In　this　study,　Ga　doped　ZnO　photonic　crystals　were　developed　for　the　purpose　of　achieving　the　cooperative　enhancement　from　the　photonic　crystals　structure　and　Ga　doping.　The　Ga　doped　ZnO　photonic　crystals　with　highly　ordered　skeleton　structure　could　be　obtained　via　a　dip-coating　infiltration　method.　By　varying　the　pore　diameter　of　photonic　crystals,　the　slow　photon　effect　could　be　found　over　the　sample　with　a　pore　diameter　of　217　nm　and　the　corresponding　electronic　band　gap　absorption　was　enhanced.　Moreover,　the　introduction　of　Ga　increased　the　specific　surface　area　of　Ga　doped　ZnO　photonic　crystals　while　the　concentration　of　hydroxyl　oxygen　on　the　surface　decreased　simultaneously,　which　formed　a　competitive　relationship　in　determining　the　photocatalytic　performance　of　Ga　doped　ZnO　photonic　crystals.　The　photocatalytic　activities　for　the　degradation　of　rhodamine　B　showed　that　3　at%　Ga　doped　ZnO　photonic　crystals　with　a　pore　diameter　of　217　nm　exhibited　higher　activity　compared　with　other　samples.　The　higher　activity　could　be　attributed　to　the　slow　photon　effect　from　the　photonic　crystal　structure　and　increased　specific　surface　area　after　Ga　doping.　Furthermore,　based　on　the　results　of　the　detection　of　radicals,　the　degradation　mechanism　was　discussed　in　details.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.