Keen to do something different in the evening? Well, Night Safari is easily one of Singapore’s most unique zoos, and a must-do. In this guide, I’ll share my honest review, what to expect, and my top tips for visiting.
Night Safari Singapore was the last Mandai Park I visited on my list of all 5, and as they say, did I leave the best until last? Well, that was my hope as I was doing this, and then had a 3 am wake up call for my flight out of the country, I definitely wanted the minimal sleep to be worth it.
As the name implies, Night Safari is basically Singapore’s nighttime zoo. There’s a lot of hype around it for sure, though I honestly wasn’t sure whether it would live up to what I’ve heard or it’d feel like wandering around in the dark trying to spot anything.
Luckily, there is much more to Night Safari than simply jumping on the tram and hoping for the best. Between the walking trails, animal presentations, and surprisingly close wildlife encounters, it ended up being one of the more memorable parks I visited at Mandai.
In this Night Safari Singapore review, I’ll share exactly what my visit was like, whether I think it is worth the price, and all the practical tips I wish I knew beforehand.
Everything You Need To Know About Night Safari Singapore
🚗 How I Book Cheap Transport In Singapore: 12Go Asia
Quick Answer For Visiting Night Safari Singapore
Yes, I think Night Safari is worth visiting if you’ve never experienced a nocturnal zoo before.
Make sure you explore the walking trails as well as the tram ride, as that’s where I had some of my best wildlife encounters.
| Night Safari Singapore | Details |
|---|---|
| ⭐ My Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 🎟️ Worth Visiting? | Yes, especially if it’s your first nocturnal zoo |
| ⏰ Time Needed | 3–4 hours |
| 🚋 Don’t Miss | The tram ride, walking trails, and Creatures of the Night presentation |
| 🕐 Best Time to Visit | Arrive before opening to beat the queues |
| 💰 Ticket Price | From S$58 for adults |
| 👟 Top Tip | Don’t just ride the tram, my favourite wildlife sightings were actually on the walking trails. |
My Night Safari Review
As I mentioned, this was my last night in Singapore and, honestly, a part of me just wanted to stay in. With a 3 a.m. wake-up for my flight home, there was no way I was going to get a decent night’s sleep.
Nevertheless, I’d already bought my ticket, and it was the last Mandai Park I had left to visit. I booked a Grab and, within minutes, I was on my way.
Arriving At Night Safari
By the time I arrived, crowds were already starting to form around the entrance. I had one of the earliest entry times, so I jumped in the queue and used the wait to come up with a bit of a game plan.
After doing some research, I decided the best order would be the early show, then the walking trails, and finally the tram.
Watching The Twilight Performance
I had booked my show time earlier that day, so as soon as my ticket was scanned, I headed straight to the amphitheatre for the Twilight Performance.
I nibbled on a few snacks I had brought along with me for dinner while the arena slowly filled up and it started getting darker and darker.
I’ll say, the performance was actually pretty cool. It gave a good introduction to some of the animals you can later spot around the park, including a few I had literally never heard of before.
There was also some audience participation, which made it a bit more fun. Though the owls featured in each of the shows around the parks were definitely more than repetitive at this stage.
Exploring The Walking Trails
Next up were the walking trails, starting with the Pangolin Trail. Now, animals can already be difficult to spot around the Mandai parks because the enclosures are designed to look like dense natural habitats. Trying to find them in the dark is a whole other level.
I spent a good few minutes at most enclosures just staring out into the darkness, waiting for my eyes to adjust and hoping I would notice some movement.
Luckily, I managed to spot quite a lot. I saw a leopard staring straight back at me, a slow loris, a civet, loads of porcupines happily munching away, and plenty more.
Though honestly, one of my biggest highlights was watching a massive gharial appear and disappear through the murky water below. It was so freaky how it literally just vanished!
The walking trails definitely took up the majority of my visit. All up, they took me just over two hours, and I would say I was moving at a fairly decent pace as well.
Taking The Night Safari Tram
By the time I finally reached the tram, it was getting pretty late and there was absolutely no wait, which was fabulous because I was more than ready for a sit-down.
Honestly, the tram was probably the lowlight of my visit, though that had more to do with the other guests than the actual ride.
We had a screaming child sitting in front of us and a guy behind taking photos with his flash on, with the latter actually being the most annoying.
The tram itself was still a good way to learn more about the animals while seeing parts of Night Safari you can’t reach on foot. Though I do think it went by a little too quickly.
