How to Be a Tourist in Singapore: Universal Studios, Zoo, and More Re-Open This Week
With no end date to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s likely that we will be spending most of our annual leaves in Singapore this year. And with museums and several tourist attractions, including the Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios re-opening their doors again, there’s no better time to be a tourist in your own country and lend your support to local businesses.
“With tourism reopening in a safe and gradual manner, STB’s key priority will be to ensure that tourism businesses can provide a safe and enjoyable experience for their guests and visitors,” said Keith Tan, chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a media release.
(Related: What to Expect in Phase 3 of Singapore’s Safe Re-Opening)
“While it will be some time before Singapore can fully welcome international visitors, we hope Singaporeans and residents of Singapore will enjoy what our tourism businesses have to offer, in a socially responsible way.”
Here are the attractions reopening in July, with more to come as STB begins its review of domestic tour operators, who can now submit their reopening proposals to the board.
Get in touch with nature
1/9 Singapore Zoo
Re-opening on
July 6
Opening hours
8.30 am to 6 pm daily
What’s open
All animal zones and park experiences and select F&B and retail outlets will be open, with the exception of tram rides, token feeding of goats and elephants, the Keeper’s Chit Chat, Jungle Breakfast in the Wild, and RepTopia Tour. At KidzWorld, activities like pony rides, falabella grooming, and rabbit petting at the Buddy Barn will be temporarily suspended, while the Play Area will be temporarily closed.
Safety measures
In order to implement crowd control, Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s parks will operate on a timed entry system. Visitors are required to book their visit date and time online, arriving no later than 45 minutes from their selected time. According to the booking page, the first time slot is 8.30 am, with the last slot at 4 pm. However, visitors will be asked to wait for availability on-site if the park has reached its maximum capacity. Guests are allowed to explore the park until closing time, regardless of their time of entry.
In compliance with Covid-19 measures, all visitors will have to log their visit with SafeEntry and take their temperatures at entry. Guests are also required to wear their masks at all times and follow safe stanching measures, keeping their group to five people.
Find out more at Singapore Zoo.
2/9 River Safari
Re-opening on
July 6
Opening hours
10 am to 7 pm daily
What’s open
All attractions, including select retail and F&B outlets, will be open at the park, but experiences like the token feeding of capybara at Once Upon a River, Keeper’s Chit Chat, Manatee Mania Wildlife Tour, and the reservoir cruise will be temporarily suspended due to safe distancing measures.
Safety measures
In order to implement crowd control, Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s parks will operate on a timed entry system. Visitors are required to book their visit date and time online, arriving no later than 45 minutes from their selected time. According to the booking page, the first time slot is 10 am, with the last slot at 5 pm. However, visitors will be asked to wait for availability on-site if the park has reached its maximum capacity. Guests are allowed to explore the park until closing time, regardless of their time of entry.
In compliance with Covid-19 measures, all visitors will have to log their visit with SafeEntry and take their temperatures at entry. Guests are also required to wear their masks at all times and follow safe stanching measures, keeping their group to five people.
Find out more at River Safari.
3/9 Jurong Bird Park
Re-opening on
July 6
Opening hours
8.30 am to 6 pm daily
What’s open
Visitors at Jurong Bird Park will be able to explore all of its attractions, as well as select shops and F&B outlets, with the exception of tram rides, bird photography, token feeding at the Waterfall Aviary and Flamingo exhibit, Keeper’s Chit Chat, and Lunch with Parrots. The play area at Birdz of Play will also be closed.
Safety measures
In order to implement crowd control, Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s parks will operate on a timed entry system. Visitors are required to book their visit date and time online, arriving no later than 45 minutes from their selected time. According to the booking page, the first time slot is 8.30 am, with the last slot at 4 pm. However, visitors will be asked to wait for availability on-site if the park has reached its maximum capacity. Guests are allowed to explore the park until closing time, regardless of their time of entry.
In compliance with Covid-19 measures, all visitors will have to log their visit with SafeEntry and take their temperatures at entry. Guests are also required to wear their masks at all times and follow safe stanching measures, keeping their group to five people.
Find out more at Jurong Bird Park.
4/9 S.E.A. Aquarium
Re-opening on
July 4
Opening hours
10 am to 5 pm, Saturday to Tuesday
What’s open
Catch more than over 100,000 marine animals of over 1,000 species—from sharks to manta rays—at the aquarium. However, all shows, events and public feeding sessions will be temporarily suspended. This includes the Up-Close Encounter, Ocean Dreams, VIP Experience, Shark Encounter, Sea Trek Adventure and diving programmes.
