Page 23 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

Khao Phra Thaeo Royal Forest and Wildlife Reserve ❮❮ 21

Trekking
8
A scenic 5-mile-
(8-km-) long jungle path
links Ton Sai and Bang
Pae waterfalls. At the
visitor center near Ton
Sai, trekkers can hire an
experienced guide, who
will be able to point out
some of the park’s exotic
animal and plant species.
Virgin
9
Rain Forest
Evergreen trees, bamboo
forests, exotic orchids,
ferns, and mosses can
all be found in Khao Phra
Thaeo, the last tract of
virgin rain forest on the
island. The area that
surrounds the sanctu ary
includes several large
rubber tree plantations.
Wildlife
0
The sanctuary’s
natural environment is
home to a number of
exotic species, including
wild boar, macaque
monkeys, gibbons,
langurs, and various
types of deer.
Flora
Zipline Tour
5 6 CAPTIVE GIBBONS
Sail with the birds
An endangered
and monkeys through plant known as the In many Thai tourist
the jungle canopy. Set white-backed palm is areas, local touts carry
just outside the forest one of the highlights of baby gibbons around
reserve, the course is the Khao Phra Thaeo to lure foreigners into
over a mile (2 km) long. Royal Forest and Wildlife taking photographs
Experienced guides take Reserve. Discovered by a with the cute little
you through a full safety German botanist in the primates. In exchange,
demonstration. It’s a bit 1950s, this elegant fan- the touts ask for a little
of a hike to the start of shaped palm is unique money. If approached,
keep in mind that the
the course (above). to south ern Thailand. gibbons are being kept
Bird-Watching
7 illegally, and that many
of them lose their lives
Northern Phuket is a true
paradise for bird-watchers. Inside the when hunters try to
capture them for the
sanctuary, you can spot tourist trade. The small
flowerpeckers (left), Gibbon Rehabilitation
bulbuls, sunbirds, green Project at the Khao Phra
Leafbirds, red-billed Thaeo Royal Forest and
Malkohas, Asian fairy- Wildlife Reserve works to
bluebirds, blue-winged protect these animals.
Pitta, and Brahminy Kites.

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