Dining on authentic Indonesian curry for breakfast and cruising down a ‘Lazy River’ wasn’t really how my colleague Fran and I were expecting to spend the morning when we arrived at Chester Zoo’s brand new Islands development for the official media launch.

But our experience was unforgettable to say the least.

The zoo are rightly proud of their Islands project, which is the largest zoo development ever seen in the UK and recreates the habitats of South East Asia and showcase the zoo’s conservation work there.

Lazy River Boat Trip

Islands is based on real places – Panay, Papua, Bali, Sumba, Sumatra and Sulawesi and attractions include the Monsoon Forest and the Lazy River Boat Trip which allows you to get a different view of each individual island.

Lazy River boat at the new Chester Zoo Islands project
Lazy River boat at the new Chester Zoo Islands project

It’s a fair old walk from the main zoo to the area where the exotic islands have been cleverly recreated, and when you get there it’s no wonder, because it’s indeed like stepping into a whole different world.

Sights we saw in this first phase of the £40m development included the critically endangered Visayan warty pigs - which are interestingly all named after punks because of their wild hair - and the colourful cassowary bird, one of the most dangerous bird species in the world.

In fact, it’s that dangerous, one member of staff likened it to the dinosaurs in Jurassic World.

Life's a beach

Chester just seemed to drift further and further into the distance as we went further into the Islands, each of which requires crossing over water to get to it. With the sandy beaches, you do feel as if you’re on holiday, but unfortunately the weather was anything but beach-like.

Ironically the Monsoon Forest is not yet open to the public, because that probably would have been the best way to describe the rain during our visit - a monsoon. Thankfully the zoo staff had plenty of umbrellas to hand out, and we soldiered on with our tour.

More animals will be moving into their new enclosures in the Islands as the week goes on, including the anoa (a miniature buffalo) and the bateng (wild cattle). Staff are still working on the orangutan enclosure, and they will be moved from their current home in the Realm of the Red Ape in due course.

After we’d picked up our expedition permits and headed over the Thatched Bridge to Panay, passing all kinds of flamboyant shacks on the way, we were given a background talk by the zoo’s director general Mark Pilgrim, who explained how the new Islands scheme has created 45 full time jobs.

Indonesian cuisine

Then it was time to sample some of the Indonesian cuisine on offer in the Manado Street Kitchen. ‘Tasty’ is putting it mildly. It was somewhat surreal eating Pad Thai and Sulawesi chicken curry before 9am but definitely worth it.

The rain had shown no signs of easing off and was hammering it down harder than ever, so what better time to get in a boat and have a wander around the Lazy River?

It must have looked quite comical, a 15-strong poncho-wearing press team alighting the boat at the Sumba jetty, and Fran and I couldn’t help but get the giggles as we meandered down the river in the pouring rain with our scarves over our heads.

They tell you to stay focused in the boat, to listen out for the many different sounds, and note the tribal lands and danger signs. There are educational signs dotted around everywhere to tell you which animals and plants will be housed there. When all the animals move in, it’ll be even more impressive.

After that there wasn’t much else to do but dry off and salute the staff at Chester Zoo for creating an attraction that will most certainly be truly memorable and an unmissable visit to our great city.