Mandai Rainforest Festival And Resort Opening In Singapore

Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore has added a new way to stay inside the forest itself, as Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree has now officially opened along with the first Mandai Rainforest Festival running from November 27 to December 3, 2025. The resort marks Banyan Group's 100th property and its first in Singapore, and it sits a short walk from wildlife parks including Bird Paradise and the new Rainforest Wild Asia. For travelers, this means they can now combine a city break with immersive overnight stays, festival programming, and bundled access to nearby animal attractions without long daily transfers.

In practical terms, the Mandai Rainforest Festival Singapore resort combination creates a short booking window where visitors can attend curated events, explore the new hotel's facilities, and support local causes through ticket purchases. The Mandai Rainforest Festival Singapore resort setup also introduces new pricing, donation, and senior focused offers that matter for itinerary planning, especially around the SG60 themed Silver Staycation package.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officiated the grand opening on November 26, 2025, inaugurating the resort's Wishing Wall and previewing the inaugural Rainforest Festival before it opened to the public the following day. The resort, which is owned by Mandai Wildlife Group and operated by Banyan Group, is described as the first hotel located within a world leading wildlife and nature destination in a capital city, and it coincides with Banyan's milestone 100th resort worldwide.

The opening programme blended ceremony with a look at how the property is meant to function as a "City in Nature" test case for Singapore. Guests and partners toured the hotel's biophilic design, biodiversity corridors, and nature led guest experiences, then viewed "The Journey," a short film on Banyan Group's development from its early resorts in Phuket to this new Singapore flagship. A City in Nature dialogue followed, featuring Banyan Group executives and representatives from Mandai Wildlife Group, DesignSingapore Council, and WOW Architects who discussed regenerative design, nature positive development, and collaborative stewardship in dense cities.

For travelers, the most important element is how the Rainforest Festival runs alongside hotel operations. From November 27 to December 3, 2025, the festival operates daily from 1000 a.m. to 600 p.m. at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, offering discovery trails through the surrounding rainforest, craft showcases at Banyan Gallery, workshops, yoga and movement sessions, guided nature walks, and family activities such as creative classes and indoor play. Over the weekend, a GREEN HOUSE HangOut pop up, described as a compact version of Singapore's largest sustainable lifestyle event, brings a focused group of homegrown sustainable brands together with live music performances.

Music and performance carry through the programme, with sets from Wolfgang Violin Studio's young musicians, Joie Tan, Jack and Rai, MICappella, and other local acts at various points in the week. Festival visitors can also walk to Curiosity Cove, billed as Singapore's largest indoor nature inspired playscape, which sits a short distance from the hotel and offers another option for families who want air conditioned, nature themed play space between outdoor sessions.

One structural detail that sets this event apart from many launch festivals is its funding link to Singapore's President's Challenge charitable initiative. All General Admission ticket proceeds from the Rainforest Festival are donated to the President's Challenge and matched dollar for dollar by Banyan Group, and an additional 20 percent of proceeds from paid experiences sold by Mandai Wildlife Group and the resort, plus sales of SG60 branded merchandise at Banyan Gallery, also flow into the same pool. The Government then matches these donations again under the SG60 Matching Grants, effectively doubling the impact of visitor spend on eligible items.

Ticketing is straightforward but still needs to be built into a trip budget. General Admission is S$10.00 (about $7.50 USD) on weekdays and S$15.00 (about $11.00 USD) on weekends, with free entry for children under four who are accompanied by an adult, in house resort guests, and participants of certain paid tours or ecology and culinary experiences at the resort and Mandai Wildlife Reserve during the festival week. Festival tickets also unlock discounts on admission to Rainforest Wild Asia, Bird Paradise, and Curiosity Cove, as well as selected dining and retail perks across Mandai Wildlife Reserve and at Planter's Shed, Banyan Tree Spa, and Banyan Tree Gallery within the resort.

For those planning multi day stays, the opening also introduces a Silver Staycation weekday retreat tailored to senior travelers aged 60 and above. Available for stays through April 30, 2026, the package includes daily breakfast for two, advance purchase savings, a complimentary upgrade to a Family Room for grandparents traveling with grandchildren when space is available, and a S$100.00 nett resort credit valid for dining at Forage and Planter's Shed, Banyan Tree Spa treatments, in resort experiences, and admission tickets booked through the concierge. Stays must fall on weekdays from Sunday through Thursday to qualify, which makes it easier to avoid peak weekend crowds at the nearby wildlife parks.

Background: Mandai Wildlife Reserve As A Nature Destination

Mandai Wildlife Reserve is Singapore's consolidated wildlife and nature hub north of the city, bringing together Bird Paradise, Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari, and the new Rainforest Wild Asia. The Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree sits within this 4.6 hectare precinct and is designed so guests can walk or shuttle to the parks instead of relying on long city transfers, which reduces friction for families and visitors who want early entry or late evening experiences such as Night Safari.

From an infrastructure standpoint, the resort leans on a biophilic and sustainability led design approach that has already earned it a Green Mark Super Low Energy award in Singapore's building certification system. Public statements highlight rainwater harvesting, energy efficient systems, and biodiversity corridors that weave between rooms, common spaces, and Mandai Wildlife Reserve itself, so guests see greenery, water, and local species around them rather than a hard boundary between hotel and forest.

How It Works: Bundling Stays, Festival Access, And Park Visits

Travelers considering this opening period have several layers to combine. First, they can book rooms directly through Banyan Tree or partners such as Accor's distribution, choosing between standard rooms, family friendly layouts with bunk beds, and elevated Mandai Sanctuary Treehouses overlooking Upper Seletar Reservoir. Second, they can purchase Rainforest Festival tickets for one or more days between November 27 and December 3, 2025, which provide access to festival grounds, discovery trails, and scheduled activities plus charity contributions. Third, they can add wildlife park tickets or book curated experiences such as backstage tours that are being promoted as part of the President's Challenge fundraising effort.

Because Mandai Wildlife Reserve is outside Singapore's core hotel districts, travelers should plan transport carefully. Taxi, ride hail, and shuttle options are expected to be the most practical ways to reach the resort from central neighborhoods or Changi Airport, and visitors staying elsewhere in the city can still attend the festival on a day trip basis by purchasing General Admission passes. Families should allow extra time when moving between parks and the resort, especially in late afternoon when crowds and heat can slow movement.

From a value perspective, the Rainforest Festival and Silver Staycation packages are most attractive for visitors who already planned significant time in Mandai. Midweek festival days are likely to feel less crowded than the opening or closing weekend, and seniors who can travel outside school holiday peaks should find quieter trails, shorter queues, and greater availability of upgrades. Travelers who only have one spare day in Singapore may be better served by a single park visit rather than attempting to fit both festival and multiple wildlife attractions into a tight city break schedule.

Sources

• Banyan Group Marks Global 100th Milestone and Singapore Homecoming with the Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree
• Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and Rainforest Festival
• Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, Official Site
• Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, Mandai Wildlife Reserve
• Mandai Rainforest Resort Opens With Rainforest Festival And Silver Staycation Offers