Organised around the great rivers of the world, River Wonders is a wildlife park in the Mandai cluster that opened in 2014 and was renamed from River Safari a few years later. It leads visitors along recreations of famous waterways, from the Mississippi and the Nile to the Mekong and the Yangtze, each stocked with the freshwater creatures that live in and around them. The park is best known for its giant pandas, long a star draw, kept in a climate-controlled forest along with red pandas and other species, and for a freshwater tank holding huge river fish and rays. A walk-through Amazon flooded forest, where animals appear to share the water with visitors behind a vast viewing panel, is another highlight. A gentle boat ride threads through an Amazon-themed section, passing animals along the banks, while squirrel monkeys roam freely on a dedicated trail, often coming close to delighted visitors. Manatees glide through one of the largest freshwater tanks of its kind, and the park keeps a strong focus on the conservation of river habitats. As the only river-themed wildlife park in the region, it fills a distinctive niche between the zoo next door and the bird and rainforest parks nearby, and a combined visit across the Mandai attractions is easy to arrange. The shaded, water-side setting offers some relief from the heat. The renaming to River Wonders reflected a wider rebranding of the Mandai parks, but the formula remained: a journey along the world rivers that pairs spectacle with a quiet message about protecting freshwater life. For families it offers pandas, monkeys and a boat ride in one easy package. The giant pandas, on a long loan arrangement, have been among the park biggest draws, and the birth of a cub in Singapore was greeted with national excitement, a reminder of how zoos can capture public affection. Beyond the star animals, the park leans heavily on the theme of the world great rivers as fragile, threatened ecosystems, using its habitats to highlight the pressures on freshwater life from pollution, dams and overfishing. Manatees, giant catfish, otters and a host of lesser-known river species give the park a distinctive cast quite different from the savanna and rainforest animals of its neighbours. Shaded walkways and the boat ride make it a comparatively gentle, family-friendly addition to a day in the Mandai reserve.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 80 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore, Singapore

Website: https://www.mandai.com/en/river-wonders.html

Opening Date: 28/02/2014