Today, I set out to see Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo born on July 10, 2024, in Thailand. She's become a social media sensation for her charming antics and playful nature.
Catch her on the 24/7 live stream!
Planning a visit to Moo Deng requires some effort to capture great photos. Here's how my friend and I made the trip from Bangkok without a car, ensuring we got the best shots.
My top photos of Moo DengThis post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, helping maintain this blog.
Where is Moo Deng located?
Moo Deng resides at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand. It's about a two-hour drive from Bangkok (114 km) and an hour from Pattaya (48 km).
Visiting Moo Deng from Bangkok Without a Car
The most convenient way to visit Moo Deng is to drive or hire a driver. We arranged a driver through our Airbnb for 3,000 baht ($88 USD) for a day in a luxurious van with reclining seats. You can also check GetYourGuide for private transfers or Klook for day tours from Bangkok and Pattaya.
If you prefer public transport, take a shared van to Si Racha, then grab a taxi or use Grab from there.
I used Google Translate to understand Moo Deng's schedule sent by the zoo.
Best Time to Visit Moo Deng
While the zoo provides a rough schedule for Moo Deng, her mood can vary. I suggest visiting at 8 a.m. right when the zoo opens, as it's less crowded. This is when Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, wake up and are most active, especially during feeding time. The caretaker was cleaning their enclosure, creating some entertaining moments.
We witnessed the caretaker splashing water on Moo Deng and snapping Instagram photos. We were also lucky to see some interaction between Moo Deng and mischievous monkeys trying to steal their food. By 9 a.m., they were asleep, still snoozing when we checked back at noon. Late afternoons also see more activity.
The zoo has a five-minute viewing limit for Moo Deng during busy times. Fortunately, it was quiet when we visited on a weekday morning, allowing us to spend about an hour with her. (The time limit seems only enforced when the crowd is large; we faced no restrictions during our visit.) Only a handful of visitors were present at first, but a large tour group arrived by 9 a.m., bringing the total to about 50.
I highly recommend an early weekday visit. Although the zoo gets busier after 10 a.m., it never felt overly crowded near Moo Deng's enclosure during our golf cart rides. For any inquiries about visiting, I found the zoo very responsive via Facebook messages.
Purchasing Tickets for Moo Deng
Foreign visitors must buy tickets at a small building to the left before reaching the main entrance gate. Thai nationals can purchase tickets directly at the gate.
Ticket prices: For foreign adults, it's 350 baht ($10.32 USD) and 120 baht ($3.54) for children. Parking fees are 40 baht ($1.18 USD) for motorcycles and 80 baht ($2.36 USD) for cars.
You can buy tickets online through Klook for a slight discount, saving time on arrival. (We wish we'd known about this option beforehand!)
Moo Deng being hosed down by her caretaker early on a weekday morning. She and her mother are lively and eating between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Finding Moo Deng at the Zoo
No cars are allowed in Zone 1, so walking is necessary. Moo Deng's enclosure is easy to locate—just take a left after entering and follow the hippo signs. It's about a 10-minute walk. You'll cross a boardwalk past other hippos until you reach her home, with Moo Deng music playing to guide you!
For the best photos of Moo Deng, shoot from the elevated far end of her enclosure. If you're not tall, the glass wall and fence wire at the bottom can obstruct your shots. Morning light is ideal for photography from the top.
On weekends and holidays, visitors can feed Capybaras at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
Other Attractions at the Zoo
The zoo spans two zones and is too vast to explore on foot—it covers 2,000 acres. We rented a golf cart for 500 baht ($14.75 USD) for two hours, which was a blast!
Cars can enter Zone 2 for a fee. If you prefer not to drive a golf cart, a tram makes the main stops.
Zone 1 is the busiest area featuring the main attractions, while Zone 2 has a more rural feel, reminiscent of Jurassic Park, with some abandoned exhibits. This section is typically crowd-free.
I'm not usually a zoo enthusiast, but I enjoyed this experience. (I literally flew to Bangkok from Chiang Mai just for Moo Deng! My friend and I wore matching t-shirts.)
Other key attractions include the penguin parade for feeding time and an elephant swimming show, plus opportunities to feed elephants and giraffes. We skipped these activities.
Where to Buy Moo Deng Merchandise
Unfortunately, you can't purchase Moo Deng shirts at the zoo. There are plenty of Moo Deng stuffed animals available, but that's about it. The zoo has trademarked Moo Deng and plans to sell licensed t-shirts, but I haven't found out where they are sold yet. We ended up buying some unofficial ones online and from an artist in Chiang Mai. It's surprisingly difficult to find Moo Deng merchandise in Thailand!
