Zoos in Thailand to Visit with Family and Kids

Opened in 1978, Khao Kheow Open Zoo spreads over 2,000 acres inside the Khao Kheow Chom Puo Wildlife Sanctuary, with hills and rainforest behind it. It holds around 8,000 animals across more than 300 species. It is the most open-range of everything on this list, with animals in wide paddocks rather than enclosures, so treat it as a half day rather than a stop.

Sea Life Bangkok is an underground aquarium beneath the Siam Paragon mall in the heart of Bangkok. Sprawled over 110,000 sq. ft., it is home to marine life from across the world's oceans, including several species of octopus, along with sharks, crabs, penguins and fish. Of everything here it is the easiest to fit into a city day, sitting right on the BTS at Siam rather than an hour out of town.

Chiang Mai Zoo spreads across 200 acres on the lower slopes of Doi Suthep and is one of the oldest zoos in northern Thailand. It houses species from around the world, including ostriches, camels, flamingos, penguins, seals and sharks, and its 133 metre aquarium tunnel was the longest of its kind when it opened in 2008. The hill setting is what sets it apart from the others here, and the paths climb steadily.

Opened to the public in the year 1923, the snake farm in Bangkok, part of the Thai Red Cross Institute (formerly the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute) has large pits and mesh enclosures to host its reptile residents. Also called “Suan Nguu”, the snake farm hosts a variety of venomous and non-venomous snakes. It’s the second oldest such snake farm in the world after a snake farm in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Home to a variety of rescued elephants, the Phuket Elephant Park provides its visitors with an opportunity to see these gentle creatures without handling them. Set in a national park, a half day tour of this sanctuary lets visitors watch elephants take mudbaths and forage amongst the green foliage, for a beautiful and heartwarming experience.

Phuket Aquarium in Cape Panwa is situated 40 kms away from the central Phuket City, near the Thai Navy's Third Area Naval Command Base. Established in 1983, Phuket Aquarium is a part of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), spread over 20 acres of prime waterfront property on Phuket's southeast coast.