Or don't. We had no idea what we were getting into when we took the boat ride. We were surprised to end up at Five Tiger Island, a theme park that as of our visit was not yet complete. The entry fee is cheap (forget, something like 10 RMB) but the rides cost extra. If you want to sit outside on one of the standard boats, you'll pay 40 RMB for a small plastic table and chairs, but this beats the potentially stifling heat of the cabin. As is common in China, the animals are kept in conditions that are sub-standard by western standards. Bring food. You can take the city bus from Jilin almost all the way, but will then have to transfer to site specific tour buses.