Banyan Group Celebrates Grand Opening of 100th Resort and Singapore Homecoming with Inaugural Rainforest Festival in Support of President's Challenge

PRNewswire
Singapore, October 27: Banyan Group ("Banyan Tree Holdings Limited" or the "Group" - SGX: B58), an independent global hospitality company, proudly announces the inaugural Rainforest Festival, a week-long celebration marking the Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, the Group's 100th resort worldwide. Owned by Mandai Wildlife Group, the resort marks Banyan Group's debut in Singapore and is a key addition to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the city-state's wildlife and nature destination.
* From 27 November to 3 December 2025, the week-long celebration features discovery trails, a sustainable weekend market, live performances, and wellbeing, nature, and family activities - with ticket proceeds donated and matched by Banyan Group.
Running from 27 November to 3 December 2025, the Rainforest Festival is the grand finale of 100 Journeys - a hundred days of global activations across Banyan Group's portfolio leading up to this landmark opening. All festival ticket proceeds will be donated and matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group in support of the President's Challenge, which benefits 60 programmes across 52 local charities and social service organisations, with a further dollar-for-dollar match from the Government under the SG60 Matching Grants.
"The Rainforest Festival is our way of giving back as we mark our 100th milestone and a symbolic homecoming to Singapore. It also celebrates more than a decade of partnership and shared vision with Mandai Wildlife Group in bringing our flagship resort to life," said Eddy See, CEO, Banyan Group. "The festival embodies our belief that travel can be a force for good - connecting people with nature, culture, and community. We are proud to support the President's Challenge during SG60, honouring a nation that shares our commitment to a more caring and sustainable future."
A Celebration of Sustainable Design, Discovery, and Shared Purpose
The Rainforest Festival invites visitors to discover how sustainable design, biodiversity, and wellbeing come together as Banyan Group celebrates its journey to 100 resorts and hotels across 20 countries and 12 brands.
At the heart of the experience is the Discovery Trail - a self-guided exploration of the resort's architecture and living design, revealing how it harmonises with the rainforest through elevated structures, tree preservation, and circular resource systems. Along the way, guests can enjoy birdwatching, nature walks, and life-sized interactive installations that reimagine familiar childhood games, with opportunities to win exclusive resort stay experiences and gifts from Banyan Tree Essentials.
Anchoring the trail is The Wishing Tree, a living artwork that blossoms with every contribution. As visitors add words of hope and intention to its growing canopy of leaves, the installation becomes a collective expression of renewal, connection, and community. The Discovery Trail also features the Banyan Gallery Showcase - a curated collection of diversified crafts from around the world. Celebrating artisans Banyan Gallery has collaborated with across cultures and continents, each piece tells a story of heritage, technique, and a shared journey in bringing meaningful design to life, where craftsmanship, creativity, and cultural connection converge through art.
Festival go-ers can also unwind with complimentary refreshments and tastings that celebrate local craftsmanship, responsible sourcing, and circular creativity. Highlights include Gryphon Tea's signature blend created exclusively for the resort, Owa Coffee's wildlife-friendly brews from Java grown under forest canopies that protect silvery gibbons, a nostalgic ice cream bread sandwich from the classic Singaporean Ice Cream Cart, and chocolate bark crafted using upcycled botanicals from Tanglin Gin's Rainforest Gin Experience. Selected partners will also retail their signature products, with additional food and beverages available for purchase.
Experiential Weekend Market and Live Performances
Over the weekend, the resort's ballroom will transform into an experiential marketplace with Into the Rainforest by GREEN-HOUSE HangOut - a pocket-sized edition of Singapore's largest sustainable lifestyle event. Featuring a curation of ten homegrown brands presenting sustainable creations and hosting rainforest-inspired DIY experiences, the showcase invites visitors to immerse themselves in a sensory journey through the six senses of the rainforest - colour, touch, taste, smell, sight, and life.
Adding to the weekend buzz, the Festival Stage will come alive with performances celebrating Singapore's vibrant music and arts scene, embodying a shared spirit of creativity and community. Saturday's line-up features talented young musicians from Wolfgang Violin Studio, singer-songwriter Joie Tan, beloved music duo Jack & Rai, award-winning vocal band MICappella, and Heart Songs, an immersive vibrational medicine song circle led by wellbeing practitioner Gabrielle Mendoza, while Beans&Beats adds to the lively atmosphere on Sunday afternoon.
Exclusive Wellbeing, Nature & Family Activities for Ticket Holders
Throughout the week, festival ticket holders can look forward to a series of exclusive add-on
wellbeing, nature and family activities to enrich their festival journey. Sessions are complimentary for ticket holders, with limited slots released progressively for advance booking over email over the coming weeks.
At the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa, guests can learn to handcraft body scrubs and sleep sachets infused with natural ingredients and aromatic essential oils. They can also join leading yoga and wellbeing practitioners for sessions designed for all ages and abilities, presented in collaboration with Manduka, with exclusive gifts for participants.
The highlight, 100 Sun Salutations, celebrates Banyan Group's 100-property milestone through a collective, rhythmic flow that honours energy, vitality, and renewal - a symbolic journey of endurance, unity, and gratitude. Other sessions include Restorative Yoga & Sound Healing and Yoga Therapy & Mobility with Gabrielle Mendoza, focusing on releasing tension and restoring balance; Yoga Duo with Roxanne Gan and Ashle Tan, a playful partner practice that deepens trust and connection; and Kids Yoga with Roxanne Gan, introducing children to movement and mindfulness.
Guests may also sign up for guided nature walks, stepping into the heart of the rainforest to discover the stories of native trees - how they protect the soil, nurture wildlife, and sustain the living lungs of the Earth. For younger guests aged 4 to 11, the Rangers' Club offers hands-on workshops such as Shrink Safari and Critter Chat & Doodle, introducing children to Singapore's native wildlife through play, art, and storytelling.
