Sirindhorn Park

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 17:00

Admission Fees: No Admission Fee for the Garden

 

Sirindhorn Park in Ubon Ratchathani is a commemorative garden located within the Sirindhorn Dam area in Nikhom Lam Dom Noi Subdistrict, Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The park was created by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand as a royal tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the occasion of her 36th birthday anniversary. Covering about 40 rai, the park was designed as a forest-style garden that blends closely with the original environment of Sirindhorn Dam. It includes a botanical garden, fountain area, resting pavilions, purple flowering plants, symbolic landscape elements, and sculptures that give the place both natural beauty and cultural meaning.

 

Sirindhorn Park is a calm and accessible destination for travelers who want to rest in a green area beside a large reservoir. It is not a difficult hiking route or a remote forest trail. Instead, it offers an easy walking environment with shade, garden views, landscaped paths, and open scenery connected to Sirindhorn Dam. Visitors can walk slowly, take photographs, observe plants, sit in pavilions, and continue to other viewpoints within the dam area. The park is suitable for families, elderly visitors, students, photographers, Thai travelers, and foreign visitors who want to understand Ubon Ratchathani through nature, hydropower, public development, and royal commemoration.

 

The park’s main character comes from its forest-garden design. Rather than creating a formal concrete park, the landscape keeps a softer and more natural atmosphere. Trees, flowering plants, walking paths, water features, and pavilions are arranged to support relaxation without hiding the original setting of the dam. Purple flowers are especially meaningful because purple is associated with the Princess’s birthday. This makes the park more than a green recreational space. It is a symbolic landscape where color, planting, and design express respect and remembrance.

 

One of the most distinctive features is the landscaped “สธ” lettering, created from trimmed plants. This element connects the garden directly with the Princess’s royal initials. For visitors, it is both a photo point and a meaningful symbol. It shows how garden design can carry cultural and commemorative meaning without needing large buildings. The use of plants to form the royal initials gives the place a living quality, as the symbol is maintained through care, trimming, and continuous cultivation.

 

Another memorable feature is the sculpture group of 3 elephants playing Thai musical instruments: ranat, saw, and khlui. These sculptures add warmth and cultural charm to the garden. Elephants are deeply associated with Thai heritage, while traditional musical instruments represent the refinement of Thai art. Placed within a garden near the reservoir, the sculpture group creates a gentle link between nature, music, and Thai identity. For foreign visitors, this is one of the easiest details to understand visually, because it communicates culture through familiar shapes and expressive design.

 

The botanical garden area gives Sirindhorn Park additional value as a learning space. Visitors can observe different plants, leaf shapes, flower colors, tree forms, and planting arrangements. The park encourages people to see plants not only as decoration but as part of a living landscape. For children and students, it can serve as an outdoor classroom where they learn about plants, shade, ecosystems, water, and how green spaces are designed for public use. The park is especially useful because it connects botanical learning with the environment of a real reservoir and hydropower site.

 

The fountain area adds movement and freshness to the garden. The sound of water softens the atmosphere and creates a restful point for visitors. It also connects naturally with the wider identity of Sirindhorn Dam, where water plays a central role in electricity generation, irrigation, fisheries, flood control, and tourism. At Sirindhorn Park, water is present both as a scenic element in the garden and as a larger resource represented by the reservoir itself.

 

The resting pavilions make the park comfortable for longer visits. Families with children and elderly travelers can pause, sit in the shade, and enjoy the surroundings without rushing. This gives the park a relaxed pace. Unlike destinations that require climbing or long walking, Sirindhorn Park allows visitors to enjoy nature in a gentle way. The pavilions also make the park suitable for road-trip travelers who want a quiet break before continuing to Pattaya Noi, Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, Chong Mek, or Kaeng Tana National Park.

 

Sirindhorn Park is closely connected with the story of Sirindhorn Dam. The dam was originally known as Lam Dom Noi Dam. It was built across Lam Dom Noi, a tributary of the Mun River, at Kaeng Sa Noi in Nikhom Lam Dom Noi Subdistrict. Construction began in 1968 and was completed in 1971. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great laid the foundation stone on 2 February 1969, and the dam was later named Sirindhorn Dam in honor of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The dam officially opened on 27 November 1971.

