Khao Kheow Open Zoo runs a night safari programme on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from around 18:30 — spotlight tram rounds (commonly around 19:00 and 20:00) through the 2,000-acre grounds when the nocturnal animals are actually active. It is ticketed separately at the gate rather than sold as an online tour; for reference, daytime foreigner admission is 350 THB. Plan a round-trip driver: the zoo is 45 minutes from Pattaya with no public transport, at night least of all.
Tour Highlights
- Open-sided tram rides through the zoo after dark, guided by spotters
- Nocturnal animals — civets, porcupines, deer herds, big cats — at their active hours
- Runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from around 18:30
- A completely different experience from the daytime zoo visit
- Cooler evening temperatures — the most comfortable way to do a zoo in Thailand
Itinerary
- 117:15Leave Pattaya — the zoo is about 45 minutes north toward Si Racha and there is no public transport; arrange a driver for the evening (you want the car waiting).
- 218:15Arrive and buy or collect night-safari tickets at the gate; the programme starts from around 18:30.
- 319:00Tram round one: spotlight-guided loop past the deer herds, big-cat zones and nocturnal enclosures (tram rounds run through the evening, commonly around 19:00 and 20:00).
- 420:00Between rounds: night-active walk-through zones and keeper demonstrations per the evening’s programme.
- 521:00Programme winds down; drive back to Pattaya — you are home before 22:00.
What's included
- Night safari programme admission (gate ticket)
- Guided tram round(s) per programme
Not included
- Transport (no public option — a round-trip driver is the realistic plan)
- Food and drinks
- Daytime zoo admission (separate visit, separate ticket)
Who is this tour best for?
- Families whose kids are past nap age — this is a genuinely magical evening for children
- Return visitors who already did the day zoo and Moo Deng queue
- Hot-season travellers: the evening zoo is 10 degrees more pleasant than the midday one
- Wildlife photographers with fast lenses (flash is not allowed — bring high-ISO gear)
Where to book & compare
| Provider | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Night safari at the gate (Fri–Sun) | separate evening ticket at the gate | Buy on arrival — the programme is not reliably sold as an online e-ticket. Check the zoo’s current schedule and pricing before driving out; details shift seasonally. |
| Daytime zoo visit | 350 THB adult / 120 THB child (foreigner gate) | The Moo Deng-and-savannah classic — see our separate Khao Kheow Open Zoo day guide. Day and night are different tickets and, realistically, different trips. |
| Private tour with pickup (GetYourGuide) | around ฿2,140 (from $59.31) | 4.7 from 33 reviews. A daytime private-car format solving the same transport problem the night trip has — useful benchmark if you would rather not arrange your own driver. |
Frequently asked questions
Which nights does the night safari run?
Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, from around 18:30, with tram rounds commonly around 19:00 and 20:00. Schedules and programme content shift seasonally, so check the zoo’s current announcements before making the 45-minute drive — this is a gate-run programme, not a fixed tour product.
How do I buy tickets?
At the gate on the evening — the night safari is not reliably sold as an online e-ticket the way day admission is. Arrive by around 18:15 to be on the early tram round. For reference, daytime foreigner admission is 350 THB adult / 120 THB child; expect the night programme to be ticketed separately.
Is it better than the daytime visit?
Different, not better. Daytime gets you Moo Deng, the savannah drive-through and the full 2,000 acres; night gets you active nocturnal animals, spotlight trams and cool air, on a much smaller circuit. First visit: go daytime. Second visit, or heat-averse families: the night safari is the treat.
How do we get there and back at night?
There is no public transport, and at 21:00 you do not want to be improvising a ride 45 minutes from Pattaya. Book a private driver for the round trip with waiting time — roughly 1,500–2,500 THB per car is the going range — or take the zoo up on any current evening-transfer packages if offered.
Can we do the day zoo and night safari in one go?
Physically possible on a Friday–Sunday — the zoo closes at 17:00 and the night programme starts 18:30 — but it makes for a very long day with young kids and the tickets are separate anyway. Most families pick one; the few who do both grab dinner in Si Racha between them.