Banyan Group and Mandai Wildlife Group celebrated a major milestone on 26 November with the grand opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, officiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The ceremony also introduced Banyan Group’s inaugural Rainforest Festival, which officially opens to the public today, championing sustainability, biodiversity and community wellbeing in support of President’s Challenge 2025.
Located within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree represents Banyan Group’s 100th resort globally and marks a symbolic homecoming to Singapore. Owned by Mandai Wildlife Group, the resort is the first-ever property to be situated within a world-leading wildlife and nature destination in a capital city.
The event began with a musical prelude by young talents from the Wolfgang Violin Studio, followed by a guided walk showcasing the resort’s sustainable design features, biodiversity corridors, and nature-led guest experiences. Guests also previewed the Rainforest Festival, featuring highlights from the Discovery Trail, artisanal works from the Banyan Gallery Showcase, and the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut sustainability weekend market. The tour also included a visit to the newly opened Curiosity Cove — Singapore’s largest indoor nature-inspired playscape, located just a short walk from the resort. Close to 100 beneficiaries from President’s Challenge programmes attended the preview, with more than 2,000 beneficiaries expected throughout the festival week.
The grand opening continued with the premiere of The Journey, a twelve-minute short film tracing Banyan Group’s evolution from its beginnings in Phuket to its 100th milestone. The screening was followed by an intimate In Conversation session with Founder and Executive Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping and Co-Founder and Senior Vice President Ms Claire Chiang.
The programme featured a City in Nature dialogue introduced by Ho Ren Yung, Deputy CEO of Banyan Group, exploring Singapore’s City in Nature vision and the global role of regenerative design, nature-positive development and collaborative stewardship. Moderated by Dr Mark Watson, Group Director of Sustainability and Impact at Banyan Group, the conversation brought together leading experts from conservation, design, and architecture.
The Grand Opening Day concluded with an appreciation dinner honouring partners and collaborators. Hosted by Paul Foster, the evening featured performances by Min Lee, young musicians from Wolfgang Violin Studio, singer-songwriter Shazza, vocal group MICappella and Cultural Medallion recipient Dick Lee, who closed the evening with a heartfelt performance of “Home.”
Rainforest Festival Opens to the Public
The inaugural Rainforest Festival runs from 27 November to 3 December 2025, from 10am to 6pm daily at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. Visitors can experience discovery trails, craft showcases, environmentally conscious refreshments, and daily wellbeing, nature, creative and family activities including yoga, movement and workshops.
During the weekend, the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut — a pocket-sized edition of Singapore’s largest sustainable lifestyle event — features ten homegrown eco-brands and live performances from artists including Wolfgang Violin Studio, Joie Tan, Jack & Rai, MICappella and Gabrielle Mendoza. Beans & Beats will take over the Festival Stage on Sunday.
In support of President’s Challenge, all proceeds from festival admission tickets will be donated and matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group. An additional 20% of proceeds from selected paid experiences and SG60-exclusive merchandise will also be donated, with matching contributions under the SG60 Matching Grants.
General admission tickets are S$10 on weekdays and S$15 on weekends. Entry is free for children under four with an accompanying adult, in-house resort guests and participants of paid experiences at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and the Mandai Wildlife Reserve during festival week. Ticket holders receive discounts on selected park admissions, dining, retail perks and spa experiences.
Silver Generation Weekday Retreat
To celebrate the resort’s grand opening and SG60, a Silver Staycation weekday retreat is now available for seniors aged 60 and above until 30 April 2026. The offer includes daily breakfast for two, advance purchase savings, and a complimentary Family Room upgrade for those travelling with grandchildren (subject to availability). Guests also receive S$100 nett resort credit redeemable across dining, spa treatments and in-resort experiences.
