Penguin encounters in Singapore: Penguin Cove, keeper talks and the backstage tour

You'll find penguin encounters in Singapore at two Mandai parks. Bird Paradise has Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove, with king, gentoo and northern rockhopper penguins, plus a paid backstage tour for children 1.2m and taller. Singapore Zoo runs a daily penguin keeper talk. If your child is under 1.2m, you can still watch the penguins swim and catch a keeper talk with a normal park ticket.

How to plan a penguin day at Bird Paradise, step by step

1. Measure your child. Mandai's tour terms, read 7 Nov 2026, say participants need to be at least 1.2m tall. Under that, plan your day around Penguin Cove and the keeper talk.
2. Pick a tour day. Mandai lists Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am to 11:30am, for 2 to 8 people a session.
3. Book the tour and your admission together on Mandai's ticket site. The tour price doesn't include park admission, and Mandai says tours can't be refunded, cancelled or changed.
4. Take the MRT to Khatib (NS14), then the M2 Khatib Bus from the Exit A pick-up point. Mandai lists it every 15 minutes at S$2.50, free for children below 7. Pay by card or EZ-Link, because cash isn't accepted.
5. Ride the free in-park shuttle from the entrance to Central Plaza. Mandai's FAQ says you'll fold your stroller on board.
6. Be at Level 3 of Penguin Cove, by the King Penguin Statue, at least 5 minutes before the tour starts. Mandai says late arrivals may miss parts, and the tour won't run past its end time.
7. Dress your child in long pants and covered shoes. Mandai provides a cold jacket when you enter the back of house.
8. Hand the stroller to another adult before the tour starts, because Mandai doesn't allow strollers, wheelchairs or other mobility devices anywhere in the back of house areas.
9. Stay for the Penguin Keeper Talk, listed daily at 1:30pm at Penguin Cove.
10. Collect your photo at the Bird Paradise Photo Shop before you leave. The voucher only works on the day of your visit.

Ways to see penguins in Singapore

All four options are run by Mandai. They're grouped by park, in alphabetical order, as Mandai's pages listed them on 7 Nov 2026.

You pay Bird Paradise admission as well as any tour price. Mandai's local resident ticket table, read 7 Nov 2026, lists S$39 for an adult and S$27 for a child on regular days (Monday to Friday, not public holidays). Peak days (Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) are S$44 and S$30. Last entry is 5pm. For the aviaries, shows and tickets across the whole park, see our Bird Paradise family guide.

What happens on the Penguin Encounters tour

Here's Mandai's sample itinerary. It says the plan can change with the weather or the animals' health.

• 10:25am: you're welcomed at Level 3 of Penguin Cove.
• 10:30am: a guided tour of Penguin Cove.
• 10:50am: behind the scenes, through the Food Preparation Room and the Incubation Room.
• 11:05am: a meet-and-greet with the penguins, and time to ask the keepers questions.
• 11:30am: the tour ends.

The terms list 20 minutes with the animals. Tours run in English only, and other guests may join your group, so it's never private. A session only runs once at least 2 paying people sign up. Mandai lists S$133.20 for WildPass holders on weekday tours (not public holidays) and S$118.40 for Friends of Mandai members.

Penguin Cove with a baby or toddler

Your child doesn't need to be 1.2m to enjoy the penguins. Penguin Cove is indoors, so it works on a wet day too, and you watch the penguins swim through an underwater kelp forest before they waddle out onto a rocky beach. Their side of the glass is cold. Mandai keeps the water and air at a low of 8 degrees C, with lighting that copies the seasons.

Mandai's Bird Paradise visitor page lists a nursing room on Level 1 of Penguin Cove, and diaper changing at every washroom. You can rent a wagon for up to 2 children (35kg combined) or a trike for a child up to 15kg, each S$18. Penguin Cove Restaurant on Level 1 opens 11am to 5:30pm, last order 5pm, and you eat while the penguins dive. The cafe and shop on Level 2 open 9am to 5:30pm. For the rest of your bag, use our diaper bag checklist, and our nursing rooms guide covers other stops on the way.

If the penguins look scruffy, tell your child they're changing coats. Mandai explains that penguins replace all their feathers within 3 to 4 weeks, and they don't eat or swim while it happens.

