Tiger Express Returns in May 2027 With a Rail Journey From Singapore to The Datai Langkawi

At a Glance

• Tiger Express returns May 9 to 15, 2027, for its fourth year as a six-night, seven-day journey through Singapore and Malaysia.

• Partners are The Datai Langkawi, Save Wild Tigers, the Eastern & Oriental Express, a Belmond Train, Southeast Asia, and Raffles Singapore.

• The route runs from Raffles Singapore by train through Taman Negara National Park and Penang, ending with three nights at The Datai Langkawi.

• Save Wild Tigers estimates fewer than 150 Malayan tigers remain in the wild.

Tiger Express, the conservation journey that links Raffles Singapore, the Eastern & Oriental Express and The Datai Langkawi, returns from May 9 to 15, 2027. The six-night, seven-day trip is now in its fourth year, and it is built to raise awareness and support for the Malayan tiger, a critically endangered species with fewer than 150 estimated to remain in the wild.

The Datai Langkawi takes part through The Datai Pledge, the sustainability and conservation program the resort launched in 2020. Tiger Express falls under its Wildlife For The Future pillar, which focuses on protecting vulnerable species in the local ecosystem.

The journey begins with a night at Raffles Singapore, an evening drinks reception and a screening of Ray The Rug. The short film, presented on behalf of Save Wild Tigers, stars British actor Ray Winstone and follows an animated tiger-skin rug to show the toll of poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.

Guests then board the Eastern & Oriental Express at Woodlands Station for two nights across Malaysia, with a dinner on board by Chef André Chiang. The train reaches Merapoh Station in Pahang early the next morning.

There, guests choose among three excursions in Taman Negara National Park, one of the world's oldest rainforests and home to the Malayan tiger.

Day four brings the train to Penang and George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Private visits include Cheah Kongsi Temple and Cheong Fatt Tze, The Blue Mansion, where guests can view images from the Eye on the Tiger photographic exhibition, first presented in 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

After lunch back on the train, the group transfers to Kuala Perlis and sails for Langkawi.

The final leg is a three-night stay at The Datai Langkawi, on Datai Bay, which National Geographic named one of the top 10 beaches in the world. The surrounding 10-million-year-old rainforest is home to dusky langurs, tokay geckos and great hornbills.

Optional excursions include Mandi Embun, an ancient Malay ritual of early morning forest bathing led by one of the resort's resident naturalists, which ends with a swim in a jungle pool. The last evening opens with a beachside sunset cocktail reception, followed by a gala dinner facing the Andaman Sea.

"The return of the Tiger Express reflects a shared belief that meaningful travel can deepen people's understanding of the natural world and the responsibility we have to protect it." says Stephane Duvacher, general manager of The Datai Langkawi.

Tickets are limited. Bookings are handled by Simon Clinton at simon@theclintonpartnership.com, and the journey is also available through Belmond.

Save Wild Tigers was founded by Simon Clinton in 2011. The organization estimates that fewer than 5,000 tigers remain in the wild worldwide, including around 150 in Malaysia. "The Malayan tiger is an irreplaceable part of the country's natural heritage, yet fewer than 150 are estimated to remain in the wild," Clinton says.