Bird Paradise: Every Family's Must-Read Guide Before Heading Down

Being avid animal lovers, my kids and I love to visit zoos and nature reserves, watch wildlife documentaries and borrow books about animals from the library. That is why we were thrilled to hear about the rejuvenation project at Mandai Wildlife Reserve which will integrate five zoological parks, each with distinctive nature-based experiences. While we eagerly await for Rainforest Wild to open later this year, we explored the newest wildlife park on our island - Bird Paradise.

It wasn't our first visit to Bird Paradise, but the kids (and adults) didn't cease to rave about the interactive animal feedings and presentations. Before I get to kid-friendly areas and features of the park we love, here is a quick lay of the land.

Getting to Bird Paradise

For those who are driving, Bird Paradise is a 30-minute ride from the city. You can choose to take the Central Expressway or Pan Island Expressway, and park at Car Park 1 at Mandai Wildlife West. For those taking public transport, take the Mandai Khatib Shuttle from Khatib MRT Station (NS14) and alight at Bus Stop #48111. Children below the age of 7 years old ride free.

Signages leading to the park were clear so it was easy to find our direction after parking the car. At Mandai Wildlife West, you will pass by Waterfall Cavern that features a plunge pool and cascading waterfall so don’t forget to take a photo for keepsake. After which, you will walk past a long stretch of restaurants and cafés. Upon nearing the park, you will see a huge, colourful board that illustrates the glorious 52-year history of Jurong Bird Park and an eye-catching Cloud Dancer art exhibit.

An overview of Bird Paradise

Bird Paradise spans an area of 17 hectares and is home to 3,500 birds from over 400 avian species. Even though it is smaller than the former Jurong Bird Park, it houses bigger and double the number of walk-in aviaries. Currently, there are eight large walk-through aviaries that depict different biomes of the world, including Southeast Asian forests, African rainforests and South American wetlands, as well as Penguin Cove and Winged Sanctuary.

Not to be missed: feeding sessions!

On top of admiring the birds of the world at Bird Paradise, my kids always look forward to the feeding sessions - they are the highlights of our trips - at the different zones or aviaries (more details in the section below). Slots are limited and run out fast so do book in advance online and arrive at the venue 10-15 minutes before the feeding time. Each food portion costs $8 and all proceeds will help to fund Bird Paradise’s wildlife conservation efforts in the region.

Some of our favourite zones

Covering 1.55 hectares, Nyungwe Forest Heart of Africa is the biggest aviary in Bird Paradise and it mimics the forested valleys of continental Africa. It is one of our favourite aviaries due to the criss-crossed suspension bridges, gentle streams and an observation tower that enables you to have a bird’s eye view of the surroundings. Try spotting the bee-eater’s cliff and if you are lucky, you might spot birds diving to catch insects mid-air too. The Starling feeding happens at 9.30am and 2pm daily

Inspired by Bali’s bamboo groves, paddy fields and water terraces, the idyllic Kuok Group Wings of Asia is one of the most picturesque aviaries in the park. It houses endangered bird species such as the Black-faced Spoonbill, the Milky Stork and the Baer’s Pochard. You can feed fish to the pelicans at 10am and 4.30pm daily.

At Mysterious Papua, the kids were ecstatic to feed Southern Cassowaries - feeding is at 1pm daily - for the first time and we also came face to face with a Sclater’s Crowned Pigeon perched on the railing.

At Lory Loft, try spotting the Iris lorikeet, Dusky Lory and Purple-Bellied Lory as they fly around the hundreds of flowers feeding on nectar and pollen. My family has fond memories of the old Lory Loft and the kids loved feeding the birds with nectar cups and letting them perch on our arms, shoulders and even heads.

This aviary that replicates the marshy wetland habitats of South America is our favourite of the lot. Crimson feathered beauties such as Scarlet Ibises, Roseate Spoonbills and Amercian Flamingos dot the landscape and fly freely above our heads. This is the only aviary that is beamless within and we love the immersive experience in this vast, breathtaking environment that features a 20-metre plunging waterfall. Kids can bounce and hop on the giant lily pads and feel the excitement when they step on one of the two wobbly ones.

This impressive three-storey habitat contains two saltwater tanks with a water depth of 7m. The lighting mimics the sub-Antarctic Falkland Islands and the exhibit even projects its own southern lights, or Aurora Australis. We saw adorable penguins including Gentoo, King, Humboldt and Northern Rockhopper and the kids loved seeing them waddling on the beach, diving into the deep water and whizzing us by.

Animal presentations

Animal presentations are held at the Sky Amphitheatre located at Central Plaza. The venue boasts 2,000 seats and a digital screen that displays footage, maps and additional information during the avian presentations. There are currently two shows, namely Predators on Wings (10:30am and 2:30pm daily) that showcases the amazing hunting skills of predatory birds and Wings of The World (12:30pm and 5:00pm daily) that features the natural talents of hornbills, macaws and parrots. At the latter, I was amazed by Amigo, a Yellow-naped Amazon Parrot that could say “Gong Xi Fa Cai” and sing the birthday song.

Each presentation runs for approximately 20 minutes and seats are on a first-come-first-served basis. No booking is required.

