Mandai Wildlife Reserve is a remarkable nature destination in Singapore. It is a gateway to the world of wildlife with a vision to inspire people to value and conserve biodiversity. Residing next to Singapore’s largest nature reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, this place is home to five world-renowned wildlife parks.
Visiting all four in a day is difficult, as each park is gigantic with many wildlife exhibits to cover. We recommend doing two parks in a day. The best will be to pick one walking and guided tour to make the most of your time. We covered Jurong Bird Park and the Night Safari on the same day and kept a separate day for the zoo.
We also booked our tickets in advance to save time and hopped on to the train wherever possible to save energy. Wear comfy, airy clothes and good walking shoes as there is a lot to explore. Also, carry at least two reusable water bottles and hydrate yourself every now and then.
Each park has a good food court to please your appetite. If you are on a Night Safari, food may come as a complimentary (depending on the ticket). Carrying binoculars is also a good idea to get a better view of the small animals and birds. Here’s a list of parks you can visit at Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the best ticket options available.
Jurong Bird Park
The second largest bird park in the world is home to more than 400 species of birds. The park has thirteen zones, and each zone exhibits a different habitat depending on the birds, from a free-flight aviary to a waterfall, from wetlands to lakes. Boon Lay (East-west Line) is the closest MRT station, followed by a short ride on bus 194 to reach the bird park. Navigating within the park is easy thanks to the complimentary Tram service that takes you from one exhibit to another. However, there is still a lot to walk within those exhibits. The park has many eateries serving Singaporean delicacies, sandwiches, and coffee. You can read more about my Jurong Bird Park experience here.
Ticket: $30 (Adult)
Timings: Thursdays to Sundays, 8:30 am – 6:00 pm (Last admission 5:00 pm)
Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo is an award-winning zoo popularly known for its open zoo concept. This park has eleven zones with more than 300 species. Reaching the zoo is easy as there are plenty of MRT stations nearby. You can also take the Mandai Shuttle operating every 10 minutes from Khatib station (North-South Line). Singapore Zoo also offers complimentary Tram rides making our journey easy within the premises. The zoo runs seasonal events like the Rainforest Lumina, which was running between 2018 and 2020, showcasing the fascinating rainforests during the night. You can check the ongoing events on the website before booking your tickets. The park also offers plenty of interactive shows and activities like feeding the animals, interacting with the keepers, and learning about the animals and their daily activities. The food court is big and has a diverse range of options, from Indian to other Asian cuisines to KFC. We recommend keeping an entire day for the zoo as the complex is enormous. Alternatively, you can club it with Night Safari as it’ll save you time.
Tickets: $51 (Adult)
Timing: 6:30 pm to 12 am (Last admission 11:15 pm)
Night Safari
The world’s first nocturnal zoo is a unique experience at the zoo that goes beyond the usual zoo experience. This award-winning zoo is home to many threatened animals like the White African Lion. Night Safari opens only at night, which helps the animals maintain their regular night and day sleep cycle, unlike other zoos. You can either walk around the trails exploring the nocturnal species or take the guided tram ride. The park has four zones connected via tram and walking trails. The tram ride takes you through large animal exhibits, whereas the walking trails let you observe the small nocturnal creatures. Watch out for the seasonal events that make your safari even more exciting. We took a guided tour, which included hotel pick-up and drop as well as dinner at Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant. However, I recommend reaching here on your own and exploring the place at your pace to make the experience wholesome.
Ticket: $46.20 (Adult)
Timings: 6:30 pm to 12 am (Last admission 11:15 pm)
River Wonders
River Wonders is a newly added attraction in the Mandai Region. It is also the first and only river-themed wildlife park in Asia. The park is home to around 240 species living in various aquatic regions of the world. The mission is to enlighten its visitors to admire and guard the fragile freshwater ecosystems and their species. The Amazon River Quest is one of the main attractions that will transport you straight to Amazon forests. River Wonders also offers a unique dining experience for Panda enthusiasts. Panda-Mania Tour is a half-day dining experience that includes park admission, a guided tour, a 4-course meal, private dining with a view of the Giant Pandas, and other activities. You can read more about this here.
Tickets: $32.10 (Adult)
Timing: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (Last admission 6:00 pm)
Tip: Sign up for the Free WildPass and get great discounts and offers on tickets, food, and more. Click the link to learn more.
