Chiang Mai Royal Flora Show - Trip Report

[healthcaretaker]

1) Transport - I took the free shuttle bus(a/c) opposite the Railway Station, trip just around 25 mins. For the return, I took a shared songthew easily with 11 others because it's near closing time for just 30 bahts, can get down anywhere in the city(1 have a very bad experience 1st time in Thailand, the driver threatened to beat me, but I will give the full story another time). I don't take the free shuttle because a songthew from Railwway stn to the city centre will cost me some bahts. There is another shuttle bus to/back City Hall but no one can tell me exactly where is the City Hall, so I don't take it.

2) Entrance & Exit - ticket 200 bahts plus 80 bahts package for the ferris wheel ride. Forgot to ask whether I am allowed to exit and return in the same day. A multiple days pass is 800 pass which I think is a mistake unless they charge entrance for the participants. Who needs to return for more than 5 days ? Information brochure is not provided during ticket purchase; you need to ask for 1 at the info booth near ticket counter, make sure you get one or else you may miss the best to see. Ask for tips there what's best to see.The entrance/exit arrangement is strange. You need to pass through the food centre and commercial centre as you enter or exit. They probably think this arrangement can bring more business for them but it cause a big human jam during closing time as you pass the commercial centre.

3) Food & Beverages - This arrangement is a big mistake. The main food centre with a lot of local food is located outside the the entrance and not inside. Who needs to eat so badly before or after the visiting the show ? To see the whole park, a full day from morning till at least after night falls, so you need to eat at least 1 meal inside, if not 2. Many scattered food drink stalls around inside the park but only 1 area with limited seatings have more choice of food. Most drinks stalls are for take-aways. I am told there are 3 Black Canyon Coffees inside but found 2 for takeaways only. Can't find the 3rd which they claim has seats. So eat well before you enter.

4)The Exhibits - Actually I find this time better and more to see than the 1st one few years back. Back then, I only recall the International Gardens and Corporate Gardens but this time, there are more to see. The International and Corporate Gardens together are just 30 to 40% of the entire park.There are some cultural things as well as 2 places to see artistic exhibits and short films of the King. I enjoyed this part and spent 2 hours or more. I never know the King is so talented. He build his own sail for competition, took good photographs, played some musical instruments, did scupture, some nice paintings, active in sports; and he's composed over 50 songs !! I listened to over 10 of them and there are not bad !! His chidhood pictures in Switzerland is interesting. The King's exhibits are all in the Royal Pavilion & Expo Center(forgot 1 or 2). I also enjoyed some places which are not hightlighted in the brochure, so I suggest anyone to enter early and spend more time exploring every part of it.

5) Internal Transport - You can pay 30 baht per person for a large tram ride or 50 baht for a smaller one to make a round trip ONCE; you can get down and up again at any stop BUT not after you get down at the last stop(S-12) where your ticket will be collected and not again from 1st stop(S-1) where your ticket will be torn. So if you need unlimited repeated rides, get in at stop no. 2 or after and get down not later than stop no. 11. Cheapskates can actually save the 30 bahts and get in from stop no. 2 onwards and get down before anywhere between stop no. 3 to 11. As long as you seat near the back, they won't check or ask for ticket. Sometimes they may ask you to raise your hand with the ticket but foreigners will not understand it. Most of the times, they won't stop at every stop and during peak times, you cannot get a seat from the intermediate stops if no one gets down, so you can't get it too. Overall, poorly arranged. There are other more costly transport options; but really not necessary. If you wish to see everyhing, you still need to walk everywhere.

6) Tips -(a) Plan your time well - In order not to miss the best of the day, you need to plan well where to visit first and some nights have special events. Night time, you have not much choice; see 7 pm - Miracle of Greenitude first, then go for the Parade of Royal Flora(Electric) show and lastly Imagination Light Garden, near the exit. So for those who just wish to spend a short visit, don't miss the night. ( b ) The queue for the Giant Flora Wheel can be quite long at night time ( c ) Some place closed early, see the plants and flowers earlier especially if you wish to take photos. The Orchid Pavilion is nice. (d) Expo Center 1 & 2 also nice (d) Kids will like the Kids Eco Park (e) I like the forest near the Herbs Garden where there are 2 levels platform to walk.

7) Special Performances - The Glory of the Forest 3 - 5 Feb 7pm, The Royal Bond to Rachaphruek 25 -26 Feb 7 pm, Valentines Day - Save the Earth with Love 14 Feb 3pm - 7pm.

