Bung Chawak
On the road of Kanchanaburi
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Between Ayutthaya and Kantchanaburi is located the Suphanburi province [1]. In a natural leisure park, surrounded by a wonderfull lake in bung Chawak, where we can find hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, massage saloons, an amazing aquarium, a botanic garden, a crocodile pond with several dozen of Siamese crocodiles and a zoo. This humble zoo is located in an exuberant vegetation area, on the edge of a lake exceeding one thousand hectares, declared protected area since 1983 because of his huge biodiversity : wildlife and flora. This place is a real heaven.
Bung Chawak
Many thai families come from Bangkok during the week end to visit Bung Chawak, for one day or a couple of days [2]. Bung Chawak is subject to an impressive human tide during the week end, the parking is totaly crowded and the surrounded roads are busy with parked cars. More over, the local trains plying beetwen the different sites are filled and restaurants are full.
However, during the weekdays, the park is almost deserted but the restaurants, guesthouses and hotels are still open.
- Le lac de Bung Chawak - Suphanburi
The road going to Bung Chawak is bordered by a nice landscape : paddy fields and street food where you can order local BBQ grilled sausages, luk chin, fishes, squids and chicken.
The aquarium
- Aquarium - Bung Chawak - Suphanburi
Bung Chawak Aquarium is a must see in the province of Suphanburi, featuring freshwater and marine fish from all over the world. There are 3 buildings which feature more than 50 types of freshwater and marine fish from Thailand and abroad. Highlights include a 400 m3 cylinder aquarium tank (considered as the bigger in Thailand) measuring 2 m for diameter and 6.8m for height and a 16 m long transparent tunnel, one of the biggest in the world.
The most exciting and magic time come when the visitors enter in the shark tunnel and can see nurse shark, leopard shark and related aquatic life where scuba divers feed the fish four times a day.
Nearly, there is the crocodile pond covering three rai [3] where 100 freshwater crocodiles (each 1.5m to 4m) live
Bung Chawak aquarium opens daily 8.30am-5pm on weekdays and 8.30am-6pm on weekends and holidays
- Aquarium de Bung Chawak -Suphanburi
[1] Suphan Buri is one of the central provinces (changwat) in Thailand, situated geographically Northwest of Bangkok,but unfortunately ignored by most of the touristic guides. This province is famous for luk thung singer, a local country music. Suphanburi was the location of several battles with the neighbouring. The most famous was the elephant battle during the king Naresuan the Great (สมเด็จพระนเรศวรมหาราช) edge.
[2] Only about 160 km northwest of Bangkok, the round trip driving is around 3 hours and half, the roads in Suphan buri province are quite good
[3] 1 rai = 1,600 m2
