Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden

Abraham Lincoln once said, "The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land." This statement still holds today. The Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is one such exquisite work of art, spread across more than 500 acres. It is the largest botanical garden in Southeast Asia and one of the most beautiful places to visit in Thailand. This piece of land was initially intended to be a fruit orchard. But after the owners, Mr Pisit Tanasacha and Mrs Nong Nooch, travelled to the west, they were inspired by the floral beauty to turn this land into a botanical garden. Currently, this is one of the most popular tourist spots in Thailand, attracting at least 2000 visitors per day.

Why visit Nong Nooch Garden

With vibrant flowers and well-maintained orchids, the Nong Nooch is a paradise on earth. The garden is a varied collection of plants that includes gardens of various species in addition to plants that have been collected from various locations around the world. The garden is divided into different categories, such as French gardens, Italian gardens, and so forth, transporting us to a different world. In addition to its floral beauty, the park also hosts religious services and cultural performances and has many statues, zoos, and hotels where visitors can stay for a while. The large area surrounded by beautiful flowers and the tranquil atmosphere in this region make this place one of the best places to visit in Thailand with family. Additionally, they are important for both in-situ and ex-situ flora conservation. They also have a centre for conservation-focused scientific research.

Best time to visit Nong Nooch Garden

The garden is best visited from November to May, when the weather is cold and dry. When you come here in the spring, it will be even more magical. One piece of general advice is to go there early in the morning because it is lovely to see the flowers at that time. 

Things to do in Nong Nooch Garden

Given the size of the park, it is advised to use a bicycle to get around rather than walk. 

Explore the floral beauty

It is impossible to adequately express the visual beauty of this garden in words or writing. The plants are carefully cultivated after being gathered from various locations around the world. In addition to this, they also have gardens dedicated to particular species, such as a cactus park or a palm tree area. Additionally, there are statues of animals and birds throughout the park to amuse the children. Here are a few of the sectional gardens to mention:

• French Garden: inspired by the Garden of Versailles.
• Italian Garden: Takes you back to the Regency era.
• Dinosaur Valley: Let’s go to the Jurrasic era and meet the ancestors of reptiles.
• Stonehenge Garden: Exact miniature replica of Stonehenge of England.
• Butterfly Hill: Has a collection of butterflies and statues of animals.
• Tray Garden: Collection of plants in the tray which requires less water.
• Bromeliad Garden: Visit the colourful air plants which absorb nutrients from the air.
• Cactus garden: A collection of a variety of cactus and succulent plants.

Visit the Mini zoo

The Nong Nooch Botanical Garden has a small zoo on its grounds where you can see various animals like elephants, monkeys, turtles, and birds. It's a great pastime to interact with them and observe them nearby. For car enthusiasts, there is also a nearby car museum where you can view a vintage collection of sports cars.

Enjoy the cultural shows

You can also see some religious events and cultural performances like music, dance, martial arts demonstrations, and so on due to the park's size and abundance of tourist attractions. In addition to this, you can also see animals like elephants and monkeys performing tricks in a show.

How to Reach Nong Nooch Garden

The visitors could reach this place from central Pattaya with the help of a shared taxi or by hiring a vehicle. There are several travel agencies which helps tourists in commuting to different travel places one could make use of their help too.

Things to do near Nong Nooch Garden

Ramayana Water Park

The Ramayana Water Park, Thailand's largest water park, is just 6 kilometers away from this garden. By car, it could be reached in twenty minutes. The Ramayana serves as the inspiration for the adventure park's design. It is a fantastic location in Thailand to visit with your family and take advantage of the thrilling rides at the park.

Khao Chi Chan

One of the most fascinating sights in Pattaya is the sign of the enlightened Buddha etched on the walls of the mountains. There are also other small shrines near the mountains. Entry to this place is free, and it takes just 20 minutes from Nong Nooch Garden to reach here.

Viharn Sien

This is a museum that was built by the Thai-Chinese descendants to honor their elders. It takes 30 minutes to reach here from the garden. The three-storey building has heavy Chinese influence. This place consists of terracotta statues of Xao Lin fighters and the statue of unified China’s first emperor, Quin Shi Huang. Apart from this one could spot several paintings, statues and earthenware in this place, 

Swiss Sheep Farm

Within ten minutes, one could travel to this location, which is close to the garden. The farm's design is influenced by the west, where domesticated animals like sheep, rabbits, and horses are kept. It's a great place to spend time with the kids and offers excellent value.