I’m a working adult but I still love going to the zoo. Here’s why Mandai Wildlife Reserve is my happy place.

My first memory of going to the zoo was actually pretty traumatic.

It was on a school excursion. My mum entrusted me with her digital camera, which she made me promise not to lose as it was very special and therefore irreplaceable.

Of course, caught up in the excitement of seeing tigers and elephants in real life, I immediately lost the camera.

I don’t remember the scoldings that surely must have come after. But the guilt wasn’t enough to stop what would be a decades-long fascination with Singapore’s wildlife parks.

Until now, my mum still occasionally guilt-trips me about how I lost her precious camera, and I still find myself endlessly in awe of the animals.

Different parks

Back then, it was just the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari.

Ever since, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve has grown alongside me.

I was in secondary school when River Wonders — then called River Safari — opened its doors, with giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia as its newest residents.

In university, I visited it with my then-boyfriend, and we splurged on the S$5 ticket for Amazon River Quest.

It wasn’t exactly a Tunnel of Love, but we bonded over the tapirs and the jaguars.

Years later, when a panda cub was born and it was announced that the public would get to name it, we discussed the options and agreed to vote for “Le Le” — the clear winner in our eyes.

We’re married now, by the way.

Growing up

Some big stuff happened in 2023.

ChatGPT was launched, Taylor Swift announced that she’d be coming to Singapore, et cetera.

Also, the long-awaited Bird Paradise began operations in Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

I’d visited the Jurong Bird Park before it closed, and I confess: I was one of the unbelievers who sulked over how it was perfectly fine, the new one wouldn’t be the same, and so on.

But Bird Paradise took my breath away.

At that point in my life, I was knee-deep in a new job — yeah, it’s this one — and desperate for a bit of a breather, away from my laptop and the office.

I began visiting Bird Paradise on my off days, and even bought the membership pass once it became a habit.

With its soaring aviaries and lush vegetation, it was like a tranquil island oasis — the furthest thing from work I could conceive in urban Singapore.

Plus, there’s an A&W. What can I say, I’m a sucker for junk food.

Spoilt for choice

These days, I find myself quite spoilt for choice.

I rotate between the older parks and the newer spaces, and I’ve even completed the Mandai Boardwalk twice.

I’ve also visited Rainforest Wild ASIA. It's still new, but already I can’t wait to explore every last trek, adventure activity, and habitat.

Even in my late twenties, every park holds a special significance to me. The older ones remind me of my childhood; the newer ones dazzle with their beautiful design, vast spaces, and immersive experiences .

As an animal lover, watching each new park become ever more thoughtfully built with the animals’ welfare in mind just makes my inner child happy – and my grown-up self hopeful.

Capture new memories at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Want to make new memories? Mandai Wildlife Reserve is holding an SG60 promotion for tickets to Rainforest Wild ASIA.

Get two tickets for S$60 (S$30 per person) to Rainforest Wild ASIA (till 31 Jul). Plus, from now till Aug. 31 2025, you can enjoy further discounts:

• WildPass Special: Enjoy up to 26 per cent off admissions to any park
• Youth Exclusive (13 to 21 years old): Three tickets for S$60 (S$20 per person)
• Senior Membership Special: Annual Friends of Mandai membership at just S$60 (U.P S$235)

There’ll also be other SG60 activities at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:

• Virtual Memory Wall: You can revisit your childhood memories at Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s virtual memory wall.
• Born to be Wild Digital Exploration: Redeem an exclusive memento when you complete the digital exploration where you'll uncover the fascinating stories of Singapore’s native and iconic homegrown wildlife.
• Larger-than-life animal inflatables: Snap photos with the larger-than-life inflatables of animals born right here at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve — from pygmy hippos and capybaras to gentoo penguins.
• Nostalgic photo points: In celebration of its rich heritage, look out for nostalgic photo points of iconic moments that have shaped the parks’ journey.

More details on ongoing and upcoming promotions can be found here. T&Cs apply.

Thanks to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the writer of this branded article got to revisit her traumatic fond childhood memories.

Top image from Ilyda Chua and Google Maps