Chiang Mai Zoo

Chiang Mai Zoo is a nice place to spend an afternoon if you are a zoo kind of person. Highlight for us was feeding the giraffes and seeing all the animals indigenous to Thailand. The zoo is set in parkland surroundings at the base of Doi Suthep, the hill that dominates Chiang Mai. It's pleasant walking around the enclosures, and there are various cafes dotted around the place. It's not the most modern zoo and some of the enclosures seem small, but it's a relaxed sort of place and in this respect very Thai.Some of the roads around the zoo are a bit less obvious but if you explore a little you'll find some less prominent enclosures with interesting animals. Top tip is to save some food for the gibbons. Don't go out of your way to see the penguins.

I went to the zoo against my better judgement but was prepared to be open-minded. Overall, the animals did not appear to be well cared for. We saw one primate that appeared to have some type of huge growth hanging from under it's belly and it was alone in it's cage. The panda's cost extra to see (we had already paid admission). I particularly wanted to see the orangutans and walked a long ways up-hill to get to their enclosure - not an orangutan in sight! The elephants are made to perform by dunking themselves in water to get a banana and we also saw the mahouts with those barbaric sticks with metal hooks on the ends of them. There is no need to treat animals like this. The zoo was probably a very beautiful compound at one time but it is great need of a facelift. All in all it was a depressing place to be. The only saving grace is that there is a bus/train that you can take around if you don't want to walk or would find it difficult - very hilly. Also any staff that we had dealings with were polite and friendly.I would not recommend this attraction.

It's a nice zoo to visit and see the animals, some of the enclosures have really nice paths to visit them, and others are on the side of the road the cars drive along within the zoo.The day we went was particularly warm and the Australian animals looked as exhausted as us from the humidity.

Chiang Mai Zoo is a nice place to spend an afternoon if you are a zoo kind of person. Highlight for us was feeding the giraffes and seeing all the animals indigenous to Thailand. The zoo is set in parkland surroundings at the base of Doi Suthep, the hill that dominates Chiang Mai. It's pleasant walking around the enclosures, and there are various cafes dotted around the place. It's not the most modern zoo and some of the enclosures seem small, but it's a relaxed sort of place and in this respect very Thai.Some of the roads around the zoo are a bit less obvious but if you explore a little you'll find some less prominent enclosures with interesting animals. Top tip is to save some food for the gibbons. Don't go out of your way to see the penguins.