Seeing that Zoo Negara Malaysia (or just simply Zoo Negara) is the National Zoo Of Malaysia, expectations are naturally higher.
Highlights of Zoo Negara are the daily shows and the panda exhibit. Which by the way, is included with the entrance ticket.
Here’s what we really think of the zoo and how you can prepare for a visit to Zoo Negara. We share some tips as well from our own recent experience there.
Table Of Contents:
How Do You Get To Zoo Negara Malaysia?
There’s no direct route by rail (LRT) to Zoo Negara Malaysia. The closest station is Wangsa Maju Station via the Kelana Jaya line. And then, you’ll have to take an e-hailing service or taxi to the zoo.
If you plan to take the bus instead, you can board bus number 253 of Rapid KL from the Putra LRT Station. Or bus number 220 of Rapid KL from Lebuh Ampang. Each of these bus routes offer direct stops at Zoo Negara Malaysia.
For those that are driving or relying on e-haling, it takes ~20 minutes from KLCC to reach Zoo Negara Malaysia.
- Location: Jalan Taman Zooview, Taman Zooview, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
- Opening hours: Daily from 9am to 5pm
- Contact: +603-4108 3422
Entrance Fees For Zoo Negara Malaysia
Tickets can be bought online on Klook or at Zoo Negara Malaysia directly. Entrance tickets include access to the daily multi-animal shows and panda enclosure.
The tickets on Klook are cheaper than the official pricing listed by Zoo Negara Malaysia. But you should note that the tickets from Klook need to be purchased one day in advanced as well.
PS: If it’s your birthday month (this includes the 30 days from your actual birthday date), you can get a form from the information counter to fill up. And go in for free!
Official Ticket Pricing For Zoo Negara Malaysia
| Age Group | Malaysian | Non Malaysian | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With i-Kad/ working permit/ dependant pass) | Others | ||
| Adult | RM45 | RM50 | RM88 |
| Child (3 to 12 years old) | RM18 | RM25 | RM43 |
| Senior (60 years old and above) | RM23 | RM50 | RM88 |
Prepare your passport or IC for inspection by the counter staff when you claim/ buy your tickets at Zoo Negara Malaysia.
Students have lower fees if part of a school group and OKU (Disabled with valid OKU cards) get free admission into the zoo.
Tram Fees At Zoo Negara Malaysia
Our group of 4 chose to walk instead of taking the tram too. Tram fees are not covered in the entrance tickets and are an additional cost.
There are two tram stations at Zoo Negara Malaysia, each with their own pricing. But kids under 2 get to ride for free.
The trams are open-air and do not operate on a hop-on/ hop-off basis.
Note: Aside from the trams, there are private buggy operators around the zoo too.
Fees For Tram Station 1
| Age Group | Malaysian (with MyKad/ MyKid) | Non Malaysian |
| Adult | RM8.90 | RM11.90 |
| Child | RM5.90 | RM9.90 |
Fees For Tram Station 2 (T4)
| Age Group | Malaysian (with MyKad/ MyKid) | Non Malaysian |
| Adult | RM5.90 | RM9.90 |
| Child | RM5.90 | RM9.90 |
Parking Fees At Zoo Negara Malaysia
It’s not free to park your car at Zoo Negara Malaysia. The daily rate is RM10 per vehicle.
Facilities At Zoo Negara Malaysia
There are 2 car parks for Zoo Negara Malaysia – Car Park A and Car Park B. These have a barrier at the front and are mostly exposed to the outdoors. But there are covered walkways for visitors to get to the main entrance of the zoo.
The information counter is on the left side of the entrance. While the ticket counters (walk-in and online) front and center. A gift shop is on the right of the entrance.
Inside the zoo, there are no large food courts. There is a fast-food style restaurant in the middle of the zoo (Restaurant The Wild) and a small, air-conditioned dining area at the panda exhibit.
Visitors can get snacks and drinks from open-air food stalls with a few seats around the zoo, but they don’t serve any substantial food.
Apart from these, many vending machines for drinks are available at Zoo Negara Malaysia as well.
We did not have use for the bathrooms while we were at Zoo Negara Malaysia. So, we have no comment on them.
Attractions At Zoo Negara Malaysia
For many, the main attraction of Zoo Negara Malaysia is the panda exhibit (Giant Panda Conservation Center). It is at the far end of the zoo.
