The Mae Fah Luang Botanical Garden, Thailand

Mae Fah Luang Garden (means the garden of the Queen Mother) is a small part of the Doi Tung Development Projects initiated by the late king. It covers ten acres of hillside that was originally home to the Akha village, Pa Kluay (opium village). This community was once a major production and transportation hub of opium within the infamous Golden Triangle. The name of the garden probably after Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, the late Princess Mother (the late King’s mother) who was responsible for setting up this garden. It actually provides ethical working opportunities for the local villagers who were trained to grow and tend to the organic plants and flowers instead of harvesting opium.

 

The garden is located about 60 kilometers (1 hour’s drive) in the north of Chiang Rai’s city center, Chiang Rai province, Northern top province of Thailand. Since it is located on the hills, the route is quite winery follow mountain layers. Those who feel carsick find it difficult to go but it is worth it. It is very closed to the border of Thailand-Myanmar at Doi Tung and very closed to the Golden Triangle (The three borders between Laos, Myanmar and Thailand).

Me in the orchid garden in the botinaical garden

The Mae Fah Luang Garden is among the most popular attractions within the development projects. It has hundreds of different types of tropical flowers. It also had a large section home to temperate flowers. This allows Thai people who have never traveled overseas to cooler climates to see these unusual breeds. Northern parts of Thailand such as Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are blessed with a cooler climate unlike the rest of the country. This helped in the planting of ‘exotic’ Western flowers (temperate breeds) that are typically found outside of Thailand. Roses, dahlias, and tulips were arranged in European-style flower beds. Scattered about the garden were fountains, rock art, wooden structures and a small evergreen maze as well. You may also find many flower garden along these two province of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. We have visited Singha Park and the tea plantation but I love this garden most.

 

What available at the garden:

• Tree top walk (opened in 2016, 150B on top of the garden entry fee) to walk on the wooden suspension bridge (did not do it)
• Garden walk: over 100 tropical flower species: Orchid, Lady’s slipper, wind plants, marigold, daisies, chrysanthemums, honeysuckle, sunflowers, butterfly peas, lilies, Snapdragon and poinsettias and many others (Thailand native flowers) are flowers you will see at the garden
• Lady’s Slipper Garden
• Orchid garden
• Inspiration hall, Doi Tung Royal Villa (no shoes, hat and sunglasses in the villa – look down to the garden and layers of mountains)
• Flea Market/ Hill Tribe Market: clothes and carvings from minorities, flowers seeds
• Café and street food: the coffee served at the Doi Tung Cafés is what’s grown, harvested, and roasted locally.
• Restaurants
• Public restroom

Flower blooming in DecemberBeautiful in white!Ladies in violet!

Goden colorMae Fah Loung Garden, Chiang RaiFlower farm on the way from Mae Kompong Homestay village - Chiang MaiMae Fah Luang Garden, Chiang RaiDahlia flower, pink colorAt the border

How to get there:

• Good time to visit: December; all flowers are blooming and a festival
• Entry fee for one person: 90Baht (2.95USD)
• Transport option: hire a van or take a bus then a songthaew or taxi to get from Chiang Rai to Doi Tung. Green Bus #619 (commences its journey in Chiang Mai) departs Chiang Rai between 12:50pm, 15:50pm, 17:20pm and 18:50pm and then continue to Mae Sai. Stop a few miles at Baan Huay Krai (a furniture store) before reaching Mae Sai Bus Station. From there, take a songthaew or taxi from the main road and ride the rest of the short distance to Doi Tung. Another option is to share a Grap taxi.

Nearby attractions:

• Golden triangle: from 1960s-1990s: the biggest place to source heroin in the world: supplied most of the world’s heroin.
• Hall of Opium (museum)  
• Mai Sai market by the border with Myanmar, Myanmar Jade is good here.
• Wat Phra That Doi Tung, map here
• The Mae Fah Luang Arboretum (9km north of the garden on the way to the military base)
• Doi Tung military base (border between Thailand-Myanmar) where you can see the border, overlook on layers of mountains and enjoy sipping coffee at Phamuang Coffee – the most scenic café in the world (Map of the café is here) - highly recommended!

Visiting the golden triangle areas

Look at more articles about Thailand here

 

No	Topic themes	Link to the Posts
1	Travel Tips:	Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai (featured on Friday Favorite here), Memory of the northern Thailand. Bangkok,  The Mae Fah Luang Botanical Garden, Thailand

 

Please share me your experiences if you have been there!