Jurong Bird Park should be on the top of your must visit list in Singapore if you are travelling with children. Then again, this bird park should be on your must visit list even if you are travelling solo or as a couple!
As far as stats go, Jurong Bird Park is the world’s largest bird park when it comes to the sheer number of birds it hosts and the second largest in the world in terms of the number of bird species and land area! This itself is a good enough reason to pay this park a visit the next time you are in Singapore. And what’s more, this park is easily accessible via the MRT and a connecting bus from the interchange or you could just book a taxi depending on your budget.
As the park is fairly big, you do need to plan your trip in advance especially if you have children tagging along. The official website has a list of all the shows along with timings and coupled with a map, you can plan your outing really well. I did my research fairly well the night before and we were able to catch all of the shows we wanted to see and then have a good relaxing stroll around the park as well.
Though there are a whole lot of activities listed for Jurong Bird Park, the ones that you should make it a point to not miss are the King of the Skies and High Flyers Show along with visits to the Lory Loft, Penguin Coast, Pelican Cove and the Waterfall Aviary. The King of the Skies Show stars a selection of the most formidable and majestic birds of prey and they demonstrate beautifully why they are still at the top of their food chain. The show even includes scavenging vultures and you definitely get intimidated when they circle the grounds! Impressively put together, the show also teaches you about falconry and if you are feeling really brave after seeing their talons, the staff will allow you to try your hand at falconry! Compared to the King of the Skies Show, the High Flyers Show held at the Pools Amphitheatre is pretty tame but totally entertaining nevertheless.
The Lory Loft is actually a nine-stories high walk-in flight aviary that houses Loris and Lorikeets. The feeding tower in the center of this aviary allows you to get up close with the birds and even hand feed them a mix that can be purchased at the counter. I must say that both my husband and myself had great fun feeding them and were in a race with our children to see how many we could each get to feed from our hands!
The waterfall aviary at Jurong Bird Park is about 35 metres tall and combined with the tropical rainforest feel they have recreated here it somehow reminds you of Jurassic Park. The waterfall in this aviary is said to be the tallest man-made indoor waterfall in the world and the suspension bridge attached to this just adds to the Jurassic Park feel if you ask me! Likewise, the Penguin Coast and the Pelican Cove are equally impressive.
We took a cab from our hotel and spent half a day here at the bird park enjoying the various shows and enclosures. Needless to say, our girls had an amazing time here. The key is to not tire them out by trying to rush through the park but stroll around at their pace with enough breaks in between.
This park also has a birds themed wet and dry play area for children. We skipped this part entirely and stuck to the trail. The park also offers a guided tram ride at extra cost if you are not a huge fan of walking. You can also rent strollers, wagons and wheelchairs at the entrance of the park. You also have a variety of dining options to choose from at the park and as these are spread out all over, you do get to refuel and recharge which makes the walk around this huge park literally a walk in the park!
Park Tickets: Adults @ S$30 and Children @ S$20
Park Timings: 8.30am – 6.00pm (open always!)
