Visitors to the 80 hectares of beautifully designed gardens at the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek horticulture display in Chiang Mai may view hundreds of different varieties of trees and flowers. The park is called for the stunning yellow blossoms of the Cassia fistula, often known as the golden shower tree and the national flower of Thailand, Ratchaphruek. The orchid pavilion, with its many types of orchids in various colors, is one of the park's centerpieces.
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| Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Garden |
International Festival of Flowers
When a worldwide flower festival was conducted in 2006 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's (Rama IX) ascension to the throne, the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek opened its doors. The park is now accessible all year round, and its well-maintained grounds include a variety of lovely botanical gardens, each with a distinct theme, indoor displays, ponds with lotus flowers, and the Ho Kham Royal Pavilion in the park's middle.
Royal Pavilion at Ho Kham
The Ho Kham, literally translated as "gilded hall," is a stunning teak timber structure with a multi-tiered ceiling and golden chats embellishing the roof ends that displays the traditional architecture of the Lanna Kingdom, the ancient kingdom that formerly governed the majority of modern-day North Thailand.
Visitors can go via electric bus, bicycle rental, or foot. The open buses make many pauses at "bus stops" around the park. Guests are free to board and exit at any moment. While there are few spots with shade, bring an umbrella or wear a hat. Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens in Pattaya is another sizable botanical park.
Exposing Royal Flora
Around the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne in 2006, the inaugural Royal Flora Ratchaphruek was hosted. In addition to the Ho Kham Royal Pavilion, the festival included Thai tropical gardens, foreign gardens from several nations, including Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Belgium, as well as cultural performances including regional dance and music.
The second iteration was conducted in 2011 to honor the 84th birthday of the King, the 80th birthday of Queen Sirikit, and the 60th birthday of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn. A Kid's Eco Park where kids can learn about the environment and climate change, a sizable Ferris wheel called the "Giant Flora Wheel," and an exhibition about the Royal Projects around the nation established to improve the living conditions of poor farmers were also included in the event in addition to the horticultural display.