How to get here

Taxi, tuk-tuk and driving instructions to Dokmai Botanical Garden

General advice
At times a Thai driver may do his best to persuade you to go somewhere else where the driver gets commission for bringing tourists. Insist on your destination or change vehicle if the driver makes a problem. Remember that we are closed on Mondays and around New Year.

Also, remember there are about 250 attractions in Chiang Mai, but 99% of the tourists go to the five largest attractions and so most drivers and hotel staff only know these five (Doi Sutherp temple, the Zoo, The Night Safari, The Royal Flora Show and Tiger Kingdom). Asian tourists love mega projects made for tourists, and to go in crowds, while many westerners like to find something special and small scale. If you intend to escape mass tourism, do not ask the Thais for advice but browse the internet and save the phone numbers which you give to your driver.

You can phone taxi (08-71875787) and get a ride from downtown to Dokmai Garden for 300 Baht (one way). Ask your hotel staff to make the telephone call, since the drivers usually prefer a discussion in Thai. The garden is situated about 30 minutes south of the airport. Make sure to show our telephone number in case of an inexperienced driver: 08-13866244.

Mr Boonma (089-4345485), Mr Aek (080-8569570) or Mr Sanit (081-7653913) can take you here by tuktuk . They speak some English and they know the way here.The fee is 500 Baht, which includes transportation here and back again. If you get a driver who is inexperienced (some try to take you to the Flora Show instead), give him our telephone number (08-13866244).

If you rent a motorbike or car you can easily find us: Dokmai Garden is located near the Namprae village, 17 km (driving distance) from the Chiang Mai airport.

Latitude and longitude for GPS owners: N18 40.634 E 98 52.749

1. Drive along the canal road (not the Hang Dong road) past the Night Safari to the Samoeng intersection. This intersection has a blue and white sign with the name of the intersection:'Ton Kwain'. You are now 9 km from the Dokmai Garden entrance. Put your odometer at zero. This is important!

2. Drive South along the canal road. After 3.4 km you pass the white and yellow bridge to a gated community called 'Master Piece' on your right-hand side.

3. After 4.0 km from the Samoeng intersection you pass 'Hang Dong Golf' to your left-hand side.

4. After 5.6 km from the Samoeng intersection you pass a small gasoline station to your left-hand side. You are now 400 m from the exit. Look to your right.

5. After 6.0 km from the Samoeng intersection you see a bridge to your right (West) with a blue and white sign 'Dokmai Garden 3 km'. Cross this bridge! Below is a picture of this bridge as seen when driving south. If you somehow miss this bridge, ask the locals for 'sa-pan ban namprae, krap?' (the bridge of Namprae village, please?).

6. After 7.4 km from the Samoeng intersection (or 1.4 km after the bridge) you see a small blue and white sign to your left with the text 'Dokmai Garden left'. On the opposite side of the sign is 'Chiang Mai pottery'.

7. After 7.5 km from the Samoeng intersection (100 m after the sign) you come to an intersection where you make a sharp turn to the left. If you pass a temple then you missed this exit. Turn back and follow our sign to the right.

8. You immediately pass a red and white mast to your left. Keep driving until you are 8.3 km from the Samoeng intersection (800 m from the mast), where you see an intersection with a wall with a sandstone elephant and our blue and white sign showing you should keep driving straight.

9. Drive another 300 m (8.6 km since the Samoeng intersection) and turn left where you see a huge forest mango and a blue and white Dokmai Garden sign.

10. Drive another 100 m and turn right at 'Soi Dokmai'. Follow our concrete road for 350 m until you see the parking at the end of the road.

We have another more straight road signposted 1.4 km further down the canal road, but due to the terrible condition of that road we no longer recommend it.