Bhubing Palace (Bhubing Rajanivet)

About Bhubing Palace (Bhubing Rajanivet)

Bhubing Palace is the royal family's winter residence up on the mountain past Doi Suthep, and the gardens open to the public whenever the family isn't in residence. It's not a palace tour in the sense of walking through grand rooms. What you actually get is a cool, well-tended hillside garden, roses and seasonal flowers, and a break from the heat down in the city.

It's genuinely worth it if you time it for cool season, when the flower beds are actually blooming. Outside that window there's a lot less to look at, so don't go out of your way in the hot months expecting the same thing.

One thing to know before you go: the gardens close for a stretch each year while the royal family is actually staying there, so it's worth confirming it's open before you make the drive up. Most people combine the visit with Doi Suthep temple since it's on the same road.

Highlights

• Manicured rose and flower gardens at altitude
• Cool mountain air, a relief from the city heat
• Pavilions and grounds tied to the royal winter residence
• Easy to pair with a Doi Suthep temple visit on the same trip

Tips

• Dress code is strict here: no shorts, no bare shoulders, no strappy sandals, so plan your outfit before you go up
• Visit in cool season (Nov-Feb) when the gardens are actually in bloom, otherwise it's a lot of green with little color
• The gardens close for part of the year when the royal family is in residence, so confirm it's open before making the trip
• Combine it with Doi Suthep since they're on the same road up the mountain

How to get there

Red songthaew or Grab up Doi Suthep road, ~50 min from Old City; usually combined with Doi Suthep temple

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