Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park, Chiang Rai

Two lotus ponds anchor Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park, a 625-rai public garden in Ban Du subdistrict about 9km from central Chiang Rai. Opened on 10 January 1988 and still run by Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, the park honours Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother — her monument here was unveiled by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in December 2000, with a second monument to Princess Galyani Vadhana added in 2016. Entry is free, and the park keeps university hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00-17:00.

The layout centres on Nong Bua Yai and Nong Bua Noi, a large and small lotus pond connected by a flower-lined walking path stretching several hundred metres — locals call it the “flower street.” From there, paths climb three low hills planted with mature Siamese rosewood (suphannika) trees, Chiang Rai’s provincial flower, which bloom yellow in the hot season. Elsewhere on the grounds you’ll find a palm garden, bamboo groves, a teak arboretum, and a research plot for traditional Thai medicine run by the university, growing the herbs and native plants used in Thai herbal formulations.

Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit — university staff and a handful of local joggers use the paths before the day heats up, and the ponds are calmest for photos when the morning light is low. Because it’s a working university-managed park rather than a commercial garden, don’t expect labelled botanical displays or manicured show gardens; it reads more like a large public arboretum with a few standout features than a curated botanical park.

Insider Tip: The rosewood hills are worth timing your visit around — they flower bright yellow from roughly February to April, and are a much quieter photo spot than the lotus ponds, which get more foot traffic from campus visitors.

Getting there without your own transport takes a little planning — this isn’t a stop on the standard songthaew routes, so a taxi, Grab, or rented scooter from central Chiang Rai is the practical option. There’s free parking near the Cultural Center at the university, and the flat paths around the ponds are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, though the hillside sections involve some gentle climbing. Given the weekday-only opening hours, this is a park for people building a full-day or multi-day Chiang Rai itinerary rather than a quick weekend add-on — check the day before you go if you’re visiting on a Saturday or Sunday.