Khao Phra Teo National Park. Khao Phra Thaeo National Park
The national park's virgin rainforest extends over 23 square kilometers. kilometer The park is located in the northeast of Phuket. This unique place is one of the last natural habitats of many exotic and endangered species.
Here you can see a real ancient forest and walk through the jungle. Khao Phra Thaeo Park surprises with picturesque waterfalls, rare plants, flowers and trees. The park houses a rehabilitation center for gibbons, where the animals receive care and treatment.
You can get in touch with nature by visiting the Ton Sai waterfall. The waterfall is located away from the beaches, in the northeastern part of Phuket, on the western side of Khao Phra Thaew. On the way to the waterfall there are beautiful views of farmland.
Primate Rescue Center
In many tourist areas of Thailand you can see a photographer with a rare monkey who will take your photo for money. If you meet such people, remember that their possession of exotic animals is illegal. Many primates die when poached for the tourist trade. In Asian countries, this business is widespread and brings considerable profits.
In 2013, 50 Loris lemurs were confiscated from Bangla Street in Phuket alone. The Khao Phra Thaew Primate Rehabilitation Center is helping to protect these endangered animals.
Bang Pae Falls is located in Khao Phra Thaew Park and is a popular holiday destination for islanders and tourists. The water in the pool of this beautiful waterfall is cool and therefore you can cool off 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 beauty.
There is an information center near the falls where you can learn about the history of the park and get a brochure.
The park's flora is rich in rare tropical plants and palm trees. Some species are unique and can only be found in Thailand. Since 1950, many palm trees have graced resorts and gardens.
Hiking trips. Hiking (Trekking)
The two stunning waterfalls of 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 many of the park's exotic animal and plant species.
In the park, near the Bang Rae waterfall, there is an elephant village. Here you will get a great opportunity to trek through the jungle on elephant back. 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. Don’t forget to feed your elephant after a walk, because the Thais have a belief that feeding an elephant means clearing your karma.
Khao Phra Thaew 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 plantations of the rubber tree - Hevea.
The number of exotic birds in Phuket will shock you. In Khao Phra Thaeo Park you will see more than a hundred species of beautiful birds, from the smallest to the majestic eagles. Book guided tours and the beautiful creatures will not leave you indifferent.
Khao Phra Thaeo National Park is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the wild life of Phuket in all its manifestations. Khao Phra Teo is more than 22 square kilometers of untouched tropical forests, two large waterfalls, three mountain peaks, an elephant village and even a rehabilitation center for gibbons.
The reserve is located in the part of the island least affected by tourism. Far from beaches, hotels and noisy streets lie virgin tropical forests. 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 especially interested, there is an 8 km long track leading to. For this hike, it is better to use the services of a guide, since the road is sometimes unclear or dangerous, and not all the animals that you may encounter along the way are cute and harmless.
The main natural attraction of the park is 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 loris lemurs are often the target of poachers, who catch them and sell them to illegal zoos or for private keeping. Often on crowded streets near the beaches you can see a person offering to take a photo with a monkey. He is doing this illegally. Thai authorities confiscate these animals and send them to the Khao Phra Thaew Rehabilitation Centre. Monkeys who are accustomed to receiving food for performing tricks, rather than finding it on their own in nature, should not be immediately released into the jungle. This is why primates first live for a long time with their wild counterparts and learn how to behave in the wild, when there are no trainers 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 through the jungle is one of the favorite pastimes of tourists coming to Thailand.
In addition to elephants and monkeys, you can find a lot of amazing insects and tropical birds in the national park. But they all live in natural conditions and do not strive for people, so if you suddenly see a bright bird, consider yourself lucky! Less timid inhabitants of the forest are wild boars. They are easier to meet than wary birds.
And on the way to the reserve you will meet plantations of Brazilian Hevea, which is grown in many countries of Southeast Asia for rubber production. These are trees growing in even rows with a small number of leaves, on the trunks of which oblique cuts in 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 together with pineapples, so here you have the opportunity to see how these sweet fruits grow.