Other exhibits at Zoo Negara Malaysia include:
- Children’s World (petting zoo)
- Mammal Kingdom (e.g., panthers, kancil, serval cats, etc)
- Rimba Reptilia (e.g., reticulated pythons, cobras, tortoises, etc)
- Lions And Tigers (They do have white tigers and pumas)
- Deer
- Bird Aviary
- Milky Stork Breeding Centre
- Emu
- Rimba Biodiversiti (they keep the creepy crawlies and frogs here)
- Herb Garden (just in front of Rimba Biodiversiti)
- Bee Museum (looked abandoned)
- Bear Complex (sun bears!)
- Savanah Walk
- Ape Centre (orangutans and chimpanzees; camels are here too)
Related: Orangutan Island In Perak: A Hidden Orangutan Sanctuary In West Malaysia
If you really want to explore all of the zoo at a leisurely pace, you better be at the zoo as early as possible (they open at 9am). A visit can easily take 4 to 5 hours.
Daily Shows At Zoo Negara Malaysia
Shows run twice daily (11am and 3pm) at Zoo Negara Malaysia at the amphitheatre (marked as Animal Show on the Zoo Negara map).
Note: They do not have shows on Fridays unless it is a public holiday or school holiday. And on Fridays, the afternoon show will start at 3:30pm
The show duration is 30 minutes and while we were there on a Saturday, the first part of the show was in English. And the later part of the show was conducted in Malay.
Animals they featured include parrots, chickens, a binturong, and sea lion.
Feeding Times At Zoo Negara Malaysia
Visitors can witness feeding sessions at Zoo Negara Malaysia on weekends and public holidays.
The earliest feeding session is at the Spotted Deer Exhibit (11:30am to 12pm). Then, the next feeding section is at Children’s World. This takes place between 12pm to 1pm.
And at 2pm (until 3pm), keepers will call out to passers-by for an opportunity to feed the Javan Deer. Mind that you have to pay extra for the treats. The deer are very gentle and look forward to their sweet potatoes.
What We Think Of Zoo Negara Malaysia
What we like:
- Some exhibits are very well-done (e.g., the reptile house)
- Reasonable ticket fees (for locals)
- The daily shows are engaging and worth watching
- Large variety of animals to see
- There are many shelters and benches to sit down and rest
- Many trash cans around the zoo to discourage litterbugs
- Most of the zoo doesn’t smell bad (the worst was around the water buffalo enclosure)
- Virtual maps instead of paper ones
What we don’t like:
- Different standards apply to different exhibits (e.g., the otter and crocodile enclosures are small and in a pitiful state while the panda exhibit is magnificent).
- There are signs of aging in parts of the zoo (closed off or overgrown areas that are unsightly)
- Trams cost extra to use
- Tickets for foreigners are much more expensive
- No shortcuts to get around the zoo on foot
- Unimpressive aquarium section (just behind the amphitheatre)
Tips For Visiting Zoo Negara Malaysia
- Drinks from the vending machines are RM2 cheaper than at the food stalls
- A portable fan is a life-safer (especially at the amphitheatre). You can get personal fans from the souvenir stalls (one near the food stalls and another at the panda exhibit)
- Go see the aquarium and penguins directly before or after the multi-animal show as they are right behind the amphitheatre
- Sit on the left side of the amphitheatre to be closer to the animals
- Take your own water bottle and some snacks if you want (we definitely saw other visitors doing this)
- Bring a hat or umbrella – many parts of the zoo are not shady
- Queues for the online ticket counter at the zoo can be much longer than the queue for the walk-in ticket counter.
- Download the map to get around (study it before your visit if you can) and avoid wasting time back-tracking
Conclusion
Zoo Negara Malaysia is definitely one of the best zoos we have seen in Malaysia. Indeed, some of the exhibits are very beautiful. The panda exhibit and reptile house are truly worth seeing. And so are the daily shows.
However, the general lack of space for the animals is concerning. This seems to be due to poor space management. Or something that Zoo Negara Malaysia has compromised on to include such a large variety of animals.
In saying that, we still think that first-time visitors should go and see the zoo. Public interest in the zoo might attract more corporate funding to support and improve the zoo. Currently, some of the animals (and their enclosures) are sponsored by different companies.
