Mandai

For the town in Tripura, India, see Mandwi.

Mandai

English	Mandai
Chinese	万礼
– Pinyin	Wànlǐ
Malay	Mandai

Mandai is the name of an urban planning area located in the North Region of Singapore. Mandai Road passes through the area, linking Woodlands Road to Upper Thomson Road.

The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are located in the vicinity and are accessible via Mandai Road, and hence the common reference to the parks as "Mandai Zoo". The name is also closely associated with the military training grounds in the area, along with the Mandai Camp, Nee Soon Camp and the Sembawang Air Base that lie in close proximity either within or adjacent to Mandai Planning Area. Mandai Columbarium and Crematorium, the biggest crematorium and columbarium in Singapore, is also located in Mandai area.

In 2012, a new river-themed park, River Safari, will be situated beside the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.

Etymology and history

Mandai Road was cut in 1855. The name Mandai appears in the Franklin and Jackson's Plan of Singapore (1828) as a river — "R. Mandi". The name is said to come from a tree.

The Mandai tree is of the species unid.

Trivia

Mandai means "Head" in Tamil (normally used when disgust).

Transportation

It is rumoured that this area will soon be served by the future Thomson MRT Line, although no details has been released yet.

Bus services also ply along this road. The following bus services serve Mandai Road:

Service	Between	And	Notes
SBS Transit Trunk Services
138	Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange	Singapore Zoological Gardens (loop)
SMRT Buses Trunk Services
171	Yishun Bus Interchange	Marina Centre Bus Terminal
926	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Singapore Zoological Gardens (loop)
927	Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange	Singapore Zoological Gardens (loop)

Sources

• Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2004), Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern University Press, ISBN 981-210-364-3