Even though it was nearly midday, I found myself stuck in traffic for several kilometres en route to Khao Kheow Open Zoo. It turned out to be the outcome of families trying to spend the last few days of school break with Moo Deng, the superstar baby pygmy hippo.
To ease gridlock and provide convenience, the zoo has implemented an online ticketing system, but things did not appear to go as planned. When I entered the Amazenia zone, I was startled to see hundreds of visitors in an extended queue that stretched across a shaded bridge from a walkway.
Staff members suggested that visitors monitor real-time movements of Moo Deng and her mother Jonah to plan their routes. At the same time, they were told to remain quiet while seeing Moo Deng and her mother's way of life in the submerged realm, which serves as their sanctuary.
Three-month-old Moo Deng still closely clings to her mother and requires three to five hours of sleep during the day. Based on her regimen, she takes a bath between 8am and 9am and eats onshore between 9am-10am and 2pm-3pm. However, visitors can't expect things to happen as planned because no one can force her.
In the afternoon, it took me 40 minutes to enter the hippopotamus kingdom. Mae Mali and Kha Moo stood by to welcome visitors as Moo Deng's sibling, a five-year-old pygmy hippo named Moo Tun, was bathing in a shaded pond. Each round, just 30 to 50 people are allowed, and they will only get five minutes to have a close-up look at Moo Deng.
A group of capybaras.
"Since she is a newborn, Moo Deng relies on milk as her main source of nutrition. She follows her mother regardless of whether she eats or sleeps. Around six months of age, she will begin eating more grass and leave on her own. Sometimes, we feed them morning glory and leaves from jackfruit and banyan trees, which are rich in fibre and good for their excretory systems," said Srisak Sukchum, head of the Wildlife Management Department at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
"Moo Deng weighs 32.7kg, and when she reaches adulthood, her weight might exceed 200kg. She will consume about 10% of her weight in food, according to her body score. In order to keep them cool during the hot weather, we mist them with water and provide fresh fruit. Moo Deng and her mother will be separated when she turns one year old."
I suppose I was lucky as Jonah and Moo Deng awoke and prepared to climb up. Upon hearing other parents and their kids yelling Moo Deng many times, the two adorable hippos immediately plunged back into the water, and our dreams were dashed.
"We plan to install new glass windows to provide visitors a clear view of Moo Deng in water. Rail fences will be built to ensure safety. Phase 2 of the Africa zone is expected to start in 2026 and will include a sanctuary for pygmy hippopotamuses," Srisak added.
Following a short encounter with hippos, tourists can spend some time at the neighbouring home of the capybara gang, which is increasingly popular with young explorers. Typically found in the savannas and jungles of central and southern America, they are currently gliding over Thailand's lush mountain scenery, where tourists may have the opportunity to feed them carrots, maize and napier grass on weekends and holidays.
To see Moo Deng, visitors are willing to wait in long lines.
Just a few metres away, a series of little tree houses surrounded by green bushes and native plants give the impression that visitors are playing hide-and-seek with a group of two-toed sloths, the world's slowest animal, who hide and slumber there.
If visitors slow down, they can find giant tortoises from different regions, including the southern river terrapin, the red-eared slider, the South Asian box turtle, the Sulcata from Africa, and the Aldabra giant tortoise from the Indian Ocean.
The Bird Aviary is another popular spot for families to discover the marvel of nature. It's designed to resemble a verdant tropical jungle with more than 20 kinds of birds and fowls. Here, visitors may stroll along a network of shady canopy walkways or hide in the bushes, while a flock of pied imperial pigeons, Victoria-crowned pigeons, Siamese fire back, Nicobar pigeons, black-crested bulbuls, golden-fronted leafbirds, and white Indian peafowls can be seen lingering on the hill and sweeping from branch to branch in search of food.
To tour this 5,000 rai zoo, visitors can catch a shuttle tram to the Africa zone. For 30 baht, customers can buy Manila tamarind leaves to feed docile giraffes. With a stunning mountain backdrop, a herd of ostriches, blue wildebeest, oryx, and nyala feel free to graze on the green grassland that allows visitors to observe them from a distance.
Moo Deng draws over 10,000 visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo on weekends.
Visitors can also take a short stroll to see a huge flock of larger flamingos, cashmeres, a newborn Southern white rhino, hyenas, white lions, and zebras. Raised by the banks of a lake, Lemur Land attracts travellers every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, and holiday with a fun rafting experience that allows them to feed a squad of ring-tailed lemurs. Then, you can visit the cold land to cool off during the day and look for the best spot to witness a penguin parade hopping on the shore and waving to welcome visitors.
Before leaving the zoo, visitors can drive their cars in zone 2 and get a taste of what a safari game drive would be like. Chimpanzees, orangutans, tapir, sambar deer, gaurs, the tiger valley, and the Australian forest, which is home to kangaroos and koalas, are on display there. An elephant swimming display is another attraction. Through glass windows, visitors can unwind while observing a group of lovely pachyderms taking a shower on the ground or diving into the water.
"We have zookeepers and staff on duty in each zone. We use the elephant swimming exercise to show how they live. Visitors should refrain from hurting or upsetting wild animals by jumping into their sanctuaries, yelling at them, or throwing objects at them since we come to learn about their way of life. Every activity is predicated on conditions that ensure the safety of both wild animals and tourists," Srisak said.
My journey came to a conclusion at Bangsaen Aquarium, which is located in Burapha University's Institute of Marine Science. It has been a popular weekend escape for families who are interested in exploring the aquatic world since it opened in 1970.
Mae Mali.
Inside, the exhibition is divided into six zones to educate young adventurers about marine ecosystems. A school of tigerfish, hermit crabs, and beautiful sea anemones greeted visitors as we began our tour in the Coastal Life zone. A tidal pool illustrates how the sea level changes often, either once or twice a day, depending on the influence of the Sun and Moon, giving us the impression that we are standing on a rocky beach.
We ventured farther into the Kitchen of the World and Colors of the Sea zones, which are home to clown fish, coral reef, jellyfish, butterflyfish, snakeskin gourami, moon wrasse, and longfin bannerfish. Some 500 species of dangerous and odd-shaped fish that can blend in with their environment to evade predators or pursue prey are on show in the Strange Beauty Hides Poison zone. Groupers, lionfish, pufferfish, eels, stingrays, cowfish, and catfish are a few examples.
Also on display are temporary exhibitions that highlight outstanding research from the Institute of Marine Science at Burapha University. During the day, visitors can explore the underwater habitat and watch seasoned divers feed sharks and other large fishes during an exciting diving show.
The Bird Aviary houses more than 20 kinds of birds and fowls.
Travel info
Khao Kheow Open Zoo is at 235, Sri Racha district, Chon Buri. It's open daily from 8am to 6pm. Tickets are 80 baht for children, 200 baht for adults and 350 baht for foreigners. Find out more details, call 038-318-444 or visit khaokheow.zoothailand.org.
Bangsaen Aquarium is in Mueang Chon Buri district, Chon Buri. It's open daily from 9am to 4pm. Tickets are 40 baht for children, 80 baht for adults and 220 baht for foreigners. Find more details at bims.buu.ac.th or facebook.com/bimsthailand.
The Bird Aviary houses more than 20 kinds of birds and fowls.
The Africa Zone.
Bangsaen Aquarium.
A sloth.
Three-month-old pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng has never left her mother's side.
