We are big fans of Neo Park in our family, especially the kids. Located in Nago, easily accessed from route 58, Neo Park has a wide range of exotic plants and animals and is a great alternative to Okinawa Zoo.
The park is built around a series of lakes and visitors are guided around on the well-marked route (all stroller-friendly) to pass through the various themed areas. Bird lovers will enjoy the first area – Flamingo Lake, an enormous enclosure filled with hundreds of exotic birds such as ibis, African spoonbills, cranes, and yes, flamingos! There is a petting zoo which costs a little extra to enter (300 yen each), but has loads of cute animals that you can hold and cuddle and so we think it is worthy of a few extra yen. The guinea pigs are a favourite as well as the capybara, which are happy to eat all the grass the children offer to them. For lunch you can head to the small cafe Baobabu, which serves simple meals such as curry rice, Okinawa soba and shave ice. We love to sit outside and watch the lemurs jump and play around over on Lemur Island as we eat. With renewed energy, head through the Oceania Zone where peacocks and wallabies wander around freely and into the Research Centre which houses various monkeys, lemurs, more capybara and flamingos and a pair of wonderfully-loud great hornbills. Finally are the llamas and the usual fairground rides, gatcha machines and gift shop. Close to the exit is the station for the Okinawa Light Railway, a reproduction of the railways that used to run throughout Okinawa. It’s a 20 minute ride around the park and costs 660 yen for adults and 440 yen for children.
All in all I’d say Neo Park is a wonderful day out if you have young children and/or an interest in animals, especially birds. It’s lovely to see animals housed in spacious and natural environments and well taken care of by the kind staff.
https://goo.gl/maps/g4bxxHSeTLRGxUu8A
0980-52-6348
4607-41 Nago, Okinawa 905-0012
〒905-0012 沖縄県名護市字名護4607-41
Open 7 days/week 9.00-17.30 (Last entry 17.00)
Adult ticket 900 yen, child ticket 500 yen. Cash (yen) only
