The virgin rainforests of the national park extend over 23 sq. kilometers. The park is located in the northeast of Phuket. This unique place is one of the last natural habitats for many exotic and endangered animal species.

Here you can see a real ancient forest and walk through the jungle. Khao Phra Theo Park surprises with picturesque waterfalls, rare plants, flowers and trees. The park has a rehabilitation center for gibbons, where animals receive care and treatment.

You can touch nature by visiting Ton Sai waterfall. The waterfall is located away from the beaches, in the northeastern part of Phuket, on the western side of Khao Phra Theo perk. On the way to the waterfall, there are beautiful views of agricultural land.

Primate Rescue Center

In many tourist areas in Thailand, you can see a photographer with a rare monkey who will take pictures of you for money. If you meet such people, remember that exotic animals are in their possession illegally. Many primates die when caught by poachers for the tourist trade. In Asian countries, this business is widespread and brings considerable profit.

In 2013, 50 Lori lemurs were confiscated from Bangla Street in Phuket alone. The Primate Rescue Rehabilitation Center at Khao Phra Theo Park helps protect these endangered animals.

Bang Pae Waterfall is located in Khao Phra Theo Park and is a popular holiday destination for islanders and tourists. The water in the pool of this beautiful waterfall is cool, so you can refresh yourself here. Bang Pae waterfall is the largest in Phuket. Near the waterfall there are restaurants where you can taste local cuisine while enjoying the local beauties.

Near the waterfall there is an information center where you can learn about the history of the park and get a brochure.

The flora of the park is rich in rare tropical plants and palm trees. Some species are unique and can only be found in Thailand. Since the 1950s, many palm crops have graced resorts and gardens.

Tourist trips. Hiking

Two stunning waterfalls Ton Sai and Bang Rae are connected by a picturesque 8-kilometer trail through the jungle. A guided hike along this trail will give you the opportunity to see the many exotic species of animals and plants in the park.

On the territory of the park, not far from the Bang Rae waterfall, there is an elephant village. Here you will get a great opportunity to walk through the jungle riding on elephants. It should be noted that these majestic animals are on the verge of extinction, and this will make the walk even more unique and exciting.

Thais treat elephants with respect and consider them a sacred animal. Do not forget to feed your elephant after the walk, because the Thais have a belief that feeding an elephant means cleaning karma.

The Khao Phra Theo Nature Reserve is home to a range of exotic animal species, including wild boars, macaques and gibbons.

In the forests of the park, you can enjoy evergreen trees, bamboo thickets, exotic orchids and rubber tree plantations - Hevea.

The number of exotic birds in Phuket will blow your mind. In Khao Phra Theo Park you will see more than a hundred species of the most beautiful birds from the smallest to the majestic eagles. Book guided tours and beautiful creatures will not leave you indifferent.

The film "The Book of the Jungle" did not make anyone want to walk between the trees of a tropical rainforest with hanging vines, listening to birdsong, the rustle of leaves and the sound of waterfalls, looking at intricate animals. Phuket will give you such an opportunity thanks to the Khao Phra Theo National Park. Yes, the jungle is not the same, but there is no less delight and at the same time tranquility from contemplating the natural forest.

History of the park

national park Khao Phra Thaeo is located in the northern part of the island, a couple of tens of kilometers north of the city. The park was created in the second half of the 70s of the last century in order to preserve the natural area of ​​the rainforest in the conditions of intensive deforestation of the jungle. The park is located on the slopes of Mount Phra Theo. Its area is a little more than 20 hectares.

Walk in the park and places of interest

Walking along the narrow paths of the park, you can see for yourself the beauty and power of the jungle, see the beautiful representatives of tropical flora and fauna. The total length of trails for pedestrians reaches 8 km.

The most important part of the Khao Phra Thaeo Park is the White Hand Rehabilitation Center, located near the entrance to the park and is the only place on earth where you can still meet these animals in natural conditions. Indeed, because of their trust in humans, these primates have already become pets or a way for poachers to make money. The goal of the Center is to return gibbons to natural conditions with preliminary adaptation.

But the park was created not only to preserve these primates, they also try to increase the number of other rare representatives of flora and fauna that visitors to the park can see.

This specially protected natural area also has a Center for Marine Research, which exhibits many of the unusual inhabitants of the sea.

The park is decorated with two wonderful ones: Bang Pae and Ton Sai. The first largest occupies a leading position among all waterfalls in Phuket. This waterfall is so noisy that you can hear it for tens of kilometers. After all, water falls with great speed from a height of 15 meters and spreads over the stones. If you walk from Bang Pe in a southwesterly direction along a three-kilometer path, you will find yourself on the second largest Phuket waterfall, Ton Sai. Both water sources look best in the rainy season. The rest of the time, Ton Sai turns into a raging stream. While visiting the waterfall, you can go into its clear cool water.

Walking through the forest, you can also stumble upon, where they will show you how pearls are obtained naturally. The park is also located where you can ride this slow and calm large animal.

Helpful information

You can get to the national park from Phuket Town by taxi or motorbike. The path lies to the side. First you need to get to the intersection, located near the monument to the Heroines. At the crossroads, you will need to turn left and drive straight for a few more kilometers to the entrance to the park.

For the entire period of walking in the park, it is better to use the services of a guide: firstly, this way you will not miss anything interesting; secondly, if you arrived unaccompanied, then you are unlikely to want to spend time in the jungle in splendid isolation. In addition, you can get advice and purchase brochures about the national park at the information center near the waterfall.

