Pattaya is a wonderful place in every respect. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the famous resort. In the city and its environs there are many interesting places worthy of the attention of travelers. One of them is the Pattaya Zoo. This amazing place will be interesting to visit for both children and adults.
A little bit about the zoo ...
Khao Kheo Open Zoo is located just 60 kilometers from Pattaya. The peculiarity of the institution is that on its territory there is not a single cell. All animals live in very spacious enclosures or calmly walk around the fenced area. To ensure the safety of guests of the zoo, dangerous predators are fenced. But at the same time, the living conditions of animals here are much better than in the usual zoos. The largest animals are fenced off from tourists by ditches with water. Well, more harmless creatures walk in aviaries without any restrictions. Animals can be photographed, stroked or fed.
Guests of the zoo move around its territory in a double car (electric car), which can be rented here. The cost of the service is about 250 rubles per hour. At the entrance to the Khao Kheo Zoo, guests are given a map that helps tourists navigate such a huge area.
How to get to Khao Kheo?
Any tourist has a question, but how to get to the Pattaya Zoo. The journey from the city to it takes about forty minutes. However, it is worthwhile to understand that public transport does not go here, and therefore you will have to consider other options. You can rent motorbikes so popular in Pattaya. Car rental is also available. Finding a zoo on your own is a snap. To do this, you need to move to the north of Pattaya in a straight line to the famous tiger zoo, and then you need to drive another five kilometers to the large signpost, which marks the path to Khao Kheo. Next, turn right and follow another twenty kilometers along the indicated path.
Transfer to the park
If you are not going to rent a vehicle, then you can choose another way to get to the right place. For example, on the official website of the zoo you can order a transfer. Using this service, you can comfortably get to Khao Kheo by bus, which will come directly to your hotel. Transfer will take you directly to the entrance to the zoo.
You can also use taxi services, although they are not cheap. Therefore, it is initially necessary to independently get to the tiger zoo and call a taxi from there.
Do not forget about excursions to the zoo. Tickets can be purchased from any representative of one of the travel agencies. The cost of the trip is approximately 1600 rubles. It includes not only a visit to the zoo, but also a round-trip transfer. Sometimes it also provides the opportunity to travel around the territory of Khao Kheo on a small open bus provided by a tour operator.
Schedule and cost of visiting
If you want to visit the zoo in Pattaya on your own, then for the admission you need to pay about 700 rubles. When visiting the park with a group of more than five people, the cost of tickets decreases by 170 rubles.
In addition, there are several options for excursion programs, the cost of which is about 3,500 rubles. You can buy tickets at the zoo itself, with guides or representatives of tour operators. The cost of tickets in the institution itself, of course, is lower than that of travel agents. By the way, for Thais themselves, prices are much lower than for tourists.
Pattaya Zoo awaits guests daily from eight in the morning and closes at six in the evening. However, guests can spend the night in the park by renting a hotel room.
Theme areas Khao Kheo
The open zoo in Pattaya has an incredibly vast territory, whose area is about 800 hectares. More than 300 species of animals live here.
The whole zoo in Pattaya is divided into thematic zones:
- Savannah. Representatives of the African continent live here: buffalos, ostriches, antelopes and others.
- Deer or Elda Park is one of the most interesting places in the park. Among the trees and boulders, tame deer stroll here.
- Monkey Island is a small land area on which gibbons live.
- "Children's Zoo" includes several zones - aviaries with rabbits, a pond with turtles, an aquarium with an anaconda and a penguin house. Pattaya for children is an incredibly interesting place, because there are many children's attractions and entertainment.
- Valley of the cats.
- Aviary with birds.
- Butterfly Garden, which presents not only the insects of Thailand but also exotic representatives from around the world.
Between the zones there are many paths. You can move around the territory on different routes. Experienced tourists say that the zoo in Pattaya to walk on foot in one day is simply unrealistic. Therefore, guests are given the opportunity to rent a transport. You can also ride an elephant. A walk in the park can last 30, 20 and 10 minutes.
Zoo inhabitants
The vast territory of the zoo is inhabited not only by Pattaya animals, but also by representatives of other countries and continents. Tourists here can see real predators, reptiles, birds, amphibians and mammals. Here are just a few inhabitants: bears, hyenas, tigers, leopards, lions, lynxes, ostriches, buffalos, mongooses, monkeys, snakes, elephants, giraffes (photos of some animals are given in the article).
By the way, in the zoo you can see animals unusual for us: dwarf hippos, tapirs and white tigers. A large room in the zoo is reserved for penguins.
At the entrance to the animal park, animal feed is sold - cucumbers, bananas and more. So, for example, bananas can feed monkeys who freely walk around the park, like people. Sometimes they behave impudently enough, taking away from tourists not only all tasty supplies, but also hats or glasses.
