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Tripping at the Chiang Mai Zoo

Monday I decided it was time to visit the Chiang Mai zoo. I left home and walked up to the main road, hailed a Tuk Tuk, and was off on my new adventure.

We arrived at the zoo, and I am very sad to say it was a real trip. Getting out of the Tuk Tuk my pant hem hung up on something, and instead of gracefully exiting from the Tuk Tuk, I lost my balance, and landed on my left knee. OUCH! Unfortunate for my knee, because it had to take the full impact as I juggled my camera to keep it from hitting the ground.

Off to a great start! The Chiang Mai zoo is spread out over a gazillion acres, most of it uphill. I limped up to the ticket window, and paid my 100 Baht to enter the zoo.

Fortunately, you can pay 20 Baht for a tram pass, and get off and on all day. Whew, I was saved! I did do a lot of walking, but that little tram pass sure came in handy!

I always have mixed feeling about zoos. Chiang Mai zoo is a fairly decent zoo, as far as zoos go. They seem to make a real effort to provide enclosures that are more natural habitat for the animals, versus cages. Not all, but for the majority of the animals. My main reason for visiting zoos is for the photo opportunity. I would much rather be out in nature catching wildlife, but haven’t quite figured out how I am going to do that here in Thailand.

So my first stop was to visit the Flamingos.

I stood there for awhile watching them, looking at my map, trying to figure out a route, the whole time my knee is throbbing and I am thinking, hmm, maybe I should turn around and go home and come back another day.

But I decided to stay. The more I walked on it, the better it actually started to feel.

My next stop was with the Giraffes. I paid 15 baht for a bunch of bananas, about 12 in all, and got to feed them to the three giraffes. I had so much fun! The giraffes would stick out their long tongue and wrap it around the banana. They were very gentle.

I decided to go and explore it, and was amazed at what I found. Leading from the gazebo was a bridge.


The bridge expanded over the animal compound, and branched off in many different directions.You could actually walk out over the animals and look down at them.

Looking at my map, I assume this is the area they call Open Zoo, but that is just a guess.

The view from the different bridges was incredible. Sometimes it felt like you were looking down into a jungle. But there weren’t that many animals to be seen.

I continued walking, and best I could tell from my map I was headed to the Panda Bear exhibit. On my previous visit to Thailand I had been to the zoo with my sister, my son, and his girlfriend Pink. But we had driven through the park, and stopped here and there to get out and see the animals in the different areas. It was definitely harder on foot. But then I was able to see a lot more, I think.

I climbed this very looong, steep hill, and found the entrance to the Pandas. I was sadly informed that the Pandas were taking a nap, and that I should come back in a couple of hours.

At this point I decided to jump on the next tram that went by. I was very glad I did too, because the ride to the next area where there were animals was a long ways away.

I disembarked at the Koala Bear exhibit, which was open, but they were also sleeping. Rats.

Continuing on my journey, I found the reptiles. I don’t usually spend much time at the reptile exhibits, but decided today to go for it.

It was feeding time for the turtles, and this guy seemed to really be enjoying his lunch!

The crocodile just sat there with his mouth open like he was waiting for his lunch to walk in and sit down.


The Monitor Lizard did not seem too interested in eating, he was just looking for a way to get out of there!

I’d have to say the coolest guy was this little water lizard enjoying this swim through the water.

The grounds of the zoo are so beautiful, it is worth the walk just to enjoy the landscape. There are beautiful waterfalls, Bamboo forests,  incredible tropical plants and flowers.

The walk is very enjoyable. But one thing I realized, it can be quite dangerous. Since my knee was a little damaged and sore, I was paying particular attention to where I was walking. And that was a good thing. There are a lot of uneven surfaces, and I could see where if you were not paying attention it would be very easy to trip. So my fall had a purpose, to keep me alert in areas where a fall may have caused more damage, perhaps I wouldn’t have been able to save my camera either. So, I think my trip was an omen to open my eyes to where I was stepping.

Back to the animals.

I found my way to the hippopotamus pool, one of those animals with a face only a mother could love.


I rode the monorail around the park, thinking I might be able to stop at an exhibit along the way, but the ride ended up back where we started from. You get a good perspective of the zoo from above, and I saw the one exhibit I had really wanted to go see, the walk through aviary, but still couldn’t figure out how to get there once I was back on the ground. Besides, it looked huge, like it would take a day just to walk through it, and I was beginning to get a little tired and ready to call it a day. I will save that for another visit some day.

But before I left, I had to stop in and see my friend the Orangutan. On my previous visit, he had captured my heart. He seemed so lonely, I was really hoping the zoo had added another Orangutan to keep him company.

But unfortunately, he was still alone on his island. And still looking lonely. I watched as he walked towards the back of his island, crossed the bridge, and went in to take a nap.

I decided to call it a day too, and headed on home.

I am very happy to say my knee is feeling quite fine today. Guess all the walking helped!


Digital Images 
by ccdeleo
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