Khao Phra Thaew National Park covers an area of about 22 sq. km. and is located in the north of Phuket. It is one of the large parks where nature is carefully protected from the advancing civilization.
It contains two beautiful forest waterfalls, Ton Sai and Bang Pae, located on different sides of the park. It also houses a gibbon rehabilitation center. This is a place that should definitely be included in your itinerary if you love wild nature and are not afraid of long walks.
Being in a park where you are surrounded by tropical plants, tall trees hanging their crowns, you can hear the singing of birds and the murmur of waterfalls - all this will give you the feeling of discovering the wildlife and nature of Thailand.
The national park provides protection to tusked boar, Malayan bear, porcupines, deer, gibbons, squirrels and many species of wild birds.
The three highest peaks of this reserve are Khao Prathiu (384 m), Khao Ban Pae (388 m) and Khao Phara (422 m).
One of the attractions is the small but beautiful Ton Sai waterfall, located near the park headquarters. The waterfall itself consists of many small steps along which there is a trekking path.
Bang Pae Falls, located to the east of the park, can be reached by walking east from (Paklok Road) to the Heroine Monument. Then continue for about 9 km and the entrance is next to the elephant camp.
Bang Pae is also home to the Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre, an NGO project that returns gibbons to the wild. The center is located near the Bang Pa waterfall.
There are restaurants in the mangroves near the waterfalls for those who want to grab a bite to eat.
Note!
When purchasing an entrance ticket to a national park, be sure to keep it until the end of your walk! You may also be asked to show your entrance tickets when visiting the falls.
Working hours: the park is open daily 7.00-19.00 , gibbon rehabilitation center daily 9.00-16.30
Price: A ticket for an adult is 200 baht, and for a child only 100 baht
How to get there
If you are coming from Phuket International Airport by car, then you need to go to the north of the island along the Thepkasattri highway, about 20 km, when you reach the Monument to the Heroine Sisters, turn east from it and drive another 6 km. After the last sign for Bang Pae waterfall, turn left and you still have to drive 1 km. The park is located 4 km from Thalang town.
Map
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The film “The Jungle Book” made few people want to walk through the trees of a tropical rainforest with hanging vines, listening to the singing of birds, the rustling of leaves and the sound of waterfalls, looking at the intricate animals. Phuket will give you this 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 a natural forest.
History of the park
Khao Phra Thaeo National Park 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 with the aim of preserving a natural area of tropical forest in conditions of intensive deforestation of the jungle. The park is located on the slopes of Phra Theo Mountain. Its area is slightly more than 20 hectares.
Walk through the park and interesting places
Walking along the narrow paths of the park, you can see for yourself the beauty and power of the jungle and see beautiful representatives of tropical flora and fauna. The total length of trails for pedestrians reaches 8 km.
The most important part of Khao Phra Thaeo Park is the White-handed Rehabilitation Center, located near the entrance to the park and is the only place on earth where these animals can still be found in natural conditions. After all, 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 are also trying to increase the number of other rare representatives of flora and fauna that visitors to the park can see.
This protected area also has a Marine Research Centre, which displays many unusual sea creatures.
The park is decorated with two wonderful ones: Bang Pae and Ton Sai. The first largest waterfall occupies a leading position among all waterfalls in Phuket. This waterfall makes such noise that it can be heard tens of kilometers away. After all, water falls at tremendous speed from a 15-meter height and spreads over the stones. If you walk from Bang Pe in a south-west direction along a three-kilometer path, you will find yourself at the second largest Phuket waterfall, Ton Sai. Both water sources are at their best during the rainy season. The rest of the time, Tone Sai turns into a bubbling stream. While visiting the waterfall, you can step into its clear, cool water.
While walking through the forest, you can also come across a place where they will show you how pearls are made naturally. There is also a place in the park where you can ride on 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 intersection you will need to turn left and drive straight for a few more kilometers until you enter the park.
For the entire period of your walk through 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. You can also get advice and purchase brochures about the national park at the information center near the waterfall.
For a walk, it is better to wear comfortable shoes; sneakers are perfect. Moreover, the paths 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 grab a bite to eat.
Entrance fee 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 entrance tickets when visiting the falls.
