The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari

The Singapore Zoo is regularly rated among the best zoos in the world, an acclaimed and beautifully landscaped park in the lush north of the island that pioneered the open-concept approach, displaying animals in naturalistic habitats without bars, separated by hidden moats and barriers. Its residents range from orangutans and white tigers to elephants and freshwater exhibits, and it is complemented by the innovative Night Safari, the world's first nocturnal wildlife park, explored after dark by tram and trail to see animals at their most active.

What you actually see

• The open-concept zoo - the animals in naturalistic barless habitats.
• The orangutans - the free-ranging orangutans and breakfast programme.
• The Night Safari - the nocturnal park explored after dark by tram.
• The River Wonders and Bird Paradise - the neighbouring wildlife parks.

When to go

Year-round; the zoo is best in the cooler morning, when the animals are active and the heat bearable, while the acclaimed Night Safari runs in the evenings. Each of the neighbouring parks is a separate ticket, so plan which to visit.

Honest expectations

It is a genuinely excellent, humane and conservation-focused zoo, among the world's best, though it is still a zoo, which some prefer to avoid. The several parks in the cluster each charge a separate, fairly steep ticket, so a full day is pricey. It is hot and humid, so the morning is best. For families and animal lovers, especially the pioneering Night Safari, it is a highlight.

Nearby

The neighbouring River Wonders and Bird Paradise, and the Upper Seletar reservoir, are close.