Close up of two happy looking asiatic black bears, lying on the grass next to each other on a grassy floor, facing the camera.

Visiting the sanctuaries

Animals Asia’s award-winning bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam aren’t open to the public every day, but we’re always moved by how many of you want to visit the bears you’ve helped rescue. That’s why we offer special guided tour Open Days twice a month.

As places are limited, we prioritise visits for our current supporters – it’s your donation that makes everything we do possible. You’re helping us end bear bile farming and giving rescued bears the peaceful lives they deserve.

If you’d like to secure your chance to visit, support our rescued bears and be a part of their journey to healing.

Tours are conducted in English, Mandarin or Vietnamese. Tour numbers are limited to 20.

Important information

  • Visits are by prior arrangement only and all visits must be confirmed by Animals Asia in advance.
  • Tours can only be held on the Open Days listed below and we can’t accommodate individual requests outside of these dates.
  • While a basic level of fitness is needed to walk around the sanctuaries and view the bears, most areas are also wheelchair accessible. Please check before booking.

Tam Dao bear sanctuary, Vietnam

Time: 9.30am

Morning tours are conducted in English. For Vietnamese tours please email [email protected].

Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours

Transport: Our Tam Dao sanctuary is a two-hour drive from Hanoi. Visitors arrange their own transport. Once your booking is confirmed, we’ll send you a map with directions and address of the sanctuary.

China bear sanctuary – Chengdu

Time: 9.00am – English / 9.30am and 2.10pm – Mandarin

Duration: 1.5 – 2hrs.

Restriction: For safety reasons, we can only accept children aged six and over at our China Bear Rescue Centre.

Transport: The Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre is about a 40-minute to one-hour drive from downtown Chengdu and visitors will need to arrange their own transport. Once your booking is confirmed we will send you a map with the address and directions to the sanctuary.

Open Day Schedule / Booking form

To book your visit to either the China or Vietnam bear rescue centre, please complete the steps below.

STEP 1: Choose your rescue centre in the booking form below – this will bring up the Open Day dates and timesSTEP 2: Choose your date and timeSTEP 3: Complete your personal details and submit.

Please note: In order to ensure your visit is confirmed, requests should be received at least two days in advance of your chosen Open Day.

Bach Ma bear sanctuary, Vietnam

Our second bear sanctuary in Vietnam celebrated its official opening in November 2023. With bears onsite already, our teams are busy refining their best practices in preparation for the rescue of the last bears on bile farms in Vietnam. With its hugely busy rescue schedule fast approaching, our Bach Ma sanctuary will not be open to visitors in the near future. As soon as we have the additional resources to accommodate visits, we’ll let you know on this page.