tram – the suite life of travel

I enjoyed a fabulous morning at the Bali Zoo and my driver suggested that I also check out the Bali Safari Marine Park. The Safari Park is quite different from the zoo. The setting is similar to booking a safari experience where an open air tram transports visitors through nearly 100 acres of animals in their “natural” habitat.

Here is a photographic account of my experience at Bali’s Animal Safari Park.

Since I had arrived later in the afternoon, I did not want to miss the opportunity to take the tram , so I decided that this would be my starting point. There were tigers, lions, rhinos and all sorts of exotic animals along the open environment. We witnessed a beautiful Blackbuck Antelope, one of the fastest antelopes in the world.

I would have been sad to have missed the hippo, who just happened to appear out of nowhere from the waters below.

A giraffe was slowly making its way to meet up with a tower of giraffes close by

I could have reached out of the tram to touch the zebra. Look at the beautiful design of his coat! Did you know that their dark stripes are actually brown?

The rhinoceros could not have been more friendly. As we were passing by, he began walking towards the tram….or maybe he was ready to charge….

One of my favorite exhibits was that of the white tiger. Magnificent!

Across from the white tigers was a lion cub. We were also allowed to pet this beautiful animal and have our photo taken with him! Check out those paws!

A cheetah taking a nap in one of the trees

The white tiger after feeding time. We were separated only by a piece of glass and had a fabulous view!

Do you enjoy animal adventure, encounters and zoos? i would love to hear about your favorite experience, so leave a message below in the comments section! Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Bali Safari & Marine Park
Jalan Bypass Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra Km.
19,8 Kec. Gianyar, Bali 80551, Indonesia
Telephone: +62 361 950 000

Admission Fee: Rates range from 720,000 Rupiah (IDR) to 2,140,200 Rupiah (IDR) per person ($39 US to $145 US, at the time of my visit) depending on the number of activities purchased. The Bali Night Experience package is offered for visitors who want to tour the park after hours.
Hours: Open daily from 9AM to 9PM.
Amenities: Safari Journey, Aquarium, Animal Show, Harimau Show, Elephant Show, Bali Agung Show, Waterpark, Afternoon Tea, Restaurants, Welcome Drink, Elephant Ride, Photo Pictures, Souvenirs
Scenic View: Spectacular opportunity to see local animals to Asia
Length of Time to Visit: More than 3 hours
Tips for Your Visit: Wear appropriate shoes for walking. Compared to other attractions in Bali, this may seem expensive to some. The park is about an hour and a half drive from Kuta.

Please make sure to check the website for hours and updated pricing.

Where to Stay:

Kuta Puri Bungalows
Jalan Pantai Kuta
Poppies Lane 1
Kuta, Bali 80361 Indonesia
Telephone: +62 361 751903

Where to Eat:

Tsavo Lion Restaurant
Bali Safari Marine Park

Tsavo Lion Restaurant: An African-themed restaurant at the park, the venue allows visitors to experience a close encounter with the lions in the park.

Uma Restaurant: Buffet style restaurant with a unique ethnic theme offering Asian and local specialties.

Antico Caffe del Teatro di Marcelo
Via del Teatro de Marcelo, 42 00186
Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39 06 678 5451

I ordered a margarita panini and it was fabulous! Check out their facebook page!

What to Eat:

Babi Guling: Suckling pig, which is similar to BBQ pork in the US.
Bakso Soup: Indonesian soup made with meatballs, noodles, spices, vegetables and broth
Gado-Gado: A cold salad of vegetables served with a peanut sauce
Nasi Goreng: Fried noodles with lots of vegetables and a choice of meat, topped with peanuts and an egg.
Pisang Goreng: Fried Bananas, served with palm sugar, honey, flaked coconut or ice cream
Sate Ayam: Chicken on a stick usually served with a peanut sauce
Spring Rolls: Crispy pastry filled with minced meat and mixed vegetables and then fried, usually served with a chili sauce

What to Read:

Balilicious, by Becky Wicks
Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
A House in Bali, by Colin McPhee
Love and Death in Bali, by Vicky Baum
Snowing in Bali, by Kathryn Bonella
Under the Volcano: A story of Bali, by Cameron Forbes

Photo Guide for South Bali:

