Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden is located at Tombon Mae Raemarea, Amphur Mae Rim, around Doi Suthep – Pui National Park. The entrance is on your left hand side at 12th kilometer stone of Mae Rim – Sameaung route. This botanical garden was established in 1993 and has 9,600,000 square meter area. Generally, it is lowland and highland mixed in layer varied from 300 – 970 meters. This area is arranged as an international botanical garden in order to honor Queen Sirikit.
The garden is separated into different zones depends on the plants’ species and the area suitability. Also it is a collection of local and foreign plants species. The former name of this garden is “Mae Sa Botanical Garden”, which was built by the Department of Forestry to be the botanical garden of Northern region of Thailand. After the Botanical Garden Organization is founded, Mae Sa Botanical Garden was transferred to be under the Botanical Garden Organization’s responsibility. It was planned and developed to be the first international botanical garden of Thailand as the management system is depends on universal standard. Its aims are to conserve plants resource, to study and research plants and to spread the botanical knowledge. Later in 1994, the Botanical Garden Organization received the highness’s permission from Queen Sirikit to name this garden after her highness name “Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden”. This garden is recommended for those who would like to study plants species and those who enjoy driving to visit the place.
The scenic points are the general information center which exhibits about Thai plants species and the botanical plants. It also sells books about the plants species in this botanical garden. There are big greenhouse buildings located on a beautiful hill. Inside, there are various species of plants in the rain forest from all regions of Asia. Modern technology is used to control the humidity by spraying water vapor in the greenhouse. There is also a waterfall which provides realistic atmosphere of exploring the forest. Other greenhouse buildings have many interesting plants naming dessert plants, water plants, orchids and etc.
In Thai orchid house, there are over 350 kinds of orchids which are vividly colorful wild orchids. Many have pleasant scents and are in full bloom one after another throughout the year. They are collected from evergreen forest and dry dipterous forest. Some species are rare while some are almost in endangered situation. There are also 4 routes of studying nature which are:-
- Waterfall trail passing Mae Sa Noi waterfall, stone garden and Thai orchid house. The distance is 300 meters.
- Arboretum trail which is 600 meters long.
- Climber trail which is 2 kilometers.
- Provincial plants trail which is 800 meters
This garden is open every day from 8.30 – 17.00. The entrance fee also available. For more information, please contact the Botanical Garden Organization, Amphur Mae Rim, Chiang Mai Province 50180. Tel. +66 5384 1234 Fax. +66 5329 8177, +66 5329 9754 E-mail: bgo@qsbg.org http://www.qsbg.org