I would have happily done a much slower ride, and maybe even gone around again, but by that point it was getting seriously late.
Finding The Asian Bull Elephant
My final stop was visiting the huge Asian bull elephant called Chawang with his super impressive tusks. He’s tucked away near the tram stop, so most people seem to completely miss him.
I stood there watching him for around 15 minutes before anyone else even wandered over. Watching him eat, play, and stand in the darkness.
It was a bit strange watching this lone animal, but on the tram ride they explained bull elephants are actually kicked out of the herd in the wild and live a lot of their life separately from the females.
This was definitely one of those moments where doing a little bit of research beforehand really paid off. I would have had no idea he was there otherwise, and he ended up being one of the biggest highlights of my whole visit.
Getting Back To My Hotel
Luckily, it was also super easy to get a taxi after Night Safari. This had been one of my main concerns before visiting so I didn’t want to do another tram ride in case it got too late.
I would have absolutely zero idea how I would’ve got back to the city.
Not going to lie, this turned into a crazy late night for me. By the time I finally got back to my hotel, washed off all the sweat, and tucked into bed, it was well after midnight.
Though a couple hours of sleep is better than none, I guess.
Is Night Safari Worth Visiting?
I definitely think Night Safari is worth visiting, though I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite of the Mandai parks.
That title still goes to Bird Paradise, but Night Safari offers a completely different experience that you simply can’t get during the day.
My personal ranking of the Mandai Wildlife Parks would be:
- Bird Paradise
- River Wonders
- Night Safari
- Singapore Zoo
- Rainforest Wild Adventure
What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed the walking trails. I went in expecting the tram ride to be the highlight, but slowly wandering through the trails and spotting animals hidden in the darkness ended up being far more memorable.
It almost feels like you’re on a little wildlife hunt.
That said, you do need to manage your expectations. The animals have plenty of places to hide, and because it’s dark, you won’t see every animal clearly or even be able to get photos.
If you’re expecting perfect views of every enclosure, you’ll leave feeling a little disappointed.
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend visiting Night Safari if you’re spending a few days in Singapore, especially if you’ve never been to a nocturnal zoo before, like me. Just maybe don’t leave it to the night where you fly out of the country so can only get a couple of hours sleep.
Night Safari Ticket Prices
Night Safari isn’t the cheapest attraction in Singapore, but I do think it’s worth the ticket price for the experience.
Night Safari tickets cost SG$58.00 / US$45.00 for adults and SG$41.00 SGD / US$32.00 for children, if you’re a tourist. Local resident pricing is a few dollars cheaper than this.
If you’re planning on visiting a couple of the Mandai parks it’s definitely worth checking out the combo passes instead of buying separate tickets.
This is exactly what I did, with it costing SG$128.00 SGD / US$100.00 for adults and SG$98.00 / US$77.00 for children. This pass gives you one-time entry to each of the five parks of Rainforest Wild Adventure, Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Bird Paradise, and Night Safari.
I’d also recommend booking your tickets online before you visit. Night Safari uses timed entry slots, and the earlier evening slots are usually the most popular.
🎟️ Check Night Safari Ticket Prices Here
Night Safari Opening Hours
Night Safari is open daily from 6:00 pm until midnight, with the last entry at 11:15 pm.
The earliest timed entry slot you can book is 6:15 pm, with entry times staggered throughout the evening. Even though you can enter the park before 7:00 pm, both the walking trails and tram don’t begin operating until then.
After doing a bit of research before my visit, this is the order I decided on, and honestly I think it worked out really well:
| Time | What To Do |
|---|---|
| 6:15 pm | Enter Night Safari and make your way towards the amphitheatre. |
| 7:00 pm | Grab a good seat for the first Creatures of the Night presentation. |
| 7:30 pm | Watch the first Creatures of the Night presentation. |
| 8:00 pm | Explore all of the walking trails while the animals are active. |
| 10:00 pm | Finish with the tram ride once the queues have died down. |
I found this to be a great way to experience everything without spending ages waiting for the tram. By the time I joined the queue later in the evening, there was virtually no wait at all.
How To Get To Night Safari
Night Safari is located within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which is a bit outside of central Singapore. It isn’t somewhere you can simply hop off the MRT and walk to, but don’t worry, it’s still really easy to get there.
