Thung Khai Botanic Garden (also signed Peninsula Botanic Garden) — Attraction in Trang Province

got there around 3.30 pm on Wednesday and were warmly welcomed by a snake and a bengal monitor at the beginning of our trail. Even though it's been my second time visiting here, Mother Nature can still get me by surprise.

Anyway, get yourself comfortable and ready for the trail by wearing a pair of sport or walking shoes, spraying yourself with the bug repellents, and bringing a bottle of water with you.

The trail is around 3-km long. The first one-third part is easy and relaxing with the shade of the trees and brick walkways. Then it comes the second one-third part, which is the most exciting and a daunting challenge for those who want to conquer their fear of heights. After the canopy walkway, keep walking forward to the unpaved path leading you to the deeper forest. Until you enter the swamp area where you have to be super careful becasue of the slippery walkway, which is the last one-third part of the trail. It took us about 50 minutes to complete the walk.

The entry is free and this might be the reason they don't put enough maps and signs along...

A hidden gem and a great destination for a little afternoon trip especially with kids. There is a little playground for kids near the car park. The nature trail is clear, neat and contains some information about the rainforests at appropriate intervals. The hanging bridges will bring you to different levels of rainforest (again with information boards) all the way to the top of the trees. The walkways are solid and well secured so you can visit this beautiful experience with children without having to worry too much. Another walkway on the ground level will lead you through the wet/swampy jungle floor-again information boards and canopies at appropriate intervals. The whole loop is short enough to make it with the whole family but long enough to make it interesting for everyone. And at the end when you come back to the car park there is a nice lil cafe with delicious coffee, some pastries and delicious food....

The garden provides a wonderful 3-kilometer nature trail walking loop through old-growth jungle. A Canopy Walkway on the trail climbs high among the treetops for aerial perspectives. Lastly the path continues on the Peat Swamp Forest Trail through jungle wetlands. On the north side of the garden, cyclists can ride a delightful 5.5-kilometer paved path through the jungle. One can also bicycle the garden's perimeter roads, about 12 kilometers. The exhibition center has meager displays, not really worth the detour. Farther back there's an orchids path, but I saw just one bloom here! A cafe near the entrance offers snacks, hot drinks, and cold drinks. The garden has free admission and is open daily 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Signs on the highway also identify Thung Khai Botanic Garden as "Peninsula...