If someone told you that you could see giraffes and zebras roaming free in the Philippines, would you believe them? I didn’t either, not until a friend dragged me along on a trip to Calauit Safari Park a few years back. We’d already done the usual Coron island hopping circuit, Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, the works, and I honestly thought there was nothing left to surprise me on this side of Palawan. Then a giraffe stuck its head through our safari truck window looking for a snack. That’ll do it.
Calauit Safari Park sits on a small island off the northern tip of Busuanga, and it’s genuinely one of the strangest, most memorable day trips you can do out of Coron. Part wildlife sanctuary, part accidental history lesson, it’s not your typical Palawan beach-and-lagoon itinerary. Here’s everything you need to know before you go in 2026, including what it actually costs, how to get there, and whether it’s worth carving a full day out of your trip for.
What Is Calauit Safari Park?
Calauit Safari Park has one of the odder origin stories of any tourist attraction in the country. Back in 1976, President Ferdinand Marcos declared the island a game preserve and wildlife sanctuary under Presidential Proclamation No. 1578, then had over a hundred African animals shipped in from Kenya. The animals arrived on a vessel called the MV Salvador in March 1977: giraffes, zebras, elands, waterbucks, gazelles, topis, bushbucks, and impalas, 104 animals across eight species in total.
Look, the whole thing was controversial from the start (hundreds of Tagbanwa families were displaced from the island to make room for the project), and that history is worth knowing before you visit, not just glossing over for the photo op. Decades later, most of the original African species have died out on the island. The impalas, topis, bushbucks, elands, waterbucks, and gazelles are all gone now. But the giraffes and zebras adapted and kept breeding. As of recent counts there are still around 18 giraffes and 27 zebras roaming the grounds, descendants of the originals.
Since 2008, the Provincial Government of Palawan has managed the park (it used to fall under the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development). And here’s the twist that a lot of first-time visitors don’t expect: alongside the African holdouts, Calauit has quietly become one of the best conservation stories in the country for native Philippine wildlife.
Insider tip: don’t come expecting a polished, Africa-style safari lodge experience. This is a working government-run sanctuary, not a theme park, and that’s honestly part of the charm.
Where Is Calauit Island and How Do You Get There?
Calauit Island sits just off the northwestern coast of Busuanga Island, separated by a narrow channel. It’s roughly 3,700 hectares of grassland, mangrove, and forest, and it’s about as far from Coron town as you can get while still technically being in the same municipality area.
Flying Into Busuanga
Most Calauit trips start with a flight into Francisco B. Reyes Airport (airport code USU), which serves both Coron town and Busuanga. Here’s the thing though: since late March 2026, there are no more direct flights between Manila and Busuanga. A civil aviation rule change shifted turboprop operations out of Manila’s main airport, so Cebu Pacific (via its Cebgo flights), Philippine Airlines, and Sunlight Air now fly this route out of Clark or Cebu instead. If you’re starting your trip in Manila, plan on a connection through Clark or a short hop from Cebu rather than a direct flight, since that catches a lot of first-time visitors off guard when they’re booking. From the airport in Busuanga, it’s about a 30 to 45 minute van ride into Coron town proper, so budget for that if Calauit is on day one of your trip. If you haven’t sorted your airport pickup yet, our Coron airport transfer guide walks through the shared van versus private van options and what each one costs.
Getting to Calauit From Coron Town
This is where it gets a little more involved than your average island hopping day. Most tours pick you up from your Coron hotel as early as 5:00 AM, then drive you roughly two hours overland to a small jump-off port near New Busuanga. From there, it’s a short boat crossing, sometimes as quick as five to ten minutes, across the channel to Calauit Island itself. Some operators also offer a direct sea route straight from Coron town by boat, which can take anywhere from about 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the boat and the weather, though the overland-plus-short-crossing route is far more common for standard day tours.
Insider tip: this is genuinely a full-day commitment, easily 10 to 12 hours door to door. Don’t try to squeeze it in alongside an island hopping tour on the same day. We’ve seen guests attempt it and arrive back in Coron town exhausted after dark. If you’re still mapping out your overall route, our guide on how to get to Coron is a good place to start planning logistics around a Calauit day.
What Animals Will You See at Calauit Safari Park?
So what’s actually still out there roaming around? Two categories, really: the African survivors and the native Filipino species the park has quietly saved from the brink.
On the African side, you’ll see reticulated giraffes and Grévy’s zebras grazing in open grassland that does, admittedly, look a little bit like a slice of the Serengeti got dropped into the South China Sea. Guides will usually let you feed the giraffes by hand under supervision, which is the highlight for most visitors (kids especially lose their minds over this part).
But honestly, the more impressive story is the native wildlife. Calauit has become a genuine conservation success for animals endemic to Palawan and the Calamian Islands:
- Calamian deer – found only in the Calamian Islands, this species was down to as few as 25 individuals when conservation efforts began. Numbers have since grown into the low thousands, and the IUCN upgraded its status from critically endangered to endangered as a result.
- Palawan bearded pig – one of the wild pig species found only in the Philippines.
- Philippine crocodile – a critically endangered freshwater species with a small breeding population kept in the park’s conservation center.
- Binturong (Palawan bearcat) – rarely spotted in the wild anywhere else on the island, so this is one of your better shots at seeing one.
- Philippine mouse-deer (pilandok) – tiny, nocturnal, and honestly adorable if your guide manages to spot one.
- Palawan peacock-pheasant – keep your camera ready near water sources, since this one tends to stay at a distance.
Insider tip: bring a zoom lens if you have one. A lot of the native species, especially the peacock-pheasant and the bearcat, are naturally shy around visitors and won’t come close.