I’d recommend chucking your starting point into Google Maps to work out the quickest route. The official Mandai website is also super handy if you want to check shuttle times, bus routes, or parking info.
One thing I absolutely love about Singapore’s public transport is how easy it is. You can simply tap on and off with your debit or credit card, so there’s no need to muck around buying another transport card you’ll probably never use again.
MRT + Shuttle
For most travellers, the easiest public transport option is to catch the MRT to Khatib Station (NS14) and then jump on the M2 Mandai Khatib Bus.
The bus takes around 20 minutes to reach Mandai Wildlife Reserve and costs S$2.50 / US$2.00 each way.
It runs around every 15 minutes during most operating hours, so you shouldn’t be waiting around for too long. You can also simply tap on and off using a contactless debit or credit card, which keeps the whole journey super easy.
Bus
If you’re happy using public transport, you can also catch a public bus all the way to Night Safari.
Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll usually need to transfer onto Bus 138 or Bus 927, both of which stop at Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
I’d still recommend the MRT and Mandai Khatib Bus if you can, as it’s generally the quicker and easier option. That said, if a direct bus works better from where you’re staying, it’s still a straightforward way to get there.
Taxi / Grab
The fastest and easiest way to get to Night Safari is by taxi or Grab. The drive from the city center takes around 30 minutes and will usually cost around US$25.00, depending on traffic and where you’re staying.
This is what I did for most of my visits to the Mandai parks.
It’s definitely more expensive than public transport, but you save so much time and get dropped right outside the entrance.
Keep an eye out for the little wildlife bridges crossing over the highway on the way!
Creatures Of The Night Show
100% definitely make sure to get yourself to the Creatures of the Night presentation. I booked the first 7:30 pm show and thought it was a really good introduction to some of the animals in the park before heading out on the walking trails.
The show has a range of nocturnal animals showing off their natural behaviours, while the presenters share some little facts about each and the conservation work happening behind the scenes.
I also liked that there was a bit of audience participation, which kept things entertaining without feeling too cheesy.
One thing to know before you visit is that you need to reserve your seat online. Bookings open 2 hours before each presentation, and they can fill up quickly, especially for the earlier shows. I made sure to set an alarm so I wouldn’t miss out on the first show.
Make sure you also arrive at the amphitheatre at least 15 minutes before your show starts, as the gates close 10 minutes before the presentation begins. I headed in as soon as I entered the Night Safari park, which worked well.
As for where to sit, I wouldn’t stress too much. I sat in the middle of the amphitheatre and had a great view of the entire stage. I’d avoid sitting right at the back if you can, but honestly there aren’t really any bad seats.
Safari Tram Ride
The tram ride is probably the most iconic part of Night Safari and, honestly, it is something you need to do at least once. It takes you through areas of the park you can’t reach on foot, with animals wandering around huge open habitats along the way.
I also really liked the commentary during the ride. It gave a bit more context about the animals we were passing, which was super helpful.
Though honestly I found it went way too fast for my liking, I would’ve happily sat at each enclosure for 5+ minutes.
How Long Are The Queues?
This really depends on what time you join the line.
When I first arrived, the tram queue looked pretty massive, which I knew would be the case after a bit of research online. It’s one of the reasons I decided to watch the presentation and explore the walking trails first.
By the time I came back around 10:00 pm, there was literally no wait at all, and I was more than ready for a sit-down to rest my legs.
If you don’t mind staying a little later, I’d definitely recommend doing the tram towards the end of your visit.
Walking Trails
The walking trails ended up being my favourite part of Night Safari. I honestly thought the tram would be the highlight, but slowly wandering through the park and trying to spot animals hidden in the darkness took the experience to a whole new level.
I found the trails super well organised, with minimal backtracking and it was easy to get around, even in the dark!
All up, I spent just over two hours exploring every trail, though you could definitely move through them much quicker if you weren’t stopping at every enclosure like me.
Leopard Trail
If you only have time for one trail, I’d make it Leopard Trail. As the name suggests, you’ll find the Sri Lankan leopard here, which was actually one of my favourite animal encounters of the night.
I literally ended up face to face with the leopard as I stood against the glass trying to find it, not realising they were right in front of me, hiding in the darkness.
I also spotted a slow loris, lions, and some absolutely massive flying foxes flying right by my head in the walkthrough.
Pangolin Trail
The Pangolin Trail was the first one I explored and ended up being another one I loved. Despite the name, I wasn’t lucky enough to spot one of the Pangolins, so a photo with the statue was very much necessary.
