Singapore Zoo

The line between zoo and botanic oasis blurs at this pulse-slowing sweep of spacious, naturalistic enclosures and interactive attractions. Get up close to orangutans, dodge Malaysian flying foxes, even snoop around a replica African village. Then there’s that setting: 26 soothing hectares on a lush peninsula jutting out into the waters of the Upper Seletar Reservoir.

There are over 2400 residents here, and as far as zoos go, the enclosures are among the world’s most comfortable. Among the highlights is the Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife, a morning buffet enjoyed in the company of orangutans. Close encounters with free-roaming ring-tailed lemurs, lories and tree-hugging sloths await at the giant Fragile Forest biodome, or spy on shameless, red-bummed baboons at the evocative Great Rift Valley exhibit. Let the kids go wild at Rainforest Kidzworld, a wonderland of slides, swings, pony rides and farmyard animals happy for a feed. There’s even a dedicated wet area, with swimwear available for purchase if you didn’t bring your own.