River Wonders' first Panda Planet exhibition overlaps with Jia Jia and Kai Kai's September birthdays. Here's exactly when to catch each part, free with admission.

TL;DR

  • The Panda Planet Immersive Experience runs 4-14 September 2026 at River Wonders, 9am-6pm daily (last entry 5pm), included with regular admission.
  • Jia Jia turns 18 on 3 September, Kai Kai turns 19 on 14 September; free birthday celebrations follow on 5 and 13 September, both at 12pm.
  • The exhibition has three zones and an update on Le Le, Singapore's only locally-born panda cub, now living in China.

What is the Panda Planet Immersive Experience?

It's Singapore's first Panda Planet exhibition and its first stop outside China, presented by iPanda, CCTV.com's giant panda channel. Set inside River Wonders' Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest, it combines photo spots, panda-science trivia and conservation storytelling across three zones, running through Jia Jia and Kai Kai's birthday month.

When and where can you see it?

The exhibition runs from 4 to 14 September 2026, daily from 9am to 6pm, with last entry at 5pm, at the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest. It's included with standard River Wonders admission, so there's no separate ticket to book.

What's inside the three zones?

The Giant Panda Science Zone covers the animals' evolution, behaviour and the conservation work protecting the species. The Kai Kai & Jia Jia Birthday Zone shares fun facts about the pair plus an update on Le Le, their son and Singapore's first locally-born giant panda cub, who moved to China in 2024 after outgrowing the River Wonders nursery. The MR Experience Zone uses mixed-reality technology to recreate a glimpse of the pandas' native Sichuan habitat.

When are the birthday celebrations?

Jia Jia turns 18 on 3 September; Kai Kai turns 19 on 14 September. River Wonders marks each with a free celebration at the Giant Panda Forest: Jia Jia's on 5 September at 12pm, Kai Kai's on 13 September at 12pm. Their care team prepares treat-filled enrichment boxes to encourage natural foraging, and both sessions are included with admission.

Why this matters for Singapore families

Jia Jia and Kai Kai arrived from China in September 2012 on a 10-year loan. Mandai Wildlife Group and the China Wildlife Conservation Association extended that stay by five years in 2022, through 2027, a partnership that has also produced Le Le and more than 30 research papers on panda care near the equator. Some reports have floated this as among the pandas' last Singapore birthdays given the loan runs only to 2027, though no new departure date has been confirmed. For now, it's the most interactive the exhibition has been, and it costs nothing extra.

Planning a wider Mandai trip this month? HOT in SG's guides to the Minecraft Experience (hotinsg.com/minecraft-experience-singapore-25-person-arrival-guide) and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic (hotinsg.com/harry-potter-visions-magic-singapore-8pm-last-entry-guide) cover similar timed-entry family outings, and our Grand Prix Season Singapore guide (hotinsg.com/grand-prix-season-singapore-2026-your-guide-to-10-days-beyond-the-track) rounds up what else is on this October.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a separate ticket for the Panda Planet exhibition?

No. Entry is included with standard River Wonders admission, and there's no additional charge to enter the three zones.

What are the exhibition's opening hours?

The Panda Planet Immersive Experience runs from 4 to 14 September 2026, daily from 9am to 6pm, with last entry at 5pm.

Can I watch the birthday celebrations for free?

Yes. Jia Jia's celebration is on 5 September at 12pm and Kai Kai's is on 13 September at 12pm, both included with River Wonders admission.

Sources and Method

This article draws on CNA's report of 3 September 2026 (via Red Hot Singapore syndication) and AsiaOne's report of the same date by Asyiqin Nadzri, cross-checked against Mandai Wildlife Group's 2022 media release on the pandas' stay extension. One 2026 source's photo caption and body text gave conflicting ages for Jia Jia and Kai Kai; we used the figures consistent with the 2022 record. We could not access Mandai's 2026 press materials for this specific exhibition directly; readers can check Mandai's official announcements page before visiting.