TOUR NO.17 The Queen Sirkit Botanic Garden
is one of the most renowned gardens in Thailand and a major hub for scientific research. Visitors can view beautiful Thai orchids and palms while walking around the expansive grounds.e grounds.
History
of BGO
Information about the garden
In 1992, the Botanical Garden Organization (BGO) was established by the Thai Government with the mission to support the research and development of botany and the ex-situ conservation of the valuable natural resources of Thailand. The BGO was a state enterprise under the Prime Minister?s Office, however, in October 2002, as the result of state sectors reform, the BGO was assigned to a newly established Ministry ? Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden (QSBG), formerly known as Mae Sa Botanic Garden, is the first botanical garden in Thailand that complied with international standards. The main objective of the BGO are to become the hub for Thai plants with academic excellence in botany and to become the center for botanical research, biodiversity, education and conservation. The BGO also aims to present the beauty and value of Thai plants to the world.In 1994, the BGO received the honor from HM the Queen granting royal permission to name the northern botanic garden which at the same time represents a headquarter of BGO after Her Majesty?s name as Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden.
The main mission of the Botanical Garden is to be the center of Thai plants. with academic excellence in plants Acts as an education and research center botanical Biodiversity and environmental conservation as well as being a place for disseminating the beauty and value of Thai flora To be visible to the general public?
Establishment Objectives Botanical Garden Organization
The Botanic Gardens Organization is a state enterprise that has been established for the conservation of rare plants. and endangered species of Thailand to remain by collecting plants in the botanical garden area Exhibiting and educating the public as well as being a resting place for youth and the general public by past operations The Botanical Garden Organization has developed an area for displaying plants. Conservation of plants in conservation forest areas or wetlands by the Royal Decree establishing the Botanical Garden Organization on April 7, 1992 with the following objectives:
1) Collect various
plants to be planted as
a group hat
2) Act as a center for
dried plant specimens,
information, documents,
publications and
exchanging academic
knowledge on botany with
other organizations
inside and outside the
Kingdom
3) Propagation and
conservation of plants
of Thailand
4) Study, trade, train
and research botanical
and plant products. as
well as to promote and
cooperate in the said
affairs of the
government agencies
state enterprises and
private
5) It is a place to
study plants in natural
conditions. as well as a
place for recreation
relax and provide
knowledge, especially in
botany
6) Cultivate and calm
the mind. including
educating young people
to realize the value of
natural resources
7) Importing and
exporting from the
Kingdom for the
distribution of
botanical related
articles.
8) Botanical business
including other
activities related to or
continuation of or close
to botanical business
Tour Included
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Hotel pick up and drop off within 5km radius of Chiang Mai Old City
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Travel accident insurance
-
Half day tour in a tuk tuk
-
English speaking guide
-
Entrance fees
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Pickup details ? You can also get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai town.
-
The exact pick-up time will be confirmed by email after you have made the booking.
-
Please plan to meet your driver at your hotel lobby at least 10 minutes prior to the sc Read more
Duration Private Tour Moring Aftenoon Price 1,500 baht per/person 09.00-12.00 13.30-16 .00 
TOUR NO.18 The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
Can you imagine the smell of over two million plants in one place You wont have to if you visit northern Thailans The Royal Flora show this winter.
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek was a flower festival held 1 November 2006, to 31 January 2007, in the Thai city of Chiang Mai that drew 3,781,624 visitors. It was one of the grand celebrations being hosted by the Royal Thai Government in honor of King Bhumibol, the world longest reigning monarch. The place gathers the South East Asia most numbers of tropical plants and flowers which are 2,200 plants on 2,500,000 trees. There is Ho Kham Royal Pavillion featuring Lanna architecture. The entrance of the pavilion is decorated by 30 glorifying gates with the images of duties and thoughts of the H.M. King. The gates are paralleled with Ratchaphruek trees. Exhibition hall, international garden and the King Glorifying Garden are also available. The garden is now opened for public and more activities are also held.
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Garden is situated 10km southwest of Chiang Mai, in Mae Hia sub-district Nestled in a lush mountain landscape, this 400 rai (240,000m2) of land is indeed a picturesque setting not only the garden itself with its many plant and flower species but also its unique and delicate artwork and architecture which enriches the minds of its visitors with its seductive natural beauty.
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek is the national flower of Thailand. It is also named Khun or Chaiyaphruek. The reason that the Ratchaphruek is used to symbolize the nation lies in color: its yellow blossoms match the yellow of Buddhism; furthermore, the Thai people regard yellow as the color of the King as well. Moreover, all golden shower trees bloom at the same time; this unity in flowering is felt to reflect the unity and identity of Thais.
