Visiting the Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium

Traveling is so much about leaving home, moving through space and time to new worlds full of exotic sights and smells. You are never out of things to do in Chiang Mai. One of the fun places to visit for kids and adults alike is the zoo. Chiang Mai Zoo is very large ( and you have to do a lot of walking --- unless you ride their tram express )...

It covers over 200 acres of land at the foot of the Doi Suthep. The zoo is certainly walkable ( or rather---- hikable ), but you can also get around by taking their tram ( which has 5 stops all over the zoo ) or their monorail.

The current star of the Chiang Mai zoo is the panda.... That was the main reason Oskie and I went to visit the zoo this morning. Our main reason for visiting the zoo was for the photo opportunity.  We bought the package tour package of 220 Baht ( which includes the entrance of the aquarium, the tram express and the entrance to see the panda).

Our first stop was the flamingos ...

and the Macaws...

I stood there for a while watching them, looking at the map which was given to me at the ticket booth, trying to figure out a route I would take, I decided to take the photos of the flamingos and the Macaws that was next to it... then we waited for a tram to take us across the park.

We took the tram to see the pandas...

On to the next stop was the Koala Bear ....

As we embarked the tram and walked towards the koalas cage... I noticed they were all asleep.. SHUCKS!!

I was enjoying my tram ride when I got so irritated by a little boy sitting in front of me in the tram.. (  he was a toddler -- around 2 years old ) who was crying his heart out every time the tram would slow down or stop in one of the animal pens. I had a suspicion that he was terrified by the elephant that approached the tram when it stopped... His mom could not do anything right to stop him from being hysterical.  Yes, the zoo is for the young people... but not a 2 year old kid who wouldn't remember what he saw in the zoo.

The we moved to the Aquarium.......

The Chiang Mai Aquarium boasts of the world's longest underwater tunnel ( which is  approximately 140 meters long ). This aquarium houses about 8,000 aquatic animals of 250 different species.

Let me share with you some of the photos I was able to take inside the aquarium....

I enjoyed their Monster Creatures the best.... Why you ask??? because they were not moving... and it was easier to take their photos than the fishes in the tanks.

Here are the monster creatures.....

On our way out of the aquarium.... I was able to get a few more shots of different kinds of turtles.

I thought this visit would only last an hour ....... we didn't realize by the time we were done with the aquarium and the zoo..... it was more than 2 hours inside the park.... I really enjoyed my day at the Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium..

The Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium is open daily and offers a variety of scheduled animal shows on a regular basis.

This is definitely a MUST SEE when you are in Chiang Mai!!!