I have heard about Nong Nooch Park for a long time. Almost every traveler who has visited Pattaya considers it his duty to visit this wonderful place. And we are no exception) Nong Nooch Park was a mandatory part of our trip to Thailand. Is this place as great as they say it is? Soon we will see everything with our own eyes...
The park is quite far from our hotel Ambassador City Jomtien, so we went there by tuk-tuk.
A tuk-tuk took us to the park in 20 minutes and only 150 baht for everyone 
History of the park
Just half a century ago, in 1954, Pattaya was just a small fishing village in Thailand. At this time, Mysteries Pisit and Madame Nongnuch acquired land in Chonburi province, planning to create thriving vegetable and fruit plantations there. But, having visited one of the world-famous amusement parks in Versailles, the woman changed her plans. Arriving in Thailand, she decided, instead of the planned vegetables and fruits, to plant all kinds of flowers and exotic plants on plantations and create a park complex in Thailand, not inferior in beauty to the royal one.
It took a lot of time to implement this plan. Nong Nooch Park was first opened only in 1980. And since then, millions of tourists come to Thailand every year to admire the beauty of one of the largest botanical gardens in Asia. After Madame Nongnuch's death, the park is run by Kampon Tansacha, her son.
Walking a little from the entrance, we saw a large lake and a sign “Giant Arapaima”. It turned out that this is a huge fish that lives in this lake and you can feed it for a small fee.
The giant arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Representatives of this species live in the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Guyana and Peru. Adults reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 200 kg. The uniqueness of arapaima is its ability to breathe air. Due to its archaic morphology, the fish is considered a living fossil.
An adult can reach 3-4 meters. The powerful body of the fish is covered with large scales, which shimmer in various shades of red. This is especially noticeable in its tail part. For this, local residents gave the fish another name - pirarucu, which translates as “red fish”.
The feeding of the arapaima happened faster than we expected)) As soon as Vova lowered the fishing rod with the poor fish, there was a powerful splash and the fish disappeared into the huge mouth of the arapaima. It seems to me that Vova didn’t even have time to understand anything))) I want to say that the fish are really huge, their scales shimmer red in the sun. Since it was very difficult to photograph them, here is a photo from the Internet:
Having had enough of admiring the miracle fish, we moved on.
Another interesting place in the tropical park is the garage with a collection of 40 sports cars of Mr. Campon Tansak, most of which are exclusive. This is another hobby of the park owner, which he happily demonstrates to his guests.
The cars are gorgeous. All different. From ATVs to sports cars.
And what’s especially cool is that the air conditioning was working at full power!!! It seems to me that smoke started coming from us when we entered the garage. The day was becoming unbearably hot. It was still early and there were few people in the pavilion. On the way back, when we went there to cool down, it was no longer possible to squeeze through. Apparently we are not the only ones so smart)))
But it wasn't so much the cars that had an effect on us, but the fluffy bundles of joy that we found at the end of the garage!
Entrance to them was paid, but we couldn’t resist cuddling these fluffies!
We hung around these beauties for a long time)
Having received a charge of positive emotions from communicating with the cats, we moved on. 
Throughout the park there are a huge number of sculptures depicting animals and insects. The scale is amazing! 
And even a whole alley of dinosaurs 
These dinosaurs are so huge!
My sister and I fit between the paws of this monster
Having successfully passed the alley of dinosaurs, we arrived safely at the French park. 
It was he who was created under the impression of the Royal Park of Versailles. Tourists call it the most beautiful place in the entire complex. Despite the fact that it is made in the French style, the park combines Thai temples with ideal European lawns on its territory.
This is a smaller copy of the Versailles garden.
Vova with a walrus)
Replica of Stonehenge 
"Pink flamingo-child of sunset..."
and pink piglets 
There is a small zoo within the park. We bought a bag of food for the geese and rare black-headed ibises. They were just happy!)) 
Regular Thai goose 
Rare black-headed ibis bird 
The turtles also got their share of tasty leaves 
But you have to be very careful with ponies. This blond blond clearly prefers to be stroked exclusively by pretty girls))) He can bite his competitors in the belly, as happened with my husband. Vova’s bruise did not go away for a very long time. 
Beautiful view! 
Wall with giant ants 
So we reached the orchid garden.
This unique corner of the park brings together the rarest and most beautiful species of orchids, growing right in the open air in large hanging baskets. This greenhouse maintains the necessary microclimate in which plants can bloom for almost a whole year. 
This is how pineapples grow 
A very beautiful place! 