For walking it is better to wear comfortable shoes, sneakers are perfect. Moreover, the trails to the waterfalls are lined with stones covered with moisture. Don't forget to bring drinking water with you.

There are restaurants in the mangroves near the waterfalls for those who want to have a bite to eat.

The entrance ticket to the park for an adult is 200 baht, for children there is a fifty percent discount. Please note that you may be asked to present your entry tickets when visiting the falls.

The park receives visitors from 8:30 to 16:30, the gibbon rehabilitation center - from 9 am to half past five in the evening.

View on the map

Khao Phra Thaeo national park and reserve is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the wild life of Phuket in all its manifestations. Khao Phra Theo is more than 22 square kilometers of untouched rainforest, two large waterfalls, three mountain peaks, an elephant village and even a rehabilitation center for gibbons.

The reserve is located in the least affected part of the island by tourism. Far from the beaches, hotels and noisy streets, virgin rainforests stretch. Some species of animals and plants living here are unique and are under state protection. You can see them while walking along the narrow paths of the park. For those who are especially interested, an 8 km long track has been laid, going to. For this trip, it is better to use the services of a guide, since the road is incomprehensible or dangerous in places, and not all animals that you may meet along the way are cute and harmless.

The main natural attraction of the park is the Bang Pae waterfall. This is a favorite vacation spot for Thais who come here on hot days to cool off in the cool water. For this reason, a small “island of civilization” arose around the waterfall: shops, cafes and restaurants, souvenir shops.

An equally interesting and unique object is the gibbon rehabilitation center located here. Gibbons and lory lemurs are often the prey of poachers, who catch them and sell them to illegal zoos or for private keeping. Often on the crowded streets near the beaches you can see a person who offers to take a picture with a monkey. He does it illegally. The Thai authorities confiscate these animals and send them to the Khao Pra Teo rehabilitation center. Monkeys who are accustomed to getting food for performing tricks, and not finding it on their own in nature, should not be immediately released into the jungle. That is why primates first for a long time live with their wild counterparts and learn how to behave in the wild when there is no trainer or tourists with bananas nearby.

There is also an elephant farm where you can interact with the elephant, ride, feed it and take pictures. Elephant riding in the jungle is one of the favorite pastimes of tourists coming to Thailand.

In addition to elephants and monkeys, a lot of amazing insects and tropical birds can be found in the national park. But they all live in natural conditions and do not tend to people, so if you suddenly see a bright bird, consider yourself lucky! Less shy inhabitants of the forest are wild boars. It is easier to meet them than cautious birds.

And on the way to the reserve, you will meet plantations of Brazilian hevea, which is grown in many countries of Southeast Asia to produce rubber. These are trees growing in even rows with a small number of leaves, on the trunks of which oblique cuts of the bark are visible. From these cuts, thick white juice flows into special containers, from which rubber is then obtained for the production of latex and rubber. And in some places, hevea is grown along with pineapples, so here you have the opportunity to see how these sweet fruits grow.

Khao Phra Theo National Park covers 22km² of virgin jungle in the northern part of the island. Here, away from the crowds, you will find peace and quiet, broken only by the natural sounds of the rainforest. It is a protected area with a huge variety of wildlife including the hairy boar, Malayan sun bear, slow loris, langurs, porcupines, deer, palm martens, monkeys including gibbons, cobras, pythons, monitor lizards, flying foxes, squirrels and many bird species.

Phra Theo is actually the name of a mountain range located in the Thalang region in the northern part of Phuket. The mountain is covered with dense green vegetation, in the thickets of which it is almost impossible to pass. There are several hills in the park, the highest being Khao Pratiu at 384m, Khao Bang Pae at 388m and Khao Phara at 422m. It is impossible to go into the jungle if you do not stick to the planned routes. The rainforest is incredibly dense and it's very easy to lose direction and figure out exactly where you are.

Located in the north of Phuket, this is the only park on the island that contains virgin rainforest. The park preserves many species of rare plants and endangered wild animals. About 100 species of tropical birds live in the forest vegetation, which consists of huge trees, vines and bushes.

Nature lovers may be interested to learn more about the wide range of different plants preserved in Khao Phra Tao Park. There you will find various palms, rattans, bamboos, wild orchids, ferns, mosses and much more.

The park has several forest trails for hiking, and you can also hire guides there. in an office near Ton Sai waterfall. There is also an information center in the park. The 13,925 rai (Thai unit of area, 1 rai equals 1,600 m²) Environmental Research Centre, Khao Phra Theo covers areas of virgin forest and actively conserves a rich diversity of wildlife that would otherwise become extinct in today's rapidly growing Phuket.

Bang Pae Waterfall

Several rivers spread throughout the park, which irrigate the rich jungle ecosystem with fresh, clean water. There are also waterfalls of different sizes, one of them is called Bang Pae. The drop zone itself is about 20 meters, the water flows spectacularly down a steep cliff over 500 meters in length. If you're lucky, you'll be able to come across wilderness picnic areas where you can rest and refresh yourself. Many wild animals, such as wild boar, deer and porcupines, have been seen near Bang Pae waterfall.

Access to Khao Phra Theo National Park

Visitors can enter the park in their private cars or bikes. In addition, many day trips to Khao Pra Theo Pra are organized by agencies in Phuket Taynu or Patong. Excursions can be organized in almost every tourist center. Another option is to take a taxi or take a tuk-tuk (songthaew), but independent trips can be more expensive than excursions, and there is no guarantee that a taxi will be waiting for you all day to take you home.