Last week (10th May 2019) I was in Singapore with my family for vacation and we visited Jurong Bird Park (JBP) there. JBP is one of the most-visited places in the island city. I had been to the place a few times in the past, the first was about two decades ago and it was the first large scale bird park I saw where birds were allowed to fly freely, covered by a large net high up and I was very impressed with it. The second time was when my son was a baby and he loved the place.
After more than a decade we came here again, but this time it felt different, the novelty has certainly waned. We now have nice bird parks even in India, I have seen Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad having a Bird Park, certainly smaller than JBP but still good. Still, even after many decades, JBP is one of the best-maintained bird parks in the world. The price of SG$30 per person felt steep for a traveller from India – I had bought a discounted ticket from KLook (An activity booking site).
To reach Jurong Bird Park, the best will be to travel by MRT (Train) Public Transport and get down at the “Jurong Bird Park” station, from there the park will be about a 10-15 minutes light walk. If you are travelling as a group of 3 to 4, then a Taxi (or Grab) may be cheaper and more convenient.
The park has over 15,000 animals comprising several hundred varieties of birds. They conduct two different shows “Kings of the Skies” and “High Flyers” at two different times every day (Morning and Afternoon), look for their timings and plan your visit accordingly. The shows are good entertainment especially if you are going with kids.
Western crowned pigeon
Shoe bird
The Waterfall Aviary towers at a height of 35m (equivalent to 13 storeys). It is man-made yet serene. Over 600 birds fly free here.
Pools Amphitheatre where “High Flyers” show happen
Venkatarangan in front of Caribbean Flamingos
A lorikeet, aka honeyeaters, the many species of this parrot group (subfamily Loriinae) are natives of the South Pacific and Australia
Lory loft is a recreation of the rainforests of Northern Australia. I loved the suspension bridge and tranquilness here.
Jurong Bird Park – The Humboldt penguins
Kids can have fun while learning – A bird’s bill is shaped to suit its diet and feeding habit.
Water bottle refilling station – Refill to reduce plastic waste
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