This was definitely one of the highlights of our holiday and if it is available next year, at the time of your visit (or any years in the future), I would definitely recommend it. Sadly, it is only a seasonal event, so it is important that you check the dates that it is available before you visit.
This is advertised on Edinburgh Zoo’s website, but we heard about it by word of mouth from my sister. The tickets for this event don’t include tickets to the zoo during the day and if you were to buy zoo tickets, you would need to leave between then and the exhibit so that they can set up. So, if you’re like us and don’t have your own form of transportation, it is best to think about what you will be doing for the hour or so while the display is being created.
The event was very organised and well thought out. To avoid congestion, there are different entry times, so if you are happy to travel later you could eat dinner and then visit the lantern display, or you could go earlier and either eat there or afterwards. There was a specific route set out for visitors to follow around the zoo with toilets and stalls and different points. There were only a few food stalls available, so if you are accompanied by a fussy eater, I would suggest checking the food menu in case there isn’t anything they will eat available, and you need to make other arrangements for dinner.
It is definitely a good way to learn something about the Chinese and Scottish cultures, particularly given the theme for this year was myths and legends. We had a lot of fun walking around and recognising different stories, then learning about the ones that we didn’t already know.
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