Thrills and chills galore at Indonesia Safari Park

Thrills and chills galore at Indonesia Safari Park

By Gin Kurniawan

PASURUAN, East Java (JP): The tiger stood calmly in the way.
It seemed to be angry. Once in a while it opened up its mouth
wide, as if to exhibit its sharp fangs. It seemed as if it had
deliberately blocked the passing car. At that time, the car was
stalled and the passengers panicked because of the presence of
the tiger, especially when it scratched the glass window with the
sharp nails of its paws.

This was not happening in a wild jungle, but in a forest
frequented by tourists, or to be exact, Indonesia Safari Park II
in Prigen, East Java. The passengers of the car did panic but
enjoyed the scene. It was really an extraordinary experience for
them.

"I was afraid at first, especially when the tiger came close.
We thought it would spring on us, but it only scratched the glass
window. After some time, we found it exciting. Only this time did
I come face to face with a wild animal," said Handoko, 34, the
driver of the car.

He never expected he would have such a thrilling experience.
He could not understand why the car suddenly stalled because he
knew for sure there was no engine trouble.

"Luckily, we got help from the gamekeeper. The car was pushed
to a safe place and after some time I could start it again," he
said.

Of course, Handoko never thought wild animals would be running
loose in a park. He thought they were in cages like in a zoo.

Like Handoko, a father of two who owns a shop at Tunjungan
Plaza Surabaya, visitors to the safari park can experience being
chased or surrounded by tigers in the park. Then they can also
have an equally thrilling experience when they enter the bear
zone.

"Compared with tigers, bears are fiercer. A bear can bite the
tires and bumper of the car if it should stall because of engine
trouble," said Vita V. Nugroho, a public relations executive of
the park.

A trip to the park is both enjoyable and thrilling. Here you
can relax and see the lives of many animals, all in their genuine
habitat. A variety of animals can be seen here, including tigers,
snakes and alligators.

The Indonesia Safari Park II, about 60 km away from Surabaya,
is easy to reach. It is about an hour drive from Surabaya. From
the Mt. Bromo area, it will take about 2 hours. There is complete
accommodation available. You can spend the night at Tretes,
famous for its cold weather, which is only 10 km away. Here you
can choose a hotel from the nonstar to the star-rated.

The safari park is now an interesting tourist area. The
entrance fee is quite cheap at Rp 10,000 per adult and Rp 8,000
per child.

The entrance fee includes bus service, which takes you around
the park. This service is especially for those who did not come
in a car.

The park is located on the slope of Mount Arjuna, 800-1500 m
above sea level, or to be exact, at Jatiarjo village, Prigen sub-
district, Pasuruan district, East Java. The park is over 400
hectares in area, three times as wide as Safari Park I in
Cisarua, West Java. The land was obtained on the basis of an
operational cooperation with state-owned forestry company Perum
Perhutani and local residents.

It was built with the idea of "going back to nature" and is a
modern zoo. As such, the park does not only prioritize
recreation, but also stresses conservation efforts, education and
research.

"We provide education through entertainment, namely by
indirectly educating the community to love animals," said Vita.

The safari park is divided into two areas: the animal park and
the recreation park. The animal park is divided into three zones
on the basis of the origin of the animals: the Australian-Asian
zone, the European-American zone and the African zone. Visitors,
either driving or riding on the Safari bus, will pass through
these three zones.

If you wish to enter the animal park, then you must bear in
mind several things. First, you are not allowed to drive a pickup
or other similar vehicle. You can't leave your car or open your
windows. You are not allowed to sound your horn or make any noise
which may startle the animals. Your car must be driven at a
maximum speed of 5 kilometers an hour and you are not allowed to
operate any radio communication devices such as cellular phones
or CBs.

After savoring the beautiful natural scenery and getting
acquainted with various animals, you can proceed to the
recreational park. There are many kinds of entertainment here.
You can also buy souvenirs, have a meal or just drink a cup of
coffee. Children will like this place because there are
interesting attractions for them, such as hopping on a flying
cycle, go-kart, the worm train, lolly swing, Rio Bravo antique
car or the Bombom boat.

You can also take in an entertaining educational program held
every day at noon. You can watch how elephants, dogs and parrots
show their talents.

Of course, you can have your picture taken with certain
animals, like a tiger or orangutan.

Vita said the safari park was now planning to introduce a
nocturnal trip, the same as the park in Cisarua. She could not
confirm when the trip would start up, but it would not be before
the completion of the park's second development stage, which
includes the establishment of, among other things, a swimming
pool, a caravan, a birds' park and an area for baby animal shows.