A good 45-minute drive northeast of the hotel zone (and closer to Pyinmana) are these animal-focused attractions, both run by the government. As zoos go, it’s not a badly kept place and most of its inhabitants were shifted here from Yangon’s decrepit colonial-era zoo. Spread across 612 acres are more than 80 different species of animal, bird and reptile, including hippos, lions, deer, bison, crocodiles and several elephants. There’s also an air-conditioned pool house for black-footed and Humboldt penguins, and a planetarium.
Next door, more wild beasts roam the safari park , which opened in 2011 and is toured on electric canopy-covered buggies which are quite a relief in the heat of the day. The 35-acre facility, home to zebras, rhinos, tigers and a pair of giraffes, is divided into sections showcasing the fauna of Africa, Asia and Australia.
