Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens

This is a great zoo the kids loved this one as much as the big city zoos we have been to. Such as Houston and Phoenix. The play area is a nice touch this gave the kids a chance to act like wild animals! The little gift shop provided stuffed animals to buy which the kids continue to play with.

This place is the best zoo I’ve ever been to my entire life. Huge array of monkeys, birds, reptiles, amphibians, Hawaiian plants, and so much more! The tiger exhibit was under construction when I went, but that’s OK because I probably wouldn’t have gone anyways! You will learn so much about animals and plant life when you come here and gain a new appreciation for species you already thought you knew about and maybe took for granted. The location is super convenient as it’s straight off the highway. I highly encourage you to make a stop here and walk around for at least half an hour because this place is absolutely gorgeous. To continue, it’s truly awe-​inspiring how much respect the animals here are shown and I can think of no reason for anyone to not go. Stop reading this review now and just go!

If you want a small afternoon jaunt to see some animals, birds and flowers then this is good spot. It is free.
You can see peacock, alligator, monkeys, birds, boa constrictor, fish, and many more in this zoo. The tiger exhibit was not open June 2016 but should be complete soon.
4 stars

FREE ZOO!
The Unilocal reviews are harsh on this zoo. My husband and I enjoyed ourselves. We went after 10 am and a lady from the zoo was feeding the animals. We followed her and saw a lot of active animals. Lions were in the small cage due to construction. Learned about a Binturong. Saw pretty birds and was able to ask the lady who fed the animals questions.
We finished our exploring in an hour and a half. We enjoyed ourselves and left a donation because we saw the value and benefit in their efforts.

Ignore the negative posts about this zoo. This a an AWESOME place. We are from Oahu and I have to say this zoo is WAY BETTER than the Honolulu Zoo. It is catered to the children. Feels like you are in their environment. The exhibits are closer to you so you can appreciate the animals more. It isn’t about who has the biggest animals or the biggest exhibits. We were able to see all the animals they had. The volunteers and keepers were so friendly and always gave information about the animals. You can tell they truly love their job and care about those who visit the zoo. They truly want to give you the best experience and share their knowledge of the animals they care for. It is a smaller zoo but it has such a wonderful atmosphere. My children loved the animal benches and the playground was very impressive.
Please donate to the zoo. It is free to get in but your donations go towards the animals and the upkeep of the beautiful plants and trees. I highly recommend this place to anyone.

The place needs a major overhaul. This property has so much potential to become the best Zoo in the state! I wouldn’t mind paying at least 10 dollars if it meant larger cleaner exhibits, better animal variety (other than BIRDS), and concessions/​restaurant.
What I do like though is the wall kept plants, pretty decent restrooms and most of the existing wild life.

Great little zoo. A few of the enclosures are empty, otherwise it would be 5 stars. Pretty decent size fit a free zoo. Some shade and even a little petting zoo that’s only open an hour a week.

Kind of a sad zoo… They should charge an entrance fee so that they can afford to do more maintenance here. There were a number of animals missing, and the grounds weren’t so nice. The cages were rusty and if you want to take pictures, forget about it cause the hatching on the cages is so small (often 1“x1″) that you can’t take a picture of an animal without getting the cage too. It’s unfortunate.
We didn’t want to spend $ 15+ at the other zoo/​botanical garden so we came here (and left a donation anyway) but I would have been happy to pay a $ 10 entrance fee if it meant the animals had larger cages (so many seemed cramped in their small houses) and if there had been more to see.
We were in and out in 30 minutes and did the whole park twice, hoping we had missed something (we hadn’t).

I love the zoo and the improvements made and continuing regularly.
The variety of animals is terrific and the playground for the kids is sweet.

Was not expecting much based on some review i read in a book but this place is a gem. Not only is the zoo free (dont be cheap, donate), it has the largerst bengal tiger cage ive ever seen, too bad the tiger was not out. Definitely a must see considering its right off the main highway and only takes about 30mins to walk the whole zoo.

I enjoy going to zoos everywhere. When I see animals in their own habitat showcasing healthy, and happy behavior it makes me relieved. There are some zoos that are not funded well, and it’s the animals that suffer from lack of care and attention. You think what do you mean by healthy? How do I even know because I’m not an expert. I answer this by observing them in their environment. I also learn this by interacting with zoo keepers and guides.
This particular zoo on the big island is FREE! Yes you heard me free. Perfect place for school trips, families, friends, and animal lovers. It’s a good sized parking lot with benches and tables to have lunch. All they ask for is donations. Your getting a deal so it’s always great to give for the upkeep of the zoo! It is privately funded by generous donors which allow them to build the appropriate sized exhibit.
The gift store is very small and right by the entrance. They sold the typical stuff animals, puzzles, and postcards. If your looking for something cold they sell ice cream and drinks as well. There also is a map by the door showcasing all the exhibits and where to go find them.
The place itself is very clean almost immaculate. The trees and flowers were kept and trimmed. They did a great job of giving the appearance of a jungle. I heard the chirping of parrots a few feet away. I observed the zookeepers tending to the animals, and volunteers sweeping up the leaves from the ground.
I did read in past reviews of complaints of why are there empty exhibits. The white tiger had passed away and everyone was wondering where was the replacement. People have to understand it takes time and money. Proper paperwork needs to be filed in order for a permit to be acquired. I understand it can be frustrating, but please realize this local zoo is free to the public.
The animals I’ve witnessed were the Nigerian dwarf goat, exotic parrots in bright shades of blue, monkeys, owls, pelican, huge tortoise, pigs, and the best of them all was the peacock. My honey and I were fortunate enough to witness the male flaunt and open his feathers. He was trying to impress the female by displaying his wings, and almost cornering her by the gate. Well needless to say she didn’t care for it as she walked away dismissing him lol.
We were able to finish circling the zoo within two hours. There was no guides around which meant self learning. The information was right in front of each animal. Perhaps in the following months they will bring in a tiger for the kiddies to enjoy. :) Overall My hubby and I were pleased and had a good time!!!

