Wonders of River Safari in Singapore

Princess and I visited the River Safari when it first opened, and we were enjoyed a day of fun and infotainment.

River Safari (now renamed as River Wonders) is a river-themed zoo and aquarium that’s part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve (formerly known as Wildlife Reserve Singapore or WRS). It is built over 12 hectares (30 acres) and nestled between its two counterparts, the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari. It is the first of its kind in Asia and features freshwater exhibits and a river boat ride as its main highlights.

A 15-minute Reservoir Cruise on the Upper Seletar Reservoir, will travel along the outskirts of Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari compound, which border on the reservoir, giving visitors a chance to spot animals including giraffes and Asian elephants.

The Rivers of the World

These are some of the longest rivers in the world.¹ And with rivers sprung up different civilisations. Along these rivers, some of the earliest known human conclaves were founded that developed into kingdoms and empires.

Mississippi River – One River Through Ten States²

The Mississippi River is home to 360 species of fish, 326 species of birds, 145 species of amphibians and 50 species of mammals. The Mississippi River is the third largest watershed in the world. The deepest place on the Mississippi River is 200-feet deep and is located near Algiers Point in New Orleans. Mississippi’s catfish farms produce the majority of the nation’s farm-raised catfish.³

   Fun facts about Mississippi (besides the funny name and spelling)

• Waterskiing was invented on Lake Pepin, located between Minnesota and Wisconsin. You can wade in the waters of Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the source of the Mississippi River.
• Tennessee boasts some of the finest and most famous whisky distilleries in the world. Memphis, Tennessee boosts more than 100 barbecue joints and more music history thon you can shake a spare rib at.
• Kentucky is widely renowned as the centre of the time-honoured art of distilling fine bourbon.
• Louisiana was named after the Fourteenth King of France. Founded in 1791, the French Market in New Orleans, Louisiana is the oldest public market in the United States.
• Iowa is the birthplace of President Herbert Hoover, who built the largest dam in the world. Iowa’s 500-foot Pike’s Peak was named for Zebulon Pike, who explored the Upper Mississippi River in 1805.
• Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. The New Madrid Historical Museum chronicles the earthquakes that rocked Missouri in 1811 and 1812
• Illinois has the largest population of all the states located along the Mississippi River. In the year 1250 AD, the ancient metropolis of Cahokia, Illinois, was home to more people than London.
• King Biscuit Time, a radio broadcast from Helena, Arkansas, has aired since Nov. 21, 1941, the longest-running daily radio show in American history

Congo River – The World’s Deepest River

Congo River is the second longest river in Africa and the deepest in the world. Its peaceful flow through savannahs and rainforests is broken by a stretch of dangerous rapids known as the “Gates of Hell”. This powerful river is Africa’s greatest source of hydropower.

River Nile – The World’s Longest River

The River Nile, located in Africa, is the longest river in the world, stretching approximately 6,650 km (4,132 mi). It flows through 11 countries and significantly impacts the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The Nile is not only a vital source of water but also holds immense cultural and historical significance, particularly in Egypt.⁹

Ganges River – The Sacred River

The Ganges is a trans-boundary river in Asia that flows through India and Bangladesh. The 2,525-kilometre-long river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Ganges is important to both residents and pilgrims. Hindus see the river as a goddess. Hindus believe that bathing in the river helps to cleanse the soul. 

Murray River – The Longest River Down Under

The Murray River is Australia’s longest river at 2,508 km (1,558 mi) extent.[6] Its tributaries include five of the next six longest rivers of Australia (the Murrumbidgee, Darling, Lachlan, Warrego and Paroo Rivers). Together with that of the Murray, the catchments of these rivers form the Murray–Darling basin, which covers about one-seventh the area of Australia.¹⁵

Mekong River – Home of the Giants

Fed by melting snow, the Mekong rises from the Tibetan plateau, journeying through six countries before entering the South China Sea. With an output of 2.5 million tonnes of fish a year, it is the most productive river in the world. Over 4,300km long, it is also the tenth largest river. The Mekong Basin houses over 850 species of fish, making it second only to the Amazon. More species continue to be discovered. The Mekong is also home to some of the world’s largest freshwater animal species. No other river supports as many huge fish species.

