Chiang MaiNot only a good work out but after climbing the 300 steps of the 600 year old Wat Phra Doi Suthep temple the views are wonderful
Andrew Baker
Generally more family friendly than Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a great place to take the kids while on holiday in Thailand. The national way of life, sanuk (fun), is enough to keep the kids on their toes. Couple that with the friendly, child-loving qualities of the Thais, and travellers have a recipe for a fun-filled holiday with the family in Chiang Mai.Parents can take their kids to watch the animal shows in the Mae Sa Valley, where monkeys ride tricycles and play basketball. Also, kids can hold a cobra at the Mae Se Snake Farm, enjoy the views from an elephant's back at the Elephant Conservation Centre on the Chiang Mai-Lampang road, swim and play under a waterfalls in the Doi Suithep-Pui National Park, go fishing in a local pond, or visit Chiang Mai Zoo's giant pandas from China.Parents should make sure their kids have plenty of sunscreen on and kit them out with a sunhat, as the temperatures can be searing. With all these attractions and more, children on holiday in Chiang Mai will be entertained from dawn to dusk.
Boasting giant pandas from China, Chiang Mai Zoo has earned itself quite a reputation with travellers as one of the top attractions in the region. The perfect destination for a day trip with the kids, the Chiang Mai Zoo also features exhibits such as a walk through aviary, Gibbon Island, an aquarium, a Cape Fur seal exhibit and even a special Children's Zoo. With two waterfalls, plenty of space to run around and a fabulous variety of exotic residents, a trip to the zoo is a must for all animal lovers and a great way to spend the day. Seal shows and other animal shows are conducted several times a day.
Address : 100 Huay Kaew Road, Tambon Su Thep, Amphoe Mueang
Website : www.chiangmaizoo.com
Opening times : 8am to 6pm
Admission : THB 150, concessions available. Panda house, aquarium and snow dome tickets sold separately.
Maesa Elephant Camp is a popular attraction located up in the Muang hills, about a half hour's drive north of Chiang Mai. The camp is home to dozens of Asian elephants, and is dedicated to conservation and breeding. Visitors to the camp will be privy to shows which include elephants playing football and even painting! There are also elephant rides available for the more adventurous. Although this is not a natural environment for these great animals, they are well cared for and very entertaining. The best time to visit Maesa Elephant Camp is on March 13th, which is National Thai Elephant Day and is celebrated by an enormous banquet for the pachyderms.
Address : 119/9 Tapae Road, Muang District
Website : www.maesaelephantcamp.com
Kids will love this wonderland of interesting creepy crawlies. Founded in 2002 by Manop Rattanarithikul (nicknamed 'The Mosquito Man') and his wife, Dr Rampa Rattanarithikul, a distinguished academic with 44 papers published in her name. The couple both have a keen interest in insects and have been studying them for most of their lives. Manop guides curious visitors through his vast and rare collection of insects and invertebrates that comprises 422 species of insects in Thailand.
Address : Sirimungkalajarn Road Soi 13
Website : www.thailandinsect.com
Opening times : Open daily 10am - 4pm
A beautiful Chiang Mai attraction, the first genuine botanical garden in Thailand was the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in the Mae Sa Valley. It now also serves as a centre of botanical research and studies. The main feature of this attraction is the Glasshouse Complex, made up of four exhibition conservatories and eight display glasshouses. A lovely river runs melodically through the grounds. The Thai Orchid Nursery and Rock Garden are other highlights of the gardens, as well as various walking trails and shaded rest areas. Facilities for visitors include a restaurant, a first-aid station, souvenir shops and toilets.
Address : Mae Sa Valley
Website : www.qsbg.org
Opening times : 8.30am - 5pm
Admission : THB 100
01474 814411
Travel Guide powered by Word Travels, copyright © 2023 Globe Media Ltd. By its very nature information in this travel guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Neither Globe Media Ltd nor Travel Vogue can accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
