Khao Kheow Zoo in Pattaya: Complete Guide for Independent Travelers (Prices, How to Get There, Reviews)

What Is Khao Kheow Zoo and Is It Worth Visiting?

Khao Kheow Open Zoo – is not just a zoo, but a real safari park where instead of cramped cages, there are spacious enclosures, and animals live almost like in the wild. It's about a 45-minute drive from Pattaya and is considered one of the largest open zoos not only in Thailand but in all of Asia.

The zoo's territory is huge – over 2,000 acres, and more than 8,000 animals of over 300 species live here in the most natural conditions. The zoo is divided into two zones: the green zone, where you can walk, ride the tram, or rent an electric car, and the pink zone – for those who came in their own vehicle.

Several shows are held here: elephant bathing (this is not circus tricks, but simply watching elephants in the water), a penguin parade, and a flying parade (birds). Shows run 2–3 times a day on a schedule (more details in the Opening Hours section). If you want to catch a show, plan your visit time in advance.

The main highlight that currently attracts crowds of tourists is the pygmy hippo named Moo Deng. She lives in a regular enclosure and doesn't participate in shows, but you can see her at any time during the day.

Be sure to buy animal feed – it's sold on the grounds, from 30 baht. For a small amount, you can feed giraffes, deer, and other animals by hand. It's a special delight, especially for children.

For families with children, Khao Kheow is one of the best places near Pattaya. The grounds are equipped with paved paths, so it's quite passable with a stroller. For little ones, there's a playground near the cafe in the green zone, and contact with animals (feeding deer and giraffes) brings children pure joy. The only nuance: bring extra water and hats — there aren't as many shaded spots as you'd like.

Visiting Khao Kheow is definitely worth it if you're traveling with family or just love animals. It's one of the best zoos we've visited, and it will certainly be among the brightest impressions of Pattaya. It's probably not worth coming here from another city just for the zoo, but if you're already in Pattaya – set aside half a day for it (excluding travel time), you won't regret it.

To give you a better idea of what the zoo looks like inside and how to organize your visit, we've recorded a detailed video review for you. It includes a walk through the green and pink zones, feeding animals, and our personal life hacks.

Tips for Exploring: How Not to Get Lost on 2000 Acres

The zoo grounds are huge, and without transport, you can only visit the green zone. The pink zone is accessible on foot, but the distances between enclosures are so great that you'll spend more time walking than watching. If you don't aim to see everything, the green zone is quite enough – everything is compact and rich. But if you're on rented transport, be sure to drive through the pink zone as well.

An important nuance: electric cars (golf carts) do not go through the pink zone, only the green zone, which you can walk through anyway. So if you want to see the pink zone, the only option is to be in your own vehicle.

How the Entrance Works So You Don't Get Confused:

There are two entrances: pedestrian and vehicle.

• If you came not in your own vehicle (by taxi), the entrance to the green zone is through the ticket offices behind the parking lot, which is a left turn from the road.
• If you're in your own vehicle (car or motorbike), you can drive straight through the gate onto the grounds. You can move around freely and park in designated spots, and to explore the green zone, you leave your vehicle at one of the parking lots and walk. If you don't want to walk, there's a large parking lot and electric car rental counters in the green zone.

If you bought electronic tickets online (whether you're in a taxi or your own vehicle), you need to exchange them for regular tickets at a small kiosk on the left side of the road before entering the parking lot – there's a large sign, including in Russian. After that, you can proceed to the ticket offices or drive onto the grounds.

What Else Is Important to Know

• There are free restrooms, cafes, and even a 7-Eleven store, a museum, and souvenir shops on the grounds. Prices inside the zoo are higher than in the city, so if you want to save money, you can bring sandwiches and water with you.
• For navigation around the zoo, it's convenient to use Google Maps, Organic Maps – even the enclosures are marked there. There are signs and maps throughout the park, but they're not entirely accurate or outdated, and may point to non-existent enclosures or distort the scale.
• You can move around the grounds on foot (in the compact green zone; the pink zone is too large), on scheduled trams (only in the green zone), in a rented electric car (2 hours – 500 and 700 baht), or drive onto the grounds in your own car/motorbike for 80/40 baht.
• Plan for a full day including travel. 3–5 hours will fly by in the park itself, and with travel time, it's almost the entire daylight hours.
• It's better to leave Pattaya in the morning: there are fewer people, and by evening you'll have time to see everything without rushing.
• It gets dark early in Thailand, so try to finish your visit by 4:00–5:00 PM to avoid driving back to Pattaya in the dark and traffic. The return trip can take almost 2 hours instead of the usual 45 minutes.
• Taxis back to Pattaya can be found at the entrance – there are always drivers waiting. But via apps, it's very difficult to order a car in the evening, so either finish your visit early to leave before traffic, or be prepared to overpay the drivers waiting at the entrance.
• If you rent transport or hire a private guide, you can combine the zoo with the Na Ja Chinese Temple, the Heaven and Hell Temple, the Glass Bridge, or the Grand Canyon. But keep in mind: the park is so huge that if you decide to visit all of this in one day, you definitely won't have time. At most, you can combine it either with the temples or with the Glass Bridge and the Canyon, but not all together. And you'll have to leave early, otherwise everything will be rushed.
• Dress for the weather – it's always hot in Thailand, bring water, a hat, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
• Attention! Be careful! On the grounds, outside the enclosures, common macaques live, hunting for tourists' food and drinks. They can steal your backpack or bag. Learn the rules of behavior with monkeys.