Our Story

Chapter 1: The First Drops

Did Somebody Say Aquarium?

The River Safari had its humble conceptual beginnings as a simple aquarium exhibit. In 1996, it was thought that a freshwater aquarium with an impressive collection of fish and flora would perfectly complement the offerings of the Singapore Zoo and, at the same time, take full advantage of the pristine, freshwater surroundings of the area.

The only problem was, the aquarium idea just refused to stop growing. With each brainstorm session, new and exciting possibilities were thrown in. New ideas kept surfacing. The aquarium idea literally overflowed its rims.

Brimming With Ideas

From the basic to the high-tech, several versions of the proposed attraction, then referred to as the Singapore Aquarium, were designed and presented. The winning design – a boat ride with a freshwater aquarium based on the richest rainforest basin in the world – The Amazon River.

Wildlife By The River

River life could be showcased in many ways. And the best way would be the one that was experiential – one that would be visually captivating, with a splash of an experience to match. The team, inspired from their research around the world, wanted visitors to have the luxury of seeing the animals go about their lives as they sail along the river.

From this ripple of an idea, the River Safari was born.