Do you love penguins? Here’s your chance to meet the penguins at Bird Paradise’s Penguin Cove! Starting 7 June 2025, Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters is a special opportunity for you to meet the VIPs or Very Important Penguins up close and learn more about three species of penguins: king, gentoo and northern rockhopper in their chilly habitat.
We had a preview of the one-hour penguin encounter and here’s what to expect.
What to Expect at Bird Paradise’s Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters
Tour of Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove
The Penguin Encounter started off with a tour of the Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove.
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This is where visitors will see the penguins in their habitat – swimming, chilling, diving, cleaning their feathers.
Did you know that right on top of the building that houses Penguin Cove there are solar panels and rainwater cooling system to power the cool climate of our feathered friends?
The temperature within Penguin Cove is maintained at about 8 to 10 degrees Celsius to simulate the natural habitats of the penguins.
We also learnt about the various species of penguins found at Bird Paradise and Singapore Zoo, their differences and how to identify them.
In fact, the penguin keepers know all 30 of their penguins by name and facial features! Yes they all have names according to their temperaments, places of origin and sometimes the characters of the Netflix shows their keepers watch.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour at Bird Paradise
Before heading to the back of house penguin tour, we stored our bulky items in lockers provided and then put on winter jackets. It is cold on the Penguin Encounters tour – so do wear long pants and long sleeves if you’re more sensitive to low temperatures.
First, we visited the Food Preparation Room. This is where the food for the penguins is prepared.
It’s a spread of fish that can rival a Japanese sashimi restaurant!
We saw fish that had been airflown in just for the penguins’ diets. These included mackerel, shimano, anchovies, krill and herrings. Besides whole fishes, which are usually scattered in the water, the penguins are also given supplements which are stuffed in at the gills and fed by hand to each penguin.
If you have seen holes in the rock walls where the penguins are, those are mechanical feeders that dispense food, simulating the environment in the wild.
Then, we visited Incubation Room where penguin eggs are incubated. We even got to hold an egg shell of a King Penguin!
However, having eggs incubated in the Incubation Room also means that penguin parents have abandoned their eggs. Hopefully the incubators will not be used too often!
Highlight of Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters – Meet-and-Greet with the Penguins
The moment we have all been waiting for finally came! We got to meet-and-greet the VIPs!
First we donned on shoe protectors. These are needed for two reasons, to ensure our shoes do not contaminate the environment and second to protect them from penguin poop!
We sat on a row of stools and got our cameras ready for the penguin encounter that we had been looking forward.
Before we saw the penguins, we could certainly hear them approaching. The squawking was loud and it was a cacophony of penguin screeches and calls.
Let the penguin parade begin!
The rockhopper penguins were probably the most enthusiastic once they heard the bells ring. They quickly waddled towards their keepers and even perched on the stone steps right in front of their curious audience.
The king penguins followed closely, with one of them, Percy, keeping close to his keeper. We were told he loved his keeper so much he followed him everywhere.
I loved watching the gentoo penguins flapping their wings and seemingly standing by just watching all the action.
As the keepers fed the penguins, they also shared penguin stories. This was a chance for us to take a closer look at the black and white birds.
From time to time, there would be loud calls by the birds and the rambunctious ones would even pick fights. They reminded us of children!
Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters – Meeting the Penguins at the Mandai Bird Paradise
Each Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters session can accommodate a maximum of eight people. This means the group size is small and perfect for many questions! After all, we are learning all about the adorable penguins.
The keepers regaled us about their stories and personalities, while dishing out facts about the penguins’ lifespan, feeding habits, typical behaviour and more.
Our eyes were glued on the beautiful creatures and sometimes the penguins were curiously peering at their admirers too.
The twenty minutes flew by quickly as with every amazing animal encounter. It was awesome and probably the closest we could get to penguins unless we all became penguin keepers!
Before ending the tour, the keepers helped to take pictures of the attendees. Don’t worry about capturing the perfect selfie since you will have photos of your penguin pal.
Booking Your Penguin Encounter Experience
Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters take place every Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30 am to 11.30 am. Participants must be of a minimum height of 1.2 metres.
Prices starts from $94.72 per person:
Public
Regular Days (Mon & Fri): S$118.40 /person
Peak Days (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays): S$148 /person
WildPass Holders – 10% off weekday tours
Regular Days (Mon & Fri): S$106.56* /person (*U.P. S$118.40)
Peak Days (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays): S$148 /person
Friends of Mandai/Friends of Mandai Plus – 20% off tours
Regular Days (Mon & Fri): S$94.72* /person (U.P. S$118.40)
Peak Days (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays): S$118.40* /person (U.P. S$148)
*Price after discount
Get more details and book the Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters here.
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![Looking for an experience that’s beyond the ordinary this June Holiday? Make your way down to the Omni-Theatre, where two new groundbreaking shows are set to capture your imagination – Cities of the Future and Animal Kingdom! Two New Shows at Omni-Theatre from 1 June It is always a thrill to catch a movie at the Omni-Theatre. Watching a show on its impressive 23-metre-wide dome screen, 8K digital screen – the only one of its kind in Singapore – is a treat for the senses. Now, you can treat the kids and family to two new, immersive experiences at Omni-Theatre during the holidays. Cities of the Future What will the world be like in 50 years’ time? How will our cities evolve and what will the sustainable future look like? Cities of the Future goes on a journey through the world’s greatest cities – from Amsterdam to Los Angeles and Singapore – to uncover what is being done to meet the challenges of a changing world and make the smart cities of the future possible. Plus, you will even get a glimpse of Singapore’s exciting vision for a more sustainable and connected future, featured in the film! Whether it is tapping into new renewable energy sources or revolutionising transport systems (think electric flying cars!), Cities of the Future provides a fascinating glimpse at how engineers are turning today’s science fiction into tomorrow’s reality. Animal Kingdom: A Tale of Six Families Animal Kingdom is a stunning exploration of what makes our natural world so spectacular, introducing young audiences to animals from all over the world. Journey across snowy forests, under the scorching African Sun, and into the darkest depths of the ocean to discover why animals are the way they are. The show also explores the ways in which we can help to protect the animal world. It is a show that will have animal-loving kids spellbound! SG60 Promotions: $6 Omni-Theatre Tickets & Special Bundles [insert 04] Need even more reasons to pay a visit to Omni-Theatre? From now to 31 December 2025, Science Centre Singapore is offering a special promo with tickets at just $6!* (usual price $14)! That’s more than 50% off the regular ticket price. There are also special SG60 bundle deals* available that provide admission to Science Centre Singapore and an Omni-Theatre show at: $10 for adults (usual price $19.90); and $8 per child (usual price $17.90). Families of four can save even more with the $24 Family Pack for two adults and two children that provides access to both Science Centre Singapore and Omni-Theatre. Make a Date to Watch an Omni-Theatre Show Soon! [insert 05] Don’t miss the chance to watch the two exciting new shows at Omni-Theatre! And make use of the SG60 promotions to enjoy even greater value and a wonderful day out! Find out more about the Cities of the World, Animal Kingdom and Omni-Theatre’s SG60 promotions. Omni-Theatre Offers $6 SG60 Promo Tickets & 2 Exciting New Movies Your Family Will Love!](https://www.littledayout.com/wp-content/uploads/Omni-Theatre-01-324x235.jpg "Omni-Theatre Offers $6 SG60 Promo Tickets & 2 Exciting New Movies Your Family Will Love!")