Yangtze River – The River As Long As Chinese History

The Yangtze River, aka 长江 (cháng jiāng, lit. “Long River”), is the longest river in Eurasia and the third longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows 6,374 km including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, in a generally easterly direction to the East China Sea. For thousands of years, the river has been used for water, irrigation, sanitation, transportation, industry, boundary-marking, and war.¹⁹

Giant Pandas Forest

At the end of the Rivers of the World is the highlight of the safari, the Giant Panda Forest that features the cute and cuddly Giant Panda of Sichuan.

The main attraction is a pair of male and female giant pandas – Kai Kai 凯凯 and Jia Jia 嘉嘉 – which are housed in a specially constructed climate-controlled enclosure which change throughout the four seasons emulating their original environment.

Based on my past experience of these panda enclosures around the world, you usually only see one of the couple, seldom both will make their appearance. Today, Jia Jia 嘉嘉 the female panda was in attendance.

Besides the giant pandas, the enclosure is also home to two other “natives” of China which are more colourful than the black and white bear.

Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail.²¹ The is also known as 火狐 (huo hú) meaning “fire fox”. It is more closely related to the raccoon and weasel than the giant panda.²²

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China. Males are brilliantly coloured while females and immature males have dull brown plumage. The adult male is approximately 100 cm (39 in) in length, with its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length, and around 500–700 g (1–2 lb) in weight. Its coloration is characterized by a golden crest and rump and by a bright red body. It possesses an orange ruff or “cape” on the back that can be spread in display.²³

Wild Amazonia

Wild Amazonia refers to the vast and biodiverse Amazon rainforest and its surrounding regions, encompassing parts of eight South American countries. It’s known for its incredible biodiversity, including millions of species of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else.

Amazon River Quest

This was a new feature in the River Safari. In the Singapore Zoo, there is a tram service to transport visitors around; in the Night Safari, there is a people mover that will bring the visitors in a loop of the all the main enclosures. Here at the River Safari, you walk a single path through all the main themes, but there are two rides, one is a leisure boat ride in the lagoon that linked to the Singapore Zoo, and the other is this theme park-like Amazon River Quest ride.

The ride is similar to the Jungle Cruise in Disneyland, except that instead of animatronics, you see real animals here. The boat is lifted to a higher elevation and gravity will lead the vessel gently down the “river” with real animals on both sides along the banks.

Amazon Flooded Forest

The last exhibit at the end of Wild Amazonia is the Amazon Flooded Forest. The Amazon has distinct dry and wet seasons. Every year, the river swells with rain, drowning the forest floor in murky waters as high as 10 m.³¹

This is my favourite part of the Safari. You will come across a gigantic viewing tank which rivals the one they have at the S.E.A aquarium (which at the time of this post writing, is slated to be closed). 

Manatee (Trichechidae) are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. Manatees are more closely related to elephants. Like elephants, they can live up to 70 years. The main causes of death for manatees are human-related issues, such as habitat destruction and human objects. Their slow-moving, curious nature has led to violent collisions with propeller-driven boats and ships.

There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living species in the order Sirenia: the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). They measure up to 4.0 metres (13 ft 1 in) long, weigh as much as 590 kilograms (1,300 lb), and have paddle-like tails.³⁶ The River Safari featured seven of them.³⁷

Excursions to the Zoo and other Parks in Mandai

Don’t stop at just one park, WRS offers “park-hopper” tickets that allow you to go to more than one parks. The Singapore Zoo is just next door, and there’s the Night Safari. And since 2024, the Jurong Bird Park moved to Mandai and renamed the Bird Paradise, and then in 2025, a fifth attraction was opened called the Rainforest Wild Asia that incorporate jungle trekking in a zoo.

Dining Options

Mama Panda Kitchen is a fast food styled eatery that serves a quick meal and some ethnic Chinese fare. It is located within the park at the end of the Rivers of the world area, right next to the Giant Panda enclosure.

The other option was the sit-down River Safari Tea house at the entrance area that served dim sum and over 60 Singaporean and Chinese dishes. I has since been closed and Starbucks took over the premise.

