Khao Phra Thaeo Non-Hunting Area

Phuket's last significant virgin rain forest is a designated non-hunting area located in the northern part of the island, NE of Talang. Walk up by the Tonsai waterfall, or, if you want to spend the day walking in the quiet majesty of a tropical forest, there's an 8-km hike right through the park from Bang Pae waterfall to Ton Sai.

Guides are available in the park. A small museum and information centre is located at the bottom of the waterfall.

Take Rte 402 to Thalang. From the Heroine's Monument Circle, take Route 4027 east for about 7-9 km. The entrance is clearly marked on the left.

The entrance fee for adult foreigners (this boils down to those who cannot speak Thai) is 200 baht.

• Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre (20 km away from Phuket Airport, from there follow signs to the Heroines Monument and turn left onto Rte 4027. Follow the road until you see the sign for Bang Pae Waterfall, where you turn left and drive for 1 km to the entrance of the park. You will have to pay an entrance fee to the National Park Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. Once inside the park a car park is provided and you can walk from here to our centre.). Daily, 09:00-16:30. Gibbons are among humankind's nearest relatives, and when young make adorable pets. When mature, they are not nearly so cute and frequently are abandoned. The Gibbon Rehabilitation project, in the park, near Bang Pae Waterfall, tries to re-establish abused and abandoned gibbons to the wild. You'll find it heart-wrenching but worth-while. Your donation and T-shirt purchases will help keep the project, the only one of its kind in the world, moving forward. Free.