Animal show
In the zoo, tourists expect unusual entertainment. Besides the fact that guests can ride elephants, one can also watch show programs with the inhabitants of the park: wild boars, pelicans, tigers, otters, etc. One of the best recreational activities is the “travel to the jungle” program. A feature of the show program is the fact that all animals act independently, trainers do not participate. The arena in which there is a performance in appearance reminds animals of their habitat. Among the artists there are not only peaceful representatives, but also real formidable predators. True, when lions, cougars, hyenas or tigers enter the arena, grates rise. Each entertainment program lasts approximately thirty minutes and is accompanied by explanations by the host regarding animal behavior.
Evening program
If you belong to the category of brave people, then you should definitely take part in a night safari. It is carried out after sunset (from 18.00 to 20.00). A feature of such a program is that zoo workers try to recreate the real picture of the night life of the inhabitants of the jungle as much as possible. In addition, you can purchase a tour during which you can visit even those mysterious places that do not appear on the map.
The administration of the zoo offers many different shows, you can find out about the schedule of their holding from the announcements near the entrance.
Travel Tips
Going to the zoo, be sure to bring along a number of the most necessary things:
- Headwear is very necessary during walks, when the hot Thai sun is baked.
- Money will be needed to purchase food for animals and food for themselves.
- Camera. It is allowed to take pictures in the park, so do not miss the chance to make memorable shots. All tourists seek to take a photo with a giraffe or against the background of formidable predators.
If your budget is limited, then do not buy expensive tours. You can walk around the park on your own and see its inhabitants, without the hints of the guides. Using the map of the zoo, you can have a wonderful and informative time. In addition, independent walks have a significant advantage. During the walk anywhere you can spend as much time as you wish, while not rushing after someone.
But as for transport, it is difficult to do without it in the park. It is incredibly difficult to get around it in one day. In addition, the time spent on walking along the paths can be devoted to watching entertainment programs. Pedestrian walks under the scorching sun, unfortunately, quickly tire.
Experienced tourists recommend not sparing money on animal feed. Feeding animals is an incredibly exciting activity, which children and adults are delighted with. Traders offer different sets of fruits, of course it is better to take assorted fruits to treat different inhabitants of the park.
Feline Communication
The zoo has extensive cat enclosures, which are one of its most popular places. It is no secret that people are always fascinated by the predatory grace and beauty of tigers, panthers and leopards. Wild cats are most interesting to watch after sunset. It was at this time that predators woke up and began to behave more actively.
In general, animals behave very interestingly. They are full of pride and grandeur, walking around the aviary, they pretend that the guests are completely uninteresting to them as a meal, but this is not at all the case. Do not forget that for all their beauty, these cute animals are predators.
Hippos cause no less interest among tourists. They are allowed to feed from small bridges. Animals swim towards them and open their huge jaws, wanting to get a treat. Tourists throw hippos apples. Given the sheer size of these creatures, it's hard to say how many apples they need per day to get enough.
Where to eat at the zoo?
Walking through the park, you will certainly want to relax and have a bite. There are food and fruit stalls at the zoo, as well as several cafes. An interesting fact is that the cost of food in the institution is the same as in any other place in Pattaya. Here it’s not customary to lift prices to heaven based on the fact that tourists will still purchase products at any cost. But our merchants will never miss such an opportunity.
Pattaya Zoo Reviews
Tourists who visited the Pattaya Zoo, strongly recommend everyone to visit it. It is worth noting that in Khao Kheo people return, even if they have already been to it. Children especially like the park. And this is understandable, because here you can not just look at the animals, but communicate closely with them. It is not forbidden to stroke and feed the inhabitants. And what amazing photos can be made in the park. There are not many similar zoos in the world where birds and animals walk freely along paths and spacious enclosures.
Khao Kheo is very different from our usual parks, where animals are sitting in cramped cages. In addition, popcorn and cotton candy are not sold here. But at every step there are traders with those vegetables and fruits that are useful to animals. By feeding animals, you not only get a lot of positive emotions, but also do a good deed.
Cute giraffes cause a lot of delight in children and adults. They bow their heads to your hands in search of goodies. So close to consider these animals you will not succeed anywhere else.
According to tourists, the zoo is one of the main places worth visiting in Pattaya. It is equally interesting to everyone from small to large. It is impossible to get so many positive emotions in one day, probably in another place. Such close communication with wildlife is a real miracle.
Safe zoo
Khao Kheo is a pretty safe zoo. This is a safari in Africa predators can find themselves in a car with people. And in the Pattaya Zoo, animals are far from visitors to a safe distance. For example, dangerous hippos live in a fenced river. All animals seem nice and kind, but still do not forget that they are wild. In nature, many of them are very ferocious. Communicating with animals, you must follow the rules that are voiced by the park employees. This will help to avoid unpleasant situations. The staff also does not recommend familiarizing themselves with wild monkeys walking around the territory, which very often behave unceremoniously. It’s just not worth feeding them, because you won’t get any favors from them. It is these small creatures that often cause troubles to tourists.