garden tours
garden tours
An Introduction to Tropical Plants
Gardening is the major spare time activity in the west, involving approximately 40% of the population. In addition, many visitors to Thailand are interested in hiking in the forest or want to learn more about tropical plants and tropical gardening. Chiang Mai is an excellent destination due to the multitude of gardens and national parks, but hitherto the information about the local flora has been inaccessible to the western tourist. Diethelm Travel has teamed up with a Swedish biologist and his Thai wife in order to meet the demand for specialized tours focusing on tropical plants, such as ornamental flowers, vegetables and trees. Whether you are a hobby gardener or professional botanist, participating in one of the programs outlined on the following pages will enable you to obtain the necessary introduction and make subsequent visits to national parks, gardens and farmlands more understandable. All tours are guided by English speaking guides with thorough education in biology, many of which have PhD’s. An Introduction to Tropical Plants (Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday) This garden tour is focused on knowledge, not colours! The aim is to study local gardens and orchards, and to introduce the visitor to tropical fruits, vegetables, foods, ornamentals and forest plants of Thailand. We discuss identification, cultivation, cooking and other uses, as well as the plant’s ecology. Program (these times are approximate) Pick-up at your hotel at 08.00hrs Hang Dong market 09.00-09.30hrs Dokmai Garden 09.30-11.30hrs Lunch 11.30-12.30hrs Opkhan National Park and nearby orchards, gardens and farmlands 12.30-15.30hrs Lanna style food tasting 15.30-16.00hrs Back in town approx. 17.00hrs Guides We provide an English speaking guide with a PhD in biology, as well as a Thai farmer’s daughter for hands-on experience. Dokmai Garden This garden is the home of the Seehamongkol family. It is designed as a western botanical garden, with over 800 tropical plant species, of which 500 are labelled with scientific names and facts on aluminium signs. The garden is flat and compact (4 ha or 10 acres), and provides an airconditioned shop with books, wireless internet, WC, shower and a bar.
© Diethelm Travel (Thailand) Ltd.
garden tours
Orchid Lovers Tour
Orchid Lovers Tour (Thursday) This garden tour is an introduction to orchid biology and production, combining all steps from the forest to research, production and retail. Program (these times are approximate) Pick-up at your hotel at 08.00hrs Research: Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden 09.30-11.30hrs Lunch at Botanic Resort 11.30-12.30hrs Forest: Wild orchids on Doi Pui/Doi Suthep 12.30 -15.00hrs Retail: Visit at the Khamtieng flower market 15.30 - 17.00hrs Guides We provide an English speaking guide and we meet with local experts at Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden and at the flower market. Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden This is the national botanical garden of Thailand, situated in the mountains. Orchid research and conservation has a high priority, why the garden has many of the 1100 Thai orchid species in cultivation. Here we focus on orchid biology and orchid conservation efforts, as well as invite guests to ask questions. Doi Pui/Doi Suthep National Park This national park is composed of a monsoon forest on the characteristic mountain hovering above Chiang Mai. We search for orchids and discuss tropical forests in general. The Khamtieng Flower Market This is the largest and most famous flower market in northern Thailand, composed of many small independent plant vendors aiming at gardens (not cut flowers). We focus on the orchid street, to adore Thai and exotic orchids, hybrids and forest species. The orchid farms multiply forest orchids via cloning, and also works on creating new hybrids. We discuss how to multiply orchids and how to care for them.
Š Diethelm Travel (Thailand) Ltd.
garden tours
Plant life around Doi Inthanon Plant Life around Doi Inthanon (Saturday) This tour is focused on tropical ecology and the native flora of Thailand’s largest mountain, Doi Inthanon (2565 m). This is not a garden tour per se, but introduces the visitor to the original natural environment of e.g. orchids, hoyas and rhododendrons. By visiting these plants in their home environment, you may acquire knowledge to better support such plants in your private garden or greenhouse. Program (these times are approximate) Pick-up at your hotel at 08.00hrs Back in town around 17.00hrs Guides We provide an English speaking guide with knowledge about tropical biology. Route We begin at the summit, where there is a short jungle trail with native rhododendrons, orchids and even a bog. Then we progressively go downwards to study different ecosystems such as evergreen forests, pine forests and dry deciduous forests. We focus on the flora, but anything of biological interest will be discussed (mushrooms, birds, insects etc) and put into an ecological context. We eat lunch at a restaurant on the mountain, and spend some time studying crops of the hill tribes. At the base, before returning back, we study some tree species commonly found in the villages of the Chiang Mai valley (300-350 m). Clothes Prepare yourself for comfortable walking, for rains, for cold (0-8 degrees in the mornings of November-February) and for strong sun.
Š Diethelm Travel (Thailand) Ltd.
garden tours
Palace Garden Tour Palace Garden Tour (Friday, April - December only!) This garden tour is aimed at high elevation tropical plants, which are very different from the plants you see in the valley. We combine a garden situation with the wild flora to introduce the guest to tropical biology and ecology. Program (these times are approximate) Pick-up at your hotel at 08.00hrs Phu Ping Palace: 09.30-12.00hrs Lunch at Phu Ping Palace: 12.00-13.00hrs Excursion 13.00-16.00hrs Back in town ca 17:00hrs Guides We provide an English speaking guide with knowledge about tropical plants. The Phu Ping Palace This is a royal palace situated on the majestic mountain Doi Pui/Doi Suthep (1676 m) which hovers above Chiang Mai. It contains a collection of high elevation plants, jungle species as well as roses. Please note that if a member of the royal family visits the palace on short notice, visitors are not allowed access to the gardens. If such a situation occurs, we exchange that visit with a visit to another garden or a jungle walk. Important: Dress politely, i.e. no shorts, no mini skirt, long sleeves for ladies, no slippers or flip-flops. The royal family frequently resides at the palace between January and March and therefore we do not offer this tour this time of the year. Doi Pui/Doi Suthep National Park This national park has been inventoried since the first botanists came here in 1902-1904. In total, some 2200 plant species have been recorded from this mountain. We make an excursion to study typical indigenous species, with emphasis on trees.
Š Diethelm Travel (Thailand) Ltd.
For more information and pricing, please contact
Diethelm Travel (Thailand) Ltd., 14/F Kian Gwan Building II, 140/1 Wireless Road Bangkok, 10330, Tel. +66 (0) 2660 7000, Fax+66 (0) 2 660 7020, E-mail: sales@diethelmtravel.com, www.diethelmtravel.com TAT license No. 11/02572