The Edge Hotel in Uluwatu, Bali is amazing for spectacular cliff views.
Rock Bar Bali is the perfect location to watch the sunset over Uluwatu
Ulu Cliff House is a beach club located in Uluwatu that provides incredible views of the coastline
OMNIA Bali’s infinity pool
Gili Trawangan Swings at Ombak Sunset
The Ayana Pool at Ayana Resort
Sea Circus in Seminyak for breakfast
La Brisa Bali located in Canggu is the popular location to watch the sunset
Tegenungan Waterfall in Ubud
Tegalalang Rice Fields for the gorgeous scenery and the Love Bali sign
Thomas Beach Uluwatu
Bingin Beach Uluwatu
Motel Mexicola for its colorful exterior
Bambu Indah Hotel in gorgeous Ubud
The Monkey Forest in Ubud
Hidden Hills Villas
Nusa Penida for the cliffside views
La Laguna Bali in Canggu
Mt. Batur for its sunrise (north Bali)
Crate Cafe at Canggu

For some reason, we had never visited Ober Gatlinburg during our family vacations. With a little research, we realized this may be a perfect, kid-friendly activity for the whole family that Nolan would enjoy as well.

In addition to the children’s rides, we were excited about the Alpine Slide, the Ski Mountain Coaster, the Wildlife Encounter, the Amaze ‘n Maze, the Cyclone Rapids ride, Mini Golf and an indoor ice skating rink.

Our first step was to take the Aerial Tramway to Mountaintop Park. Reaching heights of 2813 feet above sea level, each tram’s capacity is 120 guests.

Waiting for the next Tramway, we were the next to board the tram which worked to our advantage offering a place near the window to enjoy the stunning views. Standing towards the front, we had an amazing view of the mountains as well as the other trams making their way, a little over two miles, towards the top.

The Tramway was completed in August of 1972 transporting millions of people to the Adventure Park to date.

Nolan was the most excited of all. Pointing out trees, houses and other sights, his commentary proved to be quite entertaining.

As we passed over the Animal Habitat, we knew we would need to make a stop to see the black bears – BJ, Chief and Holly, river otters and their adorable bobcats, all animals native to Tennessee.

We tried to talk Nolan into going down the side of the mountain on the Alpine Slide, but he was just a little too nervous. We thought that we would let him ride a few other games so that he would see how much fun the rides were and agree to take the slide. Lucky for us it worked.

Nolan was happy and content to ride the children’s rides. Animated and enjoying every minute of making us laugh, he was finally ready to ride the Alpine Slide with his mom, with a bit of hesitation. By the time they reached the end of the slide, he was ready to go back and do it all again.

With so many activities for young children, Ober Gatlinburg kept Nolan entertained. We were happy to see his enthusiasm to make friends on each of the rides. After a couple of hours, we moved on to the Scenic Chairlift,

The Chairlift reaches Mt. Harrison with a rise of nearly 800 feet. This is my favorite ride in the park with scenic mountain and bird’s eye views. On a clear day, riders can see as far as Douglas Lake and the views of Mt. LeConte are spectacular.

At the top of Mt. Harrison, we were entertained with bluegrass music….

…and met with an overlook that continued for miles.

Ober Gatlinburg is Tennessee’s only Ski and Snowboard park making winter its peak season, open all year around. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting during our summer vacation and thought it would be fun to visit in the winter during ski season. What a beautiful place no matter what time of year it is.

Have you visited Ober Gatlinburg? Which season did you explore the park? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Ober Gatlinburg
1001 Parkway Suite 2
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Telephone: 865 436 5423

Admission Fee: $29 for ages 5 and older for the tram only; $49 for the wristband, ages 5 – 59 and $39 for the wristband ages 60+; ages 4 and under may enter at no charge with an adult admission
Hours: The park opens from 10AM to 6PM daily but parking is open at 9:40 and the tramway begins its operation at 9:40AM.
Length of Visit: 4+ hours
Amenities: Aerial Tramway, Tennessee Flyer, Wildlife Habitat, Ice Skating, Ice Bumper Cars, Scenic Chairlift, Carousel, Rock Wall, Family Snow Zone, Snow Tubing
Tips for Your Visit: The Ober Mountain Wristband is valid for unlimited use of the Aerial Tramway and all other activities on the mountain for the day in which it was purchased. Activities such as snow tubing, snow sports, white water rafting and ziplining are not included with the wristband. Check their website for activities available based on the season.

Where to Stay:

The Firefly Chalet booked through VRBO.

Where to Eat:

The Best Italian Restaurant
968 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Telephone: 865 436 4345

What to Eat:

Everything on the menu and I highly recommend the Garlic Knots.