A visit to Terra Natura

June 5, 2020 ChrisHolt Comments 0 Comment

The zoo of the Costa Blanca

When you arrive at Alicante airport, you cannot miss the Terra Natura leaflets. Terra Natura is the zoo of the Costa Blanca. I had never been there in all those years of spending my holidays in La Nucia. For the simple reason that the entrance fees are high (now 32 euros for an adult and 26 euros for a child). Until now. As a matter of fact, I discovered that this park sells annual tickets every year in March. On the very last day of March 2019, I bought annual card for Terra Natura for my family. For a small extra charge I also have access to Aqua Natura. the waterpark which belongs to Terra Natura. So, I paid 200 Euro for a year of fun.

Is Terra Natura worth visiting?

To answer that question I went to Terra Natura a full day last Saturday (13 April 2019). Earlier on April 4, after school, we had already been for two hours for a sneak preview. The zoo is divided into four parts. First, the entrance which is called Pangea.Here is also the volcano and inside you will find poisonous animals, like snakes and spiders. Subsequently, the zoo is has three continents, namely America, Asia, and Europe. Before going further into the question of whether Terra Natura is worth a visit, I will first discuss the individual continents and finally I will briefly discuss the shows and “experiences”. Furthermore, it is good to know that the park and its website are bilingual, namely Spanish and English. This means that most visitors will understand the information provided about the animals and the zoo.

America

Terra Natura has different opening times per season. So for that purpose you should check the website. Because we were there on time, I had the chance to take some nice pictures of the parrots and the other birds that can be found in the aviary. For a number of animal species it is possible that you buy food from a vending machine and then give this to the animals. You can, for example, visit the American farm where you can see lamas and alpacas. In fact, you can walk freely between them. My children found it a bit exciting, knowing that a lama can spit. More importantly is not to disturb or tease the animals. In this section you will also find flamingos. I was most enthusiastic about the bird enclosure, because I like to take pictures of birds and you can get really close to them.

Asia

This part of the park is made entirely in Indian style. You almost feel like you are in India. Here you will find the elephants. In the Indian temple you will find tigers, gibbons and Indian rhinos. In this section you have two restaurants and a kiosk. I also noticed that there is a microwave here that is available for the public to heat up baby food. You can also bring your own food to Terra Natura, provided that you use the picnic areas. The children can play in the playgrond, while you, as a parent, can sit on bench. The big playground has a magnificent view on the skyscrapers of Benidorm.

Europe

Europe has the Greek theme. A Greek village has been recreated. Here you will find two restaurants and a kiosk. This European zone is nice due to the fact that you can walk among the animals here. There is a petting zoo with donkeys, pigs, rabbits and peacocks. You also have an area with a lot of deer and mouflons. As a result this area can be overwhelming for young children, because many of these animals are coming at you at the same time. Finally, you have to be here to make the transition to the Aqua Natura water park. For an additional cost of 14 Euro (2019) you can also immediately buy a day ticket for this park. You then visit two parks in one day.

Shows and Experiences

This zoo has shows with animals, such as the bird show that is held at noon and at 4 pm. Such a show is included in the admission price. If you sit in the middle of the stand, you will come into more contact with the birds of prey, because the caretakers (Carola and Aaron) walk with the birds between the audience. The feeding of the elephants is also included in the price. Upon arrival at the zoo you can receive a note with the schedule of the shows and where they are. Finally you can buy “experiences”, such as riding a donkey, getting painted up as a fairy or work four hours with an animal caretaker. You can purchase these experiences from customer service or book in advance via the website. My family and I haven’t tried an experience.

Conclusion

So far I am very pleased with this zoo. It is clean and tidy. There is a lot to see and experience. The staff is friendly. There is always someone who speaks English. Feel free to take five to six hours ahead when you buy a day ticket. Because I live here and only a fifteen minute drive from Terra Natura, an annual card is worthwhile. I am therefore in no hurry during my visits to see everything. After all, what we don’t see we’ll see next time.