Though, apart from the adorable Sunda pangolins, you’ll also have the chance to spot animals like the fossa, binturong, Asian small-clawed otter, and porcupines.
I spent quite a lot of time watching a Kinkajou dig around and looking in logs for a yummy treat.
Tiger Trail
Tiger Trail is another one I’d definitely recommend. Of course, the Malayan tigers are the stars of the show, but you can also see sloth bears and striped hyenas along the way.
Gosh, I didn’t realise Hyenas are so smelly! Just prepare yourself for that.
Just a heads up, the tigers can be a little tricky to spot depending on where they’re hanging out, so don’t be afraid to spend a few extra minutes at their enclosure.
Tasmanian Devil Trail
The Tasmanian Devil Trail is the shortest of the three, but it’s still worth doing. This focuses on a lot of the nocturnal animals from Oceania, including the super cute sugar glider!
Honestly, as a Kiwi who’s seen a lot of animals from this side of the world, this is the one I enjoyed the least. I definitely sped through it, though that’s because it was all animals I had seen before.
As well as the Tasmanian devils themselves, you’ll also walk through the free-roaming wallaby habitat, which was a nice change from looking into enclosures all evening.
I saw a lot of people looking into the Kiwi exhibit so it was cool to see everyone admiring the NZ iconic bird.
My Top Tips For Visiting
- Arrive for one of the earliest entry times. I booked the 6:15 pm entry and found it gave me plenty of time to watch the first presentation before exploring the rest of the park.
- Book the first Creatures of the Night presentation. It was a great way to kick off the evening, and I found it introduced some of the animals I’d later see on the walking trails.
- Leave the tram until later. When I first arrived, the queue looked huge. By around 10:00 p.m. there was virtually no wait, so I was able to jump straight on.
- Don’t skip the walking trails. I honestly enjoyed these more than the tram. Spotting animals hiding in the darkness made the whole experience feel much more rewarding.
- Take your time at each enclosure. You’ll be surprised how many animals suddenly appear once your eyes adjust to the dark.
- Go and find the huge Asian bull elephant. He’s tucked away near the tram stop, so a lot of people walk straight past. He ended up being one of the biggest highlights of my visit.
- Keep an eye out for the gharial. Watching this massive crocodilian silently appear and disappear beneath the water was honestly one of the coolest moments of the night.
- Dress for hot and humid weather. Even after the sun went down, it was still incredibly warm and sticky, so lightweight clothing and a water bottle are definitely your friend.
- Don’t worry about bringing a torch. The paths are dimly lit to suit the animals, but I never had any trouble finding my way around.
- You probably won’t need much insect repellent. I didn’t bring any and barely got bitten. It seemed like the park was pumping citronella through parts of the walking trails.
FAQs About Night Safari Singapore
Is Night Safari suitable for children?
Yes, Night Safari is suitable for children, especially if they love animals. That said, I’d probably say it’s the least child-friendly of the Mandai parks. It’s a late-night experience, there’s quite a bit of walking, and spotting the animals can take a bit of patience in the dark.
Is the tram ride included in the ticket?
Yes, the standard tram ride is included with your Night Safari admission ticket, so there’s no need to pay anything extra.
Can you take photos at Night Safari?
Yes, you can take photos at Night Safari, though honestly it can be pretty hard to get a decent shot in the dark. Just make sure your flash is turned off, as it can disturb the animals and is seriously annoying for everyone around you.
Is Night Safari better than Singapore Zoo?
Personally, yes. I actually ranked Night Safari above Singapore Zoo because it’s such a unique experience. Seeing the animals after dark and exploring the walking trails felt much more memorable to me than wandering around a standard zoo.
Wrap Up: My Night Safari Review
Overall, I really enjoyed Night Safari and definitely think it’s worth visiting. The walking trails were the biggest surprise for me, and slowly spotting animals hidden in the darkness made the whole experience feel so different from a normal zoo.
Out of all the Mandai parks, I’d rank it third behind Bird Paradise and River Wonders, but ahead of Singapore Zoo and Rainforest Wild Adventure.
I’d recommend it most to animal lovers and anyone looking for something a little different to do at night. Though if you’re travelling with very young kids or want the easiest animal spotting, Singapore Zoo may be the better choice.
Any Questions? Let Me Know In The Comments!
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on it and purchase something, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and your support is much appreciated.
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