In Singapore, nature coexists with the city. This island-city state has the vision to combine its state-of-the-art modern lifestyle with the pristine effects of a diverse ecosystem. Even though the country is barely visible on the world map, it is crammed with some of the world’s most fascinating attractions. Due to its desire to welcome a green country, it has created artificially created nature attractions teeming with wildlife and wilderness. Jurong Bird Park, Singapore River Safari, and Night Safari are fine examples of the same. Another nature-based attraction here is River Wonders. Keep reading to learn more about this captivating Singapore attraction.
River Wonders Singapore in a nutshell
River Wonders is the first-ever river-themed wildlife park and aquarium in Singapore. it is formerly known as Singapore Zoo and River Safari and is a part of Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore. It is nestled between Singapore Zoo and Night Safari Singapore and stretches over 12hectares of land. It’s designed in such a way that you get to witness a mixture of both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. It is home to the largest freshwater aquarium in the world, with over 7000 land and aquatic animals. Together with Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo, and Night Safari, Singapore River Wonders is an incredible way to discover a world filled with wildlife. The attraction focuses on the delicate nature of freshwater ecosystems and showcases endangered and rare animals. This is one of the most popular family-friendly attractions in Singapore and a delight for children to view wildlife up-close. The River Wonders Singapore is located on Mandai Lake Road, just next to Singapore Zoo. The nearest MRT is Khatib on the North-South Line and the closest bus station is the Singapore zoo bus stop.
Things to do in River Wonder Singapore?
The answer is plenty! The whole arena resembles a tropical forest and is divided into different zones. In all, there are 14 zones to explore and some of them are themed on various rivers from around the world. The attraction is also home to the world’s largest viewing panel for an aquarium and has a dedicated Panda reserve.
Some of the most prominent zones to visit are:
Amazon Flooded Rain Forest
Image Credit: https://www.mandai.com/
Set forth to view up-close manatees, giant river otters and arapaimas in the submerged banks of Amazon forests.
Congo River
Explore the marine life from one of Africa’s prime freshwater Basins. You will see a variety of aquatic life such as African dwarf crocodile, various varieties of cichlid, Large spot catfish to name a few.
Ganges River
Image Credit: https://www.mandai.com/
Themed on the holiest river of India, the Ganges exhibits several South Asian marine life such as goonch catfish and Indian gharial.
Nile River
Image Credit: https://www.mandai.com/
Watch the fascinating creatures of the longest and oldest river in the world! Marvel at an assortment of fishes ranging from Tigerfish, Bichir, African pike, Giraffe catfish, and many more.
Don’t forget to take a detour to the Giant Panda Forest
This is the largest panda gallery in Southeast Asia and is home to Panda couple – Kai Kai and Jia Jia who welcomed a gorgeous cub – Le Le in 2021. The whole area is spacious and designed as per the natural habitat of pandas. Even the temperature is controlled and the arena is dense with lush bamboo plantings to make them feel comfortable.
Incredible activities to check out at River Wonders
Take an adventure cruise on the Amazon River Quest
Set sail into the deepest forays of incredible rivers and explore the shoreline wildlife from a boat cruise. With the Amazon River Quest, you can explore an artificially created Amazon river ambience where you will find exotic and rare animals hidden and peeking from lush forests. This ride costs about SGD 5 per adult and SGD 3 per child.
Enjoy ‘Once upon a River’ show
This interactive show is a hit among kids. They would love watching capybaras playfully having some tasty snacks from their instructors and watching gorgeous pelicans come forth to snap pictures with them.
Have pandas as guests for your dining experience
Watch these squishy giants and their adorable antics as you enjoy a scrumptious 4-course dinner with your family.
If you opt for a Half-day dining experience, you get to enjoy all these activities together. This programme includes a guided tour of the Panda Forest followed by a menu of 4-course meals in private dining chambers, reserved seats for ‘Once Upon a River’ show, the Amazon River Quest adventure cruise, and many complementary benefits, take-home souvenirs, and discounts on River Wonders retail shops. All this comes to you at a price of SGD 228 per person.
Opening hours
River Wonders is open throughout the year from 10 am till 7 pm
Admission Ticket Costs
Ticket costs around SGD 35 per adult and SGD 24 per child aged 3 to 12 years. Weekend rates are slightly higher than weekday rates.
Best time to visit River Safari Singapore aka River Wonders.
With so many interesting things to see and do, River Wonders Singapore is one of the wonderful attractions in Singapore. Anytime is the best time to visit River Wonders as most of its attractions are indoor parks. However, February till April is a better time to visit if planning with kids as Singapore is known for its sudden downpours and this time of the year, you would not come across unexpected rain showers. Singapore is one of the most frequently visited places by family holidaymakers and globetrotters so you can expect it as a crowded destination. Nevertheless, keep in mind that an ideal visit would be on non-weekend days and public holidays when the attraction would attract the most crowds from locals and tourists alike.