Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and Rainforest Festival

Banyan Group’s inaugural Rainforest Festival opens today, celebrating sustainable design, biodiversity and wellbeing in support of President’s Challenge 2025 

From Left to Right: 1) Mr Michael Chin – President of Development Projects, Mandai Wildlife Group; 2) ⁠Ms Ho Ren Yung – Deputy CEO, Banyan Group; 3) ⁠Ms Claire Chiang – Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, Banyan Group; 4) ⁠Ms Jane Ittogi; 5) President Tharman Shanmugaratnam; 6) ⁠Mr Ho Kwon Ping – Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Group; 7) ⁠Mr Bennett Neo – Group CEO, Mandai Wildlife Group; 8) Mr Eddy See – President and CEO, Banyan Group; and 9) ⁠Mr Glen Cook – General Manager, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree

Banyan Group and Mandai Wildlife Group marked a major milestone on 26 November with the Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officiated the grand opening, inaugurating the resort’s Wishing Wall and previewing Banyan Group’s inaugural Rainforest Festival, which opens to the public today.

Located in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree marks Banyan Group’s 100th resort and its symbolic homecoming to Singapore. Owned by Mandai Wildlife Group, the resort is the first-ever resort situated within a world-leading wildlife and nature destination in a capital city.

Beginning with a musical prelude by young talents from the Wolfgang Violin Studio, the tour featured a guided walk through the resort’s sustainable design features, biodiversity corridors and nature-led guest experiences. It also included a preview of the Rainforest Festival, featuring highlights from the Discovery Trail, a curated collection of diversified crafts from around the world at the Banyan Gallery Showcase and the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut sustainability weekend market, as well as 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 also attended the festival preview, with more than 2,000 beneficiaries invited throughout festival week.

The grand opening day then continued with the premiere of The Journey, a twelve-minute short film tracing Banyan Group’s evolution and stories of impact from its beginnings in Phuket to its 100th milestone in Singapore, 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 also featured a City in Nature dialogue introduced by Ho Ren Yung, Deputy CEO at Banyan Group, which explored Singapore’s City in Nature vision and the role of regenerative design, nature-positive development and collaborative stewardship in shaping future cities. Moderated by Dr Mark Watson, Group Director of Sustainability and Impact at Banyan Group, the dialogue brought together leading voices from conservation, design and architecture, including Mandai Wildlife Group Deputy CEO of Life Sciences and Chief Life Sciences Officer Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, DesignSingapore Council Executive Director Dawn Lim and WOW Architects Co-Founder Wong Chiu Man.

The Grand Opening Day concluded with an appreciation dinner honouring partners and collaborators. Hosted by emcee Paul Foster, the evening featured performances by Min Lee and young talents from Wolfgang Violin Studio, singer-songwriter Shazza, vocal band MICappella and Cultural Medallion recipient Dick Lee, whose rendition of “Home” closed the evening on a heartfelt note.

Inaugural Rainforest Festival Opens to Public Today

The inaugural Rainforest Festival runs from 27 November to 3 December 2025 (10am to 6pm daily) at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. Visitors can explore discovery trails, artisanal craft showcases, and refreshing treats in nature, alongside a daily line-up of wellbeing sessions, nature walks, creative workshops, family activities, and yoga and movement classes for all ages.

Over the weekend, the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut – a pocket-sized edition of Singapore’s largest sustainable lifestyle event – brings together ten homegrown sustainable brands and live performances on Saturday by Wolfgang Violin Studio, Joie Tan, Jack & Rai, MICappella, and Heart Songs by Gabrielle Mendoza, while Beans & Beats takes over the festival stage on Sunday.

In support of the President’s Challenge, all festival ticket proceeds will be donated and matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group. An additional 20 per cent of proceeds from the paid experiences by Mandai Wildlife Group and the resort, as well as from the sale of SG60-exclusive merchandise at Banyan Gallery, will also be donated. All donated proceeds will match dollar-for-dollar from the Government under the SG60 Matching Grants.

General Admission tickets are S$10 on weekdays and S$15 on weekends; with free entry for children under four with an accompanying adult, in-house resort guests and participants of paid tours, ecology or culinary experiences at the resort and the Mandai Wildlife Reserve during the festival week.  Festival ticket holders enjoy discounts on admission to Rainforest Wild Asia, Bird Paradise and Curiosity Cove, selected dining and retail perks across the destination as well as Planter’s Shed, Banyan Tree Spa, and Banyan Tree Gallery at the resort.

Silver Generation Weekday Retreat

In celebration of the grand opening and SG60, the resort has also introduced a Silver Staycation weekday retreat designed for seniors aged 60 and above, available for stays 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 enjoy a weekday stay from Sundays to Thursdays, along with a SG$100 nett resort credit redeemable across dining at Forage or Planter’s Shed, Banyan Tree Spa treatments, in-resort experiences and park admission tickets arranged through the resort’s concierge team. For more information, visit the Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. 

For more information about the Rainforest Festival programme, updates and ticketing information, visit banyantree.com/rainforest-festival and programme guide here.  

Wishing Wall

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Ms Jane Ittogi penned their well-wishes for Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and placed them on the Wishing Wall.

Tour of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and Preview of Rainforest Festival

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam toured the resort’s sustainable design features and nature-led guest experiences, and previewed the Rainforest Festival.

President’s visit to Curiosity Cove

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited Curiosity Cove, where beneficiaries of the President’s Challenge were invited to enjoy the 4,600sqm indoor nature-inspired playscape.

In Conversation with Banyan Group Founders

Banyan Group Founder and Executive Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping and Co-Founder and Senior Vice President Ms Claire Chiang in an intimate In Conversation session reflecting on the Group’s 100th milestone, moderated by Jeannette Ho, Head of Brand Commercial at Banyan Group.

City in Nature Dialogue

Leaders from conservation, design, and architecture, including Mandai Wildlife Group Deputy CEO of Life Sciences and Chief Life Sciences Officer Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, DesignSingapore Council Executive Director Dawn Lim, and WOW Architects Co-Founder Wong Chiu Man, came together for the City in Nature dialogue, moderated by Dr Mark Watson, Group Director of Sustainability and Impact at Banyan Group, to discuss regenerative design and nature-positive urban futures.

Appreciation Dinner

Homegrown artists including Min Lee and young talents from Wolfgang Violin Studio, singer-songwriter Shazza, vocal band MICappella and Cultural Medallion recipient Dick Lee performed at the 100 Journeys, One Home appreciation dinner.

Please click on the links below for more information:

• High-resolution images
• Rainforest Festival Fact Sheet - Event overview and programme highlights