Between aviaries you're outdoors. Mandai suggests a cap, sunscreen, a raincoat or umbrella, a water bottle for its refill stations, and insect repellent. Our mosquito repellent guide covers what strength suits children.

Is there penguin feeding in Singapore?

Mandai's Bird Paradise activity list, read 7 Nov 2026, has feeding sessions for cassowaries, lories, shorebirds and starlings, but none for penguins.

You can still see how they eat, though, because Mandai says underwater feeders release fish now and then, so the penguins hunt as they would in the wild. Keepers hide vitamin tablets in fish and hand-feed them to the penguins. On the backstage tour, you'll walk through the room where their food is prepared.

Penguins at Singapore Zoo, and similar tours

Singapore Zoo has African penguins, which Mandai says the IUCN moved to critically endangered in 2024. Its Penguin Keeper Talk runs daily at 1:30pm at the Animal Behaviour & Enrichment Centre, where keepers talk about penguin personalities and play. Here's a fact kids like: each African penguin's chest flecks are unique, like a fingerprint. Both keeper talks are listed at 1:30pm, so you'll pick one park per visit, and our Singapore Zoo family guide covers everything else at the zoo.

If your child is 1.2m and enjoys the penguin tour, River Wonders lists Backstage Pass: Manatee Mania daily at 2:15pm, with the same 1.2m rule. See our River Wonders family guide, or check other limits in height restrictions at Singapore attractions. For cold-air play away from Mandai, our Snow City page lists where to go now, and our rainy day activities guide has more indoor ideas.

When to get help

• Your child feels unwell or gets a small bump in the park: tell any Mandai staff member, or call Bird Paradise first aid on +65 6100 0767. Mandai lists first aid rooms at the entrance and at Egg Splash.
• An accident or a close call with an animal: call +65 6100 0694.
• You lose sight of your child: go to the nearest Mandai staff member or Guest Relations Officer straight away and describe what your child is wearing, since staff are spread around the park.
• A serious allergic reaction: HealthHub's signs include wheezing, widespread hives and swelling of the eyes, mouth or tongue. Use your child's EpiPen if they have one, then call 995.
• Breathlessness, a seizure, loss of consciousness or heavy bleeding: call 995. SCDF lists these as emergencies.
• Headache, fever, nausea or tiredness with a bad sunburn: HealthHub lists these as signs of severe sunburn, so see a doctor. Before long walks in the sun, check the MSS heat stress map on weather.gov.sg.
• A fall that needs a doctor but isn't an emergency: SCDF points you to a family doctor or GP. For an acutely ill or injured child, KKH's Children's Emergency is at 100 Bukit Timah Road.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you see penguins in Singapore?

At two Mandai parks. Bird Paradise has Penguin Cove, with king, gentoo and northern rockhopper penguins. Singapore Zoo has African penguins and a daily keeper talk at 1:30pm. Both need a park ticket.

Can kids join a penguin encounter in Singapore?

Yes, if they're at least 1.2m tall. Mandai's terms say anyone under 18 has to stay with an adult for the whole tour, and a session only runs with at least 2 paying people. Shorter children can watch at Penguin Cove and join the 1:30pm keeper talk.

How much is the Penguin Encounters tour at Bird Paradise?

Mandai lists S$148.00 for the public, S$133.20 for WildPass holders on weekday tours, and S$118.40 for Friends of Mandai members. Park admission is extra, and tours can't be refunded or changed.

What can you see at Penguin Cove, the penguin area of Bird Paradise?

Mandai calls it one of the world's largest sub-Antarctic, cold salt-water habitats for penguins. You see them dive underwater and waddle on a rocky beach. The same building has places to eat and a nursing room.

Is there penguin feeding in Singapore?

Not for visitors. Mandai's Bird Paradise feeding sessions cover cassowaries, lories, shorebirds and starlings. The backstage tour takes you through the penguins' Food Preparation Room instead.

Can I bring a stroller on the penguin tour?

Not into the back of house, where Mandai doesn't allow strollers or wheelchairs. Mandai's FAQ says Bird Paradise itself is stroller friendly, so bring it for the rest of the day and leave it with another adult during the tour.