For the record, however, the only thing I didn't like about Zoobic Safari is its name. Everything else, I loved! =) Maybe the presence of kids in my life really changed me. The entire time I was walking around, I thought about how Patita, Ray*-B, Woooohhh Cousin GB and Kirstie would have loved the place. See, it's one thing to see camels and porcupines and reindeers in picture books, and another thing entirely to see the real thing. =)
The tour starts with an orientation of sorts, with tigers (healthy ones! =)) surrounding the area. Some are caged. Others tied up by heavy chains. All growling. Roaring. Yikes. =D
The first part is a walking tour. While some animals are enclosed in cages and/or fenced areas, others roam around freely. It is not uncommon to be walking side by side with several ducks, a regal looking goat and potbellied pigs. 
The walking tour goes through different "families" / types of animals, and in the rodent world, I finally saw some of those that I have only previously read about. =)
The Philippine Mouse Deer. Is it a mouse or a deer? It's a deer that looks like a mouse! Ack! Haha. I always knew "theoretically" that it was the smallest deer, but did not realize just how tiny it was. Its spindly legs looked like it could hardly keep its weight up. I was afraid they would crack. The mouse deer is no bigger than a big rock. =)
Other rodents of wonder include the porcupine, the squirrels, etc., etc. Pics follow:
One may choose to feed the animals. (Actually, I don't remember anymore if you can feed the ostrich. The camel, I'm fairly sure you can feed--as I picked up a sliver of grass for it to chew on. The ostrich, I'm fairly sure you CANNOT. Haha! =))
There are so many other animals at Zoobic, but I won't post all of them here. I do have two favorites. The first one is this goat (?) that just walks around and around, oblivious to all the people in the park. It just roams around criss-crossing the path of park visitors with nary a care in the world. =)
The second is the albino buffalo. When I first saw it, I actually squealed! For those of you who are actually old enough to remember the old Gusto Meatloaf cartoon commercial:
Bobby: Sige na, Becky. Sagutin mo na 'ko.
Becky: Ayaw ko sa'yo, Bobby...Baboy ka eh!
Product reveal: Gusto Meatloaf! May pinagsamang sarap ng pork and beef.....
Except that in Zoobic, ang anak ni Bobby at ni Becky, yung Albino Buffalo. Ang kalabaw na mukhang pig. Haha! =D
Further down the walking trail, one will eventually get to the Serpentarium, and maybe I was just lucky, but among all the reptile areas I've entered, in all the zoos I've ever gone to, in all the countries I have ever visited, it was only in Zoobic where I saw snakes that were awake and moving inside their glass cages. Since I don't like snakes (at all!), it made the dark area a bit more creepy. Still, I'm impressed that the snakes were....uh....alert. =D
After the walking tour, all of us got herded into the tiger train that will take us to the Tiger Safari. 
The Tiger Safari is an enclosed area where tigers roam free. Before entering the area, we had to transfer to an "enclosed jeep". When the Tiger Safari first opened, I've been told that they actually let live (yes, LIVE!) chickens hang out from the jeeps to entice the tigers to approach it. These days, for P200 extra per chicken, they now hang only dressed chickens--in deference to the animal rights activists. I remember my officemate Ed telling us about how, back then, his wife screamed in horror when the tiger pounced on the jeep and devoured the live chicken, while his four year old son watched, mesmerized. (Yes, boys will be boys. ;p) 
These days, I think the tigers have already gotten used to the routine that they no longer pounce on the jeep. They just amble slowly towards it and eat the dressed chicken to the bone. (I suppose they have already learned that if they don't bite this time, another jeep will come along. =)). The guide advised us that the tigers are rotated so that they can alternately rest in the "Close Encounter" area (where they rest in cages) and exercise in the open Safari area. That said, it is still better to go in the morning. Habang di pa busog ang mga tigers. Haha! 'D 
Way past the Tiger Safari is the Animal Muzooeum, but 'am not going to post pics anymore. I actually found it eerie an
d couldn't wait to get out of there. There is something creepy about walking through stuffed dead animals with bead eyes. Ack! Ngaaahh...=(
There is also a crocodile farm, and for P50, you can buy a dressed chicken to throw into the pit to watch the crocs fight over it. Uh...we did not. Haha. =) We were walking on top of the pit. Yes, I was actually standing on top of these crocs when I took the pics with my cell cam. That said, we did not exactly want to excite the darn crocodiles. Hahaha. =) (Then again, I just realized, dapat pala sa croc area na lang kami bumili ng dressed chicken. Mas mura. Haha! 'D)
Beyond the animals, though, Zoobic also has an area that "pays tribute" to the contribution of the Aetas to the region. One may walk right through the trees and shrubs to arrive at a mini-stage of sorts where some aetas perform their traditional dances. It's not a very long program, but it is interesting. (It even includes pole dancing, haha! =D) After the program, you may have your picture taken with the Aetas if you wish. Again, it's a good way to introduce the kids to our "ancient culture". If my Araling Panlipunan memory serves me right, they were the first Filipinos. Displaced by the Pinatubo eruption, some of the Aetas have since learned to adapt to life in the lowlands. It's good, I suppose, that through this, they are able to keep at least a part of their traditions alive. =)
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It took us half a day to complete the tour. P395 per person. Kids below 4 ft, P295. Kids below 3 ft, free. And if you buy tickets on the day you went for future visits, they will give you a 50% discount for it. I say thi
s NOT because I think Zoobic is the kind of place you would want to go to over and over, but so, if ever you decide to go, and you actually know someone who will go there ahead of you, you can just ask them to buy tickets for you. Haha! =D
BTW, we took the SCTex instead of the old route to Subic. Much faster. No traffic. We got to Subic in no time! The Marketing Group left Shell (along NLEX) past 7:30 a.m. and got to Subic around 9:00 a.m.! Not bad. =D
The SCTex is past the Dau exit in case you decide to try it as well.
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