Calauit Safari Park Entrance Fees and Tour Prices 2026
Pricing here has a few moving parts, since you’re paying for entrance, the boat crossing, and often a safari truck ride separately if you show up on your own. Most travelers skip the hassle and book an all-inclusive day tour instead. Here’s roughly what to expect, based on rates gathered from local operators as of 2026 (always confirm current pricing directly, since fees at government-run attractions do shift year to year):
| Item | Approximate Price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Park entrance fee (Filipino citizens) | Around ₱400 |
| Park entrance fee (foreign visitors) | Around ₱600 |
| Safari truck ride add-on | Around ₱125 per person |
| Boat crossing to Calauit Island | Around ₱150 to ₱200 per person |
| All-inclusive day tour from Coron (transport, boat, entrance, guide, lunch) | Approximately ₱2,200 to ₱3,000 per person |
If you’re traveling as a small group, the all-inclusive tour is almost always the better deal once you add up entrance, truck, boat fees, and the two-hour van ride separately. It also saves you from having to arrange permits and transport on your own, which honestly isn’t worth the headache for a one-time visit.
What to Expect on a Calauit Safari Tour
A typical day starts stupidly early, van pickup around 5:00 AM from your Coron accommodation. You’ll doze through most of the drive to the jump-off port (it’s a rough, scenic road, so don’t expect to sleep well), then cross the short channel by boat to Calauit.
Once on the island, you’ll usually transfer into an open-air safari truck for the tour through the grassland area, stopping periodically for photos and, if you’re lucky, giraffe feeding. Guides walk you through some of the forested sections on foot to look for the native species, which move around a lot more than the giraffes and zebras do. Lunch is typically included and served either on the island or back near the port. Expect to be back in Coron town by early evening, tired but with a memory card full of photos nobody back home will believe.
Best Time to Visit Calauit Safari Park
Palawan’s dry season, roughly November through May, is the better window for this trip. Roads to the jump-off port can get genuinely rough during heavy rain, and the open safari truck ride isn’t much fun in a downpour. You can check current conditions and seasonal outlooks through PAGASA, the Philippines’ national weather agency, before you lock in your dates.
That said, the wet season (June to October) isn’t a dealbreaker. Trails get muddier and animals sometimes retreat further into cover, but tours still run, and you’ll deal with far smaller crowds. For a broader look at planning around Palawan’s seasons, check our guide on the best time to visit Palawan.
Tips for Visiting Calauit Safari Park
A few things we wish someone had told us before our first visit:
- Bring cash. There’s no ATM on Calauit Island, and card payments aren’t reliable this far out. Bring enough for entrance fees, snacks, and tips for your guide.
- Wear closed shoes and neutral colors. You’ll be walking on uneven, sometimes muddy ground, and bright colors can spook the more skittish native species.
- Book through a local operator rather than going fully independent. Permits, boat scheduling, and the overland leg are genuinely easier to leave to someone who does this daily.
- Pair it with other Coron activities if you have the days. Calauit eats up a full day on its own, so don’t stack it with island hopping. If you’re building out your itinerary, our things to do in Coron guide covers what else fits well around it.
Is Calauit Safari Park Worth Visiting?
Depends what you’re after, honestly. If your Palawan trip is purely about lagoons, beaches, and snorkeling, Calauit is a detour, not a must-do, and the travel time is real. But if you want something genuinely different from the standard Coron island hopping route, and you’re curious about a slightly bizarre, decades-old conservation story, it’s hard to beat. Families traveling with kids especially tend to rate it as a trip highlight. For a broader gut check on whether Coron itself fits your travel style, our is Coron worth visiting guide breaks down who the destination suits best.
Between giraffes wandering a Palawan grassland and a critically endangered Philippine crocodile in the same afternoon, Calauit Safari Park earns its spot as one of the more unusual, genuinely worthwhile day trips out of Coron in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Calauit Safari Park?
Calauit Safari Park is a wildlife sanctuary on Calauit Island off the coast of Busuanga, Palawan. It was established in 1976 as a home for African animals brought over from Kenya, and it now also protects native Philippine species like the Calamian deer and Palawan bearcat.
How much does it cost to visit Calauit Safari Park?
Independent entrance fees run around ₱400 for Filipino citizens and ₱600 for foreign visitors, plus separate boat and safari truck fees. Most travelers instead book an all-inclusive day tour from Coron for approximately ₱2,200 to ₱3,000 per person, which covers transport, the boat crossing, entrance, a guide, and lunch.
How do I get to Calauit Safari Park from Coron?
Most tours combine an overland van ride of roughly two hours from Coron town to a jump-off port near New Busuanga, followed by a short boat crossing to the island. Some operators also offer a longer direct boat route by sea.
Are the giraffes and zebras still at Calauit Safari Park?
Yes. While most of the other African species brought over in the 1970s have since died out on the island, the giraffe and zebra populations have adapted and continued breeding, and both are still present today.
Is Calauit Safari Park worth visiting?
If you want to see something outside the typical lagoon and beach circuit, yes. It requires a full day and some early-morning travel, so it suits travelers with a flexible itinerary more than a quick weekend trip.
How long does a Calauit Safari Park tour take?
Expect a full day, typically 10 to 12 hours door to door from Coron town, including the drive, boat crossing, safari tour, and return trip.
Can I visit Calauit Safari Park independently without a tour?
Technically yes, but it involves arranging your own transport, boat crossing, and permits separately, which most travelers find more hassle than it’s worth for a single visit. Booking through a local operator is the more practical option for most people.
Ready to add Calauit Safari Park to your Coron trip? CMT Ticketing and Services can help you plan a day trip that fits around your island hopping schedule, no need to sort permits or transport on your own. Message us on Facebook or check our Coron tour packages to get started.