One of the main and most beautiful attractions of the island of Thailand, and in particular its city of Pattaya, is the Nong Nooch Tropical Park. Travelers compare this corner of the island with paradise. It is here, in an unusually beautiful, special place, that everyone who comes to Thailand should visit.
Nong Nooch Tropical Park is a complex of various gardens and parks. Its area is almost 240 hectares. It is only 17 km from the city.
All year round, guests visiting the park are surprised by the rich colors of plants that are brought here from exotic countries. Inexplicable feelings along with admiration and amazing memories - such feelings are shared by those who visit this park.
How it all began
It all started in 1954. Then Pattaya was an ordinary fishing village located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Mr. Peesit and Madame Nong Nooch Tansacha purchased land in Chonburi Province to establish fruit and vegetable plantations.
Traveling around the world and visiting famous gardens and parks, Mrs. Nong Nooch has completely changed her plans. She isdecided that instead of the planned vegetable plantations, she would create tropical gardens where exotic trees and flowers would grow.
It took a long time to work. Mrs. Nong Nooch invited the first visitors to her garden in 1980. Every year, the number of tourists visiting Nong Nooch Park is constantly growing. Thailand welcomes travelers from all over the world. Gradually improving, it has become the largest botanical park in Southeast Asia.
What is Nong Nooch Park
Nong Nooch is a huge landscape project. The styles of Asian and European countries are closely intertwined here. Next to the sculptures, marvelous houses, made in the national Asian style, the European park of Versailles is adjacent. Shrubs and lawns were given the correct geometric shape.
The whole area is divided by park and garden areas. Between them there are a large number of footpaths, bridges and paths. Many large artificial ponds and fountains have been built in the park. The pavilions are open for viewing. Here you can ride on a small railway, take a walk in the zoo, admiring a large number of a wide variety of bright figurines. You can view the Nong Nooch garden from below, walking through the park. To see the beautiful park from above, you can use the hanging bridges located near the tops of the trees. Every park and garden area has established plants.
French Garden
The most beautiful place worthyof the highest praise, is considered the French garden, which is distinguished by a bizarre combination of classical European design and temples of Thailand. The creation of landscape compositions with amazing distinctness of lines, hardness of geometric figures took place with special care. The sight of impeccably trimmed trees, borders, mowed lawns makes one doubt their naturalness. Tourists who have visited the garden note that, having been here, it was as if they had visited the world of a fairy tale.
Cactus Park
This park has a rare collection of cacti. Their sizes are very diverse - from the smallest to huge cacti.
Also, the shades and shapes of cacti are the most diverse. Here you can see both branched cacti and spherical ones. On flowering cacti and those that do not bloom at all. Visitors note that this is a very beautiful and unusual garden.
Blue Park
Nong Nooch Tropical Park (Thailand) presented a unique collection of palm trees. It is located in the Blue Park complex. While there are 2,800 species of palm trees growing on the globe, 1,100 representatives of these plants can be seen exclusively in Nong Nooch. The park has the largest collection of palm trees and ferns in the world.
But dwarf palms are of particular interest. These plants have a height of only 30 cm. They gained popularity in Japan in the 17th century. In this country, pruning trees to give them graceful forms has become a real art.
Many tourists visit this park, and everyone is amazed by this extraordinary beauty and uniqueness.
Orchid garden
Of particular interest is the orchid garden. Nong Nooch Park, Thailand (as the country where it is located) can be proud of this garden. The greenhouse is represented by 500 species of these incredibly beautiful plants. And the pavilion itself, where the greenhouse is located, was built in the style of a Buddhist pagoda. The garden staff has put in a lot of effort to grow these delicate, graceful flowers.
For the continuous flowering of orchids, certain conditions are created here. They artificially regulate the microclimate. Bred them in special hanging baskets. Visitors love that anyone can purchase a flower to grow at home. The cost of one adult flower is 50 baht, and the price of five sprouts will be 270 baht. There is only one "but": the land in Thailand is the property of the king and it cannot be taken out of the country. For this reason, the flower roots are in a special gel solution.
Butterfly Garden
This garden was opened in 2000. Its open space is protected by a fine mesh. More than 1500 butterflies of various colors live here. Tourists compare them to natural flowers that fly with special grace over their heads.
Exotic Bird Park
Rare exotic birds live here. If you wish, you can go inside to see the birds closer. Travelers love that you can even hand feed the birds by buying bird food at the entrance.
Stonehenge
According to legend, Mrs. Nong Nooch, traveling through Europe, visited the UK. She was amazed by the beauty of the famous archaeological site of the world, which is located in Wiltshire. It was the famous Stonehenge.
As a result, Mrs. Nong Nooch built a copy of it in her park, only reduced in size. One of the stones has an inscription stating that this land is bequeathed to future generations by Mrs. Nong Nooch.
Garden of Pots
This garden has amazing flower pot sculptures. These are sculptures of elephants, and a car, and huge hearts, and many other various figures.
Fish pond
In the pond of the Nong Nooch Park, you can see giant freshwater fish, whose length reaches almost 3 meters. These are Arapaims. Visitors can feed these "kids" for a nominal fee. It is very popular with daredevils and those who love bright and thrilling sensations.
Small Zoo
Tourists with small children love to visit this mini-zoo. Here you can freely visit the enclosures with herbivores. Buying food from Thai teenagers, visitors have the opportunity to feed these animals. The terrariums of the zoo are inhabited by turtles and snakes, and fish live in large aquariums.
Tigers living in the zoo are fed strictly according to the schedule, having learned which, you can watch this extraordinary spectacle.
Riding in the park
Elephant riding is very popular in Nong Nooch. There are so many who want to ride theseanimals that even sometimes you have to wait in line. A bench is installed on the elephant's back, where 2 people can sit, paying almost 400 baht for a walk on an elephant. The route of the walk runs through the entire botanical garden, which is easy to see from the back of an elephant.
Here, near the departure point, elephants live in a large paddock. Buying a bunch of bananas for 40 baht, you can feed them.
You can take a walk in the park using small cars as a means of transportation. You can ride them along the picturesque alleys of the park, get to the most beautiful pagodas and the orchid garden.
Theatrical performances
To get to know the history, national customs and traditions of the Thai people, it is worth visiting a theatrical performance in Nong Nooch. Thailand and its history are presented here in full. The program of the show is filled with national dances, historical dramatizations. You can also watch a wonderful theatrical performance of the famous Thai boxing. The productions involved a large number of artists. The show is accompanied by national unusual music.
For tourists, this performance leaves a lot of extraordinary impressions and unforgettable sensations.
Nong Nooch (Thailand) is famous for its elephant show. These beautiful animals will not leave indifferent any of the visitors. Just look at the dancing, drawing, playing football or basketball elephants. With their simplicity, they conquer both children's hearts and adult visitors.
After the end of the show at Nong Nooch, a photo fromeveryone can make favorite animals. In small shops you can buy small souvenirs from the theatrical performances.
Excursions to Nong Nooch
Travel agencies in Pattaya offer excursions to the Nong Nooch garden for about 500 baht. The main advantage of such a trip is that tourists will not worry about how to get to the park and back. Open minibuses are used to travel around the garden.
Reviews of tourists
Many tourists, having visited the park, leave the warmest reviews about this place. And everyone notes that there is no better piece of paradise than Nong Nooch in the whole world.
