River Safari (河川生态园) - The Full Blog Post on One of Singapore'sTop Ten Tourist Attractions!

Okay, this is not really a full blog post as i have broken it further by having six separate entries but this would be the post to read if you want to know in general what River Safari comprises, with the exception of the Amazon River Quest which was closed on the day of my visit.

With almost zilch visitors at the entrance as versus to the long queue at Singapore Zoo next door, i was taken aback; this attraction is the newest in Singapore and had its grand opening recently on April 2014! It should have been more crowded! 

Nothing beats the shock when i saw the above notice though; the bloody Amazon River Quest, one of a few key highlights in the safari, was closed! I took leave to see 100%, not 85% of the animals! $%^##%^ Don't want to make the same mistake as i did? Check here before you plan a visit.

Oh well, my two tickets were complimentary from my company and i guess i shouldn't complain too much. Anyway, thanks to NUS for taking such good care of its employees! Next time, can we have Adventure Cove pleaseeeeeeeeee?

I didn't know it then but this is the panorama for the entire River Safari! Built at a cost of S$160 million, i am expecting something way larger in scale.

Direction is one way; you enter from the left and eventually exit from the right, somewhat similar to the concept of Universal Studios Singapore where Hollywood zone was the meeting point.

This way of presentation via projections is really a letdown; yes, you are banking on technology. However, with the prevalence of videos especially from YouTube, i am likely to give this a miss when the first two seconds fail to attract my attention. Furthermore, i would not be so lucky to catch the beginning of the video.

Might as well get the journey going by experiencing REAL, LIVE animals!

Rivers of the World would bring along a journey through six major rivers; namely the Mississippi, Congo, Nile, Ganges, Mekong and lastly, Yangtze! To read more in detail about this section (which featured quite a comprehensive list of exotic creatures), click HERE.

Numbering less than 1,600 in the wild, it's amazing that the cute and cuddly Giant Panda is the most recognizable animal in the whole world! And they are now in Singapore! Yawnz... not as if we are the only country to have them. Nevertheless, Kai Kai and Jia Jia continue to be crowd drawers in their air-conditioned enclosure! Click HERE for more pictures!

A nice surprise was waiting for us once we exited the Giant Panda Forest; the appearance of INUKA, our very own local-born polar bear! Check out http://cavinteo.blogspot.sg/2014/10/close-encounter-with-inuka-polar-bear.html

Lunch at Mama Panda Kitchen where i spent close to S$60 for fast food that i generally didn't enjoy. My review can be found here. 

Extra photo moments with two fake pandas. Those who wish to stand right next to a breathing panda can do so if they ever visit Sichuan, China. Just be prepared to pay around S$100 a person.

Halfway through - walk across the long bridge to get to the other side of the river. 

This would give you a good view of the safari which appeared relatively in sync with nature; trees continue to grow undeterred by the non-invasive surroundings even though i thought the design was rather boring. 

Not that it matters since i would have gone to a theme park if i want something gigantic, extravagant and glittering! This is a zoo for goodness sake! 

Dad again! If the weather wasn't too hot, you may consider staying longer on the bridge to spot wildlife like the eagles! I didn't have the patience as it was stuffy and hot that day!

Your admission ticket would not allow you entry to two of the boat rides in River Safari! Actually, i can more or less understand the rationale; the boat rides will not be able to withstand the physical strain of having all the visitors! The longer waiting times would also result in utter frustration! 

I don't mind paying S$5 a person to see the remaining 15% of the animals in River Safari. Why did it have to close on the day i visit!?! Never mind, i shall wait for my birthday! There is a birthday special where the birthday boy / girl can gain entry for free! Limited to Singaporeans and permanent residents only.

Was persuaded by Alex to take the River Safari Cruise which almost resulted in me napping halfway through. Unless i can jump into the inviting reservoir water, this is one ride i would never take again! 

As you can see, the path is well-sheltered from the weather elements; so long it is not the torrential rain we are facing pretty frequently this month! Most areas are also wheelchair accessible. For more details on disabled friendly services, click here. 

Live exhibit of Jaguarundi along the passage - could not even see the shadow of this small wild cat! 

Chanced upon a snail though.

Squirrel Monkey Forest - this is a must-visit. There were so many of these playful squirrel monkeys and they were friendly as hell! Just don't let the zoo keeper see or be prepared for a scolding! Well, what do they expect us to do?! Throw the cute monkeys off our back and risk hurting them!? For bloody sake, this is a zoo!!! 

Amazon Flooded Forest - holding both world records for the largest volume and viewing panel for a freshwater aquarium, this is the place where you can get to see slow and steady manatees!

Last view before we entered the souvenir shop. Didn't buy anything as i have reached the age where such things are a total waste of money! Guess i can never be a romantic guy. 

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Location

80 Mandai Lake Road, 

Singapore 729826

Website

http://www.riversafari.com.sg/

Map

As above.

Additional Information
In my second visit, i got to embark on the Amazon River Quest! Click here for more pictures and to read my post.