National park manager unveils plan to build $45mn safari in Vietnam’s Central Highlands

The 490 hectare wildlife park, named Highland Safari, is expected to be located in Lac Duong District, Le Van Huong, director of the Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, said at a meeting that set duties for its 2016 plan.

Bidoup – Nui Ba will team up with Dalat Tourist to develop the VND1 trillion ($44.64 million) facility, VND350 billion ($15.63 million) of which is funded by the government, according to the national park director.

The zoo will be zoned inside a protection forest in Lat Commune, and is slated for completion by 2020, Huong said.

Highland Safari will be a sanctuary for wild animals that can live well in the climate of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, according to the developer.

The zoo will be developed as a semi-wildlife park, in which the animals will live in the forests but under the care of humans.

The developer has received an in-principle approval to implement the project from the Lam Dong administration.

They have also hired consultant groups from Austria and Singapore to study the terrain, environment, and the status of rare animals in Lam Dong, as well as taking reference from major safari zoos around the world to build ideas for the Highland Safari.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment has also agreed to finance the project.

Once open, Highland Safari is expected to receive some 1.2 million visitors on an annual basis, raking in around VND300 billion ($13.39 million) in annual revenue.

Doan Van Viet, chairman of Lam Dong administration, showed support to the project at the Friday’s meeting.

“Safari is a new product that will appeal to tourists in many other places, and it is also suitable with the local ecosystem,” he said.

Last Christmas, a safari zoo, considered the first of its kind in Vietnam, was inaugurated in the southern island of Phu Quoc.

The Vinpearl Safari phase one spans 380 hectares, and is comparable to major parks of its kind in Asia, according to its developer, Vietnamese realty conglomerate Vingroup.