The park receives visitors from 8:30 to 16:30, the gibbon rehabilitation center - from 9 in the morning until half past four in the evening.
View on map
Khao Phra Thaew (KPT) Wildlife Sanctuary, Development Center
The area of the reserve is relatively small (2333 hectares), the territory is surrounded by villages, roads and plantations. Thus, not all species of the peninsula’s fauna are represented here, and those that are found in the forest are not so easy to detect. Their natural behavior is to hide in the thickest vegetation from prying eyes. Sensing fear from the approach of a person, these animals become even more elusive. Explorers of forest trails may hear the sounds of animals running for cover, but have little chance of seeing them. This may slightly upset wildlife lovers, but it is precisely thanks to this alertness that the animals managed to survive. Let's hope that in the future, they will no longer have to fear humans.
Khao Phra Thaew: an island on Phuket
Phuket, in addition to being an island, is also a province in the south of Thailand, a district, a city, and an administrative center;
his name is becoming increasingly known throughout the world, and has practically become the calling card of the Kingdom. From an economic and tourism point of view, Phuket is developing more and more every year. As a landmark of Thailand, the island is responsible for preserving some of the world's premier and most endangered tropical landscapes.
Fortunately, the vegetation on Phuket does not reflect the state of the forests of southern Thailand, which are largely covered with tall, dense and shady vegetation. It is well known that only dense forest can withstand the extreme climatic conditions of the tropics. Observations show that a certain percentage of dense forest cover, especially in mountainous areas, ensures good water distribution during the dry season and also ensures water drainage during the rainy season. The forest also prevents the effects of soil erosion, which is most suitable for agriculture and human settlements.
In such climatic conditions, settlements in mountainous areas have better opportunities for development, precisely because they preserve all the original vegetation of the mountains, watersheds, that area that is unsuitable for exploitation and which constitutes the most vulnerable part of the landscape. Throughout the island, the lack of forest cover can be partially corrected by planting trees on the lower slopes as well as on the steeper ones. This lack of vegetation was the reason for the creation of the reserve, which has become a necessity given the current development of the island.
current position
With structural integrity that maintains biological balance, KPT offers an excellent example of the Malaysian equatorial flora, which lies south of Thailand. However, this type of flora here is approaching the outer boundaries, and has a chance of being preserved, provided there is no human intervention at all. Evergreen tropical forests grow on ocher-brown soils, receiving abundant moisture during the rainy season. In these areas, the vegetation remains green all year round. If the trees actually shed their leaves, this happens only for a few days, and at very different times, depending on the species of plants, which are numerous and varied here. In fact, this type of forest is essentially a perpetual, self-renewing source of biological activity.
Species that follow seasonal cycles do not follow the same rhythm and have their own individual cycle. Among the dominant trees, some of the largest specimens can be found here at the very peak of their development.
Topography, soil and climate
The reserve extends along the ridge, in the direction from north to south. As an exception, the ridge of the reserve stands alone in the south, and separately from other peaks, which reach from 400 to 450 m, just above the watershed line. This relatively low mountain range is surrounded by steep slopes, without any transition from the hilly lowlands that lie at sea level. A complex drainage system is deeply rooted, streams and streams rush forward and merge into waterfalls. In river beds you can find granite rocks stacked on top of each other, or stones tightly packed together, which act as a natural barrier to the water, causing the stream to rise, especially in the dry season, penetrating the soil and then appearing at the bottom of the waterfall. Some slopes are dotted with small rocks, but most of the landscape is made up of deeply decomposed ocher soils that cover all the hills, becoming brown humus near the surface.
The crumbly and soft surface soil at the base of the slopes is found on the surface of the ridge, especially in the northern part, but the distribution of rainfall avoids crusting where it often occurs in climates with a severe dry season. However, this benefit is a permanent protection of the forest cover. At this latitude (around 8°), temperatures remain surprisingly constant, and the dry season is less arid than in the northern and central regions of Thailand. Thus, the climate is similar to subequatorial: humid tropical with a short dry season.
