Koh Samui aquarium and tiger zoo - sad and expensive
One of the main «sights» island, which should be regarded more as entertainment for children on Koh Samui, but not for adults. Both attractions, called Aquarium & Tiger Zoo, are located on the same territory, and even are in the same room. I would consider them exactly as an attraction, but definitely not as a tourist attraction..
I would not say that this is a place «out of the ordinary», especially considering the slightly inadequate cost of the admission ticket. But if you do not mind parting with money for the sake of the opportunity to look at animals locked up, then within the framework of a small island, where, in principle, there is not a lot of entertainment for children, the Aquarium and Tiger Zoo on Koh Samui is the only place of this format..
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Aquarium and Tiger Zoo
Personally, I didn’t like it there at all, and I’m not afraid to repeat myself - I think that the ticket price is greatly overpriced. At least two times the amount that you are psychologically ready to hear, accept and give. This opinion was born not only on the emotions of visiting, but also in comparison with my past experience of visits to similar institutions: in Khao Kheo Zoo in Pattaya, and in Siam Ocean World Aquarium in Bangkok. Okay, Bangkok is the capital and all that. But even in Pattaya, the price is much lower, despite the fact that in comparison with Khao Kheo, the Samui zoo did not stand nearby, did not sit and did not roll around. Perhaps I will say even more - AquaZoo on Koh Samui is some kind of parody of an aquarium and a zoo.
Saying that this is the only institution in this format, I was not entirely accurate. There is more on Koh Samui petting zoo Paradise Farm, and we must give it its due - it is perceived much more pleasantly and does not cause such rejection, despite the dead deer that we meet (although I think this is only so lucky for me). However, if you exhale, then you realize that on the scale of Samui it is naive to expect something grandiose, because all the sights here are simple, not stunning and, frankly, mediocre, like this zoo. For serious impressions you have to go to the mainland. Remember this and don't expect anything special.
I arrived an hour before the zoo closed when all the shows were over. The ticket collector politely, but not insistently, invited me to come tomorrow to get the full range of pleasures, but I did not think long and stayed. Then they sold me a ticket with a decent discount - for 400 baht and put a stamp on my hand, from which I concluded that a late visit can reduce the cost of a trip to AquaZuu, especially if you don't need a show, but just curious to see what is there inside the good. I haven’t seen the show itself, but I’m sure that adults most likely don’t need it, but children - probably it could be shown.
Aquarium and Tiger Zoo
Inside, everything is planned so that you move along a corridor that runs, or along the street along the cages, or indoors along the aquarium, and the entire route does not contain dead ends and repetitions. The entire inspection will take half an hour from the force, and if you stay at each place for a minute or two, then you can stretch the visit for an hour. There is nothing special to watch, in my opinion. Some glass of the aquariums turned out to be rather cloudy, through them it was difficult to see the inhabitants, and the very first aquarium was so empty at all - you must admit, this does not create the most positive mood from the first steps.
At first I was even upset that I was deceived with expectations, but later I passed through the aquarium building three more times (this is how the route was made), and each time it became more interesting: more fish, some kind of shark swam, stingrays met, and lived in small separate aquariums small, and not quite ordinary turtles with long necks. These I remember well from my visit to the aquarium in Bangkok. There is an open aquarium where you can feed the fish, and immediately visitors are sold food for 20 baht - by the way, the standard price for a bag of fish bait in almost all tourist waters of the island.
The animals in the zoo are all seated in street cages: several species of birds, leopards, lions, tigers, two species of monkeys. In terms of the ratio of land and marine representatives, this place is still more attracted to an aquarium than a zoo. And it certainly cannot be called a tiger zoo, even at a stretch. It is possible that, coupled with the show, it would all look more complete or something, but I can’t say anything here, what I saw, then I saw. Most of the people who have been here agree that the only more or less worthy thing is a show with fur seals. Everything else is sad, sad and «sorry for the animals».
Here is a show with cats
Turtles with long necks
Moray eels
There are several open aquariums with stingrays and fish
Information to visit
By the way, there is a resort nearby where you can go to the pool, plunge after the horrors of animal confinement, as the announcement at the ticket office says. Visiting hours are from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Price - 750 baht per adult ticket, children 100-140 cm - 450 baht, children under 100 cm are free. There are two shows daily, at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm, one with tigers and one with cats. If you come here, then it makes sense to guess at the time of the show, otherwise the cost of the ticket is not justified.
On the map
How to get there, see below, the point is indicated on the map, there are no secrets. The place is well-known, it will be very difficult not to find it.
Aquarium and Tiger Zoo
Aquarium and Tiger Zoo
Not a bad option to entertain children of different ages, but the price for the entrance ticket is far from humane. Located close to vibrant Lamai, so easily accessible for independent visits.
More about the Zoo.
Not a bad option to entertain children of different ages, but the price for the entrance ticket is far from humane. Situated close to the lively Lamai, so it is easily accessible for independent visits.More about the Zoo.