How to get from Patong to Monkey Mountain. What to see in Phuket

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Monkey Hill got its name from a large number wild monkeys living on the slopes of the mountain. Furry jungle dwellers sit down along the path leading to the summit and beg for refreshments. Therefore, going to the Monkey Mountain (Thai name Khao Toe Sae), take bananas or nuts with you.

I will warn you right away: in dealing with monkeys, be extremely careful, do not try to stroke the monkey, otherwise you risk being bitten or scratched.

You can climb the mountain by bike or car, but it is best to go on foot, as there is not much space for parking at the top. In addition, the mountain is quite steep, and all the way back you will have to go “on the brakes”. On the way to the top there is an observation deck with views of Phuket Town. From here you can see a very beautiful temple Wat Khao Rang - it is easy to recognize by big statue Golden Buddha. By the way, at the foot of the monkey mountain there is also a Buddhist temple, but less beautiful than Khao Rang.

From the top of the mountain, the view is slightly worse - trees interfere, as well as large television antennas installed at the top.

Background on Monkey Mountain

How to get to Monkey Hill: From the Central Festival store you need to go towards Phuket Town. After 700 meters the road splits in two - we drive on the left. Then we go nowhere without turning a little less than 3 km, we pass the cheerful building of the Phuket prison and after 200 meters we turn left - we have arrived.

Monkey Hill / Khao Toe Sae on the map

Video from Khao Toe Sae mountain

Monkeys are not uncommon in Phuket. Of course, you will not meet them on the beach, but among the jungle there are more than enough of them. There are special places on the island, visiting which you can see how these animals live in natural conditions. One such place is Monkey Mountain. There are quite a lot of monkeys here, you can not only watch them, but also feed them. However, do not forget about the safety rules.

Monkey Mountain is one of the most interesting places in Phuket. It is located near Phuket Town. This name was not given to it by chance, since it is here that you can meet hundreds of amazing monkeys who have adapted to the constant flow of tourists so much that they are not afraid to go to a meeting and pose for a video camera.

Since Monkey Mountain is one of the highest hills on the island, it was advisable to create an observation deck on it. There are three of them here and they are all located on different levels. The first level offers a view of the sea; for convenience, it is equipped with benches and cafes. The second gives a slightly larger view, which you can already enjoy from the gazebo. But having risen to the very top, you will see a stunning panoramic view to the capital of Phuket and the coast. Romantic lovers come here for the magnificent sunsets. There is a special platform with benches.

Monkey

Macaques that settled on the hill are very sociable and friendly. Over the years, they have become so accustomed to guests that they are not afraid to approach tourists at a distance of an elongated river. Monkeys can be seen everywhere, you will meet them throughout the entire route, and there are especially many of them in the area of the viewing platforms.

There is no point in looking for or calling monkeys. Remember that the main interest for tailed animals is not your personality, but the treat that you bring for them. Animals love bananas, mangoes, nuts, corn.

To enjoy communication with them, you should not immediately show everything that you brought. Divide the bananas individually, put most of the nuts in your pockets. Otherwise, you will be forced to give them everything at once, because, having spotted a large piece of delicacy in your hands, they are unlikely to be interested in an insignificant piece of banana that you sent them for tasting.

Precautionary measures

Going to get acquainted with monkeys, do not forget about precautionary measures. Still, monkeys are wild animals and it is not known how they will behave in a given situation. Therefore, adhere to the following rules:

Do not try to pet the animal, it can be fraught with a bite. In Thailand, macaques are carriers of various diseases, including rabies. It is unlikely that anyone wants to spend all the time in the hospital, instead of the hotel.
Avoid eye-to-eye contact with animals, they perceive this as aggression.
Keep all your belongings with you, especially phones and cameras. Cases when animals take away equipment from tourists are common, so it’s better not to risk it. In addition, hide jewelry, glasses and other items that can cause increased interest in your personality.
If you see fighting monkeys, stay away from them, and do not approach those that show their grins.
Be especially careful in dealing with the smallest. Remember that their mother is walking somewhere nearby and she can perceive any wrong movement as a threat to her child.

How to get there?

Getting to Monkey Mountain is not difficult, as it is located in Phuket Town. I would like to immediately draw your attention to the fact that the route songteos do not go there, which means that you will have to use a taxi, tuk-tuk or rented bike.

If you drive from, then you should move towards Phuket Town. After driving about a kilometer, you will see a fork at which you need to turn left. After 3 kilometers, a prison building will appear in front of you. After it, after about 200 meters, you need to make another turn to the left and you will drive up to the foot of the desired hill.

An asphalt road leads to the top, which allows you to continue the journey by transport. Most often people come here on motorbikes, but you need to be extremely careful during the descent, as there are sharp changes in height and you need to constantly keep your foot on the brake to control the speed.

The local population generally likes to conquer the mountain during hiking. In time, such an ascent can take about an hour.

Monkey Mountain on the map

You can see the exact location of Monkey Mountain in Phuket on this map.

If you are vacationing in Phuket, be sure to take the time to go to Monkey Mountain. This is much better than the zoo, and the entrance to it is absolutely free.

Tourists usually from the first day plan not only beach holiday but also active. They specify the dates of excursions, their cost, try to cover the maximum of attractions and entertainment. But do not forget that Phuket is rich unique places where vacationers can get on their own, paying only the fare to the place.