I did not visit the Greenhouse and all the Corporate Garden.

For just 200 Bahts, you can't get a better attraction. It's far better than Flights of the Gibbon which I paid much much more and enjoyed much much less.

[healthcaretaker]

Too bad I can't edit. Some mistakes. Wonder why the yellow face apeared. I don't mean to put it.

[DavidOxon]

+1

[ludditeman]

I thought it was a bit dull.

Now take a photo of me standing next to this!

70bht entry for me with school.

[flying]

Glad you liked it...

Sorry if I steered you wrong in a previous post about the food?

When we went there seemed quite a bit to eat inside.

I cannot say exactly where but there was a very large pavilion with lots of seating selling all kinds of food.

But it sounds like you had fun & like you said it is a good deal for the price!

PS: that unwanted yellow face is because a...... B + ) ...... makes that face

Edited February 5, 2012 by flying

[CPT]

Despite what the signs all say, there is indeed limited parking available on-site for motorbikes, not sure about cars. Certainly makes it easier when heading home after the light/fireworks show. There are a lot of food options but they are widely scattered and seating is not always readily available. It's a big park so it might require a hike to get to the food you're looking for. There is a food pavillion with seating and maybe 10 vendors and a full service seafood restaurant along the lake near the herbal garden. If you haven't been before, walking is preferable to taking a tram as the attractions butt right up against eachother. Not really any distant points to ride between unless you know exactly what you do and don't want to see.

[Tywais]

PS: that unwanted yellow face is because a...... B + ) ...... makes that face

Fixed now plus the copyright symbol.

[wolf5370]

I went on New Year's Day with my two girls (kids). We had a fun day. Parking was a farse I must say - sign took cars in, then pushed everyone right through and out the otherside as the parking was only for VIP ticket holders, exhibitioners and coaches/songtaews/taxis. However, parking very close for 40 baht the whole day in a shaded plot (last parking sign on the left when approaching the roundabout entrance - no more than 20 yeards from the roundabout - the one's further away charged more!).

Maps/guides were just inside the gate on the first building to the left - where the tour bus is located - and free - and a most of the kiosks around the park.

Big wheel was a bit of a let down - only once around for 80 baht was a bit steep I think. Did get to frighten the crap out of three old Thai ladies by spinning the car when we got to the top (little wheel in the middle to do just that) - all laughs when they got off though (screams at the top lol!).

Food was a bit scarce, a few areas but not much really - luckily I brought sandwiches and water along with us - so just topped it up with more water and ice cream.

Kids enjoyed it - eldest took to photographing everything. They liked the bugs. They were a bit disapointed that the kids play park was gone - replaced by the kid zone which was about 4 small rooms joined together in the shape of a strawberry (I think) and contained nothing but a few boring bits of text on the wall - weired that one! We watched as kids run in excited and came meandering out slightly confused just like we were. The Rubber Display "tent" had a play park in it so that made up for it. They also got to sit in (and pretend to drive on camera) the cornbine harvester too, which they relished.

Leaving was a real pain as you are lead through half a dozen large tents full of traders and milling buyers - many of the Thais and us too, saw a quick exit though the car park over a small fence, and thus avoided the last 3 tents or so. God knows how many would have died if there was an emergency!

All in all, not exactly the promise it advertises itself to be - but an OK day out and cheap to boot.

[elektrified]

God knows how many would have died if there was an emergency!

I thought exactly the same thing when I went to the Chinese Festival last year which was by far the best event I have attended there. Had to have been about 10,000 people there that day. My observations: 1. Not a single ambulance anywhere. 2. Every vendor was sold out of water on a very hot day. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

[BlaMuek]

When does the floral finish?

[healthcaretaker]

What's Tywais statement meant ?

I think the Pavilion with about 10 food stalls is the one near the lake, the only large one inside. Maybe I felt it was small because I saw the real large one by comparison before entering. I think that has 30 to 50 stalls but not many people need to eat upon arriving. They should put that inside. A real waste.

We are given 2 rounds for the Big Wheel. Oh, I missed to spin it; no one knows it.

Just like most Thai events, there are full of mistakes and letdowns in their arrangements but if we ignore that, it's still worth the trip.

I wonder what's left to see and how much is the entrance fee after the it ends ? I will come back to Chiang Mai with some friends.