A zoo is a zoo, and once youโve seen one, you might think youโve seen them all, but the Bali Zoo is a bit special and probably different from any other zoo youโve visited!
The great thing about the Bali Zoo is that it has a lot of animals native to Bali, Java, and the rest of Indonesia and Southeast Asia, so itโs extra relevant for anyone traveling in this part of the world.
It also happens to be a pretty good zoo in its own right, so we decided to write this Bali zoo review after visiting it several times ourselves.
They even have some fun events where you can interact with the animals in a limited setting, such as the โbreakfast with orangutansโ package, but everything seems to be well managed and ethically run.
This travel guide will explain where the Bali Zoo is, how to get there, current ticket prices, and everything else you need to know before you go!
Where To Stay
Our Bali Zoo Review: What To Expect
Weโve been to the Bali Zoo a few times now, and still havenโt seen everything.
Itโs not exactly huge, but thereโs plenty to see: birds, tigers, sun bears, all kinds of monkeys, and much more.
As of 2024, the zoo is also expanding, with a new African savanna section that features lions, meerkats, hyenas, and zebras. Theyโre also working on adding rhinos and giraffes.
You can see most of the zoo in a few hours, so what I generally do is book a driver for the whole day and then combine the zoo with other sightseeing trips in Bali. But if you want to do extra activities at the zoo (e.g. breakfast with the orangutans), then you could easily stay longer.
Itโs also possible to book your zoo tickets online, with hotel transfers included.
Big alligator statue near the zoo entrance. Looks real!
Muntjac
Tourists on an elephant ride at the Bali Zoo
Animal Encounters & Extra Activities
The Bali Zoo has lots of โanimal encountersโ where you can interact with the animals. This includes the elephants, orangutans, gibbons, lemurs, deer, goats, rabbits, and wallabies.
Generally this means the animals have a big enclosure that you can walk through as a guest while the animals go about their business. Itโs a bit reminiscent of Europeโs best zoos, and Dublin attractions like the national zoo, which houses over 400 animal species.
If you come during feeding time and pay a little extra, you can also help feed chunks of meat to the tigers and crocodiles (from a safe distance), so thatโs fun too.
You can have your photo taken professionally with the tropical birds (extra charge), or itโs free to hold them and take your own pics if you want.
Baby orangutan!
Breakfast With Orangutans
One of the special attractions at the Bali Zoo is to have breakfast with the orangutans and elephants.
We did this on our latest visit to the zoo, and it was a blast! Itโs actually one of my favorite things at the whole zoo.
At our breakfast area, there were 2 orangutans, 2 elephants, a few tropical birds, a gibbon with its baby, and a pangolin (mammal from Java).
This sounds like a recipe for chaos, but everything is handled professionally by the zoo staff, and the dining area has plenty of space for the animals and people.
The animals wonโt be literally sitting at the breakfast table with you, but theyโre sitting nearby with some greens of their own to eat, and you can snap pictures before, during, and after your meal.
In 2022, the Bali Zoo welcomed its first baby orangutan, named Gandhi! He was 3 months old when we visited, so we got to see him at breakfast, although he was kept at a safe distance since the mother is still protective.
The breakfast is a big buffet with a wide selection of fruit, pancakes, rolls, omelets, bacon, sausages, rice, noodles, veggies, and more. For drink choices, you have natural fruit juice (orange or watermelon), coffee, tea, or water.
Everything at the breakfast buffet was very fresh and good, but the main highlight for us was seeing the baby orangutan!
At the โbreakfast with orangutans,โ we got to see this little guy from a safe distance.
One of my only gripes with the Bali Zoo is that they donโt have a better Komodo dragon exhibit. Especially with Bali being so close to their natural habitat, you would expect to see this covered better.
The zoo apparently has two of the Komodo dragons, but they were totally absent every time Iโve been there.
Not everyone has time to hop over to the Komodo islands to see these!
The Bali Safari & Marine Park successfully bred more than a dozen baby Komodo dragons recently, so hopefully the Bali Zoo will start a similar program.
Komodo dragons are endangered in the wild, so this kind of project is great for conservation.
Javan Rusa. Theyโre friendly and you can feed them.
You can have your photo taken with tropical birds like this guy.
Animal Welfare At The Bali Zoo
The animals at the Bali Zoo seem to be healthy and well treated. The zoo staff are friendly and helpful, and everything is kept pretty clean and ethical. We havenโt noticed mistreatment of any kind in our several visits to the zoo.
I know not everyone is a fan of zoos, but itโs undeniable that they play an important role in animal conservation via breeding, funding, education, and more.
You can interact with some of the animals, but none of the encounters are forced and some of the deer, wallabies, and such are even free to roam around the zoo as they please (no roaming tigers, donโt worry).
The tigers and lions have big glass enclosures with good visibility. The lemurs have a big zone to hang out in, and you can walk through it freely, but they were super friendly and had plenty of room to come and go as they please.
All in all, I give the Bali Zoo a big thumbs up โ lots of great animals and a good overall experience. If you have time for it, I think itโs a worthwhile addition to your Bali holiday!
Ticket Prices
These are the ticket prices for tourists as of 2022. The prices for Indonesian locals are a bit lower.
- Adults: 355k IDR ($25 USD)
- Children: 250k IDR ($17 USD)
- Extra Activities: Check the Bali Zoo website for the latest prices
Hours Of Operation
The hours of operation for the Bali Zoo are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If you do the breakfast with orangutans, it generally starts at about 7:30 AM, before the rest of the zoo is open to visitors, so your small group will have the place to yourselves for awhile.
There are also lots of extra animal encounters and other activities scheduled throughout the day!
Where Is The Bali Zoo? How To Get There
The Bali Zoo is located in the Sukawati area, halfway between Sanur and Ubud.
Itโs a 20 minute drive from Ubud, 30 minutes from Sanur, or about 1 hour from Kuta, Seminyak, or Canggu.
The best way to get there is to rent a scooter or hire a private car and driver (both of these can be booked online).
If you want to see the Bali Bird Park while youโre at it, thatโs only about 5-10 minutes from the zoo!
Bali Private Driver & Motorbike Rental
If you want to explore Bali in the comfort and safety of a private car with an English speaking driver, my top recommendation would be GetYourGuide.
Their price is 650k Rupiah ($45 USD) for a full day of driving and sightseeing in Bali (up to 10 hours) for 1-5 passengers. That's the total price for the whole car + driver + petrol! It's a great deal. They also offer affordable hotel transfers from the airport.
If you'd rather travel by motorbike, they have that too. Their scooter rentals start at 140k Rupiah (~$9) and include a helmet, rain coat, and free delivery in the south Bali area.
We've used GetYourGuide for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they're great! Highly recommended.
Book Now: Bali Private Driver / Scooter Rental
Ubud Hotels
See Also
- Bali Beach Guide - The Best Beaches In Bali
- Bali Waterfalls Guide - The Best Waterfalls In Bali
- Bali Temple Guide - The Best Temples In Bali
- Bali Travel Guide - Info, Pictures, & Blog
- Nusa Penida Island Guide - How To Visit From Bali
- Most Beautiful Indonesian Islands - Best Places To Visit In Indonesia
1 comment
I had no idea that Bali Zoo was so nice. My kids will love it. I am adding this place to my must see list in Bali. Thanks for the tip and useful information.