Saigon Botanic Gardens and Zoo (2B Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), one of the oldest zoo in the world, was constructed in 1864 and opened to the public in 1869. It now covers an area of 22ha. The garden is planted various valuable and rare trees, some of which were imported from Afica, India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia… such as African mahogany Khaya senegalensis, Dalbergia oliveri, Barringtonia acutangula, Tamarindus indica, Averrhoa carambola… Particularly, the garden may have been one of the first places outside Africa in which the African mahogany was planted. Many species of strange and rare animals are fed here such as white rhinos, tigers, hippos, elephants, deers... Since 1990, Saigon Botanic Gardens and Zoo has become an official member of South East Asian Zoos Association. The garden now contains 590 animals of 125 species and about 1,900 trees and plants of 260 species. The zoo attracts thousands of visitors each day.

Da Lat Flower Park (2 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province) used-to-be Bich Cau Flower Garden, has a total area of ​​about 7,000 m². The gate of the park includes three flower domes in the arc shape decorated with hundreds of flowerpots. In the central area of the park, there are large colorful flower beds and fountain system. The park is a display of the largest flower collection in Viet Nam with hundreds species of flowers such as rose, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, orchid, mimosa, dahlia, salvia, celosia, hibiscus… Da Lat Flower Park is also the place to organize Spring Flowers Festival in the annual Lunar New Year.

Besides Saigon Botanic Gardens and Zoo and Flower Park, the book introduces other gardens/parks of ASEAN, including Kampong Parit Recreational Park, Empire Hotel and Country Club (Brunei); Royal Palace Garden and Silver Pagoda, Wat Phnom Park (Cambodia); Bogor Botanical Garden, Taman Bunga Nusantara (Indonesia); Villa Santi Resort and Spa, Riverview Park (Laos); Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park, Secret Garden of 1 Utama (Malaysia); National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens, Kandawgyi Lake (Myanmar); Eden Nature Park and Resort, Sonya’s Garden (Philippines); Gardens by the Bays, Botanic Gardens Singapore (Singapore) and Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Noong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (Thailand). These are must-see destinations for tourists when visiting ASEAN countries.

Thu Giang