Ton Pariwat Wildlife Sanctuary

The calls of birds and monkeys can be heard throughout the leafy Ton Pariwant Wildlife Sanctuary, a 139-square-mile (224-square-km) forest in the southern province of Phang Nga. Hidden beneath the low-lying mountain forest are ATV trails, ziplines, boardwalks, and the bubbling Klong Song Phrek River, which guests can experience on whitewater rafting adventures. A popular three-mile rafting route boasting Class II and Class IV rapids is accessible from the park.

In addition, a 1.2-mile (2-km) footpath is one of the best ways to spot some of the sanctuary’s wildlife: treeswifts, flycatchers, bulbuls, parrots, and at the end of the rainy season in October, the magnificent blooms of the rare Rafflesia kerrii, the world’s largest flower at nearly three feet across. Occasionally, some of the region’s rarer inhabitants—the blue-banded Kingfisher and white-handed gibbon—also make appearances.

The sanctuary can only be experienced with a guide. Day trip tours ferry visitors the two hours each way from Phuket and often bundle nature walks with visits to the swimmable pools of the Ton Pariwat waterfall, ATV adventures, and river rafting. Although Viator tours do not include this activity, some packages include elephant rides in the sanctuary.