Can't wait to have some outdoor fun with the kids and meet some furry friends? Here are some nice farm zoos near Metro Manila that you can visit when it's safe to go out again.
What can you read in this article?
- Zoos in Tagaytay and Cavite area
- Zoos in Subic and Rizal area
- New guidelines on taking the kids outside
"Where to take the kids this weekend?" This used to be the question on parents' minds before the whole pandemic started. Now that we've been mostly confined to our homes.
We can't wait until we're given the go signal to bring the kids out again, and take them somewhere fun, exciting, educational, and most of all, safe.
When the family is looking to have some fun and adventure, a road trip to Manila's nearby provinces always comes to mind.
What if we tell you that within a couple of hours, you and your family can be transported to a magnificent sanctuary of the most amazing plant and animal species? A day's tour is enough to appreciate their beauty, making for a learning and adventure-filled day for the family.
Check out these zoos and farms that are just a few minutes away from Manila!
Farms and zoos near Metro Manila
Paradizoo is an expansive agri-farm and zoo in Mendez, Cavite.
Here, families can immerse themselves in agriculture and see a variety of animals up close. There is a petting farm for mammals, a fish pond, an aviary, a mini bee farm, a pet cemetery, and an activity field for camel and horseback riding.
The grounds feature rolling hills where children can run freely, and vast patches of land cultivating a multitude of plants, both ornamental and edible. With so much to see, a carabao-driven carriage is the best way to get around the farm.
A visit to their restaurant, which serves homegrown crops, is definitely in order. Included in the menu is their own goat's milk and a healthy, refreshing drink called Zoomanitea.
One of the farm zoo establishments in the south that is gaining a lot of following is Yoki's Farm in Mendez, Cavite. This place offers safe and supervised animal encounters at an affordable price. This place also puts safety as their priority as they require all their adult guests to be fully vaccinated.
Another one of the zoos in Tagaytay and within the enclave of Residence Inn and fronting the wondrous view of the Taal Volcano is Zoori.
Zoori houses a myriad of animals and offers interactive activities for the family. It has a showcase of insects, reptiles, birds, and a vast area holding many kinds of mammals, including camels, tigers, and lions.
On some days, animal shows are held with performers presenting the animals in a delightful manner. Guests are encouraged to go up on stage and even hold the animals that are in the show.
For photo souvenirs, guests can pose with a pony, a monitor lizard, a white parrot, a yellow python, and even a tiger.
Other activities include a zipline for adults and kids, as well as horseback riding. Food and refreshments are served at the picturesque dining area overlooking the Taal Volcano.
While it was originally a popular venue for weddings and events. Angelfields have also opened their space for day tours for kids of all ages. Your kids will have so much fun feeding the ducklings and chickens, fishing and just revel in the great outdoors while you enjoy the cool Tagaytay breeze and the delicious food.
If you're looking for a place where the kids can see and interact with some farm animals, run around and have a picnic, then Sta. Elena Fun Farm in Cabuyao, Laguna is your best bet.
This outdoor playground boasts of wide-open picnic areas, a small lagoon, a gigantic sandbox, animal feeding stations, horse stables, and an amphitheater. Advance bookings are required.
(According to their website, Sta. Elena Fun Farm is temporarily closed until further notice due to the surge of Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila.)
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Heading north? Check out these fun zoos and farms in that area.
This 7.5-hectare, newly-renovated zoo in Rodriguez, Rizal has opened its doors again to the public this year. According to its website, it houses more than 3,000 specimens of exotic wildlife representing more than 500 species of birds, mammals reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes, and invertebrates. Surely, your kid will find something interesting in that wide mix of species.
Another zoo to check out in Rizal is the Lyger Animal Sanctuary. According to its Facebook page, it is a local sanctuary for exotic animals, housing some of the rarest animals in the world such as ligers, and white lions.
Have you ever heard of the animal liger? Visit this place with your kid and learn more about it.
Nestled in a hidden valley in Clark, Pampanga is a safari-inspired farm zoo that promises a fantastic time for the family.
Inside this cascading valley is an aviary, an ostrich field, exotic animals like civets, porcupines and serpents, a monkey-feeding area, a maze, a bunny barn and a petting zoo for camels, horses, sheep, goats, wild boars, even a Wagyu cow!
Zoo highlights include long curving slides, Zoocology, a gallery of animal artifacts, and the Zooc, a gravity car that makes for an exhilarating ride on a 400 meter zigzag track.
The mini Aeta town inside the farm also offers unique experiences, as the friendly Aetas genuinely extend their hospitality to anyone who visits. You won't soon forget their warm and bright smiles.
Zoobic Safari at the Forest Adventure of Subic Bay Freeport is a massive property that exhibits wild animal life in a simulated natural habitat.
Families will get a thrill from getting a close encounter with exotic animals in various habitats of forests, streams, and grasslands.
This 25-hectare property hosts an impressive list of attractions for the family.
It has a huge forest park that is suitable for trekking and witnessing wild and semi-domesticated animals in their natural habitat. It also offers a petting area for friendly animals, such as parakeets, bearcats, and camels.
In controlled and safe surroundings, families can comfortably wander in the serpentarium, aviary, and a rodent area with cute guinea pigs!
There's also the crocodile-feeding area, a wildlife sanctuary that houses ostriches, potbellies, wild boars and guinea fowls, and a facility that offers a view of the Siberian-Bengal tigers within 2 feet from where you stand.
The highlights of Zoobic include the Aetas' Trail, which features the Aetas' rituals and traditional dances, and the Tiger Safari, a heart-stopping encounter with full-grown, free-grazing tigers, aboard a special safari jeep.
Is your little one obsessed with dinosaurs? Then the 3-hour trip to Clark would be all worth it. Kids will surely be amazed at the life-sized robotic dinosaurs in the park, and if that’s not enough, there’s also a playground and zip line made especially for little adventurers. It's going to be a treat for the whole family. Check out their website to know more.
Bringing the kids out in the time of pandemic
While a spontaneous day tour would've been an awesome treat for the family, sadly, the current situation leaves less room for improvisation and you have to be prepared every time you bring the kids outside to ensure your safety and protection.
While outdoor exercise is still allowed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Covid-19 virus spreads faster in areas with the 3Cs:
- Crowded places
- Closed-contact settings (where people have conversations very near each other)
- Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
For this reason, experts advise that should you go out as a form of recreation, it is best to choose a place where it is open-air and the possibility of transmission is lower.
So if you're planning on bringing the kids to an outdoor park or zoo, here are some things to remember:
- First off, make sure you're aware of the Alert Levels in the place or city you will be visiting (learn more about that here). Call ahead so you will know what to expect. Do they require advance bookings or are walk-ins allowed?
- Avoid crowds - it's better to go in the mornings and on weekdays, if possible, to limit your exposure from others.
- Protect yourself! Make sure you, the adults, and kids 12 years old and above already got your Covid-19 vaccine and booster.
- Bring the essentials - make sure the kids are wearing their masks properly, and always have alcohols and hand sanitizers at bay. Some establishments require vaccination cards for adult companions.
- Teach your children about the importance of health protocols like wearing of face masks and observing social distancing.
Whether you're bringing your kid to the zoo, farm, or just the nearby park, the important thing is to have fun together, and ensure that your child knows what he needs to do to be safe while out during the pandemic.
Source:
Inspirock, TripTheIslands, Yelp
