Meerkat Friends
Seoul is known for its many animal cafes. One such unique cafe is Meerkat Friends, which is home to numerous small animals, some of which you likely have never seen up close before.
See meerkats up close
Image credit: 로즈메리
Upon entering the cafe, you will first be met with an spacious area with cheery decor. While some animals are caged in large pens, others roam around the cafe, freely interacting with customers.
Image credit: @meerkatfriends
Of course, a meerkat cafe would not be complete without the meerkats themselves. The cafe allows its customers to enter the meerkat’s pen and hang out with them for a total of 10 minutes, during which you can befriend these little creatures – they’ll even sit on your lap if they’re feeling friendly.
A wide variety of animals – foxes, racoons, and even wallabies
Image adapted from: @meerkatfriends, Naver Maps, @meerkatfriends, @meerkatfriends
Apart from meerkats, there are a number of other animals in the cafe, including cats, dogs, foxes, genets, parrots, raccoons, and even wallabies. Many of these animals are usually found in the wild, so seeing and interacting with them safely in an urban setting is a rare treat.
Selection of drinks available
Image credit: 퐁당
If you get thirsty while playing with your new fur-friends, the cafe serves a variety of drinks. They include coffee (KRW6,000, ~USD4.84), apple juice (KRW5,000, ~USD4.04), grapefruit juice (KRW6,000, ~USD4.84), and mango juice (KRW6,000, ~USD4.84) among others. The drinks come bottled so as to minimise any potential of spillage around the animals.
Do note that the entrance fee of KRW15,000 (~USD12.11; including snacks for feeding the animals) does not include drinks.
Getting to Meerkat Friends
Image credit: lissapanda
Meerkat Friends is located near Hongdae and Hapjeong, and it is easily accessible by public transport.
How to get there:
- Take the Ui-Sinseol Line to Sangsu Station and leave by Exit 2.
- Turn left and walk straight for 9 minutes (until Hongik park). Turn left and walk straight for 1 minute, before turning right and walking straight, and you’ll arrive at Meerkat Friends.
Admission: KRW15,000 (~USD12.11) (including snacks for feeding the animals)
Address: 2F 358-37, Wausan-ro 21-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1.50pm-7.30pm | Sat & Sun 1.20pm-8pm
Contact: 0507-1404-4683 | Meerkat Friends’ Instagram
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Cover image adapted from: @meerkatfriends, @meerkatfriends