We really enjoyed our walk through the park. Beautiful nature created by human hands, hot sun (sometimes even too much), original sculptures - everything in this park is magnificent!!!
After walking around Nong Nuchu we headed home. The road back deserves a separate story. We were fully confident that we would get home the same way we got there, but...
We left the park and headed to the tuk-tuk. To the question - “How much does it cost?”, they answered us - “300 baht!” which is 2 times more than we got here! And then, fully convinced that the price was too high, I began to bargain, but surprisingly the tuk-tukker stood his ground and did not want to lower the price. Well, you can’t take Russians that easily! It’s only 3 km to the highway, I walk 1.5 km to work every day, what garbage! And we went...
But... I didn’t take into account the fact that we are in a hot tropical country. The sun was scorching mercilessly, everyone was slowly starting to howl, but I held on and persuaded that a little more and we would get there! So we walked about 200 meters, hiding in the shade. And suddenly a completely straight road opened up in front of us, without a single tree... The heat was unbearable.. The scorching sun... With every step it seemed to me that a little more and I would lose consciousness... That’s when I gave up. Along the way we found a lonely pillar and hid in its shadow. The decision was made to catch a taxi - unanimously! But... no one wanted to stop. 10 minutes passed, and there was still no one willing to give us a ride!
And then a pedicab passes by...
Anya starts shouting to Vova: “Catch her, catch her.”
Vova, not understanding anything, but succumbing to Anya’s screams, jumps out onto the road and starts honking at the bicycle driver...
At this time the thought arises: “How??? How can a bicycle carry three adults, with a total weight of 250 kg - no less! Small, skinny Thai guy! Apparently the Thai thought the same thing, but either he didn’t fully realize what awaited him, or the desire to earn extra money overpowered his mind... He stopped... So that you understand what a rickshaw is, I found a photo on the Internet 
Ours looked about the same, only 2 times worse... And the driver was not a young, skinny Thai guy...
We loaded onto this poor bike. The rickshaw tilted..... I think only then did the Thai realize what he fit into! But the Thai didn’t give up, he gathered all his strength and we started rolling!
God!!! While we were driving for these miserable 10-15 minutes, I remembered my whole life!!! The bike rushed along on its own under the weight of our weight, and we skidded terribly on turns! I don’t know how we got to the highway alive and well! At that moment our Thai seemed like Hercules to me! I’ve probably never experienced more adrenaline in my life than in those 10 minutes! I wanted to live so much!)
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when our Thai Hercules stopped at the highway. After giving him 150 baht for his bravery, we headed to the tuk-tuk stop. Then everything was calm. We caught a tuk-tuk and for another 75 baht we got to Ambassador. As a result, we spent 225 baht, but could have easily gotten there for 300, if not for the toad. But we got impressions for life!
In the evening we attended a transvestite show - Mimosa. But more on that in the next article.
If you decide to visit the park, the easiest way is, of course, to purchase a tour. The cost of the excursion is about five hundred to six hundred baht, which in principle is equal to the cost of one entrance ticket. But there is of course one circumstance that is worth mentioning. A visit to the Thai Nong Nooch Park will be interesting for you if you are a botanist in the truest sense of the word, or if you come across an excellent guide. It’s worth going on your own for the same reason; maybe you’re a photographer or a nature fan and plan to spend the whole day there. If you want to get to the park completely on your own, then you have two ways to do this: tuk-tuk (songthaew) and taxi. If it is more acceptable for you to take a taxi, then you can safely bargain. Since a hired taxi is twice profitable for its owner, the taxi driver will receive a fee from both you and the park for bringing the client there. In the event that you still chose a more economical option and still decided to get there by songthaew, then go straight to the Sukhkumvit highway and just wait. You need a white songthaew; it can deliver you twenty baht before the turn to Nong Nooch Park. Then walk all the way to the entrance to the park. Next, be sure to take a map at the entrance; there is also a bicycle rental near the cafe, which is located near the sculpture with mice. If you are a budget traveler, that is, spending extra money is not part of your plans, then you can simply find a hole in the fence;)
Nong Nooch Park is open from eight in the morning to six in the evening every day. Restaurants are open until ten in the evening all year round, including during public holidays. The cost of visiting for adults is five hundred baht, and for children under two years old it is free. Contact details: tel. +66 38 709 358-62, fax +66 38 238 160, website where some of the information is in Russian - www:http://www.nongnoochgarden.com, email: [email protected]. Address: 34/1 Moo 7 Na Jomtien, Sattahip, Chonburi 20250, Thailand.
