Breakfast with Orangutans Glimpses of the World

Must-do Things in Singapore: See the Orangutans

There are some experiences and must-do things in Singapore, that one just shouldn’t miss. Here is what I mean.

One of the most popular attractions when I was there was Singapore’s Night Safari. Well, why not, “while in Singapore”, right? I stumbled upon this tour numerous times when I was reading about the city and planning to travel there, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Must-do things in Singapore
The zoo is located on the shore

It sure is a nice visit if you are traveling with children. If not, and you don’t have enough time, just skip it and rather go to the zoo by day.

Must-do Things in Singapore

What makes the Night Safari interesting is the fact that they put tourists on a small open touring train and take you through various parts of the park where nocturnal animals live. The train will stop a few times to let through a lion or some other animal, whose eyes glow in the dark!

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MUST-DO THINGS IN SINGAPORE: Family of orangutans

You don’t even care what the species is since you are aware of the fact that they probably hunt at night, so you put your feet back inside the small open train.

 

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As usual, tourists are not that disciplined and it seems hard for people to acknowledge the fact that they shouldn’t use flash while taking pictures because animals are not used to that kind of light, and that “there is a reason why they hunt at night”. The train will not stop if it doesn’t have to, so don’t expect to see anything along the way.

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How can one resist such a look…

The great atmosphere of the Night Safari is certainly created by a thick darkness, while the train glides through the chilly rainforest and one can only hear unfamiliar roars and growls all around. You can imagine what it would be like to find yourself alone in the middle of the forest, not having a clue what might jump out of the dark. This is why the Night Safari can also be one of the must-do things in Singapore.

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Off to the woods

One more performance

For those of you who might be a bit more adventurous, it is even possible to walk along certain trails with a special warning not to astray off the track. It is easy to get lost around here. You will get a quick “lesson” on how to react if you find yourself face to face with an animal whose territory you are crossing into.

Must-do Things in Singapore
Zebra print and zebra in the background

Or you can attend one of the performances led at the time by an Indian lady who obviously loved her job and the animals. The disobedient audience was still flashing with their cameras.

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MUST-DO THINGS IN SINGAPORE: See a baby elephant

If you haven’t had dinner yet, you will find a range of Indian and Chinese restaurants at the park with delicious meals. It will be crowded, but such is the atmosphere of the park, bustling and touristy. Then again, it feels nice to be surrounded by humans once again, and all those lanterns and night lights.

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Cheetah hidden in the grass

Family of Orangutans

Anyway, try not to miss the Singapore Zoo. Where else would you get the chance to have breakfast with orangutans! Singapore was proud to take care of the ever-growing family of orangutans who are protected. They were the main attraction of the zoo with the vast rain-forest area as their home.

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Curious giraffe

It was possible to stand next to them and take a photo but not to disturb or touch them, and then have a meal on the terrace while you gaze at them standing on a branch eating their fruit. Still, you will be interrupted by a zoo photographer who took your picture while you were standing in front of orangutans, bringing a nicely framed photo with “best wishes from Singapore”.

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Large turtles resting in the shade

Meeting the orangutan family was just extraordinary, I was amazed by the way they eat, move, and play around. And finally, they left, they went home, into the forest. This is one of the genuine must-do things in Singapore.

No Cages at the Zoo

There were a lot of monkey species at the zoo to be seen. Sometimes I wouldn’t even notice them if I didn’t look up.

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MUST-DO THINGS IN SINGAPORE: Take a visitor trail through the greenery

They were just hanging up there, minding their own business, and would eventually look at you, all curious. There were tigers, lions, crocodiles, giraffes, zebras, snakes, baby elephants, bears, etc. from all over the world, and their home was at the lake or along the overgrowth, while you have to wriggle through thick vegetation at some parts of the zoo trail.

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Lion rewarded me with a gaze

Try to navigate the trail with a help of the map you’ll find at the entrance because you just might go around twice, as I did. Even if you go off the trek you are supposed to follow, do not be alarmed when you realize that there are no cages and that it takes only a minor jump for an animal to come before you. It is all safe for visitors and animals alike. Also, there are frequent bus stops where you can hop onto one and easily reach the exit.

Since Singapore is into every detail, you will notice that even trash cans and tour buses are painted in animal print, and so you’ll be riding a zebra-bus or giraffe-bus.

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Gate towards the tiger trek

If you have enough time, spend the whole day here. The zoo is well organised, it houses a lot of animals in nicely arranged small meadows and ponds serving as their home, and you will be strolling along the tour path while animals would just yawn or jump around, hiding behind trees.

This is one of the must-do things in Singapore if you travel with children, because such a place is perfect for teaching them about the animal world and about taking care of them properly.

Next: CABLE CAR TO SENTOSA ISLAND (9)

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Breakfast with Orangutans Glimpses of the World

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16 responses

  1. Looks like you an amazing time at the zoo and other parks. The Orangutan photos are absolutely beautiful. Enjoyed reading through this post.

  2. This looks like a super fun activity to do in Singapore (even if you do not have children 🙂 Your photos look fantastic and the baby elephant is super cute! I would love to go there sometime!

  3. Wow, you got some great pictures! At Taronga Zoo in Sydney they do a “Roar and Snore” where you can sleep in the zoo – it’s been on my bucket list for some time.

  4. What a cool experience! I love the thought of a ‘zoo’ with less cages and a way for visitors to see the animals in a more natural way. I would have been just as frustrated as you with the people using flash on their cameras!
    -Kristin
    countdowntofridayblog.com

  5. Is it only me or tourists are getting less and less respectful? I love meeting wild animals but in these kind of parks they are not really wild. It’s hard to find the balance.

  6. I’ve never tried including this on my trips to Singapore before. After reading your post though, I am willing to give it a try. It looked like you had such a great time! 🙂

  7. wow that zoo looks amazing ! Love those giant turtles ! I am going to Singapore in October, I am gonna have to check it out! Animals are so fun!

  8. Oh looks like you had an amazing time! I loved visiting the zoo when I was last in Singapore. It’s a wonderful experience.

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