Located in the north of Phuket, Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife and Forest Reserve occupies a unique stretch of land on the island where rare trees, foliage and animals reside.
Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife and Forest Reserve makes a fine break from the brash resorts of Phuket and comes with a large swathe of virgin forest. There are also a couple of nice waterfalls in the park, known as Bang Phae and Ton Sai, which you can get to by nature trail.
If you are into your trees you will be fascinated to learn that the rare governor’s palm (white back palm) is in the park, along with macaques, flying squirrels, flying lemurs, and chameleons. Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife and Forest Reserve also has a gibbon rehabilitation center. The major downer, however, is the exorbitant entrance fee for foreigners.
Getting There & Away
Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife and Forest Reserve lies near the small town of Thalang, toward the northern end of Phuket in the interior of the island. It is 22kms north of Phuket Town and is accessible along the main Route 4026 from Phuket International Airport. Taxi, hire car or scooter are the best options for getting here. Flights from Bangkok to Phuket take 1 hour, 20 minutes.