Dusit Zoo in Bangkok by Richard Barrow

Dusit Zoo, or Khao Din, is a popular place for Thai families to go at the weekend. It is in Central Bangkok between Chitlada Palace where the king lives and the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall. It now has over 2,000 animals from both Thailand and abroad. It covers an area of 47 acres which includes 12 acres of lakes. People come here to look at the animals, but also to rent boats and to have picnics in the shade of the trees. It can get very crowded at weekends and during long holidays, so if you wish to avoid the crowds then you might prefer to come during the week.

I went to Dusit Zoo at the weekend with Nong Grace as she is helping me research an article about "Bangkok for Kids". We have been to many of the big animal parks, though this is the first one inside the city. There are certainly a large variety of animals that will keep amused any child. Their animals include: giraffe, elephant, tiger, hippopotamus, crocodile, kangaroo, penguin, zebra, monkey, bear and many more exotic creatures. The foreign price at Dusit Zoo is reasonable at 100 baht for adults and 50 baht for children.

The zoo is not just about animals. There is a lot more there to do and see. When we first arrived, we paid 20 baht to have a tram ride around the zoo to help us get our bearings. There are four tram stations and tickets at each one have different colours. So you can get down at any station and then board again. But once you reach the station of your color then you have to stop. During our tour we saw there were several areas where the children can play fair ground attractions. Nothing too major like roller coasters, but smaller stuff ideal for younger children. The cost of rides varied from 10 baht to 20 baht. If you get hungry there are numerous places to buy snacks or meals. There is even a KFC and a 7-Eleven store so all prices are very reasonable. Unbelievably we were there nearly seven hours. In the end I had to force her to go as she wanted to stay longer. I had to promise that I would bring her back again.

Dusit Zoo is open every day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. At the moment they are open in the evenings for a special Night Safari though I am not sure how long that will continue for. Buses that pass the entrance include the ordinary No. 18 or 28 and the air-con No. 10.

My stories about Bangkok Day Trips can be found at www.Bangkok-Daytrips.com. The new website for my stories about places to visit inside Bangkok will be launched in a few weeks.