Dinosaur Valley

Dinosaur Valley is a themed zone inside Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, not a standalone park — over 800 sculptured dinosaurs across roughly 230 species, spread through a 25-rai section of the garden in Chonburi’s Sattahip district. It opened in April 2017 and is included in the regular Nong Nooch admission ticket: 500 THB for foreign adults, 300 THB for Thai nationals, children under 90cm free.

The valley sits apart from Nong Nooch’s better-known cactus and orchid collections, laid out as a walking trail through tropical foliage with sculptures grouped roughly by period — a Triceratops was reportedly the first model cast when construction started, and the collection has grown steadily since. T-Rex and Triceratops figures dominate the sightlines, but the appeal for most visitors is the sheer density: hundreds of models packed into a compact area, versus the handful you’d see scattered through a typical wildlife park. Recorded dinosaur sounds play through hidden speakers along the trail, and a raised skywalk section lets you look down over parts of the display instead of only viewing it at ground level.

Because it’s part of a much larger botanical garden, Dinosaur Valley works best paired with the rest of Nong Nooch rather than visited alone — the garden also runs a Thai cultural show and elephant show on a separate schedule (extra cost), plus its famous cactus and orchid gardens, French and Italian-style formal gardens, and a butterfly area. An electric sightseeing bus circulates through the wider grounds for around 150 THB, useful if you’re covering the whole property in one day.

Insider Tip: Skip the midday heat. The walking trail has limited shade in places, and the sculptures photograph better in the softer light of early morning or late afternoon — arrive close to the 08:00 opening if you want the paths to yourself before tour buses from Pattaya hotels start arriving mid-morning.

Watch out: Dinosaur Valley alone won’t fill a half-day — pair it with at least the cactus garden and one formal garden section, or you’ll have paid full Nong Nooch admission for what’s really a one-hour walk.

Comfortable closed shoes are worth it; parts of the trail are gravel rather than paved. Bring water and sun protection regardless of season — there’s limited cover once you’re inside the dinosaur section itself.