Page 93 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

The North ❮❮ 91

The North

Rows of glamorous yachts moored at the Phuket Boat Lagoon
Phuket Boat Lagoon
1 lovely water falls, and a gibbon
rehabilitation facility. Declared a
MAP K1 • 22/1 Moo 2
Thepkasattri Road • 07623 9055 wildlife sanc tuary in 1969, Khao Phra
• www.phuketboatlagoon.com Thaeo contains an especially rare
Luxury yachts from around the world palm species, found only here and
are moored in the lagoon and up ­ called the white­backed palm, which
scale marina here. Opened in 1994, was only identified in 1929. Animals
the Phuket Boat Lagoon features include barking deer, gibbons, and
more than 150 units with restau­ flying foxes, as well as snakes and
rants, retail out lets, and sport wild pigs (see pp20–21).
complexes. The Boat Lagoon Resort
Sirinat National Park
has 300 guest rooms, exceptional 4
restau rants, tennis courts, swim­ The pristine shoreline along
ming pools, and a Thai spa. Phuket’s northwestern coast is
protected by Thailand’s national park
Wat Prathong
2 service. Every winter, massive sea
turtles lay their eggs in the sand
MAP C5 • Highway 402
• Open 8am–5:30pm daily here, while virgin mangrove forests
The half­buried golden Buddha can be found at the north ern end of
image here draws worshippers the park. A 2,625­ft­ (800­m­) long
and curious tourists alike. Built wooden walkway has been built over
in the 1750s, Wat Prathong has the mangroves and is a popular
received many high­profile visitors, scenic walk. The Sirinat National
including King Rama V in 1909. The Park pro tects the pristine Mai Khao,
statue was most likely half buried Nai Yang, and Nai Thon beaches,
as a result of flooding. The reclining which are a world apart from the
gilded Buddha is another popular raucous party beaches (see pp22–3).
attraction. The colorful temple
complex also features a museum
that houses assorted historical
items, such as tin­mining tools and
Javanese daggers, among others.
Khao Phra Thaeo
3
Royal Forest and
Wildlife Reserve
Home to numerous protected animal
species, as well as rare and exotic
plant life, this virgin rain forest has a
number of jungle trekking trails, two Coastline of the Sirinat National Park

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