The park was opened in 1980 and since then it has been visited by a large number of visitors. Now it is no longer just a park that welcomes tourists, but also teaching and scientific activities are carried out on its territory. The territory hosts seminars for students from specialized universities, as well as classes for schoolchildren, and there is also its own school of landscape design on the territory. Nong Nooch Park also conducts commercial activities; a large number of palm trees, orchids and other plants are grown on its territory for sale. The park has its own small hotel, inexpensive cafes, restaurants with delicious Thai food. Now the park covers six hundred acres and it would be very difficult to walk around it in a day. At the same time, the park is constantly expanding and expanding; it consists of separate thematic parts, they smoothly transform into each other.
Eden, or the Garden of Eden, can be seen in Thailand much as it is depicted in European religious mythology. To do this you need to visit Nong Nooch Park, located seventeen kilometers from Pattaya. This is truly an extraordinarily beautiful place, which includes a complex of gardens and theme parks spread over an area of 240 hectares. It is included in the so-called “must see” list, without visiting which a trip to Thailand cannot be considered complete.
The park is open all year round, and each season is beautiful and attractive in its own way. By visiting it, you will experience a whole range of positive emotions. It allows photography and video shooting (read more about that), so you can preserve the memories of your trip to a fairy tale.
Whimsical Asia in symbiosis with Europe
Nong Nooch Tropical Park in Pattaya is a man-made landscape project that mixes European and traditional Thai styles. Sculptural images of mythical demons from folk epics, stylized Peisan houses and elaborate gazebos coexist with a strict French park, where regular flower beds are laid out, every bush is trimmed, and the alleys seem to be drawn with a ruler.
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The Nong Nooch Garden in Pattaya is interesting because its territory is divided into several dissimilar garden and park areas, connected by whimsically curving paths and bridges spanning canals. During your walk, you will constantly encounter figures of not only demons, but also images of animals, birds, from all continents. For example, African giraffes, European deer, flamingos... It is a Thai tradition that the park must have ponds with goldfish, fountains, gazebos and pavilions hidden in the dense greenery where you can simply relax serenely.
Gardens and parks
★Orchid garden in Nong Nooch. This is a source of special pride for the park’s organizers. In it you can see all the richness and variety of exotic plants of this species, considered the most beautiful on Earth. Tourists are amazed by the riot of colors, whimsical forms, and the unique palette of smells.
Cactus garden. For Thailand, with its constant humidity, this plant is very unusual. It is all the more interesting to visit a place where these prickly creatures grow not surrounded by sand, but by lush vegetation. In this garden you can see cacti of all possible sizes and shapes, and their flowers are as beautiful as orchids.
Blue Garden. It is dedicated to the oldest plant on Earth - the fern, as well as the palm tree - the most widespread in Southeast Asia. In it you can see 1,100 varieties of palm trees, almost half of all that are on our planet. There is no such rich collection anywhere else except in Nong Nooch.
The landscape designers of Versailles would also approve of it. Surrounded by exotic palm trees and whimsically shaped rocks, it is an unusual mix of European and Thai traditions. Strict alleys and trimmed curtains combine perfectly with small architectural forms in the Thai style and.
Butterfly garden. The Nong Nooch tropical garden in Pattaya would have lost a lot if it had not had this huge enclosure fenced with fine mesh. Bright butterflies, like living flowers, flutter over the heads of tourists.
Bird garden. The tropical forest in our minds is full of beautiful birds and their mesmerizing songs. In order not to destroy this stereotype, the garden organizers settled the most colorful and recognizable representatives of the feathered family in this section of the park. When you enter the pavilion, don’t forget to buy a treat for them and don’t be scared when they sit on your head.
Stonehenge. Yes, a smaller copy of this ancient megalithic structure is here too. Although in the countries of Southeast Asia such a tourist attraction has become quite common.
Garden of pots. Having visited this place in the park, you will receive an object lesson in how this utilitarian household item can be used to create small architectural forms. and, Viking ships and cars, gazebos and insects - all made from baked clay.
Pond with fish. Did you dream of catching a huge fish as a child? Here you can do it. Arapaima, freshwater giants up to three meters long, are bred in a small reservoir. For a few baht they will sell you bait - small fish. Serve it on a stick and try not to be scared to death when it disappears into its huge mouth.
