Jurong bird park.

This morning, Linna and I braved the heat and ventured off to Jurong Bird Park in Singapore. Not only did we tackle the heat, but we decided to save a little cash by taking the MRT and bus there. It took us about an hour to get to the Bird Park (only takes about 15-20 minutes by cab), but hey, I saved us like $25! We weren't in any rush to get there, so it was worth it to save some money. We just hopped on the Purple Line at Clarke Quay, transferred to the Green Line at Outram Park toward Joo Koon, then hopped on the #251 bus at the Boon Lay stop, which took us right to the park. Although it wasn't a short trip, it was super easy to navigate.

There is SO much for the little ones (and adults) to do and see at Jurong Bird Park. Linna and I walked around the jungle paths to look at flamingos, ostrich, pelicans, penguins, and even a bald eagle! Every bird we saw, Linna would say "bird", and then "more". All of the colors of the birds were beautiful. We brought our stroller with us, and the Bird Park is very stroller-friendly. We got a nice workout in from walking up and down the hills, but for about $5, you can hop on the tram that will take you all around the park. You can even rent strollers for under $10, and wagons for about $15. Even though I had Linna, the camera bag, and another bag, along with our umbrella stroller, people were very helpful getting us on and off the bus (you have to collapse your stroller before getting onto city buses in Singapore). On the way home, this Asian guy (he was the grandpa of one of the kids on the bus) actually picked Linna up and helped her onto the bus because she wasn't moving very quickly, while I brought all of our belongings onto the bus. At first thought, it might seem weird when people do that, but when you're all by yourself in 100-degree weather, with a kid and multiple belongings, any assistance is greatly appreciated!

Yes, I'm holding birds on a stick. Sorry it's blurry.

After checking out all of the birds around the park, we tried to catch the High Flyers Show, but we missed it because I started walking the wrong way. They have two High Flyers Shows (one at 11 a.m. and one at 3 p.m.). I wish we could have stayed until 3 p.m. to catch what is said to be a pretty cool show, but nap time was slowly creeping up on us. We decided to end our morning at the Bird Park with a little lunch, and some playtime at the Birdz of Play water-park. Yes, this water-park is inside Jurong Bird Park, at no extra cost to visitors! A word of WARNING though... DO NOT let your kids walk onto the grounds with bare feet! It's extremely HOT because of the sun, and we learned that the hard way (I should have read the sign). Linna's hot little tootsies put the kibosh on her having any fun inside the water park, which is such a shame because there was SO much to do for kids of all ages. She just couldn't get over the "hot feet" incident.

We had a really good time at Jurong Bird Park, and I'd like to bring AJ back so he can experience it! It's definitely one of things you "have to do" in Singapore. After a quick and not too expensive (under $15) taxi ride back to our apartment in Clarke Quay, Linna is napping quietly... most likely dreaming of all the colorful birds she saw today.

My Advice to Jurong Bird Park Visitors:

1. Take public transit if you're not in a hurry to get there. You'll save yourself some $$$.
2. Bring your swimsuit and wear light clothing. It's HOT! You can cool off in one of the air conditioned exhibits.
3. Bring cash. The place we bought lunch had a $15 credit card minimum, and our lunch was only about $10.
4. Bring water... lots of water.

Penguin feeding time.

Pretty birds.

Ostrich. I think this was Linna's fav.

Storks. They carry babies to mommies in their beaks.

Pay attention to the signs.

I may or may not have given her a chocolate donut.

Asians love taking pictures with Linna.

On the bus. "Don't worry mom, I got this."

Jurong Bird Park Deal Through March 2013:

This deal is for parents in Singapore (sorry Minnesota friends), with children age 3-12. Flash the coupon below when purchasing your tickets to Jurong Bird Park, and you get a FREE child admission with the purchase of an adult admission. This $14+ savings is only valid March 16th - 31st, so enjoy it while it lasts!