The constant and high minimum temperatures actually correspond to low latitudes, but the region's precipitation corresponds to transitional latitudes. 
The year is divided into 8 wet months, April to November, 2 dry months, January and February, and the remaining 2 months are variable, but in general December can be considered sub-wet and March sub-dry. Thus, Khao Phra Thaew's climate is indeed wetter (and less hot), and the dense vegetation retains moisture from precipitation that was not used by the surrounding areas.
Most of the reserve is covered with tropical forests, the basis of which are mainly evergreen trees. The forest has a wide variety of plants and animals. The most commonly found plants are: Dipterocarpus spp., Hopea odorate Roxb., Intsis palembanica Miq, and other small trees and shrubs, including vines, which are also found in the lower level of the rainforest. It is also home to palm trees, rattan, bamboo, orchids, ferns and mosses, which can sometimes be found on tree branches. This forest is the source of many rivers in the area, on which the well-being of the local inhabitants depends. Rainforests like this are the most diverse types of ecosystems on Earth, due to the sheer number of life forms they contain. Environmentalists are concerned about the gradual loss of this diversity as a result of forest destruction. Many organisms live out entire life cycles in the rainforest, and we would like to help you focus on the great importance and beauty of the rainforest.
Along the way, you will meet various types of birds feeding around, in the trees and on the ground. Two species of birds can be seen here, local and migratory.
Local individuals build their nests throughout the year to lay eggs. These bird species include Asian Fairy-bluebird, Green Leafbird, Red-Billed Malkoha, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and Brahminy Kite. Migratory birds such as Forest wagtail, Blue-Winged Pitta, Siberian Blue Robin do not breed and are found only between October and March. Watching birds in their natural habitat is an increasingly popular hobby that attracts many bird watchers, and birds also play an ecologically important role in dispersing plant seeds, which increase diversity in the ecosystem.
In the highly diverse evergreen forests, it is difficult to miss the climbing plants that have become the symbol of the rainforest. Loaches are like large ropes, hanging over other trees to help them rise towards the light. Only a small amount of light can penetrate the dense foliage, so there is intense competition for light in this environment. Trees require significant energy expenditure to grow, so some plants manage to avoid this by clinging to the stems of other plants. Perhaps the most adaptable plant of this kind are vines, which climb from the ground to the very top of other plants.
Ferns have been growing for about 400 million years, longer than any other plant on Earth. Ferns (or "Goud" as they are called locally) vary in size and shape of their leaves and stems (rhizomes). Ferns grow in many different places around the world. 
. They can easily be found in the mountainous regions of northern and southern Thailand. Most ferns live in warm, moist areas, although some species grow on dry ground or in rocky areas. In tropical forests, ferns grow on moist, shady soils, rocks or paths.
Some species, such as Selaginella., Drynaria quercifolia (L) J., Asplenium., Platycerium, grow on tree branches.
Crab (Phricotelphusa limula)
If you look closely at a river or small puddles while walking through the forest, you will see a tiny reddish creature with two small claws, one slightly larger than the other. Its body is about 1-2 centimeters with long legs that allow it to move faster. This is a crab, with the scientific name Phricotelphusa limula. The crab lives under rocks in a shallow part of a fast water stream. Crabs can crawl with their left or right sides forward and have very sensitive eyes that allow them to quickly hide under a rock once they are spotted. Like many other crustaceans, crabs are often omnivores and act as scavengers, helping to restore order to the ecosystem. This mammal species lives primarily in trees, although there are some that live on the ground (ground squirrels). Squirrels feed only during the daytime, and they can only be seen in pairs during the breeding season (with or without offspring). Their diet changes depending on the season and what is available at that time of year. They eat fruits, leaves and even insects. There are different types of squirrels, and those that can be spotted in Khao Phra Thaew include the Malayan Black Giant Squirrels, Red Bellied Squirrels and Gray Bellied Squirrels.
Lang Kau Palm (Kerriodoxa)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as one of the most endangered palm species in the world.
