Dusit Zoo and Botanical Garden
Main Entrance to the Zoo
Dusit Zoo may not be that high on the list of attractions for the average tourist visiting the city on vacation but it is however an ideal venue should you be a kid attached to a family. Other than checking out all the usual suspects associated with most zoos around the world, you can easily relax here for a good part of the day on the lush lawns under the shaded wooded area attached to the park while watching an assortment of foreigners and Thai families enjoying their day out. Other than getting up close and personal to a wide variety of animal and bird life, kids can let off all the steam they like with things such as elephant rides, animal feeding shows and peddle-boat rides on the lake. If your kids can have so much fun, you can bet your bottom dollar you'll be spending quite some time here too. It's definitely a great place for kids to go crazy. While you are here don't forget to let the kids go wild examining the animal statues scattered around the zoo. There are life-size figurines of elephants, bears and a few prehistoric creatures.
Prehistoric Animal Figurines at the Zoo
Exploring Dusit ZooDomestic and International WildlifeDusit Zoo forms a lush green wedge between Dusit Park and Chitrlada Palace in the Dusit District of Bangkok. It is the oldest zoo in Thailand having being open to the public for close to seventy years. It is probably one of Asia's better zoos too.The zoo was originally built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) as his own private botanical garden adjacent to the royal palace. Ever since 1954 the zoo has been run by the state owned Zoological Park Organization. The zoo is home to about two thousand animals, mammals and birds of various species both domestic and international. Some come from as far as Africa and south, central and north America. The object is to provide wildlife conservation and breeding as well education. Before his death in 1910, the King was kind enough to donate a number of animals from the palace for public viewing.
Giraffe in their Enclosure
Exploring Dusit ZooEntrance and FeesEntrance fees to the zoo are not unlike many other place of interest in Thailand, however I would like to point out that there are price differences for tourists and locals. It can be be somewhat annoying knowing that as a foreigner, you have to sometimes pay double or even triple the going rate that is so often favoured by Thai people. It's no use complaining either as this is the normal protocol here.Examples of price variations are as follows: Entrance fees for adult foreigners is 100 baht and 50 baht for children. Adult Thai nationals pay 50 baht and 10 baht for the little kids. Older Thai children including high school pupils and university students pay 30 baht. Thai teachers, soldiers and police in uniform pay 30 baht. Entrance is free for Thai persons who are handicapped, those who are practicing monks and people who are 60 years and older. I am not sure whether the latter applies to tourists over the hill as I haven't quite got there myself yet. There are three entry points to the zoo. The main gate is on Thanon Rajwithi and another is at a side entrance across Thanon U-Thong from the Elephant Museum. A third gate is a short distance from
Wat Benjamabophit
on Thanon Rama V.
Hippopotamus at Play
Exploring Dusit ZooEducational ShowsThere are several animal educational shows staged at the zoo which are set in place for both the young and older person to enjoy. It's also a great opportunity to learn about some of animals you may not have seen or heard about before. Interaction with many of the animals is also allowed under strict supervision.Apart from the every day monkey, elephant and crocodile shows, that are so frequently held in Thailand, there are also educational bird shows complete with demonstrations. These might include parrots, macaws, hawks and the likes whereby you will learn about their eating, communicating, flying and roaming habits. It just makes your outing that much more exciting. Enough said then. There are several shows daily so there shouldn't be any need to rush. Mondays to Fridays the shows are at 11:00 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays the shows are at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The grounds open daily from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. so there is plenty of time.
Elephant Figurines at the Zoo
Exploring Dusit ZooMammals, Animals, Reptiles and BirdsBesides the normal shows here, it's great to just wander around the vast grounds and gaze in amazement at the big mammals and animals such as the Bengal cats, the Asian elephants, the Sumatran orangutans, the African hippopotamus and the American big black bear. Other wildlife include crocodile, monkey, gibbon, snake and while you are here, see if you can spot Thailand's only albino barking deer.If you are here when the sun goes down, you may be able to observe creatures such as bats, brush-tailed porcupine and the bushy binturong also known as an Asian bear-cat, lurking about the darkness in their natural forested environment.
Directions to Dusit Zoo
Return from Dusit Zoo to the Bangkok Attractions Page
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