🎟️ Nong Nooch tickets: prices, hours and sightseeing plan

The Nong Nooch garden near Pattaya covers a huge area. Inside there are more than 20 themed gardens, an elephant show, a Thai cultural show, and collections of palms, orchids, and cacti. You'll get the best shots in the first two hours after opening, when there are few people and the light is soft for photos.

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What is Nong Nooch garden

💡 In short:

Adult ticket: 500 baht for the garden and 800 baht with the show (as of 2025, tickets online)
Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 18:00 (as of 09/2026, garden opening hours)
Allow almost a full day for the visit, not just a couple of hours
The easiest way to get there from Pattaya is by taxi or Grab, about half an hour
Opening hours: 09/2026, checked on the garden's website

Nong Nooch grew out of a private fruit garden. In the middle of the last century, a Thai family bought a plot in Chonburi province and grew exotic fruits there. The owner of the land, Mrs. Nong Nooch, after a trip to Europe decided to create a tropical park instead of a plantation, and this work took decades.

Panorama of Nong Nooch Garden with a Thai pavilion

The park opened to the public in 1980 and was named after its founder. Since 2001, her son has been running the business (as of 09/2026, garden history). Today Nong Nooch is one of the largest botanical gardens in Asia: rare tropical plants are collected here, and their seeds are sold right in the park.

The garden area is constantly growing, so you can't see everything in one daylight day. The territory is divided into dozens of zones with their own style: a French park, cacti, palms, orchids, stone sculptures. An internal bus runs between the zones, and this saves your energy. It's not worth walking along all the alleys, because in the heat you get tired by lunchtime.

The catch: the territory is huge, and without a well-thought-out plan it's easy to miss half of the gardens.

Two new attractions deserve a separate visit. Dinosaur Valley has almost life-size dinosaur figures, and a long Skywalk observation path stretches over the garden. Kids usually demand to go exactly here (as of 2026, new garden zones).

Tickets and opening hours

The garden is open every day. The ticket office and entrance are open from 8:00 to 18:00, and the last entry is usually an hour before closing (as of 09/2026, schedule and tickets). Plan your visit for the morning: by noon the heat intensifies, and you'll stand in line at the ticket office.

Prices are divided into rates for Thais and for foreigners. Here are the current prices:

Ticket	Adult	Child 90-120 cm	Child under 90 cm
Garden	500 baht	360 baht	free
Garden and show	800 baht	600 baht	free

Prices for foreigners (as of 2025, 2025 rates). Thais and holders of Thai driver's licenses pay the local rate, about 300 baht per adult (approximately 8 €).

Should you take only the garden or the show right away? The elephant show and Thai cultural program run several times a day and are included only in the full rate. For a first visit, the extra charge is worth it, because without the show the main spectacle of Nong Nooch will remain behind the scenes.

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Getting there and map

Nong Nooch is south of Pattaya, in the Na Jomtien area, about half an hour from the center. In traffic the drive takes longer, so leave early.

The easiest option is a taxi or Grab. The ride costs from a few hundred baht, and the app shows the exact price before you set off. A cheaper way is to take a songthaew along Sukhumvit Road to the turnoff for the garden, then walk the rest of the way.

Many visitors book a tour with transfer: you are picked up at your hotel and brought back, so there is no need to arrange transport separately. The map reference:

Zoo

The zoo at Nong Nooch is designed without cramped cages. Peacocks and goats roam freely across the lawns, and you enter the aviary directly through the enclosure. The birds are not afraid of people and let you get very close. Feed is sold for a small fee, and children happily feed the fawn and other animals.

It is more of a petting farm than a zoo. You stop by on the way between the gardens; it is not worth a full day on its own. Come in the first half of the day, because at midday the animals hide in the shade.

Butterfly park

In the pavilion, butterflies fly right over the path and are hardly afraid of people. They land on your shoulders and palms if you stand still. Keep your hands open and avoid sudden movements, and you will get a close-up shot.

It is best to come in warm, sunny weather. On cloudy days the butterflies are inactive and hide among the leaves.

