Bali Safari & Marine Park, Medahan

We went here under the false illusion that this was a sanctuary for elephants - a safari as indicated in the name of the venue. Our guide had misunderstood our expectation. Couldn’t have been further from the truth. This is a circus and animals are made do tricks. Small enclosures meant animals appeared depressed. Our bags were searched on arrival by what looked like police, however this was so we didn’t bring water into the venue! It was baking hot and our youngest child was thirsty from the get go. Luckily there was very expensive bottles of water being sold on every corner. So many sales staff everywhere that it made the experience super awkward. We had just paid €325 at the door. We were promised ‘afternoon tea’ as part of our ticket price which is a joke! Having sat down in their prison like restaurant, we asked if we could have water instead of tea for the kids - who don’t drink tea. We were only offered tap water as a substitution so left without having any refreshments. We spent less than one hour walking around aimlessly - oh did I not mention that we were given no guidance on how to navigate the venue. Just to be clear this is a very odd and depressing place to be and bares no reflection on all the other experiences we had on the island. We happened upon an elephant enclosure as we were leaving- 2 elephants held in a restricted area. I emailed the management later that day and never got a response. Like their animals, their customers are not important to them once you have paid handsomely at the door. This is not a sanctuary for animals. This is a circus / zoo. There were even staff dressed up as clowns wandering around. Quite bizarre. We had a wonderful stay in Bali. This was the only dampener.

This is easily one of the best safari parks ever seen. Definitely worth visiting for all age groups. Everyone will find it interesting. Though it was hard to navigate and explore what this venue has to offer. Once we understood how much it is there, we were pleasantly surprised. Make sure you can dedicate 3-5 hours exploring and attending all events in the park.