The short answer
Gibbon Rehabilitation Project: what visitors should know first
Go if your family likes animals and would like an honest alternative to animal shows. It is a modest half-day in the north-east with a short forest walk; do not expect to touch or hold the gibbons.
History and context
The story behind Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
The project was set up in 1992 by Noppadol Preuksawan, then chief of the Royal Forest Department in Phuket, with Thavrn Sri-Oon, the Asian Wildlife Fund and American zoologist Terrance Dillon Morin.
The Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand began supporting it in 1994, and it now operates as a research division of the foundation.
Useful facts
Gibbon Rehabilitation Project facts at a glance
- Location
- Near Bang Pae Waterfall, Thalang, north-east Phuket
- Experience type
- Conservation centre and forest visit
- Known for
- Rehabilitating white-handed gibbons for release
- Architect Built
- Founded 1992
- Time or schedule
- Book through the project's website
Why it matters
Why Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is worth your time
Gibbons were wiped out on Phuket decades ago, and this project set out to put them back. Since 1992 it has worked to rehabilitate white-handed gibbons for release into the forest of Khao Phra Thaeo, and to reduce demand for them as pets and tourist attractions. The aim is modest and hard to achieve: animals used to people must relearn life in the wild.
For families, it offers a straightforward lesson. Holding a wild animal for a holiday picture has a cost that the tourist does not see, and here you meet the people dealing with that cost every day.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
Conservation displays
The project's education work explains how the pet and photo trades affect gibbons.
- 02
The forest setting
Khao Phra Thaeo is the island's remaining rainforest, and quite different from the coast.
- 03
Bang Pae Waterfall
Nearby, and likely to be fuller after rain than at the end of the dry season.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
This is not a zoo, and it helps to explain that to children in advance. The gibbons are being prepared for release, so contact with people is the opposite of what they need. Expect to learn about the pet and photo trade that damages them, rather than to get close to animals.
Book online, then drive to the north-east of the island. Combine your visit with Bang Pae Waterfall nearby if the group is up to it. The waterfall is at its fullest in the rainy season and thin in the dry months, so go for the forest more than the falls.
Use the visit to talk about what you may see elsewhere: young gibbons offered for photographs in tourist areas are a part of the problem the project is trying to solve. Ask at the centre how you can support that work.
Plan with confidence
Small decisions that make the visit easier.
- Book the visit online first
- Explain to children that they will not touch the animals
- Wear closed shoes for forest paths
- Check fees and hours on the booking page
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Near Bang Pae Waterfall, Khao Phra Thaeo area, Pa Klok, Thalang
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Best time
- Morning, in the dry months; book ahead on the project's website
- Walking level
- Moderate
- Senior comfort
- The forest setting is shaded and quieter than the coast, but paths can be uneven and damp. Ask about the walking distance when you book, since we could not verify it. Seating and toilet facilities were also not covered in our sources.
- Tickets and access
- Visits can be booked on the project's website. We could not verify fees or hours, so check the booking page. Do not expect close contact with animals; this is deliberate.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
The forest setting is shaded and quieter than the coast, but paths can be uneven and damp. Ask about the walking distance when you book, since we could not verify it. Seating and toilet facilities were also not covered in our sources.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Can we touch the gibbons?
No. Contact is avoided because the animals are being prepared for life in the wild. That is the point of the project.
Is it good for young children?
Yes, if they know beforehand that this is not a petting zoo. Displays and the forest setting make a short visit worthwhile.
How do we get there?
By car. It lies near Bang Pae Waterfall in Thalang, in the north-east of the island. Use the map pin and allow extra time for traffic.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