The event was located in 80 hectares of land at the Royal Agricultural Research Center in Mae Hia sub-district, Mueang district, Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand. The 92 days of the expo featured 30 international gardens reflecting nations such as Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, and Canada; more than 2.5 million trees of 2,200 species of tropical plants and flowers are presented to the world in this exhibition. The AIPH, the Association of International Horticultural Producers, gave this expo A1 status, its highest level; such an exhibition occurs only once a year throughout the world. In addition, a host country can only hold one such exhibition once a decade.
The festival included many highlights to attract tourists:
Gardens for the king There were two features in this zone: one was International gardens, which were presented by 30 participating nations and covered 21,000 square meters; the other was Corporate gardens, which covered 27,475 square meters, and were presented by both Thai state enterprises, and domestic and international major corporations.
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Garden offers many attractions :
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Ho Kham Royal Pavilion This pavilion is the symbol of the garden. It features traditional architecture in the style of Lanna, Northern Thailand. The Pavilion has high ceilings and steep multi-tiered roofs, exquisitely guided in ancient technique. Visitors will be amazed by the uplifting beautiful of Lanna wisdom and craftsmanship. The insides showcase Paintings of King Bhumibol many activities aimed at the improvement of life for all Thai people. These works are an innovative juxtaposition of modern and traditional styles. The artists employ subdued tones of grey, red and gold, imbuing their work with a Strange. Dreamy quality. These Paintings feature backgrounds drawn from the stylized tradition of temple mural Paintings. with crisp ? almost photographic ?forms superimposed over them, imbuing the paintings with a surreal, otherworldly quality. The Pavilion also houses the gorgeous Tree of the Ten Kingly Virtues. It is comprised of layered orbs of gold Bhodi leaves, and symbolizes the fact that the King provides a garden of spiritual Shade for his people.
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Thai Tropical Garden The enormous 100,000-square-meter garden showcased the diversity of tropical horticulture: fruit varieties, plants, flowers, herbs, and rare plants.
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Corporate Gardens ? Presented by various organizations and State enterprises, the Corporate Gardens showcase sustainability and eco-friendly agricultural techniques. The philosophy of these Gardens is driven by His Majesty tremendous insight and ingenuity to improve his people well-being. The idea is to spread knowledge and provide a model which Can inspire those who visit the Gardens to internalize His Majesty- theories and to go on to Iearn and Care for the world.
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International Gardens ? This is an area where visitors Can enjoy unique and innovative landscaping as well as horticultural highlights from 33 countries around the world, such as Japan, India. Bhutan, and South Africa. Not only does the International Garden include plants but each country- beautifully showcases its Particular identity through architecture and art.
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Indoor Exhibition ? The indoor exhibit consists of hydroponics, a tissue culture nursery, as well as a dome for tropical plants and buildings for desert and temperate plants.
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Outdoor Exhibition ? The Outdoor Gardens includes water plants, a lotus garden, plants from each province in Thailand, plants which are believed to be auspicious, plants from Buddhist history, and plants painstakingly trained into incredibly beautiful shapes. There is also a building which exhibits information on the history of Thai horticulture. The enormous Outdoor Garden showcases the diversity of tropical horticulture.
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Rare Plants ? Ratchaphruek Garden displays rare plants including the ?Royal Palm? and the Double Coconut?, which Stand at the garden entrance, and ancient pine trees which species dates from 250 million years ago.
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Royal Palm ? The smooth gray trunk, which is swollen at the base when it is young and at the middle when it is mature, sculpts the palm into a bottle Shape. Its strikingly tall trunk can reach up to 20 meters in height, and its deep-green leaves make for an attractive tropical look.
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Double Coconut or Coco de Mer ? A native of the Seychelle Islands in the Indian 0cean. this palm is mostly- grown for ornamental reasons ? the fruits resembling a double coconut contain the largest seeds in the plant kingdom ? they are up to a0cm in diameter, 45 cm in length and Can weigh up to 14 kg. ?years past, the nuts were believed to have aphrodisiac qualities, probably owing to their similarity- in appearance to the female pelvis region. In the 1700, the fruits were sold in Parts of Europe for a very high price. The tree was also once thought to be the Tree of Good and Evil in the biblical Garden of Eden.
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Expo Plaza This was the focus of the exposition?s fun-filled activities, amenities, and services. Visitors were able to purchase products from the Royal Projects and authentic local products from Chiangmai such as handicrafts, paper umbrellas, and souvenirs.
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Cultural shows A total of 45 cultural shows from various regions of Thailand were performed here, including traditional music and dance. In addition, cultural performances from other nations were presented in this place.
We visited there again in the end of 2012 after the festival already had finished and amazed to find that the area or the park was still managed very neatly and outdoor gardens showed themselves as they had been in 2006.
