Clark Safari and Adventure Park — Attraction in Mabalacat

I visited the Clark Safari way back within three weeks of its opening in December 2021 with my wife, my brother-in-law, and my niece-in-law. We had a fun time back then, so we decided to bring my 1.5yo daughter here as well, and a good time came right after the turn of the New Year.

So many things have changed in the three years that had passed since our last visit... and NOT FOR THE BETTER.

First, the places that were under construction back then? Still unfinished! Building frames or piles of dirt, and even a backhoe sitting right out in the open. Three years is more than enough time for at least something to get done. What happened?

Second, clear signs of neglect throughout the facilities. Things that were once nice and clean are now overrun with moss and weeds. The paint is stale and discolored. The signs that contained information about the animals in the exhibit are all gone. Thick coats of dust obscure the glass, making it hard to see anything. The toilets had cobwebs everywhere. The areas where you could view the monkeys (or the bears? It was right above the petting zoo) even had fresh animal feces sitting there, and I couldn't tell if it was from a dog or some other animal.

This neglect shows even in the concessionaires! The eating area at the entrance to the Clark Safari didn't have anyone manning their booths. The vendors in the lunch area, not manned either. We didn't even realize the lunch place was actually open until we were on the way out.

Last but not the least, the animals.

OMG the animals.

I feel really sad for them. Many of them don't look like they're living even decently. The exhibit with the Arctic wolf and a wildcat exhibit near the snake section really hit me hard. The wolf doesn't belong in the tropics, and the humid heat is slowly killing it. When we saw it that day, it was just laying in some corner, trying to hide from the heat in the shade and looking quite sad while at it. The wildcat... I don't know the species, but it was next to one of the Bengals and it had dark gray fur. It was alone and kept walking restlessly and breathing rapidly. A sign of stress, if anything. It wouldn't even look at me when I clicked my tongue at it.

I know zoos in general have a terrible reputation for animal welfare, and I tried to temper my expectations (after having been to Singapore Zoo and San Diego's SeaWorld post-Blackfish) given where I was, but it was still shocking to see.

Very sad to see how Clark Safari turned out after three years! It looked so promising, too.

I don't think I'll be coming back here anytime soon. Knowing how things work around here, I wouldn't be surprised if the zoo becomes even more decrepit after another three...

Came here about a month ago. The entrance fee for adults is P499, but it’s more like P499+. They offer photo ops inside the area for certain animals, e.g. tiger cub(s) and birds, as well as a feeding area for the horses, goats, etc. Be prepared to walk A LOT as the zoo is very big. Bring enough water, especially in the morning, wear sunscreen, and perhaps bring an umbrella too. They do have stalls that offer some snacks and drinks, although it’s outside the area already. Can’t remember if there are any inside the area.

There is a wide variety of animals, ranging from turtles to goats to ponies/horses to wild cats to wolves to birds to deers. Although when I went there, I couldn’t see half of the animals they had, as they were hidden or sleeping.

When visiting the feeding area, I noticed that the ponies were only given pellets to eat. When they were done eating, they still kept munching in their food container, despite them finishing the pellets already. This led me to sympathize with them, and so we decided to buy food (leaves and pellets) for them, which cost I believe P100. This does make me question the zoo’s integrity, and it makes me fall into a very tricky philosophical dilemma. They probably underfeed the animals intentionally, so that tourists, like me, can buy food and feed the animals themselves, and it’s working. But should we, as tourists, stop buying food to feed the animals, so that they can feed the animals more decently? Or will that just make the staff underfeed them even more?

This goes the same for the tiger cub, as every time they bring out the tiger cub, the tiger cub pays no attention to anything else, except for sucking on the bottle, as if it was the snake rising and dancing to a snake charmer playing the flute. To be fair, this is to ensure the safety of the tourists when taking the picture. But is it really right for the staff to seemingly deprive the tiger cub of milk?

A counterpoint though is that they do have a section dedicated to the Taal rescue horses, so that’s a bit relieving.

Other than these philosophical dilemmas, the park feels much MUCH more Instragrammable to non-animals ironically, and by non-animals, I mean, animal statues, and other scenic structures and backdrops. There is a vast amount of fake animals, to the extent that there is literally a giant deep pit enclosure, dedicated to fake animals.

Overall, if you don’t have a problem with the ethics of the park towards their animals, then I’d say it’s...

The Clark Safari and Adventure Park was a nice place to spend an early morning with a 3-year old and a 14-year old. From the gravel parking space, you walk to the front building, which contains food kiosks, the ticketing booth, and some picture opportunities with plastic animals affixed to benches. Once you buy your tickets and before you enter the park, a park attendant will approach you to take your photos in front of the huge mural you see in the center dome of the front building--while the professional photos must be purchased from the Park, the attendant also offered to take photos of us using our cell phones, so there is a free alternative to this photo.

Going inside, there are directions of attractions available on the left. We visited most. The reason I say most, and a huge thing to note, is that the Clark Safari and Adventure Park is not yet completed. Please note the date of this review. The plants (newer planted trees and vines on trellises) are not at stages where they can provide shade. There was an attraction that was still being completed (cold-weather animals perhaps? The whale ribcage replica being built that led to farm animals, so I don't think that part of the park is fully realized yet).

My favorite parts: the photo opportunities were plenty--both of the staged and candid kind the existing animal and their respective enclosures seemed well-cared for the Park actually took on horses that were abandoned from the Taal volcano explosions that took place last year. For a small fee, you can purchase feed from the beverage vendor to feed the ostrich. the Park is PWD and elderly-friendly--there are lots of ramps to be found everywhere.

My least favorite part: it is hot. Partly due to the lack of shade, partly due to the time of year.

Things to bring: hats sunscreen bugspray small handtowels, handkerchiefs, or bandannas to deal with the sweat.

Helpful tips: we went at opening and had to leave by 10 am. The heat was too much. Visiting time is probably optimal early morning or late afternoon/early evening. if you are looking for snacks, the Park has concessionaires at the front building, but if you are looking for a more substantial meal, save it for elsewhere. Unless the restaurant/cafe (?) they are building inside has...