ON MAY 15, my family and I took two Canadian friends to the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. The main animal show at the zoo was suspended because of renovation. If the admission charges are so high, shouldn't there be a discount with no animal show?
Then, our friends wanted to try our local delight, the famous laksa. The price per bowl: $9 - twice what it costs in Katong.
We arrived at the Night Safari at 6.15pm, queued for 30 minutes to enter and again for 35 minutes to see the animal show.
Most people in the queue were tourists and they were quite agitated. It was hot and humid. While waiting in the queue, I waved at the staff to inquire about the waiting time. No one noticed except the tourist guides.
One was kind enough to explain to me that we had to wait because the safari staff needed time to set up the show. If that was the reason, shouldn't they start preparing earlier rather than make paying tourists (price per ticket including tram ride: $32) wait so long?
The final disappointment was at the drink stall at one of the tram stops. A cup of a syrupy drink costs $4. Even our foreign friends thought it was expensive.
I am sure the zoo and Night Safari can do better than that.
At such high prices, how can low-income families enjoy our own attractions?