Interactive zoo. Nong Nooch Garden is worth a visit for those who are on vacation. A place where they can interact with piglets, donkeys, monkeys and camels will be a fun activity for them. All of them can be fed. Enterprising Thai teenagers sell the treats. The zoo also has an enclosure with tigers, but you can only look at them from afar.
Garage. It contains the fleet director's cars. Forty exclusive examples of sports cars, SUVs and automotive rarities.
The gardens listed above are not all. Their collection in Nong Nooch is constantly updated, which can be viewed on the official website of the park - nongnoochtropicalgarden.com
Show programs
There are two bright and exciting shows prepared for park visitors, the visit of which you pay for by purchasing an entrance ticket. They take place throughout the day, so you will definitely be able to attend the performance during the excursion.
Thai traditions and customs
A vibrant theatrical performance with many actors, scenery and national props. It takes place in a pavilion with an auditorium and a stage. You will be introduced to Thai customs and traditions, history and culture of the country. Dance and musical performances give way to historical re-enactments and even rounds of Muay Thai.
Elephant show
- This is one of the most interesting entertainments of this kind in Thailand. Elephants not only perform various tricks - ride bicycles, paint pictures, throw darts at inflatable balls - but also communicate with the audience. For example, they give trunk massage to everyone. Unfortunately, the presenter comments on everything and gets in the way, because everything is clear without words.
Excursions
Excursions to Nong Nooch Park organized by street travel agencies, of which there are many in Pattaya. They are daytime - from 8:00 to 14:00 and from 13:30 to 18:00, as well as evening, which start at 13:00 and end at 20:00.
An evening excursion to Nong Nooch Park is complemented by a romantic dinner and the launching of Chinese lanterns into the night sky. It is entertainment for adults, as the theatrical performance contains acts from a drag queen show.
Ticket price to Nong Nooch Park depends on many factors. Day excursions for adults cost 650 baht, and for children with a height of 90-120 cm - 450 baht, below 90 cm - free. The price includes transportation, guide services, theater performance and elephant show. An evening ticket is three times more expensive: 1800 per adult and 1100 per child (ticket prices may change over time, current ones can be found at official website).
During the day, unorganized tourists are charged at least 800 baht for entry. But if you have a Thai license, then visiting the park will cost 250 baht. However, farangs usually do not have them, and it is not customary to talk about racial discrimination in Thailand.
How to get there on your own
Most often the question is: “ How to get to Nong Nooch Park”, - arises among those who are not particularly upset by the one-and-a-half price of admission. Below are 3 ways to get to the garden from Pattaya.
- Taxi. From Pattaya you can get there by car, and you can bargain with the driver until you are hoarse, since the park administration will pay him a reward for each visitor brought.
- Songthaew. If you manage to get onto the Sukhumvit highway, then catch a white songthaew (minibus, passenger pickup truck), which will take you to the turn to the park for a symbolic amount. From the intersection you need to walk southeast for about two kilometers, the landmark will be the Suan Nong Rut railway station.
- By car. You need to go south to the village of Tongstit, then turn left.
It is quite difficult to get from Bangkok to Nong Nooch on your own. A taxi ride will cost from 1,100 to 1,500 baht, and the question of who should pay for travel through toll sections must be decided with the driver in advance. It is to this park that buses from the capital do not go. You need to get to Pattaya and get your bearings. Minivans depart there every hour from Victory Monument BTS Station. Regular buses leave from Ekkamai bus station once every three hours.
For those who want to stay here for a long time, we recommend booking the wonderful Nongnooch Garden Resort hotel on the websites and, located within walking distance of this park.
One of the most famous is the Nong Nooch Tropical Park, located in Chonburi province . Its area is simply huge and equal to six hundred acres, on which lie a variety of magical gardens and interesting buildings. Many tourists who have been there associate this unique and stunning place with a kind of Eden on earth, so it is worth visiting for everyone who vacations not only in Pattaya, but throughout Thailand.
Nong Nooch Tropical Park - history
Once upon a time, in the early 50s of the 20th century, it was not yet a world-famous center of resort life in Thailand, but just a small fishing village located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. It was at that very time that Mme. Nongnuch Toksana together with her husband, they acquired land in the province of Chobnuri to create various plantations of fruits and vegetables, but after some time their plans changed.
Since this married couple loved to travel, on their trips they saw enough of various beautiful national architectural monuments, and decided to build a unique tropical garden on their lands with a variety of exotic representatives of our flora.
Its construction was a very long and labor-intensive process. Only in the eighties did Nong Nooch Park begin to function and open to tourists. Since these days, the garden continues to become better and more interesting every year, thereby attracting an increasing number of visitors to its territory, the daily number of which can exceed two thousand people.
