Calauit Safari Park — Wildlife on an Island

Calauit Safari Park is the Philippines' most surreal wildlife experience: an African savannah transplanted to a tropical island off northern Palawan. Established in 1976 as a 3,700-hectare wildlife reserve, the island is home to free-roaming giraffes and zebras descended from animals brought over from Kenya, now living alongside endemic Philippine species. This full-day tour from the Coron and Busuanga area combines a scenic land transfer, a short boat crossing, and an open safari ride through the grasslands.

The highlight for most visitors is feeding the giraffes by hand. You can buy fodder at the park and offer it directly to these gentle giants as they lower their long necks, a close encounter that is rare anywhere in Asia. The reserve has been a conservation success story, with its zebra population growing from a small founding herd into well over a thousand animals. Alongside the African transplants, you may also glimpse native wildlife like the Calamian deer and Palawan mousedeer, which the sanctuary protects.

The park is open daily from around 8am to 5pm, and organised tours from Coron Town are by far the easiest way to reach it. It is a memorable, family-friendly day out that feels worlds away from the usual island-hopping itineraries of the region.