EXPERIENCING SAFARI WORLD – BANGKOK – e-Travelers Club Travel Update

Photo (c) Khun Saranya

Located about 40 kilometers from the center of the capital city, Safari World is a must visit to experience Bangkok’s prime attractions.
Inspired by the concept of African safari parks, the Park, also comprising of Marine Park fitted with a huge aquarium, sprawl amidst dense tropical forest that boasts some of the oldest trees, making a natural habitat for land animals.

The Park stretches 480 acres open safari area and 180 acres for bird park area with a collection of carnivores (meat eating) and herbivores (plant eating) animals, mammals, reptiles, birds, aquatic life forms.

Accompanied with my humble and learned host – an able photographer, the tour begins in a limo, and we drove around the first section of the park area, surrounded by a reservoir.

Many birds including egrets, pelicans, cranes, Cuban flamingos and species of migratory birds are seen undisturbed around the lake area and storks nestle the treetops. Birds makes up about 2,000 varieties in the many sections of the Park, to name a few more, such as parrots, rainbow lorikeet, sun conures, owls, ibis, hornbills, eagles, rare Bird of Paradise, violet turaco, black swans-white swans and native birds.

Giraffes and zebras are seen in the distance.

We got off the limo on arrival to the main entrance of the Park, queued up with souvenir shops and restaurants. Next stop affords close encounter with the colorful white-faced macaws attired in a variation of heavenly shades of blue-yellow-green or red of-blue-yellow.

The open-air area is creatively adorned with totem poles and sculptures of macaws.

Nearby, we are on-time to experience the James Bond style action packed theatrical show at ‘Squalus’ with an impressive backdrop of a reservoir at the base of rising hills. The arena was fully packed with visitors who seemed totally enthralled by the performers indulged into acts of gun fight, kick-fist fights, torture demonstration, followed with stunts like falling in the water below, maneuvering speed boat out of bursts of explosions and helicopter rescue.

While the Park is a good source of educating children and give them a joy of interaction; the many shows are center of attraction. The Bird Show demonstrate talented birds performing feats. At the Dolphin show, with time limitation, some of the visitors experience a Dolphin touch. Visitors at the Orangutan Show are seen carried away with immense joy interacting with orangutans, presumed going extinct among other animal species by 2050 (Source: myanimals.com).

Among other favorite shows include Elephant Show (daily performed at 11AM), Sea-lion Show, Owl Show, Eagle show.

It was lunch time and there are plenty of options available for foodies to choose from.

Besides many wagons, specialty restaurants and cafes in the Park area, there are two main restaurants: Indian and International serving buffet food. Indian Restaurants offers seating capacity of about 1000 visitors, serving meat curries and vegetarian complemented with fresh fruits and desserts. My host specially arranged for a refreshing young coconut drink and a piece of gourmet cake – not served at the restaurant, otherwise.

After an appetizing lunch, we continue to explore.

Home to the Big4: Elephant, Rhino, Lion and Cape-Buffalo; we drive through the lion and tiger section of the Park. About 100 lions and tigers roam the Park and breed in natural habitat. Visitors enter the tiger and lion area in a special caged vehicle while the big cats roam free. Feeding is allowed with care and under supervision of Park Rangers.

Savannah ecology is created at stretches of Park’s area to give African wildlife a home away from home. Zebra, African big-horn cow, varieties of deer, African gemsbok, ostrich reside African Savannah area. The Giraffe Platform, claimed the largest of its kind is an amazing experience to a close encounter with these tall creatures always ready to feed on fruits offered by visitors.

Exotic animals like kangaroo, cassowary, camel, also inhabit the Park.

Late afternoon, humidity calls for some refreshment. Animal Café catches my attention. Abound wilderness, the menu at the Café offered a variety of hot and cold beverages, cakes and snacks. My host proposed trying the iced Zebra Chocolate drink. As exotic as the name, it was indeed, a yummilicious experience.

The tour concludes at the Marine Park, which offers interaction with Dolphins. The water zone houses 10 Dolphins and other marine faunae, which include dugong (sea-cow), hippopotamus, otter, penguin, sea-lion, walrus and varieties of fish and much more.

Nearby is the aviary with many flying rainbow birds namely sun conures. And here I close off my camera and retreat to exit for a transfer back to my hotel.

To explore the Park and encounter with its many residents at a comfortable time pace, one day is not enough. So, with a thought of returning some other time, I would like to take Jungle trails, river cruising and some of the shows that I had missed.