WRS consistently make world class attractions Singaporeans can be proud of. And the River Safari will definitely be a hit, given the popularity of the pandas and the fact that you need be in the elements when looking at the animals.

River Wonders (formerly known as River Safari)
80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826

Visited Dec 2013

Footnotes

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_river_systems_by_length ↩︎
2. The Mississippi River flows through or alongside ten states, not through all ten of them directly. These states are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River
   Although the Mississippi can be ranked as the fourth longest river in the world by adding the length of the Missouri-Jefferson (Red Rock) system to the Mississippi downstream of the Missouri-Mississippi confluence—for a combined length of 3,710 miles (5,971 km)—the 2,340-mile length of the Mississippi proper is comfortably exceeded by 19 other rivers. https://www.britannica.com/place/Mississippi-River  ↩︎
3. https://experiencemississippiriver.com/interactive-tools/fun-facts/ ↩︎
4. The American paddlefish, aka Mississippi paddlefish, is native to the Mississippi River basin and once moved freely under the relatively unaltered conditions that existed prior to the early 1900s. It commonly inhabited large, free-flowing rivers, braided channels, backwaters, and oxbow lakes throughout the Mississippi River drainage basin, and adjacent Gulf Coast drainages. Its peripheral range extended into the Great Lakes, with occurrences in Lake Huron and Lake Helen in Canada until about 1917. American paddlefish populations have declined dramatically primarily because of overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Poaching has also been a contributing factor to its decline and is liable to continue to be so as long as the demand for caviar remains strong. Naturally occurring American paddlefish populations have been extirpated from most of their peripheral range, as well as from New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. They have been reintroduced in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio river systems in western Pennsylvania. However, their current range has been reduced to the Mississippi and Missouri River tributaries and Mobile Bay drainage basin. American paddlefish are currently found in twenty-two states in the U.S., and are protected under state, federal and international laws. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_paddlefish ↩︎
5. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
6. Unfortunately, stories of alligator gar attacking people and dramatizations in popular television shows have given these gentle giants a bad rap. While there are no confirmed attacks on people, alligator gar continue to be feared by many. The fact is these large fish can be quite sluggish and docile.
   https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/management/alligator-gar/no-threat.phtml%23:~:text%3DUnfortunately%252C%2520stories%2520of%2520alligator%2520gar,be%2520quite%2520sluggish%2520and%2520docile.&ved=2ahUKEwix0c6dufiOAxUcamwGHXyPO9oQFnoECCAQAw&usg=AOvVaw2NDKpLYm7nyIHmfdkFrO1n
   Found throughout the southeastern United States in warm, freshwater lakes and rivers. Some along coastal areas can tolerate higher salt levels and are found around barrier islands and nearshore rigs. Often found in waters with low oxygen levels because they can gulp air and diffuse the oxygen through the tissues of their swim bladder. https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/species/detail/alligator-gar#:~:text=A%20prehistoric%20fish%20that%20resembles,pounds%20and%2010%20feet%20long. ↩︎
7. Key Characteristics of the Congo tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus):
   Size: Adults typically grow to about 8–10 cm (3–4 inches) in length.
   Coloration: They exhibit iridescent colors, often shimmering in shades of blue, green, orange, and violet. Males are more colorful and have longer, flowing fins compared to females.
   Body Shape: Congo tetras have an elongated body with a slightly compressed shape and distinctively large, fan-like dorsal and caudal fins. https://aquaticavenueonline.com/products/congo-tetra#:~:text=The%20Congo%20tetra%20(Phenacogrammus%20interruptus)%20is%20a,its%20vibrant%2C%20shimmering%20colors%20and%20peaceful%20temperament. ↩︎
8. As such, Mbu puffers are difficult to adequately house in home aquaria since they require a very large tank and appropriately scaled water filtration.
   Mbu puffers are distinct from other members of the Tetraodon genus due to their labyrinthine patterns of skin pigmentation, in contrast to mottled or straight-striped patterns such as those seen in Fahaka pufferfish.These patterns become more pronounced as adults.
   Like all of its relatives, the Mbu puffer is capable of inflating itself with water or air when stressed or otherwise frightened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbu_pufferfish ↩︎
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U2JXUVdVS4&t=64s ↩︎
10. https://www.biolib.cz/en/image/id414593/ (PS: this photo turned out to be the same fish in the website, the author of the website and I went to the River Safari about the same time.) ↩︎
11. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
12. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharial ↩︎
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagarius_yarrelli ↩︎
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_River ↩︎
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_lungfish ↩︎
17. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab-eating_macaque ↩︎
19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangtze ↩︎
20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_softshell_turtle ↩︎
21. It is threatened by poaching as well as destruction and fragmentation of habitat due to deforestation. The species has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2015. It is protected in all range countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda ↩︎
22. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_pheasant ↩︎
24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguarundi ↩︎
25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_squirrel_monkey ↩︎
26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterophyllum_scalare ↩︎
27. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-bellied_piranha ↩︎
28. The collared peccary is widespread throughout much of the tropical and subtropical Americas, ranging from the Southwestern United States to northern Argentina. They were reintroduced to Uruguay in 2017, after 100 years of extirpation there. The only Caribbean island where it is native, however, is Trinidad. Until fairly recently, it was also present on the nearby island of Tobago, but is now exceedingly rare (if not extirpated) due to overhunting by humans. An adaptable species, it inhabits deserts, xeric shrublands, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, shrublands, flooded grasslands and savannas, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and several other habitats; it is also present in habitats shared by humans, merely requiring sufficient cover. Peccaries can be found in cities and agricultural land throughout their range, where they consume garden plants. Notable populations are known to exist in the suburbs of Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/42113-Pecari-tajacu ↩︎
29. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_American_tapir ↩︎
30. There are four living species of tapir, each with a distinct appearance and habitat range. Tapirs are found in the forests of Central and South America as well as Southeast Asia. They are becoming rare in their habitats, mostly due to habitat destruction and poaching, and they are designated as either Vulnerable or Endangered as a result. https://tapirs.org/tapirs/ ↩︎
31. River Safari information plaque, Dec 2013 ↩︎
32. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_otter ↩︎
33. These flattened fishes have eyes on the top of their bodies with mouths and gill slits on their undersides. Directly behind the eyes are spiracles, which are openings that allow for respiration. Their tails are typically longer than their disc width and usually have one or more long, saw-like spines behind the pelvic fin. Used for self-defense, the stinger is tipped with barbs that can rip through flesh when withdrawn. Each spine has grooves underneath that contain protein-based venom. The spines are constantly being shed and replaced, allowing the stingray to sometimes have two stingers as a new stinger grows in to replace the older one. Most South American species have colorful dorsal patterns that feature spots of different sizes and background colorings of gray, brown or black. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/freshwater-stingray ↩︎
34. https://agencia.fapesp.br/freshwater-stingray-venom-varies-according-to-sex-and-age/30666#:~:text=“The%20number%20of%20accidents%20involving,control%20pain%20and%20tissue%20necrosis. ↩︎
35. Published Sep 20, 2017, 04:07 PM. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/stingrays-not-just-for-the-barbecue ↩︎
36. The freshwater Amazonian manatee (T. inunguis) inhabits the Central Amazon Basin in Brazil, eastern Perú, southeastern Colombia, but not Ecuador. It is the only exclusively freshwater manatee, and is also the smallest. Since they are unable to reduce peripheral heat loss, it is found primarily in tropical waters.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manatee ↩︎
37. Tan, Sue-Ann (13 March 2013). “Manatees move into world’s largest freshwater aquarium at River Safari”. The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2013-05-19. Retrieved 2013-07-24. ↩︎
38. The brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus) moves through the forest canopy on all fours. Its tail is as long as or longer than its body and is used to maintain its balance when it performs aerial leaps.
    Brown lemurs are social animals and this is seen even in their teeth! They have a dental ‘comb’, formed by modified teeth, which they use to groom one another, building relationships. They also communicate verbally — ‘crou’ is to sound the alarm while a high-pitched ‘cree’ is a territorial call. https://www.mandai.com/en/singapore-zoo/animals-and-zones/brown-lemur.html ↩︎
39. The lar gibbon (Hylobates lar), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is an endangered primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. It is one of the better-known gibbons and is often kept in captivity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lar_gibbon ↩︎