 

Sirindhorn Dam is a multipurpose dam with major importance in northeastern Thailand. It supports electricity generation, irrigation, flood control, fisheries, and tourism. This background gives Sirindhorn Park a deeper meaning. Visitors are not only walking through a landscaped garden. They are also visiting a public development area where water, energy, environment, and community life meet. The reservoir scenery behind the garden helps visitors understand why the dam is important to both local livelihoods and national infrastructure.

 

The dam area is also known today for its floating solar hybrid power project, which has become an important example of clean energy development. A visit to Sirindhorn Park can therefore be combined with learning about hydropower and renewable energy. The same area contains a garden, reservoir, dam, power facilities, and solar energy elements. This combination makes the destination useful for travelers interested in more than scenery. It shows how nature, public infrastructure, and energy innovation can share the same landscape.

 

The best time to visit Sirindhorn Park is in the morning or late afternoon. Morning gives cooler air and a fresh garden atmosphere. Late afternoon brings softer light and a warmer view of the trees, flowers, pavilions, and reservoir. Midday visits are possible, but the weather can be hot, especially during the dry season. Visitors should bring drinking water, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes. For photography, morning and late afternoon light work best because they give the garden more depth and reduce harsh shadows.

 

Photographers will find several useful subjects in the park: purple flowers, forest-style paths, fountain areas, the “สธ” lettering, the elephant musician sculptures, resting pavilions, and the reservoir landscape. Wide shots can show the garden and dam setting together, while close-up shots can focus on flowers, sculpture details, or reflections near water features. The park is especially good for calm travel photography, family photographs, and visual storytelling about Ubon Ratchathani beyond temples and natural rock formations.

 

For families, Sirindhorn Park is easy to visit. Children can walk through the garden, observe plants, see the fountain and sculptures, and learn why the park was built. Parents can explain the meaning of the purple flowers, the royal initials, and the connection between the park and the dam. The visit can also introduce children to simple ideas about water storage, electricity generation, and renewable energy. This makes the park a gentle but meaningful educational stop.

 

For elderly visitors, the park is suitable because it does not require difficult walking. The area has resting pavilions, shade, and a calm atmosphere. A comfortable visit can be planned in the morning or late afternoon, avoiding strong midday heat. The park offers a restful combination of greenery, commemorative meaning, and reservoir views, making it a practical destination for multi-generation family trips.

 

For foreign visitors, Sirindhorn Park helps explain an important relationship in Thailand: royal commemoration, public infrastructure, green space, and regional development. Many foreign travelers visit Ubon Ratchathani for Pha Taem, Sam Phan Bok, Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, or the Mekong River. Sirindhorn Park offers another perspective. It shows how a dam area can also contain a commemorative garden, botanical elements, scenic viewpoints, and public learning value.

 

Getting There from Ubon Ratchathani city is most convenient by private car, rental car, or van. Take Highway 217 toward Phibun Mangsahan and Sirindhorn District, then continue to Sirindhorn Dam in Nikhom Lam Dom Noi Subdistrict. The distance from Ubon Ratchathani city is about 70 kilometers. Once inside the dam area, follow local signs toward the tourist zones and garden area. Private transport is recommended because it allows travelers to continue easily to Pattaya Noi, Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, Chong Mek Border Market, and Kaeng Tana National Park.

 

A half-day itinerary can begin with Sirindhorn Park and the dam viewpoint, followed by a meal inside the dam area or at a restaurant near Pattaya Noi. This route is suitable for families who want a relaxed trip without too much driving inside one day. A full-day itinerary can include Sirindhorn Park in the morning, Pattaya Noi around lunchtime, Chong Mek in the afternoon, and Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao in the evening. This gives travelers a balanced journey of garden, reservoir, border market, and glowing temple art.

 

The main areas of Sirindhorn Park include the entrance area, forest-garden walkway, botanical garden, purple flowering plant zone, fountain area, resting pavilions, royal-initial landscape area, elephant musician sculptures, and reservoir-view connection points. Each area has a different role. The botanical garden is good for plant learning. The fountain area offers a visual and cooling focal point. The pavilions provide rest. The royal initials and elephant sculptures communicate the commemorative and cultural meaning of the park.

 

Beyond the park, the Sirindhorn Dam area includes other visitor points such as the dam crest, reservoir viewpoints, fish-feeding area, accommodation zone, and nature-view areas. Some viewpoints allow visitors to see the reservoir stretching across the landscape. Together, these places help travelers understand the dam as both an energy facility and a leisure destination. Visitors with enough time should explore several points rather than treating the park as a short photo stop only.

