Hua Hin in Thailand

The Hua Hin zoo is really more of an animal park. It is a government research center for animal breeding, but is open to the public. Admission is free. The Hua Hin zoo is located several kilometers north of Huahin. If you are coming from Huahin, head north on Petchakasem Road. Turn left on Soi HuaySai. Soi HuaySai is just after the 220 km marker. Follow Soi HuaySai for 4 kilometers and the Hua Hin zoo is on the left. Turn left into the animal park and follow the signs to the parking area.

The entrance to the Hua Hin zoo is located adjacent to the parking area. There are not an gate attendants, so just walk in and have a look around. There are several large fenced in area for deer and birds. The highlight of a trip to the Hua Hin zoo are the gibbon islands. The research center has several gibbons and they are normally very playful. It is very entertaining to watch them interact and swing around their islands.

The Hua Hin zoo is not a must see attraction. It is not part of the normal tour circuit, but most taxi drivers will know where it is located. The information posted on each of the animal cages is only in Thai language, except that the names are in English. But, it is a nice exhibit and younger children will probably enjoy seeing the birds and animals. The Hua hin zoo covers a small area which makes it a nice place for small children to walk around without the need for a stroller.

Weekends are the busiest times for Hua Hin zoo. During the week, there are very few visitors. Take your own snacks and drinks. There are not any shops to purchase food and drink or other accessories.

Wildlife Rescue Centre Hua hin

Volunteer for this program in Hua hin 

Animals you can expect to work with at the centre include a variety of macaques, two species of gibbon, several species of civets, loris, leopard cats, tigers, bears, crocodiles, and exotic birds. The center tries to provide these animals with enclosures as close to nature as possible or, where possible, reintroduction to the wild.

Depending on the duration of your stay, your education and experience, you may participate in the following activities:

• Preparing and giving out food to all animals
• Maintaining enclosures and building enrichments
• Daily cleaning of enclosures

The aim of the project is to save wild animals and their habitat from destruction. Their strategy towards achieving this aim involves three complementary tasks:

• Through the education program, encourage local people, tourists and the international community to appreciate, understand and protect wild animals and their rainforest habitat;
• Assist in and develop new projects involved in the protection, education, captive breeding, rehabilitation, humane housing and welfare of all wild animals;
• To rehabilitate captive wild animals and release them back into the wild, repopulating forest areas, where they have become rare to extinct.