Cover Rainforest Wild Asia is an adventure-based zoo for both adrenaline-seekers and animal-lovers
Rainforest Wild Asia is an adventure-based zoo for both adrenaline-seekers and animal-lovers
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Singapore’s landscape of wildlife experiences is set to expand with the arrival of Rainforest Wild Asia, the city’s fifth zoological park, opening to the public on 12 March 2025. Ahead of its official launch, Tatler Singapore got a first look at the immersive forest-themed park
When one thinks of a wildlife park, it rarely includes traversing dense forest floors, scaling boulders with langurs nearby, or experiencing a controlled free-fall with tigers prowling around (within secure enclosures, of course). But at Rainforest Wild Asia, these are all part of the adventure.
“Rainforest Wild Asia was designed around three key elements,” says Mike Barclay, group chief executive officer of Mandai Wildlife Group. The park introduces highly immersive, flexible habitats featuring 36 species, including some of Southeast Asia’s most iconic and threatened species, and new-to-Singapore species such as the François’ langur and the Philippine spotted deer within a multi-layered rainforest-like environment. Visitors can tailor their adventure with options for adrenaline-fuelled treks, guided explorations, or universally accessible elevated walkways accommodating all mobility levels.
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View the Malayan tigers from the elevated boardwalks
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Rainforest Wild Asia invites guests to traverse a network of trails that range from wide walkways to rugged treks that meander through boulders, streams, and forest terrain. How you choose to experience the park depends on your fitness level and sense of adventure.
Take a leisurely stroll along the Elevated Walkway, a boardwalk that offers panoramic views of the park and its diverse habitats. Or, for those eager to immerse themselves in the wild, venture onto the forest floor—where crossing logs and boulders over streams becomes part of the journey.
Along the way, visitors may spot elusive creatures like the Malayan tiger or observe sun bears from a safe vantage point. Other highlights are the aforementioned François’ langur, leaf-eating primates, at their an open-concept habitat of the Karsts (jagged rock formations); the shy, but free-roaming mousedeer; and the cave chambers inspired by the Mulu Caves in Sarawak.
The park also offers a series of daily Ranger Talks at key zones, including Forest Floor, and Watering Hole, offering deeper insights into the park’s diverse ecosystems.
The AIA Vitality Bounce
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For those seeking a more exhilarating experience, Rainforest Wild Asia caters to adrenaline-seekers with its Adventure Plus add-ons. These experiences elevate the thrill factor, with Canopy Jump offering the chance to step off a 13- or 20-metre platform and experience the exhilarating sensation of free fall before transitioning into a controlled descent.
The AIA Vitality bounce is an open-air bouncing playground with interconnected bounce zones and a nine-metre slide. Those drawn to underground exploration will appreciate the Critter Crawl. Equipped with just the dim glow of a headlamp, participants will journey through a 60-metre cave tunnel adorned with striking stalactites, stalagmites, and fossil imprints. A glass floor panel offers a close-up look at hissing cockroaches, while tight passages require crouching, sidestepping, and crawling.
Above The Wild Cavern Adventure
Above The Wild Apex Adventure
The Wild Cavern Adventure
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For an aerial experience, the Wild Apex Adventure takes participants along a secure via ferrata path at The Karsts, climbing up to 20 metres high. Here, thrill-seekers can look forward to scaling metal rungs, ladders, and suspended bridges while enjoying breathtaking views of Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the Langur Island habitat below. The adventure continues with a trek to The Canopy, home to Javan and red-shanked douc langurs. Participants can walk along suspended planks, nine metres above the ground, leading to the Langur Observation Deck—where, with a bit of luck, they might catch a close glimpse of the langurs in their natural habitat.
Meanwhile, Wild Cavern Adventure offers a more detailed and simulated cave expedition. Participants will navigate narrow tunnels, squeeze through tight spaces, and abseil into darkness, relying solely on their headlamps for illumination. As they explore the cavern system, they will learn about fascinating speleothems before concluding the experience with a photo-worthy ascent through the Oculus—a finale to this subterranean adventure.
Above The Cavern Restaurant
Above The Cavern Restaurant
The Cavern Restaurant
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Beyond exploration, the park offers several dining options. Rangers Cafe at The Outpost is ideal for quick refreshments, while Sentinel Foodhall serves Southeast Asian cuisine in a forest-inspired setting. Watering Hole Cafe provides family-friendly dining with views of the Malayan tapir habitat, and Cavern Restaurant—Singapore’s first cave-themed dining venue—transforms from a lively daytime eatery into a sophisticated evening space.
Rainforest Wild Asia officially opens on March 12, 2025, and will welcome visitors daily from 9 am to 6 pm. It also marks the first phase of a larger vision, with Rainforest Wild Africa set to follow in the next stage of development, bringing the landscapes and wildlife of the Afro-Tropical region and Madagascar to Singapore. Stay tuned for more details.
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Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
