A day out at Chiang Mai Zoo

Posted by Northerner on September 23rd, 2011 filed in Attractions

The zoo at the top end of Huay Kaew Road in Chiang Mai has one of the finest and most diverse collections of wildlife in Southeast Asia. The zoo’s position in the foothills of Suthep Mountain and the lofty shade giving trees that cover most of it ensure that visitors stay fairly cool, even on a scorching April day.

Highlights of the zoo include giant pandas, Australian koalas, cape fur seals, humboldt penguins and an aquarium with a tube-tunnel through it. The two giant pandas and their young cub are on loan from the Republic of China and housed in a specially designed complex which is also home to the Snow Dome. The dome gives tourists an authentic snow experience.

The zoo also has seal and animal shows which are staged twice daily during the week and three times a day at the weekend. The Nakornping Walk Through Aviary allows visitors the opportunity of seeing colourful species in recreated habitats. Another major zoo draw is the chance of feeding the two Thai elephants over the wall of their compound. People visiting the zoo can walk around it, take an open-sided bus or ride the elevated monorail.