Two white tigers walking beside a stream in a planted, rocky enclosure at Singapore Zoo

Wildlife · Mandai, North Region

Singapore Zoo and Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Open-concept zoo in Singapore's green north, the original park of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve

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Ambient sound · similar settingWildlife and birdsong in a South Asian national park

Photo: Kyan Ng (@pum44) / Unsplash

Discover Singapore Zoo and Mandai Wildlife Reserve

In the green north of the island, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve gathers five wildlife parks around the forested edges of the Central Catchment. The oldest and best known is Singapore Zoo, where animals live in planted enclosures separated from visitors by moats, streams and vegetation rather than bars, and where orangutans can be seen moving freely through the trees above the paths.

The zoo is home to more than 4,200 animals, from white tigers and proboscis monkeys to giraffes that visitors can feed by hand. Next door, Night Safari opens after dark, River Wonders follows the great rivers of the world, Bird Paradise houses large walk-through aviaries, and Rainforest Wild Adventure completes the group. A single day at the zoo followed by an evening at Night Safari is a classic Singapore combination for families.

Don’t miss

01Free-ranging orangutans in the trees above the zoo's paths
02White tigers, proboscis monkeys and red pandas in planted enclosures
03Hand-feeding sessions with giraffes
04KidzWorld, with animal encounters and the Splish Splash wet play area
05Neighbouring Night Safari, River Wonders, Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Adventure

History & culture

The story of Singapore Zoo and Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Plans for a zoo took shape in the late 1960s, when Public Utilities Board chairman Ong Swee Law assembled a committee to design one on catchment land near the reservoirs. The committee chose an open concept, with animals in spacious, naturalistic enclosures. Deputy Prime Minister Goh Keng Swee opened the Singapore Zoological Gardens on 27 June 1973, and the public arrived the next day.

The zoo became famous for Ah Meng, an orangutan who shared breakfast with visitors from 1982 and was named a Special Tourism Ambassador in 1992. Night Safari opened next door in 1994, described as the first of its kind in the world, followed by River Safari, now River Wonders, in 2014. The operator, renamed Mandai Wildlife Group in 2021, moved the former Jurong Bird Park to Mandai as Bird Paradise in 2023, creating today's wildlife reserve.

Local life & traditions

For Singaporean families the zoo is a rite of passage, visited on school trips, birthdays and holidays, and Ah Meng the orangutan remains a fondly remembered national figure. Keeper talks and presentations through the day add an educational side to a visit, especially for children.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Arrive at opening time, when animals are most active and the heat is gentler, and follow the zoo's map of feeding times and presentations. Plan around three to five hours for the zoo itself, longer with young children who will want time in KidzWorld and the water play area.

Many visitors pair a daytime park with Night Safari in the evening, using the restaurants in between for dinner. Bird Paradise and River Wonders each make a good half-day on another visit.

When to go

The zoo opens every day of the year, and the best time of day is the first couple of hours after opening, when it is cooler and animals are livelier. Singapore is hot and humid throughout the year; afternoon thunderstorms are common, especially from November to January. Weekdays outside school holidays are the least crowded. Check Mandai's site before you go, as individual exhibits close from time to time for upgrading.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Opening hours: Singapore Zoo: daily 8.30am to 6pm, last entry 5pm Source: mandai.com ↗
Address: Mandai Wildlife EAST (Singapore Zoo), 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826 Source: cn.mandai.com ↗
Shuttle from MRT (as published, Oct 2026): M2 Khatib Bus from Khatib MRT (NS14), Exit A; about 20 minutes, every 15 minutes from 8.30am to midnight; fare S$2.50 (under-7s free), contactless payment only Source: cn.mandai.com ↗
Public buses: Bus 138 from Ang Mo Kio MRT (NS16) or Springleaf MRT (TE4); bus 927 from Choa Chu Kang MRT (NS4); alight at Singapore Zoo (stop 48131) Source: cn.mandai.com ↗
Halal food: Mandai states that not all its food outlets are halal-certified but that halal options are available; check the dining outlets list Source: mandai.com ↗
Temporary closures (as published, Oct 2026): African Penguin exhibit closed until 30 Nov 2026 and Naked Mole Rat exhibit until 12 Nov 2026 for upgrading Source: mandai.com ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Arrive at opening time and see the most popular animals first, before the midday heat.
Bring a refillable water bottle, sun hat and light rain jacket.
Look for the halal certificate displayed at each outlet if you need halal food, since not every outlet is certified.
If you plan to visit Night Safari too, rest in the late afternoon so children have energy for the evening.
Do not feed or touch animals except during official feeding sessions.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Singapore Zoo and Mandai Wildlife Reserve: food, markets & places to stay

The Mandai Wildlife Reserve is set apart from the city, so most visitors eat at the parks' own restaurants and food courts. The Mandai Rainforest Resort stands within the reserve, and the nearest MRT stations with wider food choices are Khatib, Ang Mo Kio and Springleaf. MacRitchie Reservoir and the Central Catchment's trails lie a short drive to the south.