Safari Cafe: better in the morning, and better for kids than adults
Our villa guests often ask whether Safari Cafe is worth the trip. The answer depends on three things: what time you go, who you go with, and whether you're expecting a cafe or a wildlife park. Get any one of those wrong and you'll come away disappointed.
This is a wildlife park that sells coffee, not a cafe that keeps animals
That distinction shapes the whole visit. Safari Cafe spans 15 hectares and is home to more than 100 herbivores — giraffes, zebras, antelope, sika deer, watusi cattle, ostriches. Visitors ride through the live habitat in a purpose-built vehicle, stopping to feed the animals, before reaching the cafe area at the end.
Anyone who comes expecting to "sip coffee while watching giraffes" is usually let down, since the seated cafe portion is just a short stretch at the very end. Anyone who comes expecting "a wildlife drive with a place to rest and get a drink afterward" finds it worthwhile.
What time to go — this is what matters most
The herbivores are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. At midday they rest in the shade, and visitors who go then often only spot a few animals in the distance.
- Early morning — the animals are feeding and moving around, the light is great for photos, and it's not too hot yet. This is the window we recommend to guests.
- Late afternoon — the animals become active again, but the low sun creates backlighting from many angles.
- Midday — best avoided. The animals rest, the heat builds, and there's almost no shade along the vehicle route.
Traveling with young kids: prepare three things
This is a rare attraction that kids tend to enjoy more than adults. But there are three things guests often forget:
A hat and sunscreen
The vehicle drives across open savanna with almost no shade. Kids in an open-sided vehicle are exposed to the sun for the whole ride.
Bring your own water
The ride portion takes a while, and drinks aren't available until the end of the route. A thirsty, fussy kid partway through can sour the whole visit.
Prep kids for the ostriches
Ostriches stand about as tall as an adult, are curious, and often approach the vehicle closely. Kids who aren't warned can get startled. Hold onto hats — they like to peck at them.
The Safari Cafe ticket is priced separately — it's not part of any NovaWorld theme park combo. Plenty of guests buy a combo assuming it's included, only to find out at the gate that they need to buy this one separately.
Prices change by period and by sales channel. We're not listing a fixed figure here since it would go stale quickly — confirm the current price before you go.
Fitting Safari Cafe into your schedule
This attraction takes up roughly half a day. The best pairing is go in the morning, then head back to the villa for a midday rest — the sun here is intense, and pushing straight on to another park afterward tends to write off the whole afternoon.
For groups with young kids, the schedule that works best in our experience: Safari Cafe in the morning, lunch and a nap back at the villa, then the beach or Wonder Hill for sunset in the late afternoon. Adding the water park to that same day is too much for kids under six.
Can you feed the animals?
Yes. Since they're all herbivores, guests can get close and hand-feed them. A giraffe lowering its head to eye level when you're holding out leaves is the moment most guests want to capture.
What time is best to visit?
Early morning is best: the animals are active, the light is great, and it's not too hot. At midday the animals rest, so visits then tend to disappoint.
Is the ticket included in any park combo?
No. The Safari Cafe ticket is priced separately, outside all combo packages. Budget for it on its own.
How long does a visit take?
About half a day, including both the vehicle ride and the cafe stop. Fitting in another major park the same day is a tight squeeze.
What age is this suitable for?
No set age limit, but kids under three tend to enjoy only the animal-watching part and can get bored during the longer ride. Age four and up is the best fit.
See our complete guide to the NovaWorld Phan Thiet resort city A–Z, Circus Land, Wonder Hill & Wonder Bridge, and the full travel guide.
A home a few minutes' shuttle ride from the parks
MH Travel operates rental villas right inside NovaWorld Phan Thiet — whole-villa rentals with a garden BBQ area, rates set directly by the operator. Looking to buy instead? Our real-estate team can help with that.
See available villasPhotos in this article We don't yet have freely licensed photos of Safari Cafe, so we've left three placeholders for real photos — these are the three most important images this article needs.
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