View of Pattaya Bay from the observation deck

Elephant show

The elephants at Nong Nooch do not just give rides. They play soccer and basketball, ride a bicycle, throw darts, paint, and even give massages. The program runs as a circus-style performance in a large arena.

The show and the Thai cultural program are included in the full ticket and repeat several times a day. Come early, since the seats closer to the stage are taken first. After the performance, you are allowed to take photos with the animals.

If you are traveling with children, plan your visit so you catch at least one show.

Cactus garden

The cactus garden is planted with spiky desert plants of all kinds of shapes. Without a guide it is easy to walk past the interesting ones. The guide explains which cacti are eaten, that tequila is made from agave, and that farmers use spiky rows to protect their plots from animals.

Many species easily withstand the heat and need almost no watering. Against the backdrop of sprawling palms and orchids, the cacti look unexpected. The catch: without explanations, you cannot tell the rare species from the common ones.

Golden barrel cacti among rocks in the garden

Palms and the pond

The palm collection at Nong Nooch is considered one of the largest in the world. It holds hundreds of species, including the rare Seychelles palm, which you will hardly see anywhere else. Some of the plants look so strange that you would hardly recognize a palm as a palm.

Palm garden with Thai towers and a pavilion

Further along the route is a large pond. It is home to the arapaima, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Feeding draws a crowd and remains the most spectacular sight in this part of the garden, because the fish leaps almost entirely out of the water for food.

French garden and orchid garden

The French garden imitates the parks of Versailles: straight alleys, neatly trimmed bushes, symmetry. Buddhist stupas brought from different parts of Thailand are placed along the paths. This area is especially photogenic, so everyone who likes taking pictures is brought here.

Purple orchids among greenery at Nong Nooch Garden

The best view opens from the pavilions on the hill. A bell hangs nearby, and guides claim that ringing it makes a wish come true. The sound of the bell over the park is almost constant.

In the orchid garden you will want to slow down: hundreds of flowering plants line the paths. Many varieties are grown right here.

Nong Nooch French garden with patterned flower beds and tourists

Pottery garden and car showroom

The pottery garden is filled with clay sculptures. Elephants, palms, and entire compositions are made of clay here, and it is hard to believe how much can be shaped by hand.

Next to it is the car showroom. The owner has assembled a collection of sports cars, most of them custom-built. This is where you will linger longest by a couple of rare models.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much time do you need for Nong Nooch Garden?

Plan for almost a full day. The grounds are huge, and there is an internal shuttle bus between zones, but even with it you will not be able to see everything. If your schedule is tight, choose the French garden, the palms, and one show.

How much does a ticket to Nong Nooch Garden cost?

For an adult foreigner, a garden ticket costs 500 baht, and a ticket with the show costs 800 baht (as of: 2025, ticket prices). Children 90-120 cm tall pay less, and toddlers under 90 cm get in free.

How do you get there from Pattaya?

The garden is south of the city, in the Na Jomtien area. A taxi or Grab is the most convenient option, and the trip takes about half an hour. It is best to arrange return transport in advance.

Is the ticket with the show worth it?

Yes, if this is your first visit. The elephant show and the Thai cultural program are only included in the full fare, and without them you will miss the most memorable part. The extra cost for an adult pays for itself with a single performance.

When is the best time to visit Nong Nooch?

Arrive at opening time and spend the first two hours in the garden: there are few people, the light is soft for photos, and the heat is still bearable. In the middle of the day you will tire quickly on the open walkways, so alternate strolling with time in the shade.

In short: what to book

A visit to Nong Nooch will take almost a full day, not a couple of hours. Arrive at opening time, get the full ticket with the show, and do not try to cover everything on foot.

If you have a couple of hours: the French garden, the palms, and the pond.

If you are traveling with kids: the elephant show, the butterfly park, and Dinosaur Valley.

If you are after photos: arrive at opening time and head straight to the French garden.

If you want to see everything at once: take the internal shuttle bus and the ticket with the show, otherwise you will not make it.

Choose a package that fits your route in advance: Nong Nooch tickets and tours on GetYourGuide.

Nong Nooch Garden in Pattaya: tickets, hours and garden route