Step into the Wild at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve
Complementing the festival week programme is a curated line-up of paid experiences at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, including Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. 20 per cent of these proceeds will also be donated by Mandai Wildlife Group and the resort to the President's Challenge.
At the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, festivalgoers can look forward to a host of immersive nature-inspired experiences, with details to be announced soon. These include special offers to the precinct's wildlife parks - Rainforest Wild Asia and Bird Paradise, with more to come. Paid experiences include guided park tours, the much-loved Backstage Pass tours with behind-the-scenes access to meet iconic animal residents such as the penguins, and ZooSchool, which offers children's programmes that blend outdoor adventure with engaging survival skill-building activities.
At the resort, paid experiences include Animal Diversity and World of Birds workshops led by local ecologist Ms Luan Keng, a Rooftop Golden Hour High Tea Escape, and a Rainforest Mixology Showcase by Vertigo Bar at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur. In an exclusive four-hands culinary collaboration, Chef Alex Siah from the resort will also join forces with Chef Tipaporn Phianthong (Tipa), Head Chef of Banyan Tree's award-winning Thai restaurant concept Saffron, to present a gastronomic Thai and Peranakan Culinary Journey Buffet experience. All in-house guests and those who have booked paid experiences will also receive free admission tickets to the festival.
A Festival That Gives Back
The Rainforest Festival runs from 27 November to 3 December 2025 (10am to 6pm daily) at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. General Admission tickets are S$10 on weekdays and S$15 on weekends; with free entry for children under four with an accompanying adult.
All festival ticket holders will also enjoy exclusive discounts at retail outlets across the precinct and on a la carte treatments at the Banyan Tree Spa.
For more information about the Rainforest Festival programme, updates and ticketing information, visit banyantree.com/rainforest-festival
For high-resolution images, please download here .
For event overview and programme highlights, refer to
Rainforest Festival Fact Sheet in Annex.
ABOUT THE RAINFOREST FESTIVAL:
From 27 November to 3 December 2025, celebrate the Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and Banyan Group's 100th resort milestone and homecoming at the inaugural Rainforest Festival. All festival ticket proceeds will be donated to the President's Challenge and matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group.
Explore discovery trails with life-sized interactives, 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.
Owned by Mandai Wildlife Group, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree is Banyan Group's 100th resort and homecoming debut in Singapore, and a key addition to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the city-state's wildlife and nature destination. Nestled within Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the resort is the first-ever located in a world-class nature and wildlife destination within a capital city - where travellers can immerse themselves in the wonders of biodiversity right on their doorstep.

ABOUT BANYAN GROUP
Banyan Group ("Banyan Tree Holdings Limited" or the "Group" - SGX: B58) is an independent, global hospitality company with purpose. The Group prides itself on its pioneering spirit, design-led experiences and commitment to responsible stewardship. Its extensive portfolio spans over 90 hotels and resorts, more than 140 spas and galleries, and 20 plus branded residences in over 20 countries. Comprising 12 global brands, including the flagship brand Banyan Tree, each distinct yet united under the experiential membership programme withBanyan. The founding ethos of "Embracing the Environment, Empowering People" is embodied through the Banyan Global Foundation and Banyan Academy. Banyan Group is committed to remaining the leading advocate of sustainable travel, with a focus on regenerative tourism and innovative programmes that elevate the guest experience.
ANNEX: RAINFOREST FESTIVAL FACT SHEET
EVENT OVERVIEW
- Dates: Thursday, 27 November to Wednesday, 3 December 2025
- Hours: 10am to 6pm daily
- Venue: Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, 60 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore 729979
- Tickets: S$10 weekdays, S$15 weekends. Admission is free for children under four with an accompanying adult, in-house guests and participants of paid resort experiences.
- Beneficiary: President's Challenge. Proceeds from festival admission tickets will be donated and matched 1:1 by Banyan Group and the Government under the SG60 Matching Grants.
- Festival Website: banyantree.com/rainforest-festival
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore the resort and discover how sustainable design, biodiversity, and wellbeing come together through discovery and nature trails, artisanal showcases, and life-sized interactive installations inspired by childhood games.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments and tastings celebrating local craftsmanship, responsible sourcing, and circular creativity.
- Access complimentary add-on wellbeing, nature and family activities, to be released for advance booking progressively on a first-come, first-served basis via email.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
- Experience GREEN-HOUSE HangOut, a pocket-sized edition of Singapore's largest sustainable lifestyle event, featuring ten homegrown brands offering eco-conscious creations and rainforest-inspired DIY workshops.
- Catch exclusive performances featuring sets from Singapore's most beloved voices and rising stars at the Festival Stage:
- Saturday, 29 November 2025: Wolfgang Violin Studio (11am), Joie Tan (1pm), Jack & Rai (2.30pm), Heart Songs by Gabrielle Mendoza (4.15pm), and MICappella (5.30pm)
- Sunday, 30 November 2025: Beans&Beats (12pm - 4pm)
ADMISSION TICKETS
- General Admission Ticket - Weekday (S$10/pax) includes access to the festival and same-day complimentary add-on activities on a first-come, first-served basis. Activity sessions will be released progressively to ticket holders via email.
- General Admission Ticket - Weekend (S$15/pax) includes access to the festival, GREEN-HOUSE HangOut, Festival Stage entertainment, and same-day complimentary add-on activities on a first-come, first-served basis. Activity sessions will be released progressively to ticket holders via email.
- Guests participating in paid ecology or culinary experiences at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree during the festival week will receive free admission tickets to the festival.
- Admission to the festival is free for children under four with an accompanying adult, in-house guests and participants of paid resort experiences.
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