the point. Plus I know DW would want to ride those rides and he’d be a mess if he found out he couldn’t 🙁

The Singapore Zoo is open and beautiful. The collection of animals is amazing. BDW and I enjoyed it as much as DW and DW was so happy with all the animals he saw!

To maximize your trip to the Zoo here are my tips:

Bring your passport – Any good tourist would know this but special discounts are given at the zoo for tourists who can show their passports. We shaved SGD9 off the total cost of our tickets because the zoo had a special rate for tourists when we visited.

Ask About the Ticket Packages First – Zoo tickets come with combos (but you can buy just the admission). Ask about what you can expect with the River Ride and with the Unlimited Tram Rides and see what ticket package is worth your hard-earned pesos. When we asked about the packages the girl at the ticket counter (who was a kabayan) was very candid and suggested that we skip the River Ride.  According to her, there’s not much to see in the river cruise yet, just the green lush landscape and the water — unless of course you’re into these things then by all means ride the boat! (The Zoo though is currently building a River Safari so maybe you can ask again when you buy tickets)

So we went for the admission + unlimited tram rides. Why? The Zoo is wide and you can walk its expanse but the hop-on hop-off tram ride will save you time and energy. It’s a nice way to see the park too.  You can take the tram ride at the start of the tour so you could survey the zoo and plan your walk. Or you can take the tram ride after the tour to go back to where you started. Or you could just ride the tram ride because you can.

Pack Your  Lunch – Lunch at the Zoo is a bit expensive! I ordered fish and chips and although the serving was generous it was still 10 dollars.  I saw some families with packed lunches go to rest areas (there are plenty scattered around the zoo) to eat. The guys manning the turnstiles at the entrance didn’t check bags too so if you could pack some snacks go right ahead!!

Watch a Show – We watched the Rainforest Fights Back show. It was a good reprieve from a day of walking and the show is actually entertaining! Animals climbed up and across the stage and across the amphitheater and it was just truly enjoyable!

 Ride the Elephant – This is a must and the ride is pleasant because the Elephants only walk a small circle around their area. The carriage where you will sit is padded and really comfortable not just for the passengers but also for the Elephant. It really makes a difference when the caretakers are professionally trained. Three Elephants alternate the ride (ours was named Bridget). A ticket for the ride costs 8 dollars per person and the picture is 22 dollars. Yep it’s a steep price to pay but c’mon when will you ever ride an Elephant again?!

The ride was also the highlight of our trip. DW could not get enough of the elephants he saw at the zoo and we saved the ride for last as a great way to cap the day! He was smiling and beaming all throughout the ride and I was so excited for him. It was everyone’s first time to ride an elephant and it was an amazing experience!

 

Our good friend Kai is a volunteer at the Zoo and rode the elephant with us. She told us that there are still so many new attractions being built in and around the Zoo. There’s actually a waterpark and a petting zoo inside the Singapore Zoo but we decided to skip that. If you’re planning a trip to Singapore soon and you haven’t been to the Zoo then you must make the visit soon!