Chiang Mai Zoo
A big, hilly hillside zoo at the base of Doi Suthep, historically known for its giant pandas.
- Category
- Wildlife & Elephant Sanctuaries
- Entrance fee
- Foreigner adult roughly ~150 THB (panda house/aquarium extra); as of 2026, confirm locally
- Hours
- Daily ~08:00-17:00
- Best time
- Morning; the grounds are hilly and large
- Time needed
- 2-3 hours
About Chiang Mai Zoo
Chiang Mai Zoo sits on a big, hilly plot at the foot of Doi Suthep and is historically best known for its giant pandas. It's been a fixture on the tourist circuit for a long time, but plenty of travelers who've been end up feeling it's overrated, and the enclosures themselves are showing their age.
If animal welfare in older-style zoo enclosures is something that bothers you, this is one you can reasonably skip. There's no shortage of other things to do around Chiang Mai that don't come with the same tradeoff.
If you do go, know the grounds are large and genuinely hilly, so it's more of a workout than you'd expect from a zoo visit, and mornings are the better time to tackle it before the heat sets in.
Highlights
- The panda house, historically the zoo's main attraction (separate fee)
- An on-site aquarium (separate fee)
- Large, hilly grounds at the base of Doi Suthep
Tips
- Go in the morning, the grounds are hilly and large and the heat builds fast
- The panda house and aquarium cost extra on top of the base entry
- It's a quick, cheap trip from the Old City if you do decide to go
- Consider skipping it if animal welfare in older zoo enclosures is a concern for you
How to get there
Grab/songthaew ~15 min from Old City, ~70-100 THB