Paradise is on Earth, apparently. It’s not in the heavens or on another plane as we’ve been led to believe. It’s actually in Hayle and comes, as you’d expect, equipped with tropical birds, friendly wildlife and exotic gardens. Oh, and an indoor play centre for kids.
Paradise Park and JungleBarn is a two-in-one oasis of fun. The park is a wildlife sanctuary teeming with life like Asian otters, red squirrels and red pandas. There are also donkeys alongside more than 1,200 birds like macaws, eagles, flamingos and penguins. It’s all set in beautiful gardens, including an exotic Victorian garden, and it offers hours of cute experiences and loads of fun for all the family.
The JungleBarn, on the other hand, is a massive indoor play area for children and is crammed with giant slides, soft play areas and a toddlers’ zone with a ball fountain. Adults are also invited to play in the multi-level soft play areas that come with climbing ropes, spinning discs and tube slides.
Penguins: the emperors of Paradise Park!
Special experiences take place at Paradise Park throughout the day, including feeding time for the otters and the penguins, which happens twice a day. Plus, during the summer season, the ‘Eagles of Paradise Display’ and the afternoon ‘Free Flying Bird Show’ are must-sees, along with the ‘Lorikeet Feeding’ sessions that park owners describe as ‘a wonderful experience where you can buy some nectar and help feed these little Lorikeet parrots in their walk-through aviary in the walled garden’.
There’s also a fun, educational ‘Quiz Trail’ can be enjoyed at the park. It’s recommended that you check the park’s official website on a daily basis to find out what’s happening in terms of daily events and activities as they do change.
There’s also a ‘Paradise Island’ outdoor adventure play area at the park, as well as a ‘Pets Corner’ with guinea pigs and rabbits. Plus, there’s a ‘Jungle Express Train’ which runs on good weather days and takes visitors on a small trip around Glanmor House at the centre of the park (but not around the whole park!).
With a pub in the grounds and, of course, a gift shop, pretty much the whole family’s needs are catered for through the day. Booking ahead is advisable, especially at busy times, and if you wish to include the JungleBarn in your visit. So is hitting up the Otter Pool Café, which serves top tuck like pasties, paninis and heavenly baked potatoes. For all of its visitors, this place in Hayle, in the heart of Cornwall, is just another day in paradise.