BangPae Safari – Phuket

One of the first activities we did in Phuket was BangPae Safari.

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Riding on the elephant was something that not only Tabeer but all of us were excited about. So as soon as we reached Phuket we started looking for ways to fulfill this dream.
Luckily, the hotel had a brochure for Bang Pae Safari which offered not only elephant trekking but many other activities that looked very interesting and adventurous. So we booked the tour immediately.

On the day of the tour we were picked up by the tour operator from our hotel. The drive to Bang Pae took more than an hour. Since it was our first time on the road in Phuket (except for the drive from airport to the hotel), the time easily passed looking out from the window and enjoying the lush green landscapes of the island.

When we got there, we were greeted by the staff and briefed about what was included in the safari. The safari was composed of six parts.

Rubber Tapping

Image source: flickr

Thailand is one of the biggest producers of rubber. There are rubbers trees covering a huge area of Phuket. The rubber trees give out latex which is then processed to make rubber and related products.

We were demonstrated how latex is collected from the rubber tree and the process it goes through after that.

Baby Elephant Show

There was a very cute baby elephant who could do tricks like stand on two legs, play harmonica, and kiss with its trunk. It felt like a vacuum cleaner on my cheek.

Elephant Trekking

View from elephant’s back.

The best part of the safari was when we sat on a (fully grown) elephant and rode on it up and down the track. It wasn’t really a roller coaster ride as the elephant was moving very slowly (not that we wanted it to run), however the track was very beautiful with rubber trees all around and beautiful weather. Below are some more pictures from the elephant’s back.

Gibbon Project

White handed gibbon is a kind of ape found in Thailand and neighboring countries. It is facing extinction and efforts are underway to save it. The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is aimed at protecting and rescuing the white handed gibbons. We visited their center and saw the gibbons from the viewing platform.

Bang Pae Waterfall

In the same area as Gibbon Project there is Bang pae waterfall, a natural waterfall which we were able to access after some hiking on a small hill. I can’t say its the most beautiful thing I have ever seen but it wasn’t too bad either.

Nature Canoe in Mangroves Forest

From the waterfall we boarded the bus again to the place of last activity of the day. We took a canoe ride through the Mangroves forest and explored nature such a walking fish, one handed crab, monkeys, and of course, mangrove trees. Below are some pictures taken from the canoe.

This fish uses its fins to walk on land

The crab with one big hand

Can you see the monkey between the trees?

We had a fun filled, adventurous and educational day at Bang Pae Sarari. The perfect way to start the vacations at Phuket.