How to Get to the Phuket Botanic Garden
The Phuket Botanical Garden is in the Chalong region of Phuket Island, not far from one of Phuket’s most popular temples, Wat Chalong. From Route 4021, head west on Soi Chao Fha 14. About a mile down this road, you will find the entrance to the gardens. There is a large circular driveway with a fountain in the center and a parking lot off to one side. The neighborhood is a quiet one and there is not much traffic on the street.
There is a main ticket booth at the front of the building, but when we went we were greeted near the parking lot by the attendant and led to the gift shop off to the side to buy our entry tickets – 500 baht ($14.50) each. She then walked us over to the front gates and unlocked them to allow us in.
What Kind of Plants Can You See at the Phuket Botanic Garden?
The Phuket Botanic Garden boasts hundreds of plants and over 20 different themed gardens. While it was a bit run down when we visited, there are still plenty of plants to enjoy. Only the larger plants had labels, with the plant names written in Thai and with the scientific name. There were sections displaying orchids, another with cacti, and several different water lily displays. There were many orchard trees throughout – mango, durian, and more. The herb garden had gotten pretty unkempt but there were still some (unfamiliar to me) herbs growing.
Our Experience at the Phuket Botanic Garden
Upon entering the gardens, we immediately felt a sense of calm descend. There is relaxing spa music piped through speakers hidden among the plants. This is more than enough to block out the noise of the minimal traffic from the street. There is a school nearby, and at one point we could hear the sound of children playing; otherwise the outside world did not intrude.
A circular path winds through the garden, starting from the entry gate and ending at the gift shop. There are many themed gardens along this path. After exploring each one you simply rejoin the main path and continue on. It is not possible to get lost or feel like you missed something. There are sign posts pointing the way and for the most part, the themed gardens are well labeled.
At one point, it appears that the Phuket Botanic Garden was an amazing place to visit. It is well laid out, with a good infrastructure of walls, ponds, fountains, and even a Thai bamboo house. We especially loved the art pieces scattered throughout. Unfortunately, the gardens have not been well maintained in recent years, and some of the themed gardens suffered more than others. The Winter Garden was completely derelict and shut down, as was the Butterfly Garden. The Museum at the center of the garden was closed and appeared run down. Some of the major plant specimen had been removed and only an empty pot remained.
However, what was left of the gardens were still enjoyable to walk through. The first showcase garden had some large trees, ferns, and orchids on display. There was another garden farther in that was entirely orchids, several different varieties en masse for a stunning effect. There was a desert garden with many types of cacti that we really liked. The main koi pond was full of fish that were eager to get fed (we disappointed them, though). There were a few other ponds with fish as well. There was one area with a series of small “rooms” each portraying a different culture. Many were missing signs so we were left to guess which culture (Thai or Laos or Vietnamese?), but it was still fun to see.
Other than the general neglect, the one negative to our trip was the hordes of mosquitoes. We were offered bug spray at the entrance, but declined. We come from Minnesota, where the state bird is a mosquito – we can handle this! But the mosquitos here are small and persistent, leaving a welt that will itch for days. They’re really only found in dense jungle growth, as the slightest breeze will interrupt their flight. Unfortunately, the first third of the garden is highlighting Phuket’s jungle and is very densely planted. Once we got to the koi pond, the plants were farther apart and there were hardly any mosquitos. (Too bad the damage was already done!)
I admit we almost decided not to go to the Phuket Botanical Garden because of the many negative reviews others had posted. I am so glad we decided to see for ourselves! I truly enjoyed exploring the gardens and walking through the quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
The Restaurant and Resort at the Phuket Botanic Garden
At one point, there was a resort connected to the Phuket Botanic Garden with hotel rooms available. We did see the resort building but it appeared that no one was staying there and that the resort portion was closed down. I also read that there was a cafe in the center of the garden grounds. While we saw a likely building, it was closed down and did not appear in operation. The museum was also locked and we didn’t see many displays through the windows. Actually, many of the displays had been moved to the gift shop – which only had a few dusty items for sale. Overall, while the garden is still standing, the auxiliary businesses – resort, cafe, and gift shop – are not functioning.
