Mandai

Mandai is five wildlife parks on one ridge in the north, split between two entrances on Mandai Lake Road. Mandai Wildlife EAST, at number 80, has the Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari and the EAST zone of Rainforest Wild Adventure. Mandai Wildlife WEST, at number 20, has Bird Paradise and the WEST zone of Rainforest Wild. If you only do one, make it the Zoo, with its open habitats and orangutans overhead. It opens at 8.30am, half an hour before the other day parks, and we'd be there for it, while the animals are up and the queues are short.

We'd book two parks at most. The Zoo and then Night Safari is the classic long day, with a rest in between. For canopy walks rather than another zoo loop, pick Rainforest Wild Adventure, which has adventure activities included in the ticket. River Wonders is the one for pandas, who live in Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest. House of Kai Kai and Jia Jia is closed for renovation until 30 November, but the pandas stay on view, through an entrance moved beside the usual door. The park also runs the Amazon River Quest boat ride and the Once Upon a River presentation, where seat booking opens two hours before the show.

Over at WEST, Bird Paradise spreads across 17 hectares, and its eight walk-through aviaries let you wander among more than 3,500 birds from over 400 species. The ticket includes an in-park shuttle, and the presentations at PropNex Sky Amphitheatre change, so check the Mandai App the morning you go. Back at EAST, Night Safari opens daily at 6pm and runs until midnight, with last entry at 11.15pm, and you'll choose a time slot when you book. The walking trails and the Safari Adventure Tram start at 7pm, and the last tram goes at 11.20pm.

Mandai Boardwalk is free and needs no park ticket. It's a public path along Upper Seletar Reservoir, skirting River Wonders and the Zoo, and it's easy going with a wheelchair or stroller. Join it at Kingfisher's Cave through Mandai Wildlife EAST, or at Tree Frog's Hangout to the left of River Wonders. We'd walk it in the morning, while it's still cool, before a park. It closes at 7pm, so it won't stretch to a stroll after Night Safari.

Where to eat

• Dinner in town, before Night Safari: eat well on your way up, then head in for your slot
• Dining Alley, Mandai Wildlife EAST: food that does the job, with the better pick of chain restaurants on site
• Mama Panda Kitchen, River Wonders: the stop for panda pau, the steamed buns, if you're already inside the park
• Penguin Cove Restaurant, Bird Paradise: 11am–5.30pm, last order 5pm, for lunch when WEST is your park
• Breakfast in the Wild, Singapore Zoo: 9am–10.30am, and only for those who've booked a place