Singapore 2024

aramacao

aramacao

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
After Japan 2023, I am planning new trips for the future, and in 2024 I have 2 currently non-exclusive options: Singapore and Ecuador. I'll deal with Ecuador in the corresponding thread, here I will talk about Singapore.

My main questions currently are 2: The first: How many parks or places with animals currently exist in total in Singapore? Zoos, Aquarium, reserves... And the second, how many days are necessary to see all these places and also enjoy the city? From what I've seen, a week, including travel from Europe, would be enough, and besides, I don't want to waste more time than necessary because it's an expensive city. What is your opinión?
 
While I understand the lure to visit Singapore, flying over for just a week for fun from Europe is something I find somewhat pathetic. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions of the flight alone are huge. Additionally the jetlag in combination with high temperatures and humidity would mean it would be a physically intense and tiring week. It is possible to do the zoo and wildlife highlights in one week if you want, but is it really worth it?

Edit, if you insist on a big international trip, why not spend longer in Ecuador, two weeks is far too short for such a country!.
 
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lintworm said:
While I understand the lure to visit Singapore, flying over for just a week for fun from Europe is something I find somewhat pathetic. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions of the flight alone are huge. Additionally the jetlag in combination with high temperatures and humidity would mean it would be a physically intense and tiring week. It is possible to do the zoo and wildlife highlights in one week if you want, but is it really worth it?

Edit, if you insist on a big international trip, why not spend longer in Ecuador, two weeks is far too short for such a country!.
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Well, my girlfriend visited Sinagapur a few years ago and stayed for only 3 days, because she didn't see anything related to animals.

In the case of Ecuador, she would not visit the entire country, only specific places. To visit the whole country completely, it would take months...
 
I've never visited, but I know several zoo nerds who have spent just a few days in Singapore and then provided reviews in Zoo Grapevine & International Zoo News magazine. It's quite common for someone to visit Singapore Zoo and Night Safari on the same, very long day. Since the Night Safari is only open at night, then that attraction will obviously be added on to a day of sight-seeing. Several people have had short stints in Singapore with this itinerary:

Day 1 - Arrive and acclimatize oneself to the new environment. Local marketplaces.

Day 2 - Singapore Zoo and Night Safari

Day 3 - Bird Paradise (formerly Jurong Bird Park)

Day 4 - River Wonders (formerly River Safari) + drive 30 min. + S.E.A. Aquarium

Day 5 - Fly somewhere else!

Of course, there's a lot of other things to do and see in Singapore and many people wouldn't be satisfied with 3 days of zoos and nothing else. Rainforest Wild (a brand-new facility) is supposedly going to open in 2024 at the earliest. I do know that zoo author Allen Nyhuis spent only 3 days in Singapore in 2017, before moving on to visit zoos in Malaysia and Australia. He had been to Singapore before and wanted to revisit the big 5 zoological attractions again. When Rainforest Wild opens, there will be SIX major zoos all within a 30-minute radius.
 
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Very interesting about the Rainforest Wild. Do you know anything about what month the inauguration may be?
 
Singapore zoo is one of the best in the world. I have family in the Philippines. If I’m travelling there from Europe I will stopover for 1 day to visit the zoo
 
Finally, a group of friends will go to visit Singapore in April. We'll be there for 6 days (plus travel sfrom Europe). I think It will be enough time to visit all the zoos and aquariums in the area, enjoy the wildlife and the city.

What is your opinión?

Any new news about Rainforest Wild?
 
aramacao said:
Finally, a group of friends will go to visit Singapore in April. We'll be there for 6 days (plus travel sfrom Europe). I think It will be enough time to visit all the zoos and aquariums in the area, enjoy the wildlife and the city.

What is your opinión?

Any new news about Rainforest Wild?
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You can check the discussion "WRS Expansion Plans" in the "Singapore" section for news on Rainforest Wild and Mandai's expansion plans
 
Sorry it took a lot of time.

My schedule in October was:


Day 1. Arrive at Singapore at midnight and stay at my friend's house


Day 2. Hang out with friends during the day, and I visited Night Safari in the evening.


- I found out a really good way to circle the zoo with minimal crowd interference. Simply arrive at the earliest time possible, and go on to the Creatures of the Night show to see the rare bearded pigs. After the show, walk along the Tasmanian Devil trail and simply go in the order

tasmanian devil trail> east lodge trail> leopard trail> fishing cat trail. After that, take the tram when everyone is leaving. You will finish around 11:00.


- Species you do not want to miss are:

  • Bearded Pig

  • North Island Brown Kiwi

  • Tasmanian Devil

  • Clouded leopard

  • Hog Badger

  • Sunda Pangolin(Really hard to spot, and there is no signage on the exhibit. I couldn't see it)

  • Brazilian Porcupine

  • Maned Wolf

  • White African Lion

  • Ussuri Dhole
- Tip On seeing Colugos

  • Look on the sides of tall trees

  • A key spot is the tree in between the Indian Crested Porcupine and the Clouded Leopard. Look for key features such as the head, or some big lump sticking out of a tree. You can see the photo I took in the Night Safari Media Section.

  • Another time, I saw a colugo in the corner of the Sloth bear exhibit. I could see it’s silhouette, and took a couple pics which I haven’t posted yet
Day 3: Singapore Zoo

You may need sunscreen here. It is really hot, but it is worth it. Sumatran orangutans and nubian ibex were highlights for me. Don’t miss the sumatran elephant, and watch out for Long tailed Macaques!

