Philippines: Visit to Calauit Safari Park in Palawan

Calauit Safari Park is an animal sanctuary in Busuanga, Palawan. The Park, an eco-tourism attraction, is located in Calauit Island and covers 3,700 hectars of land. It is the home of a substantial population of African animals, including giraffes, zebras as well as local animals.  The Park was established in 1976 where it was declared as wildlife sanctuary. A private, non-profit organization, Conservation and Resource Management Foundation (CRMF), was place in charge of the whole facility. As of 2018, the Park’s resident animals are 21 giraffes, 27 zebras and 21 waterbucks.  It also has Calamian deer, mouse deer, birds and other Palawan endemic animals.

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Travel to Calauit Safari Park from Coron, Palawan

If you are coming from Coron, land travel to Calacuit Safari Park is approximately 1.5 hours passing through an 80-kilometer well-paved national road. There are many ways to go to Calauit from Coron.  You can drive your own car, take a rented car or van, or take a taxi.  Rented 9-seater van with a driver will cost you approximately P7000 for the whole day, all in. Taxi will cost you approximately P1,200 to P1,500 one way. Organized tours, inclusive of travel arrangements, are available from many tour and travel establishments in Coron.

At the mid-point of your travel, you will pass by a town where you will find Arnik’s Restautant & Lodging House in Busuanga.  This restaurant has lodging facilities but many travelers from Coron stop here for snacks, meals or to use their clean toilets. The restaurant is small, clean and staff are friendly. Prices are reasonable.

Registration and fees to pay in Calauit

Registration is required for all visitors entering the Calauit Safari Park. This is done at the main entrance just before you walk to the Pier to ride the wharf. Entrance fee and charges per person, effective January 2019, are as follows:

Entrance fee: P300 (local);  P500 (foreigner); P240 (seniors, pwd, student)

Safari Tour /Coach Fee: P125; P100 (seniors, pwd, student)

Environmental Fee: P100; P80 (senior, pwd, student)

There are other fees to be paid if you plan to camp, rent a tent, stay in the guest house or use the Filming House. All fees are paid at the Provincial Treasurer’s office located at the Registration desk at the main entrance. 

Wharf ride to Calauit Island

Wharfs operated by the Provincial Government of Palawan bring visitors to the Calauit Island. Each wharf can accommodate up to 12 per persons.  The wharf ride is approximately 20 minutes to the island. You will use the same, if not smiliar wharf, when you return after your tour. Tipping is not required although the boatman and his team will appreciate a small tip of at least P20 per person. 

Souvenir Shops

There is just one souvenir shop located at the main entrance where you can buy some t-shirts and other souvenir items.  There are two or three other shops inside the Park though the selection of goods is limited.

Safari Park Bus Service and Tour Guide

There are few Safari Tour Bus Service that can bring you around the island.  If you have paid (P125) for this at the main entrance you can just walk to one of them to join a group and start the tour.  A local Tour Guide accompanies each of the Bus Service.

Alternatively, you can walk around the Park on your own. You may also consider renting an audio device (P50) to guide you in your tour. 

Cameras and Film Devices

Amateur or non-professional cameras are allowed for use inside the Park. However, professional cameras and filming devices need to be cleared by Park authorities after payment of authorized fees.

Tour of Safari Park

The Park in an open area and tour of the whole Park will take approximately 2 hours with three stops.  The first stop is feeding the Giraffes and looking at the Zebras.  Each group will have their turn to feed the giraffes. The Tour Guide will let you know of your group’s turn for feeding inside the pen which normally is 30 minutes per group.  The Guide normally will provide each of the visitor with plants to feed the giraffes and he will give safety instruction before feeding the animals. Visitors can get close to the giraffes when feeding from the pen.  Your photos with the giraffes  may be taken individually or as part of a group.

Just in an area behind the Giraffes is where you find the group of free-range zebras.  Visitors will walk to that area where the zebras are grazing. No feeding or touching of zebras are allowed.

The second stop in 5 minutes away by bus ride. It is the area where you will find a mini-zoo with a handful of animals like snakes, porcupine, eagles and monkeys, among others. Stop here is approximately 30 minutes.

The third stop is the area where you find turtles housed in small concrete pens. Visitors can take photos of the turtles, but they cannot touch them. This stop takes approximately 15 minutes depending on the Tour Guide.

Where to eat

There are no restaurants inside the Park.  However, visitors can bring their own light snack, including drinks (but no alcohol). In our case, our group had lunch in a nearby restaurant proximate to the Park:

            Buluang Fishpond Restauarnt in Busuanga Town; Tel. 0926 704 5093, 0967 544 2566

We took lunch in this restaurant after our morning visit to the Calauit Safari Park which is just 20 minutes away drive. The restaurant has a unique setting with individual dining huts afloat a man-made pond. Orders are taken as you enter the “bridge” to the dining huts.  Menu consists of main course, seafood selections and the breakfast menu all written in a small board. Our group did not try their seafood except for the grilled fish that we ordered.  The sinampalukang native chicken (P450) and pinoy pinakbet (P150) that we ordered were delicious. However, the pork and chicken adobo (P150 each) was full of fats. We enjoyed their fresh buko drink.  Generally, their prices were reasonable, but their service was poor because our orders came after more than 30 minutes of waiting. There were also dogs of the owner that played inside our dining hut who later fought and bit each other. 

Practical Tips

1.      Always check on the weather forecast before proceeding with your trip.  If rains are expected bring umbrellas or appropriate cover for yourself. 

2.      It is best to schedule your travel to Calauit early morning.  In our case, our rented van picked everyone up from the hotel at 5:30am. If you plan to do similarly, make sure to arrange with your hotel for your packed breakfast. 

3.      Wear comfortable clothes noting that it can be very warm during the tour as there are no covered spaces in the Park.

4.      Travel light but don’t forget to bring your own bottle of drinking water.

5.      In case you plan to stay in Calauit for the night, there are many budget hotels near the Sanctuary.  You can use the internet to do your advance booking.

6.      In taking the wharf to Calauit Island, remember that your ride or use of wharf has already been paid as part of your entrance fee.  Some boatmen may take advantage of visitors by insinuating that each of the passenger must pay him for their ride. You however, can give the boatman a reasonable tip if you wish.

7.      Tour guides inside the Park render their services free.  However, visitors may wish to give them a small tip for their kindness and good work.