Seen photos and videos of otters running around in Singapore? Wonder when you could interact with them safely, since they look intimidating (at least to me)?
Well now you can interact with even cuter otters at Otah & Friends! Created by the same folks behind The Bubble Tea Factory (TBTF), The Blue and Gold was invited to this pop-up at Gardens by the Bay. My initial impression was that it would be another great IG story/post opportunity. But, it turned out to be much more than that (read on!).
What you see when you enter
Wanting to get the best possible photos and videos, I invited my best friend along to be my private photographer enjoy the experience with me, as sharing is caring (:
We arrived on a wet and humid evening and were greeted by very friendly staff at Otah & Friends.
The Entrance
Following the quick introduction, I realised this was a 45-minute immersive experience. It was Dora-the-explorer meets Escape Room meets TBTF. Interesting!
We were given a yellow sheet which introduced the mission and included interesting facts about otters, which we duly forgot immediately after.
My yellow sheet
Next, we met Otah (yes, the name of the otter is Otah, #supportlocal) and his little brother, whose name we couldn’t guess after trying our very best, but we LOL’ed (yes we did laugh out loud, we have a unique sense of humour) when the guide told us its name – ‘chao tah’ (it means burnt or overcooked in hokkien).
Otah & his new friend (You will see this new friend a lot)
After a short briefing, we began our mission. We had 15 minutes to find Otah in his house, or we will be trapped there forever (don’t worry this will never happen, we promise!).
This is where the real fun begins.
We ran inside, imagining we were FBI agents (cue cool sunglasses), and started to search for the first few clues. We opened many doors, literally and metaphorically.
House entrance with the timer above counting down
Without giving away where Otah is (tip, open all the doors, all of them!), let us show you what we feel are the best photo spots at Otah & Friends.
1. Lemon Tree
Playlist: ‘Lemon Tree’. This is the crème de la crème in our opinion, the one place that makes people go wow.
You can fulfil your lemon farmer dreams here, and imagine you are in a faraway farm picking your own lemons.
2. Sofa
Potential inspiration for your new home, for all of you who love looking at home tour pictures
or videos.
3. Kitchen
The kitchen where nothing will go ‘chao tah’, and where you can find chao tah (Tip: Open
everything!)
4. Picnic Mat
Get the friendly staff to help you take the best photo ever. See the difference between the top (taken by self), and bottom picture (taken by the staff).
5. Otah
Who could say no to taking a photo with this cute otter (:
Although we were lost at the start, I’m glad we found Otah within the 15 minutes and lived up to our explorer status. We ended the visit with a fresh cup of lemonade (sadly not from the lemon picked by Otah’s friend above) and a delicious biscuit.
We found Otah!
Now for the *bonus*, where can you record your TikTok dance trend with the best backdrops? Refer to the 5 spots above (:
They offer good space and depth for your next viral TikTok (Idea: “If you really want me right”, those who know it will get it *winks*).
Your next glamping spot
Now that you have read our experience, it’s time for you to escape to the fantasy world of Otah & Friends with your real-life friends now! Note: they have group packages. (:
Just 10 minutes by train from SMU, Otah & Friends runs till 26 February. It is next to Bayfront MRT Station Exit B and is located at Gardens by the Bay, Bayfront Plaza 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953.
Remember to book your time slots here before you go.
Check out Otah & Friends’ social media channels here:
Instagram: @otahandfriends https://instagram.com/otahandfriends?igshid=v8nuldddjtyu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/otahandfriends/
Website: https://www.otahandfriends.com/