Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

If you know that this is a traditional zoo on a steep, wooded hillside, rather than a modern wildlife park, then you're in for a pleasant morning. The zoo is located at the foot of Doi Suthep on Huay Kaew Road, west of Chiang Mai University. The grounds are vast and quite hilly, so the tram isn't essential. It runs every 15 to 20 minutes on weekdays, starting at 8:30 a.m., making 13 stops. The last tram leaves the first station at 4:45 p.m. A single ride costs 60 baht, a day pass 70 baht, and tickets for children are 40 or 50 baht. A golf cart costs 350 baht for the first hour and 300 baht for each additional hour. Visitors who skipped both describe the trip as more of a paid hike than a pleasant zoo visit.

Foreign adults pay 350 baht, children aged 3 to 12 pay 120 baht, and children under 3 enter free. Thai visitors pay 130 baht and 40 baht, respectively. Additional tickets for the main attractions are available separately. The aquarium with its walk-through tunnels costs 450 baht for foreign adults and 350 baht for children, SnowBuddy WinterLand, the indoor snow world, costs 450 baht and 400 baht, respectively, and Dino Island with its children's water park costs 150 baht and 100 baht, respectively. Parking costs 50 baht per car. For families, the costs can quickly add up, so you should book your additional activities in advance.

Be realistic about the animals. There are no more giant pandas. Lin Hui and Chuang Chuang arrived from China in 2003. Chuang Chuang died in 2019, and Lin Hui in April 2023. Their daughter, Lin Bing, born in Chiang Mai, lives in China. Two new pandas from China were announced but, according to the last report, had not yet arrived. Entry to the panda house is no longer permitted. The red pandas have their own enclosure. The penguins and the giraffe feeding are the most popular attractions, while several enclosures have closed over the years, leaving many visitors with the impression that the park is somewhat worn. If you are coming for a specific animal, check chiangmai.zoothailand.or.th beforehand.

The zoo is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with ticket sales reportedly ending around 4:00 PM. It's advisable to arrive early, as some animals, including the elephants, are moved to their enclosures in the afternoon. The zoo is easily accessible from the Old City or Nimman by Grab; red songthaews run along Huay Kaew Road.