Safety measures
To ensure a safe experience for guests at Resorts World Sentosa, advanced reservations will be required for visiting its attractions. Temperature screening and logging via SafeEntry will be required, with groups limited to five. Contactless payment is encouraged and QR codes will be implemented for menus to reduce contact. There will also be safe distancing ambassadors as well as floor stickers and reminders to ensure the safety of all guests.
Find out more at S.E.A. Aquarium.
(Related: Restaurants to Visit in Singapore When They Re-Open for Dine-in Services During Phase 2)
Get moving
5/9 Universal Studios Singapore
Re-opening on
July 1
Opening hours
2 pm to 9 pm, Thursday to Sunday
What’s open
From July 1, visitors can once again indulge in all of Universal Studios’ rides—from the family-friendly Enchanted Airways to the thrilling Battlestar Galactica: Human vs. Cylon—except Amber Rock Climb at The Lost World and the Magic Potion Spin at Fairy Godmother’s Potion Shop, which are suspended until further notice.
Safety measures
To ensure a safe experience for guests at Resorts World Sentosa, advanced reservations will be required for visiting its attractions. Temperature screening and logging via SafeEntry will be required, with groups limited to five. Contactless payment is encouraged and QR codes will be implemented for menus to reduce contact. There will also be safe distancing ambassadors as well as floor stickers and reminders to ensure the safety of all guests.
For rides at Universal Studios, the park will implement alternate row seating, and return queue tickets will also be issued.
Find out more at Universal Studios Singapore.
6/9 Bounce
Re-opening on
July 1
Opening hours
11 am to 8 pm from Monday to Friday, 10 am to 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday
What’s open
Let loose with all of Bounce’s adrenaline-pumping activities, including free jumping and wall-running.
Safety measures
Bounce has limited the capacity at its arena to 33 jumpers per session. Visitors are encouraged to book tickets online to ensure a place. The jump sessions will also be temporarily reduced to 50 minutes in order to facilitate hourly cleaning of high touch surfaces. In accordance with phase two guidelines, SafeEntry check-in and temperature checks are mandatory for all guests, and masks are to be worn at all times unless you are participating in strenuous activities.
Find out more at Bounce.
7/9 Zero Latency
Re-opening on
July 4
Opening hours
12 pm to 9 pm daily
What’s open
All games at the virtual reality gaming arena will be available, including favourites such as Outbreak Origins, Singularity, and Zombie Survival.
Safety measures
Masks are compulsory on the premises, and the VR gaming arena will be limiting players per session to five from the same social group to prevent cross-contamination. To control customer flow and reduce contact, only online bookings will be accepted, with contactless payment encouraged. During the game, the VR equipment is also equipped with proximity alarms to alert players if they are too close. Pre-entry temperature checks and SafeEntry log-in will be conducted.
Find out more at Zero Latency.
(Related: Museums and Libraries in Singapore are Re-Opening in June and July: Here’s What to Expect)
Get cultured
8/9 Madame Tussauds
Re-opening on
July 1
Opening hours
11 am to 7 pm daily
What’s open
Guests will be able to view the hyper-realistic wax figures of famous leaders, personalities and stars, such as Queen Elizabeth, Marilyn Monroe, and homegrown singer JJ Lin. No further information has been released about whether the museum’s interactive experiences—such as VR racing and the Marvel 4D cinema—will be available yet.
Safety measures
No information has been shared. However, in compliance with phase two guidelines, masks will be mandatory and parties should be limited to five people, with temperature screening and SafeEntry implemented upon entry.
Find out more at Madame Tussauds.
9/9 ArtScience Museum
Re-opening on
July 1
Opening hours
10 am to 7 pm
What’s open
Progressively re-opening its attractions, Future World: Where Art Meets Science—a collection of interactive digital installations on art, science and magic—will be available first on July 1, with 2219: Futures Imagined re-opening later on July 3. The latter is an exploration of Singapore’s possible futures in 200 years through films, paintings, installations and more. However, entry for the museum will be available to Sands Rewards members only. The museum’s programmes will continue to be available online.
Safety measures
In order to ensure safe distancing, the museum will be limiting its capacity, allowing entry only to Sands Rewards members who have bought museum tickets in advance in the initial re-opening phase. Temperature screening and digital check-in via SafeEntry will be implemented and groups should not exceed more than five visitors.
Find out more at ArtScience Museum.
(Related: Phase 2 of Singapore's Re-Opening to Begin on June 19—Here’s What You Can and Can’t Do)
Other attractions re-opening in July include the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, Sands SkyPark and Observation Deck, the Casino at Marina Bay Sands, and the Casino at Resorts World Sentosa.