Bali Zoo vs Bali Safari: which park fits your day?

Bali Zoo's address is Jl. Raya Singapadu, Singapadu, Kec. Sukawati, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80582.¹² Bali Safari's booking page gives Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, Serongga, Kec. Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80551.¹³

Both are in Gianyar Regency, which means a single base can serve either. Bali Safari describes itself as only 30 km from the international airport.² For the zoo, our getting-there guide has drive times from the main resort areas.

Because the two lie on different roads, do not plan to see both on one day. Each takes a half day at least, and the opening hours below leave no room for a relaxed second park. Bali Safari vs Bali Zoo is a close call on hours but not on style.

The zoo's entrance ticket starts from $21 on the booking platform, valid for 1 day. The orangutan breakfast, which includes admission, starts from $43.¹⁹

Bali Safari prints its prices for foreign tourists in rupiah. The Jungle Hopper Legend is IDR 750.000 for an adult and IDR 620.000 for a child, and the Night Safari is IDR 1.200.000 and IDR 980.000.^3,14

The Elephant Safari package, which includes a 30-minute elephant safari, is IDR 1.250.000 for an adult and IDR 1.000.000 for a child.¹⁵ These are the park's own printed figures, not converted here, so the comparison with the dollar from-prices is one of scale, not of exact value.

The zoo's own animal list includes elephants, orangutans, lions, tigers, komodo dragons, lemurs, meerkats, gibbons, zebras, wallabies and ostriches, among many others.²¹ Its Jungle Encounter adds a raccoon, a skunk, a fennec fox, a bearcat and a range of reptiles.⁹

Bali Safari says it keeps hundreds of animals from over 100 species, and it names Bali starling, Sumatran elephant and Sumatran tiger as animals in its conservation and release programs.²⁰ Its tram carries you past larger enclosures than a walking route can offer.

The practical difference is pace. At the zoo you choose where to linger, so a child who loves lemurs can stay at the lemurs. On a tram the route sets the pace, which suits groups that tire easily and frustrates keen photographers.

Bali Safari defines an infant as below 3 years old and a child as between 3 and 12, and its booking page says a child below 3 is free.^17,7 Strollers and wheelchairs can be rented daily at its Main Terminal, and the park says it is wheelchair friendly.¹⁸

Bali Zoo lists wheelchair access, a shuttle bus inside the park, toilets and a restaurant, and its mud activity has a 120 cm minimum height for children, who then pay the adult price.^24,16

For small children the tram is a convenience at the safari, and the zoo's shorter walking distances and water play are its answer. Neither page gives a stroller policy for the zoo, so ask before you bring one.

Pick the safari if the idea of a guided ride through large enclosures, with big shows, appeals more than a walk. Its own page frames the day around the Safari Journey and the presentations.⁴

Pick the zoo if you want hands-on programs: the orangutan breakfast, capybara and elephant sessions and an after-hours visit are all on its package list.^25,26,27,11 It also suits a shorter, cheaper visit, since its entrance ticket starts lower.

If you cannot decide, let the child or the oldest traveler choose. Both parks are good days, and the cheaper mistake is to book the one whose cancellation terms leave you room to change your mind.