 

Pattaya Noi is one of the easiest nearby places to combine with Sirindhorn Park. Located by the Sirindhorn reservoir, it is known for floating restaurants, raft dining, water views, and a relaxed local holiday atmosphere. Visiting Pattaya Noi after the park adds a more casual riverside or lakeside experience to the trip. It also helps travelers see how the reservoir supports recreation and local tourism.

 

Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, widely known as the glowing temple, is another major nearby attraction. It is especially popular in the evening because of the glowing Kalpavriksha artwork behind the ordination hall. A practical itinerary is to visit Sirindhorn Park during the day, continue to Pattaya Noi or Chong Mek, and finish at the glowing temple around dusk. This creates a full route combining garden, dam, reservoir dining, border travel, and contemporary Buddhist art.

 

Chong Mek Border Market is suitable for travelers who want to continue from the dam area toward the Thai-Lao border. It offers a local border-market atmosphere with goods from Thailand and neighboring countries. When combined with Sirindhorn Park, it gives the trip a wider regional context: green public space, hydropower, reservoir tourism, and border trade in one route.

 

Restaurants near Sirindhorn Park include food options inside the dam area, restaurants near Pattaya Noi, and restaurants along the Chong Mek route. The closest option is the food center inside the dam area. Those who want a reservoir dining atmosphere can continue to Pattaya Noi, where raft-style restaurants and local food are available. Travelers heading to the border can eat around Chong Mek or along the Sirindhorn route. Planning meals in advance is useful because some local restaurants may operate according to visitor traffic and season.

 

Accommodation near Sirindhorn Park ranges from EGAT accommodation in the dam area to pool villas, camping-style stays, resorts near the reservoir, and hotels in Chong Mek. Visitors who want to stay close to the dam and reservoir should choose accommodation near Sirindhorn Dam. Families or groups may prefer pool villas around the reservoir. Travelers continuing to Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao or Chong Mek can stay near the border route. Those who prefer more city facilities can stay in Ubon Ratchathani city and visit the park as a day trip.

 

Visitors should treat Sirindhorn Park as a commemorative and public garden. Flowers should not be picked, planted areas should not be stepped on, sculptures should not be climbed, and rubbish should not be left behind. The garden is both a leisure space and a symbolic landscape. Quiet, respectful use helps preserve the park for families, local residents, and future travelers.

 

For in-depth travelers, Sirindhorn Park is a useful starting point for understanding the entire Sirindhorn Dam area. It connects royal commemoration, botanical design, water resources, hydropower, renewable energy, tourism, and local development. A short visit offers relaxation, but a slower visit reveals how many stories meet in this single place. The park is a green entry point into a wider landscape of energy, water, and regional travel in southern Ubon Ratchathani.

 

In conclusion, Sirindhorn Park in Ubon Ratchathani is a meaningful commemorative garden inside Sirindhorn Dam. It is located in Nikhom Lam Dom Noi Subdistrict, Sirindhorn District, and is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. Its main highlights are the 40-rai forest-style garden, botanical garden, fountain, pavilions, purple flowering plants, “สธ” landscape lettering, and sculptures of 3 elephants playing Thai musical instruments. The park is suitable for Thai travelers, foreign visitors, families, elderly visitors, students, photographers, and anyone seeking a calm, scenic, and meaningful stop on the Sirindhorn Dam, Pattaya Noi, Chong Mek, and glowing temple route.

 

 

A: Sirindhorn Park is located inside Sirindhorn Dam in Nikhom Lam Dom Noi Subdistrict, Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchathani Province.

 

A: Sirindhorn Park is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00.

 

A: There is no admission fee for the garden. Food, accommodation, and other optional services inside the dam area are charged separately.

 

A: The highlights are the 40-rai forest-style garden, botanical garden, fountain, resting pavilions, purple flowering plants, “สธ” landscape lettering, and sculptures of 3 elephants playing Thai musical instruments.

 

A: It was built by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand as a royal tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the occasion of her 36th birthday anniversary.

 

A: Morning and late afternoon are the best times because the weather is more comfortable, the light is softer, and the garden is easier to walk around.

 

A: Yes. The park is suitable for all ages because it has easy walking areas, resting pavilions, shaded garden sections, plant-learning value, and nearby dam viewpoints.

 

A: Nearby places include Sirindhorn Dam viewpoint, the floating solar hybrid viewpoint, Pattaya Noi, Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, Chong Mek Border Market, Kaeng Tana National Park, and Wat Tham Khuha Sawan.