It’s a free zoo! The kids loved it. I’m sad I didn’t get to see the White Bengal tiger, I read he died last November. Lots of small animals still to see and you can be in and out of here in 30 minutes. I did see a sign they will be adding a crocodile to this place soon. I saw an interesting turtle that had the face of a crocodile yet the body of a big green turtle and apparently they bite! Never knew these types of turtles existed. I also saw a cute blue frog, he didn’t move… I waited… still wondering if he was real. ;) The monkeys are so cute, watching them beat on each other and clown around was hilarious. There was another strange animal I’ve never seen before he was like a giant sized Raccoon that hung upside down by his tail. The animal is called a (binturong). Kids love zoo’s and I enjoyed it too– so this was a great quick stop to make before heading over to Hilo’s Farmer’s Market.

The Panaewa Zoo is an awesome place to hangout with your family and educate yourself at the same time. Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated. There’s also a small playground with swings and slides for little kids to play in.
Namaste the white tiger passed away. He was the biggest attraction and I remember seeing him as a cub. RIP Namaste! They do have a Boa Constrictor now and I’m pretty sure an Alligator or Crocodile is in the works. Last time we went there, they were working on an exhibit for it. The zoo has monkeys, exotic birds, reptiles, honey bears and some other animals.
Good place to walk around and be in tune with nature. Perfect for the whole family!

One of our favorite places on our visit to Hilo! Yes, it’s small. But it’s beautifully landscaped and the habitats for the animals are great. And I love that it’s mostly centered around animals you’d find in a tropical rainforest. Even the wild pig is a chance to educate visitors about a threat to native Hawaiian plants.

Our zoo is currently free, which is nice, but I would pay a few bucks for visiting. They have a variety of animals, such as a boa, iguanas, macaws, monkeys, and more! Looks like an alligator is coming soon too! Perhaps hosting parties or events would generate some revenue, with a small optional entrance fee. the zoo shop has toys and snacks, with a friendly counter person!

This is a small but well-​kept zoo with a variety of animals. (Unfortunately, the zoo’s biggest draw, a white tiger, died recently.) And it’s _​free_​, which is great. The pens aren’t large, but they’re decent-​sized compared to many zoos. Peacocks, however, have the run of the zoo. The grounds are beautiful, with an amazing variety of plants. The signage was alright, but for the plants especially — and in some cases for the animals — it could be improved.

The Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo is a nice and relaxing oasis to take a casual stroll through. It isn’t a very large zoo, so don’t expect to be wowed by their array of animals (especially since Namaste — their famous bengal tiger — was put down recently). Now, the animals contain a whole lot of birds and a few others. Mostly the birds though.
I enjoyed walking around leisurely and taking in the sights. It was relaxing and interesting to see what animals they had. Admission is free, so it is an excellent way to occupy young children or grandmas/​grandpas. You can see the entire zoo in less than an hour, but it seems like a beautiful place to enjoy a packed lunch if you have more time to spare.

Best zoo I’ve been too! (I’ve only been to the la zoo) and it was completely free with a good variety of animals to look at, And from up close too!
We got here really early, as soon as they opened. Parking was free, entry was free, and it was completely empty! Kinda nice to have the whole zoo to yourself. I love it, there were all kinds of animals, and they all looked happy, and you can get really close to them. They have peacocks just roaming freely around the zoo. They were beautiful, their feathers were so bright and colorful… A lot different from any other peacocks I’ve seen in person. They didn’t have too many crazy animals, they mostly had a lot of different birds, monkeys… and one white handsome tiger. But it’s such a fun, educational experience. Check it out!

The Pana’ewa zoo is a pretty nice place to bring a family or spend an hour or so if the weather is nice. The admission price is really excellent, being free, but beyond that the place is obviously cared for and loved by many. They don’t have a large variety of animals, but the ones they do have appear to be in good shape. The grounds are immaculate and I didn’t see any evidence of trash or other signs that the zoo is not being maintained.
I don’t think that this little zoo warrants more than an occasional visit, however it’s a nice place to spend time with the family, and the kids will really love it.

The Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens is a great little Zoo located on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hilo just off of Highway 11. It is approximately 12-​acres in size and is the only Zoo located within a rainforest in the United States according to Wikipedia. This Zoo seems to be the perfect size for my three-​year-​old to walk entirely through and not get too tired unlike the much larger Zoos we normally frequent.
This may be a small Zoo in comparison to the Honolulu Zoo and others on the Mainland, but they still offers a lot with more than 60 different species of animals on display as well as 40 different species of beautiful native plants, flowers and trees. The most popular attraction is seeing «Namaste» the Bengal white tiger. Be sure to stick around for his 3:30 feeding.
They also offer a petting Zoo on Saturdays from 1:30 — 2:30, which we haven’t been to yet. They have also recently added a beautiful, large covered playground area for the children. My daughter had a lot of fun burning energy playing on their large, clean playground equipment and making many new friends. If I lived in Hilo, this would definitely be a place that I would bring my daughter to often.
There is no charge for admission, so please help keep such a wonderful enriching place for the public open by donating.