Chiang Mai Zoo — Attraction in Chiang Mai Province

Went to Chang Mai Zoo today and got a mixed expierence, a bit of both types of former reviews...it was both enjoyable and terrible, honestly. The zoo itself is quite spread out, with inticing snack shops with ice cream everywhere. Feeding the giraffes, elephant, gibbons, and goats seemed to be what the kids enjoyed most, the goat kids were absolutely adorable. However, the aquarium was really disappointing, as you will see in the picture I posted of the walk-in tank. A moving walk way was provided but it didn't move, the water was green, and in some areas there were only a handful of fish. I saw what I remember to be no more than five staff in the aquarium, aside from the impressive clown who offered us free balloons and magic tricks. There were supposedly sting Ray feeding sessions, but we didn't wait around for them. The sting Ray tanks we're surrounded by old kitchen appliances, what seemed to be the remains of a snack area. The penguin habitat down the road was deppressing, and what few penguins we're there swam in water so green that I was surprised the birds were swimming in it at all, not to mention there seemed to be no ice or a cold temperature to their habitat. That being said, an easy option is available if you have kids or a few friends with you...we rented a golf cart for 350 B/hr. This was very helpful as we were able to see way more of the animals than if we had walked. You can also buy tickets for an open air bus that runs every fifteen minutes. The heat was probably what made everything so much worse, but you can't expect the weather to be cool here in Thailand :( ! Another reviewer mentioned a rail you can ride through the zoo: this is overgrown and this being my second time there, I haven't every ridden it and it seemed to have already been out of commission for awhile. So to sum things up: get a golf cart, don't waste your time at the aquarium, bring lots of water, and you should enjoy you expierence at...

A surprising, mediocre experience in it's entirely. The two positives were the beautiful landscape and forestry that surrounded the entire park and the aquarium, but the experience with the aquarium was hindered by the entrance fee which costed an additional 450 baht. There were also more stores and shops than individual enclosures, and it costed an extra 70 baht to.. simply ride a tram around the entire zoo, and 350 to rent a golf cart (which cannot enter the African enclosure, by the way.) Many of the non-outdoor enclosures were miserably decorated and seemed overcrowded when comparing the amount of animals in them to the total area of space they have to roam. There was an aviary, but it is marketed as a "mini-zoo" and every enclosure was a concrete box with the only view of the outside world being the metal caged roof, the window which we see them through and perhaps the occasional glass window on another side of the room. The aquarium animals look like they're diseased as well, with many of them having clouded over eyes. The toilets were all squatting toilets as well, surprising you with the zoo's severe lack of renovation despite the high prices and consistent construction around the entire area. There were no pandas, and reading the other comments, I can only assume that they died a sad death, and despite the lack of them, the zoo keeps marketing themselves has 'having pandas' with the enclosure opened to visitors.

One of the biggest tells of this places lack of ethics has to be with the axolotls and their abysmal state. Their frills were shrunken in and nearly gone if not for the nubs, and their tails were peppered with spots alongside jagged.

I would rate this one star, considering most of the zoo is below-average with most of the budget going to only god knows where and the rest into maintaining the mammalian habitats, but the scenery really was beautiful, with woods the tram drives through being breathtaking....

Chiang Mai Zoo (including Tram & Aquarium) – Monsoon Season Notes

Total cost for one adult: approx. 900 baht (zoo entry + aquarium + tram). They do the tourist tax and it's pretty significant.

WALKING HAZARD (this is serious)

Don't walk it if it's been raining. I'm someone who averages 12–20 km a day and I still slipped while cautiously walking and gripping onto the rails. The main problems:

Smooth sloped concrete paths with no grip Algae buildup makes it worse than it looks Water channels and grooves funnel rotting leaves and garbage right to the centre of the paths where you walk Piles of rotting leaves just left there to compost Several areas alternate between ramps and stairs without logic, some slopes are a dangerous angle even if you are wearing hiking shoes like myself.

If you're even slightly unsteady on your feet, just take the tram.

TRAM

Recommended even if you're fit. It does a full loop and stops at all the major exhibits. You can hop off, take a look, and hop back on the next one. Saves time and knees. Trams constantly loop too, so you can just rest and wait for the next. They do thin out around closing time.

AQUARIUM

Worth the detour. You have to buy a zoo ticket first, but the aquarium is modern, well-kept, and nicely air-conditioned. Kids would enjoy it, and it's a good escape from the heat or humidity.

GROUNDS

The gardens and general landscaping are gorgeous, a massive credit to their groundskeepers.. It’s just let down by unsafe walking surfaces.

ANIMALS

Decent variety. But during rain, expect them to be hiding. Not really the zoo’s fault, just something to be aware of.

SUMMARY

Dry day: do the full walk if you're fit. Still watch your footing.

Wet day: take the tram. Seriously. Do not try to do it all on foot unless you like skating involuntarily.

It’s a solid zoo with some great highlights, but the path safety is a...