The Wildlife Conservation and Extension Center is located in the southern hunting-free zone, on the western side at the foot of the Ton Sai Falls, and is the educational center for the KPT Nature Reserve. The educational part includes lectures for students and other visitors, and the development and dissemination of useful information. The center was created as soon as the KPT area was designated free from hunting. Although the center is associated with non-hunting areas, it is usually mentioned separately. Apart from Ton Sai Falls, the most interesting attraction of the center is the spacious and well-equipped visitor information center.
The center has six standard rooms that can be booked throughout the year, and three small restaurants provide food and drink to visitors.
Story
On the Eleventh of March 1929, Dr. A.F.G. Kerr, an Irish botanist, came to Khao Phra Thaew to collect samples of palm trees found on the river bank. Dr Kerr was famous for his work identifying plant species in Thailand between 1902 and 1932. At that point he was unable to identify the name and species of the palm he found, so he took samples from Kew Gardens in London. The area of forest where the palm was found became a national wildlife refuge and forest in 1977.
It was later renamed the Center for Wildlife Conservation, Development and Extension.
Dr Tem Smitinand, a botanist in the Royal Forestry Department who was responsible for the forest, and Mr Jaran Buunep, director of the Khao Chong Herbarium in Trang Province, passed information about this palm to Dr John Dransfield, a specialist in the study of palm trees. They invited Dr. Dransfield to come and collect samples of this palm. He discovered that it was a completely new species of palm tree and wrote about its discovery in issue 27 of Principes magazine in 1983. He named this species Kerriodoxa in honor of Dr. Kerr. In Thai, this palm is called Lang Khao, Tang Lang Khao or Palm Jao Muang Talang. This palm species is now under threat due to deforestation.
Above information from
Mr. Awat Nitikul, Chief of the Khao Phra Theaw Non-hunting Area
The center has six standard rooms that can be booked throughout the year, and three small restaurants provide food and drink to visitors.
The Gibbon Rehabilitation Center was established in 1992 by Mr. Noppadol Preuksawan, Chief of the Royal Phuket Forestry Department and Mr. Thavorn Sri-Oon, with the assistance of the Asian Wildlife Trust and American zoologist Terrence Dillon Morin. In 1994, the Wildlife and Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand began supporting this research project. Goals
1. Develop a method to successfully rehabilitate white gibbons back to their natural habitat: this method has been successfully used for the past 10 years. Every experience reintroducing animals into their habitat is an opportunity to learn something new. The Reintroduction Center is a relatively new division of the Conservation Center.
2. End the illegal use of gibbons for tourism and as pets: Through our Centre's visitor lectures, education and resource mobilization, we hope to gain understanding of the changing plight of captive gibbons and the role tourism plays in this.
3. Repopulate the last remaining rainforest on Phuket Island - Khao Phra Thaew (National Wildlife Park).
Gibbons were doomed to extinction on Phuket more than 25 years ago. The center hopes to repopulate the forest with gibbons that were previously in captivity. The first group was successfully released in October 2002, the second in August 2003, the third group was reinstated at the end of 2004 and many more groups will be released in the near future.
4. Create awareness about the importance of environmental conservation: The center is also an effective resource for educating local people about the importance of conserving natural resources. The center conducts educational programs so that local residents and their children can understand that the forest and animals are the main source of life support.
5. Provide opportunities for volunteers to study white-handed gibbons: Volunteers from all over the world come to the center to study white-handed gibbons. Studying gibbons at the center allows for many types of research, such as reintroduction techniques (releasing individuals into their natural habitat), behavioral studies of captive and released gibbons, and research into diseases of gibbons in captivity.
The rehabilitation center is located in Khao Pha Thaeo near Bang Pae waterfall, Phuket, Thailand, about 9 km. east of the monument to heroines. You can visit our center and see some of the gibbon species from the observation deck. The center is open daily from 9am to 4pm. We do not charge entry fees. If you would like to visit us with a large group, please contact our office. We are located 20 km from Phuket International Airport, follow the signs for the Heroine Monument and turn left onto Road 4027. Follow this road until you see a sign for Bang Pae Falls, where you turn left and drive another 1 km to the park entrance. You will have to pay to enter the national wildlife park. There is a parking lot in the park and you can get from here to our center.
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