Description
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden (Thailand) It is considered to be the largest privately owned collection of exotic trees and flowers and the most interesting place in Pattaya. On its territory, you can see a smaller copy of the Palace of Versailles, as well as analogues of small Buddhist stupas collected there from all over the Thai kingdom.
Among other things, an exciting program has been developed for guests of this park, consisting of interesting shows and entertainment events. Visitors here can enjoy amazing Thai dancing , and if you get hungry, enjoy delicious dishes of local and European cuisine in numerous cafes. There is also the opportunity for a more detailed exploration of all the attractions of Nong Nooch Park, for this you will need to stay at its hotels.
What's there?
The park is divided into several sections that differ from each other in theme. Visitors, visiting them one by one, find themselves from one fairy tale to another. More attention should be paid to each such part of this tropical garden.
Zoo- This is the most popular place in Nong Nucha. Its visitors can be both children and adults. There are various enclosures with exotic birds, cages inhabited by cute turtles and a terrarium with its dangerous inhabitants. Walking in this part of the garden you can meet beautiful peacocks and beautiful goats. The deer Bambi and all his relatives are especially interesting for children. For an additional fee, you can feed the animals some treats if you wish.
Butterfly Park opened not as long ago as Nong Nooch itself and occupies an open area, covered only by a fine mesh. Its inhabitants are more than one thousand bright and colorful butterflies, fluttering beautifully among all the tourists who come here. A delicacy for these lovely insects are pieces of juicy fruit, laid out especially for them under the trees. Many visitors to this place involuntarily think that this is what paradise might look like.
Bird garden- this is a small area with representatives of exotic species of birds and is interesting for tourists because you can go there freely and walk among all its inhabitants.
Cactus Park is an area where the largest collection of these spiny representatives of the flora, having a wide variety of shapes and sizes, is collected. Visitors to this garden will be able to see with their own eyes the very cactus from which the famous alcoholic tequila is made.
Pond with big fish , the size of which can reach up to three meters in length. Anyone can feed them for a nominal fee. To do this, you will need to tie a small fish to a fishing rod, which these giants will capture with their huge mouths. Perhaps, such an attraction is not for the faint of heart, and those who wish to take part in such feeding are guaranteed to receive a bright and thrilling experience.
Orchid garden is an area with the most delicate and wonderful tropical flowers. Only blooming exhibits are presented to guests. The rest hide from the gaze of tourists in secluded places and wait their turn.
Shows and park programs - these are two brilliant performances, considered the best in all of Thailand. They happen several times a day and last about thirty minutes. The first of them is a show with Thai national dances. It is presented to the audience in a separate pavilion, which contains a specially equipped stage and seats for spectators.
The second entertainment event is performance with elephants , where these gentle giants ride bicycles, throw darts at balls and draw amazing designs using paints and brushes. At the end of the show, the elephants can be fed bananas.
There are many more interesting things on the territory of this garden, but, of course, it is better to see it all with your own eyes.
What's the best way to get there?
There are several ways to visit Nong Nooch Tropical Park. It is better to find out in advance how to get to its territory, in case of independent travel, and not with an organized excursion group.
Can take a taxi , at the same time, it’s worth bargaining well, since the taxi drivers are also paid by the park administration for bringing visitors straight to the garden gates. On average, such a trip will cost 300 baht from Pattaya or around 1200 – from Bangkok.
A cheaper way is catch a tuk-tuk, which will take the tourist just twenty baht before the turn to the park, from where you will have to walk quite a bit.
You can do it yourself rent a car . In this case, you will need to follow the Sukhumvit Highway in a southerly direction and after the water market you should make a left turn and drive for another three minutes.
Contact information and cost
Some information that will be useful before visiting this Pattaya attraction:
Nong Nooch Tropical Park (opening hours):
- The botanical garden is open daily and seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; restaurants on its territory are open until 10:00 p.m.
His exact address is: Chonburi Province 20250, 34/1 Moo 7 Na Jomtien, Sattahip.
Nong Nooch Tropical Park (entry price): is 500 baht, it's about somewhere 15 dollars. This price already includes visits to all shows and sections of the garden. Children under two years old can visit this park completely free of charge.
Those who decided to take such a fascinating trip to the outskirts of Pattaya and wander around the territory of the Nong Nooch Garden believe that they have visited the most beautiful and unusual place on earth, where time flies quickly and unnoticed and where you absolutely do not want to leave.
