Traveling with your little ones, and searching for family-friendly things to do in the Philippines? Longing to visit a wildlife sanctuary? Then, pack your bags, and head to any of the fascinating and educational zoos in the Philippines! While the country isn’t famed for its wildlife havens, there are quite a few amazing zoos in the Philippines! Not only do these sanctuaries let you catch tons of amazing animals, but they are also pretty informative. Furthermore, some of the zoos in the Philippines are dedicated to preserving wildlife and Mother Nature.
Planning on visiting a zoo, but don’t know where to go in the Philippines? Looking for the perfect alternative to the temporarily closed Manila Zoo? Well, you might want to check out our picks for the best zoos in the Philippines!
1. Cebu Safari – Carmen, Cebu
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There’s no place in the Philippines quite like Cebu Safari.As a matter of fact, it’s bound to be the country’s premier safari park withinternational standards that rival world renowned zoos and animal parks. Not tomention, it the country’s largest zoological park, outshining the other topzoos in the Philippines.
Nestled atop Carmen’s scenic hills, Cebu Safari offers an escape into something wonderful and new. Sprawling across a whopping land area of 170 hectares, the park is home to loads of charming and super healthy animals, including Bengal Tigers, towering giraffes, Blue Wildebeest, Greater Kudu, zebra and many more.
And, unlike some of the zoos in the Philippines, animals canwalk and explore their place freely. Morethan just a wildlife sanctuary, the park also has a photogenic andInstagram-worthy orchid garden as well as tons of options for food. Truthfully,it will somehow remind you of the first movie installment of Jurassic Park sansthe nasty and man-eating dinosaurs.
And, guess what? It’s still in its soft opening stages,meaning it has plenty of surprises in store.
More information:
- Address: Toril, Barangay Corte, Carmen, Cebu
- Opening times: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM on Sundays,Saturdays, Fridays, Thursdays, Wednesdays and holidays
- Entrance fee: PHP 800 per head (discounts areavailable for PWD, Senior Citizen and kids)
2. Zoobic Safari – Bataan
Set right at the heart of Subic Bay Freeport Zone’s forest, Zoobic Safari offers a family adventure like no other. Far from the typical zoos in the Philippines, this 25-hectare park gives you a chance to see and meet a bunch of friendly creatures, up close and personal. Here, you’re literally free to pet and reach out to animals, like ferrets, guinea pigs, bearcats and ducks. Moreover, the park is home to monkeys, an eagle, a bear and a whole lot more. Of course, the park also promotes wildlife preservation and environment awareness through its informative tour.
A must try here is the Tiger Safari – a one-of-a-kindexperience that gives you an up close look of a 400-pound tiger. With thisexperience, you get to see a ferocious tiger jump on top of your safarivehicle, as it devours a whole chicken.
More information:
- Address: Ilanin Forest West, Morong, Bataan
- Opening times: 08:00 AM to 04:00 PM
- Entrance fee: PHP 695
3. Avilon Zoo – Rizal
They don’t call Avilon as one of the best zoos in thePhilippines for nothing. After all, it once held the title of the country’slargest zoological park, housing over 3,000 specimens of indigenous an exoticanimals as well as a diverse array of flora. And, like most of the best zoos inthe Philippines, it aims to become one of the premier wildlife facilities inAsia.
At Avilon Zoo, there are educational field trips and guided tours that give you the chance to learn more about wildlife. Additionally, they have conservation efforts to help protect the environment and preserve threatened animal species. Besides the its exhibits and animals, guests of the zoo are encouraged to feed animals, such as deer, wild horses, giant tortoises, exotic water fowl and arapaimas. Plus, a visit to this zoo also allows you to interact with its friendly and talented creatures. Yep, it’s one of the best and most educational zoos in the Philippines.
More information:
- San Isidro, Rodriguez, 1860 Rizal
- Opening hours: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM daily
- Entrance fee: PHP 500 per person (discountsapply to PWD, senior citizens and kids)
4. Calauit Safari Park – Busuanga
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Headed to Coron, Palawan? Why not include a stopover to Calauit Safari Park to your Coron travel itinerary? Sure, it’s not as accessible as some of the best zoos in the Philippines. But, still, it offers a wondrous and exciting experience to animal lovers, open-minded travelers and even kids. Offering a taste of Kenya in the Philippines, the park is host to over 30 zebras and 20 giraffes. What’s more, the park showcases a bunch of local animals, such as the Philippine crocodile, Philippine mouse-deer, Binturong, Philippine porcupine, Palawan bearded pig and Calamian deer.
More information:
- Address: Calauit Island, Busuanga, Palawan
- Entrance fee: PHP for Filipinos and PHP 400 forforeigners
- Use of land rover: PHP 1,000 (divided by howmany people are you in the group
- Transportation to Calauit Island: PHP 9,300 for1 to 4 people
5. Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, Manila
Don’t want to travel far? Well, you might to check out this56-acre botanical and zoological garden in Diliman, Quezon City! Named after aformer senator, the garden is home to numerous animals and plants that areworth seeing. It has a Wildlife Rescue Center, which the DENR (Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources) uses as a temporary shelter wherein ininjured, abandoned, sick, donated, retrieved and confiscated wild creatures arehoused to be taken care of.
Here, you get to see a plethora of indigenous animals, like Palawan bearded pigs, binturongs, Philippine deer, water monitors, and crab-eating macaques. Moreover, it houses a variety of lovely birds, making it one of the best zoos in the Philippines.
More information:
- Address: Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City,Metro Manila
- Opening hours: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM daily
- Entrance fee: PHP 8 for adults, PHP 5 forchildren and students
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