- Species you do not want to miss

  • Proboscis Monkey

  • Babirusa

  • False Gavial

  • Nubian Ibex

  • Sumatran Elephant

  • Red Shanked Douc Langur

  • Sumatran Orangutan

  • Sri Lankan Leopard

  • Fragile Forest

  • Komodo Dragon
Day 4: Bird Paradise and River Wonders

Bird paradise was amazing, and you forget you’re in an aviary. Crimson Wetlands, heart of africa, and wings of asia were my favorite. Bird Paradise has the most hornbill species in captivity, and some other species are so exotic you must see them!

- Species you do not want to miss

  • Philippine Eagle

  • Pink Pigeon

  • Negros Bleeding heart Dove

  • Kagu
River Wonders was quite small, but the quality of Enclosures was really good. Don’t forget to ride the Amazon River Quest, it is a highlight of this park with many cool species which aren’t on display elsewhere in the Park. The Amazon Flooded Rainforest was amazing, it really showcases the natural habitat of many species.

- Species you do not want to miss

  • African Tigerfish

  • Giant Panda

  • Jaguar

  • West Indian Manatee

  • Giant Otter
Day 5: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

In my opinion, this was one of the best nature reserves I’ve visited in Singapore. I went on a really bad day, but I could still see many species. I advise visiting on a sunny day, when the tide is low. This will increase your chance to see Saltwater Crocodiles, and many wader species.

- Common Species here include

  • Saltwater Crocodile

  • Collared Kingfisher

  • Asian Common Redshank

  • Milky Stork

  • White Bellied Sea Eagle

  • Clouded Monitor

  • Water Monitor

  • Crab Eating Macaque
- Uncommon Species here include

  • Buffy Fish Owl

  • King Cobra

  • Smooth Coated Otter

  • Oriental Pied Hornbill
Day 6: Singapore Botanic Gardens and Pasir Ris Park

Singapore botanic garden was good, but I wouldn’t go crazy about it. I would like to have replaced this with Bukit Timah which I didn’t visit. I visited Pasir Ris Park in the afternoon and I had no idea about the owls or the kingfishers, so my species list was pretty dull. The Spotted Wood Owl family moved out of their nesting tree, so they will be hard to find from now.

Botanic Gardens:

Commonly Seen Species here include

  • Red Junglefowl

  • Migratory bird species

  • White Bellied Sea Eagle

  • Black Swan

  • Mute Swan

  • White Breasted Waterhen

  • Clouded Monitor

  • Water Monitor
Uncommon Species here include

  • Oriental Pied hornbill

  • Buffy Fish Owl

  • Smooth Coated Otters

  • Harlequin Monitor
Pasir Ris:

Commonly Seen Species include

  • Monk Parakeet

  • Red Breasted Parakeet

  • Collared Kingfisher

  • White Bellied Sea Eagle

  • Red Junglefowl

  • Mangrove Pit Vipers

  • Striated Heron
Uncommon Species here include

  • Spotted Wood Owl

  • Oriental Pied Hornbill

  • Smooth Coated Otters

  • Blue Eared Kingfisher
Day 7: Thomson Nature Park, SEA aquarium, and Night Safari(again)

On day 7, I woke up at 6 in the morning and left at 6:45 to Thomson Nature Park. The park is small, but there is so much biodiversityy. While I didn’t see Raffles Banded langur, I was still very pleased with the park. I had a family of 40 macaques cross macaque trail right in front of me.

Common Species here include:

  • Greater racket tailed drongo

  • Pink necked green pigeon

  • Common Emerald dove

  • Long tailed macaque
Uncommon species here include:

  • Raffles Banded langur
After Thomson, I went straight to SEA aquarium on Sentosa. It was small, and was basically every other aquarium, except for a few highlights. I was sad that the paddlefish exhibit was under renovation, since that was one of my reasons for visiting.

Species you don’t want to miss:

  • Black manta

  • Silver tip shark

  • Australian ghost shark

  • Cape elephant nose shark
After SEA, I went to get lunch, and spent time with my friends until we visited Night Safari again. This time, I went to the creatures of the night show. It was great, and it featured the bearded pig at the introduction. I saw a colugo in the Sloth bear exhibit. I did not get any luck with the pangolin.

- Species you do not want to miss are:

  • Bearded Pig

  • North Island Brown Kiwi

  • Tasmanian Devil

  • Clouded leopard

  • Hog Badger

  • Sunda Pangolin(Really hard to spot, and there is no signage on the exhibit. I couldn't see it)

  • Brazilian Porcupine

  • Maned Wolf

  • White African Lion

  • Ussuri Dhole
- Tip On seeing Colugos

  • Look on the sides of tall trees

  • A key spot is the tree in between the Indian Crested Porcupine and the Clouded Leopard. Look for key features such as the head, or some big lump sticking out of a tree. You can see the photo I took in the Night Safari Media Section.

  • Another time, I saw a colugo in the corner of the Sloth bear exhibit. I could see it’s silhouette, and took a couple pics which I haven’t posted yet
Day 7, hang out with friends and leave at midnight.

I got so attached to Singapore, that I felt homesick for at least a month. It is a great country and its zoo's wildlife is really impressive. I will visit again on March, so I hope to visit other places.
 
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