A Lunar New Year twist

To celebrate festivals throughout the year, Mandai Wildlife Reserve regularly comes up with unique themed activities for visitors to check out. We visited Bird Paradise during the Lunar New Year and besides having CNY decorations as backdrops for photo-taking, there were also activities that had a twist. For instance, during the Wings of the World presentation, Sassy the Sulphur-crested cockatoo delivered ang pows to members of the audience, Higgins the Green-winged Macaw picked up oranges and Amigo the Yellow-naped Amazon Parrot wished everyone “Gong Xi Fa Cai”. My kids were also interested to read all about their 2024 zodiac predictions which were located near the entrance.

More fun for the little ones

Apart from admiring, feeding and learning about birds, there is plenty of fun in store for the little ones at Bird Paradise. 

• Treetop Play at Central Plaza

This was a hit with my kids who loved climbing onto the netted playgrounds and jumping on the trampolines. It is located right outside Food Central so if you have time to spare, let the kids run around and have some fun before moving on.

• Water Play at Egg Splash

If your kids love water play, they will enjoy the water fountains and slippery slide at Egg Splash which is located at Central Plaza. Parents can take a break at Egg Splash Café and Shop to check out its eggs-citing menu which includes eggs cooked through different methods like boiling, poaching and frying. We miss the playground at Jurong Bird Park which had tunnel slides and tipping buckets but Egg Splash seems like a good option for the little ones to have some fun too.

• Adventure Trails

At Wings of Asia, there are two family-friendly Adventure Trails that you can explore. Visitors can get off the well-trodden path and immerse themselves amidst bamboo groves while enjoying awesome nature views. 

• Educational Hubs

There are fully air-conditioned hubs that connect the various aviaries around the park. Not only do they provide respite from the heat and shelter from the rain, but they also present excellent learning opportunities for kids who can interact with the exhibits and pick up more knowledge about birds and their habitats.

• Play areas at Mandai Wildlife West

The fun doesn’t stop at Bird Paradise. Even after you exit the park, kids can continue to have fun at the two Pangolin-themed playgrounds - Pangolin Adventure and Pangolin Hideout - at Mandai Wildlife West. Right beside Starbucks is the Forest Stream Trail, a nature-themed play space which features rootlike structures inspired by mangrove forests. My kids had a blast there and the best thing is, you can hang out at these playgrounds for free.

Food and beverage options

Inside Bird Paradise, there are seven F&B outlets which range from casual eateries to themed dining restaurants. For those looking for a spectacular view, check out Crimson Restaurant which lets you look out over the Crimson Wetlands and features a menu curated by local celebrity chef Eric Teo. Visitors can also enjoy a buffet spread at Penguin Cove Restaurant which offers both local and international flavours, or enjoy delightful penguin themed pastries at Penguin Cove Café and Shop.

We opted for the more economical option which was Food Central at Central Plaza. There is a wide variety of food to choose from, including local favourites like Hainanese chicken rice, Western delights, La Mian and Japanese Cuisine. As the place can get pretty crowded, be prepared to wait for seats especially during peak hours, and make sure you are in time for the next presentation or feeding session. 

Tips for your next visit

• Bring along sunscreen, repellent and extra set of clothes

Never forget to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent whenever you visit a wildlife park. Extra clothes will come in handy if you are visiting Egg Splash or if there is a sudden downpour.

• Rent a trike or wagon

The park is generally stroller-friendly and has lifts and ramps to help you get from place to place. If you forgot to bring along your stroller, you can consider renting a wagon (maximum weight limit of 35kg) or trike (maximum weight limit of 15kg) for $18.

• Plan your itinerary

Prior to your visit, check out the park map, presentation timings and feeding sessions so you can plan accordingly. For those that need advanced booking, make sure you do it ahead of time. Factor in nap time if you have toddlers, decide if you would like to tour the park in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction and leave ample time for lunch and snack breaks. 

• Be flexible

While it is advisable to have a plan, it is equally important to remain flexible and adapt to last minute changes. This will include having to deal with meltdowns, delays and bad weather.

• Bring along umbrellas or ponchos

Other than Penguin Cove, most of the park is not sheltered, especially the outdoor aviaries. In case of sudden rain, take shelter in the hubs or restaurants. We forgot to bring along umbrellas and were trapped when the downpour started halfway through our cassowary feeding. The staff were very helpful, particularly Syakir who offered assistance and took the initiative to lend us an umbrella so we could get to the nearest shelter. 

• Take the shuttle

Complimentary in-park shuttle is included in the admission ticket and it takes you from Station 1 at the entrance to Station 2 at Central Plaza. Rides are unlimited so if you would like to save some time on walking, plan accordingly. 

• Check for promotions

Tickets to Bird Paradise are priced at $48/adult, $33/child (aged 3-12) and $20/senior (aged 60 and above). All ticket sales have gone online, check if there is any ongoing promotion or bundle deals before you book.

While we still miss Jurong Bird Park in more ways than one, Bird Paradise is definitely a must-visit for families and we had an immensely enjoyable time there. I truly hope that the kids will continue to appreciate nature, love animals and learn about the importance of conservation as they grow up.

Summer Goh is a stay-at-home mum of four who loves eating chocolates, and sees the cup as half-full in life. She shares her life snippets as well as the ups and downs of parenting at www.ahappymum.com and @ahappymum. All photographs courtesy of Summer.