Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden - a must see when you visit Pattaya
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is a fantastic 500-acre botanical garden and tourist attraction, located on Sukhumvit Road, around a 15 minute drive from Pattaya.
Nong Nooch Garden was opened to the public 1980 and includes a daily Thai cultural and elephant show in the theater, and is now one of the most popular attractions in Thailand, welcoming visitors from all over the world, as well as being a center of world botanical significance under the concept "a garden for all people of this world." It has been recognized as one of the top ten most beautiful gardens in the world and has received numerous honors and awards.
With
over 30 different garden areas to explore, this is a full day, if not
two, out! The gardens are themed and you can experience a wealth of
flora and fauna in each; themes include French, Italian, riverside,
sky-walks, topiary, cactus, conservation and even a car garden to name
but a few. There are many animal kingdom areas with fantastic life like
sculptures of various animals around the gardens, adding to the
vibrancy of colors all around. The gardens can be explored by foot,
but as they are so large you have the option of purchasing tickets for a
sightseeing bus tour, a VIP sightseeing tour, or hire bicycles to
explore the grounds at your leisure.
You can also find a zoo here, with real animals not sculpted ones!
Nong Nooch offers some great activities for you to enjoy while you are here, including paddle boating in the large lake, feeding Arapaima, the largest fresh water fish in the world at up to 4 meters long, and elephant feeding and riding.
There is a fantastic
new theater where, included in the cost of the entrance fee, you can see
one of six performances a day of a beautiful Thai cultural performance,
which includes Thai dancing and martial arts, and some spectacular
costumes throughout. This is followed by an impressive elephant show in
the arena next door, where the elephants and trainers showcase their
skills, including dancing, bowling and painting! There are also
opportunities here (for a small tip) to have your photo taken with the
elephants, usually being lifted in their trunks.
Nong Nooch
Nong Nooch
runs an education center for the younger generation to learn about the
impact of global warming and ways to contributing to reduce this, and
helps to create an interest in and awareness of conservation of the
environment. There is also a multipurpose camp available for
training/personal development for both the public and businesses to
hire, which includes many activities and to learn about conservation.
There
are several restaurants and cafes in the gardens, along with plenty of
shops and stalls to purchase drinks, snacks, ice creams, fruit and
tourist memorabilia, along with a large shopping area within the theater building.
Nong Nooch Resort also offers several types of accommodation for you to stay onsite in these idyllic surroundings, including lakeside, garden and riverside villas, along with apartments with a swimming pool. There is also a spa, fitness center and a mini mart for residents.
If you are in Pattaya you really must make a visit to Nong Nooch Garden to see the beauty!
