Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Arrive around dusk so that the kids have enough time to play at the playground. There
are also day safaris and a walking trail called
Jaguar Trail
(adult/child 100/50B) encircling
Swan Lake, a 1.2km walk where over 50 species (ranging from rabbits to cranes) are gen-
erally not in cages, except of course the trail's namesake animal.
The Night Safari is 12km from central Chiang Mai. Most bookings are made through a
tour agency that handles hotel transfers.
Chiang Mai Zoo
( 0 5322 1179;
www.chiangmaizoo.com
;
100 Th Huay Kaew; adult/child 100/50B; 8am-5pm)
The Chiang
Mai Zoo occupies a park setting at the foot of Doi Suthep which is often crowded with
Thai families and school groups. The zoo has the usual menagerie and several special ex-
hibits requiring separate admission, including the
aquarium
(adult/child 450/350B) and the
panda house
(adult/child 110/50B)
. A shuttle bus and
monorail
(adult/child 100/50B)
make a loop
around the grounds.
It is a pleasant, traffic-free zone for children to roam, though the facilities are ageing
and under-populated by animals, especially the exhibits that are further up the mountain.
ZOO
PARK
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
( 0 5321 0244; Th Huay Kaew; adult/child 100/50B, car 30B; 8am-sunset)
Often bearing a crown of
clouds,
Doi Suthep
(1676m) and
Doi Pui
(1685m) are Chiang Mai's sacred peaks. The moun-
tains ascend from the humid lowlands into the cool (and even cold) cloud belt where moss
and ferns thrive. Portions of the mountains form a 265-sq-km
national park
that is home to
famous Wat Doi Suthep and other attractions. There is also
park accommodation
(
www.dnp.go.th
;
camping 60B, bungalows 400-2500B)
.
The park is 16km northwest of central Chiang Mai. Shared
rót daang
(taxis) leave from
Chiang Mai University (Th Huay Kaew entrance) to various points within the national
park. One-way fares start at 40B to Wat Doi Suthep and 70B to Phra Tamnak Bhu Bhing.
You can also charter a
sŏrng·tăa·ou
(pick-up minibus) for about 600B.
The diverse climate fosters more than 300 bird species and nearly 2000 species of ferns
and flowering plants. During the rainy season, butterflies bloom as abundantly as the
flowers. The eastern side of the mountain stays green and cool almost year-round.
The natural attractions include
Nam Tok Monthathon
(the park admission fee is collected
here), 2.5km off the paved road. Pools beneath the falls hold water year-round, although
swimming is best during or just after the monsoon. Close to the base of the mountain,
Nam