The theme for the Fair is ?Reducing global warming to save planet earth and to improve the quality of life,? focusing on the concept of 3Gs (Generation, Garden, Greenitude) and 3Rs (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle). The plan is to educate youth and encourage their love and understanding of nature. It also plans to teach them the importance and value of planting trees, and instilling in them a sense of responsibility towards sustaining a green and healthy environment. It also seeks to educate the young about global warming through reducing the exploitation of energy resources by reusing and recycling.
Bua Tong Sticky Waterfalls Chiang Mai
One of the most unique places we?ve ever been to in Thailand is called Bua Tong or the Sticky Waterfalls. Located about an hour and a half drive north of Chiang Mai?s Old City, these waterfalls are not only impressive and gorgeous, but a special feature allows you to climb directly up the rocks into the oncoming cascading water.
Although waterfalls are a common tourist attraction in Thailand, we?ve hadn?t seen this one listed in a guidebook. In fact, like many fun things we?ve done, this trip to the Sticky Waterfalls was recommended by a good Thai friend. This was an awesome addition to our trip to the Mae Ngat Dam floating houses one weekend.
The Science Behind the Sticky WaterfallsWaterfalls are notoriously slippery. One usually goes down a waterfall thanks to gushing waters and slick surfaces. So how is it possible to climb up the Sticky Waterfalls?
The Sticky Waterfalls get their name from a mineral deposit that is incredibly grippy. In fact, the rocks feel like a hardened sponge. They are callous and even slightly prickly to the touch but surprisingly give a bit under pressure. Since no algae or slime adheres to the rocks, they are the perfect canvas to climb up the waterfall. It is impressively steep in some places, but with the aid of the limestone deposits on the stones, we felt like Spider-Man!
Brawn and Beauty
The Sticky Waterfalls are an impressive sight. The rocks are cream-colored and bulbous, almost cartoonish, and contrast beautifully with the dark green forest. And the water? Crystal clear and cool. It comes from a mineral spring so the waterfall is present year-round.
The surrounding forest floor is coated with moss and small colorful flowers. There are plenty of forest creatures like butterflies and water bugs, and there are even the occasional minnows.
These multi-tiered waterfalls are easy on the eyes and a great way to cool off in Thailand?s heat. They are a challenge to your muscles, though. If you do plan to climb these waterfalls, be prepared to work muscles in your legs and feet you never knew existed. Even if you don?t plan on getting wet clambering over the rocks, there are a couple hundred steep stairs that take you down the various levels of waterfalls. Make sure to save your energy for the trip back up!
Stay for a Picnic
Located in the Sri Lanna National Forest (pronounced See Lanna), the Sticky Waterfalls is a great place for a picnic. There are drinks and light snacks for sale on the premises and clean (although Thai-styled) bathrooms. Food is not allowed down in the waterfall area. However, there are plenty of picnic tables with shade near the top area of the park entrance.
Alternatively, about a five minutes drive before arriving at the park is a small outdoor market with several open-aired restaurants. Vendors can whip up Thai meals to-go that you can take with you to the park. There are also grilled meats, fresh fruits, and some small packaged Thai snacks that are perfect for picnicking.
In addition to picnic items, make sure to bring:
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Camera
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Towels or change of clothes
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Strap on sandals or water shoes
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Tissues/toilet paper
How to Get to the Bua Tong Sticky Waterfalls in Chiang Mai
The trip from Chiang Mai to the Sticky Waterfalls is about an hour and a half. The attraction is about 60 km north of the Old City, up Route 1001, in the Sri Lanna National Park.
The best way to get there is by hiring a local driver or tour guide. The guide from Take Me Tour knows where all the good climbing spots are, she?ll take pictures of you while you?re on the waterfalls, and stop for a Thai lunch, too. Otherwise, you can hail a songthaew (red truck taxi) from main streets of Chiang Mai?s Old City and hire the driver for the day.
If you?re comfortable driving, we recommend renting a car (or a motorbike if you have riding experience) and enjoy taking in the scenery on the way up.
Tour Included
-
Hotel pick up and drop off within 5km radius of Chiang Mai Old City
-
Travel accident insurance
-
Half day tour in a tuk tuk
-
English speaking guide
-
Entrance fees
-
Pickup details ? You can also get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai town.
-
The exact pick-up time will be confirmed by email after you have made the booking.
-
Please plan to meet your driver at your hotel lobby at least 10 minutes prior to the sc Read more
Duration Private Tour Moring Aftenoon Price 1,500 baht per/person 09.00-12.00 13.30-16 .00
ELEPHANT CARE (HALF DAY TOUR)
Tour Includede
-
English speaking guide
-
Entrance fees
-
Pickup details • You can also get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai town.
-
The exact pick-up time will be confirmed by email after you have made the booking.
- Please plan to meet your driver at your hotel lobby at least 10 minutes prior to the sc Read more
Duration Private Tour(minimum 2 pax) Moring Aftenoon Price 3,500 baht per/person 08.30-12.00 13.30-16 .00
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