Among the leaders of such amazing places Monkey Mountain is located, which is the highest hill a. On the mountain (Monkey Hill ) wild monkeys live in their usual habitat. In front of the entrance to the park there is a Buddhist temple with a statue of a golden Buddha, next to which you can buy bunches of bananas and other monkey goodies at a low price in a shop to please the flock with fruits and nuts.

Considering that you will have to walk up the spiral road for about 700 meters, which is quite tiring, the best time to visit Monkey Mountain Park is in the afternoon, closer to 15 hours. By the way, from the observation deck you can watch the southern sunset. You will have to climb for an hour, but the first, most curious monkeys will get to know you already at the beginning of the journey. Along the way, you will find a restaurant where you can order cold drinks, ice cream and light snacks, as well as admire the excellent surroundings.

Monkey Mountain has three equipped observation decks. At the beginning of the path you will see a large stone on which two sculptures of monkeys are located. Before the observation deck, you will find about a dozen such sculptures. This viewpoint is called "Sea Views". You will see the chic Andaman coast. The place is equipped with tables, benches, a toilet with a washstand. You can buy cold drinks in the pavilion.

The road to the main observation deck will take no more than 30 minutes. Along the way, you can rest on the benches that you will see along the way. On the main platform, you will have a magnificent view of Phuket Town.

Monkey Mountain is so named because it is home to hundreds of wild monkeys who are used to being fed and photographed daily by tourists. These small active animals are very greedy for food, so try not to lay out all your supplies right away. This is such a national monkey fun - snatching a banana from the hands of a tourist, and then running for a long time and begging for a new one. But if you show empty palms, they will fall behind, realizing that you have nothing else.

Surprising observation of the communication of these animals. This is a real society with its pack structure, hierarchy, ways and laws. The leader of the pack is the largest and undisputed leader. When he appears, the whole flock falls silent and does not beg anything from tourists. The movements of the leader are full of importance and absolute dignity. He does not ask, he approaches the tourists and brazenly takes the treat as prey.

No matter how wonderful these animals are, but the mountain of monkeys is the place where wild flocks live, so take note:

Keep an eye on your belongings, and even better - put them away, the monkeys can snatch them from your hands;
The behavior of wild monkeys is unpredictable, so feed carefully. If they begin to demand food with aggression, give what they demand;
Do not pet even babies, they can bite. This is very dangerous, because any individual can become a carrier of infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

Monkey Mountain is one of the most high points Phuket. Thais call it Khao To Sae, and everyone else - Monkey Hill (monkey hill).

Description

There is a spacious observation deck on the mountain, from which you can see beautiful view around Phuket Town. However, most tourists come here not for the picturesque panorama, but to communicate with the inhabitants of the unusual mountain. The hill is home to several hundred wild macaques. It is thanks to them that Monkey Mountain got its name, as well as the status of one of the main attractions of the resort.

Local macaques are very friendly and sociable. They have long been accustomed to tourists and are not afraid to take treats from their hands. Some are so impudent that they beg for food from everyone passing by, sitting along the road. The inhabitants of the hill are peaceful and do not attack people. They know that guests come to their house with good intentions and, most importantly, not empty-handed. Do not upset the hospitable hosts and also take some goodies with you on the tour - for example, fruits.

At the same time, it is worth remembering that you communicate with animals, moreover, wild ones. Therefore, compliance with safety rules is a mandatory precaution. When hand-feeding, do not try to pet the macaque, otherwise you risk being bitten. Do not leave your belongings unattended and in open bags or baskets, and do not tease the monkeys - they do not like this and their reaction to such pranks can be unpredictable. Keep an eye on your children and better not touch the monkey cubs: macaque mother is scary in anger.

One Phuket resident delivers fruits to the hill for its inhabitants every afternoon. During his friendship with the monkeys, he taught them various tricks that they are happy to demonstrate in public.

Playing with the residents Monkey Mountain, you can go to the observation deck. Almost the entire city is visible from it, and with it the statue of the Golden Buddha. It is best to take photographs from this site - there is no point in climbing higher: on the top of the hill, television antennas and trees interfere with the perception of the landscape.

You can climb the mountain on foot, or by bike or car. However, it’s not worth climbing to the very top in transport: firstly, because of the steepness of the climb, and secondly, because of the likely lack of space in the tiny parking lot.

Below, at the foot of Monkey Hill, there is a small Thai restaurant where you can relax and refresh yourself after a long walk.

Practical information

Location address: to Chae Road, Phuket, Tailand.

Coordinates: 7.898325, 98.395228.

The hill is open to independent visit around the clock.

Free admission.

How to get there

From shopping center Central Festival Phuket drive towards Phuket Town for about 1 km. Turn left at the fork and drive for another three kilometers. After passing the building of the city prison, be careful and do not miss the turn to the left, from which the ascent to Monkey Mountain begins.

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One of popular places in Phuket, this is Munky Hill, or a mountain with monkeys, which also has a Thai name - Khao To Se (Khao Toe Sae). Phuket Monkey Hill and Khao To Se Health Park is located on the northern outskirts of Phuket Town. In fact, this is the only hill that can be seen from all parts of Phuket Town when driving through the town, or past it. There are radio towers and masts at the very top. cellular communication, and the attraction itself (monkeys) - they hang out in the jungle along the road that leads to the very top to these towers.

For a popular tourist attraction, the road to Munky Hill in Phuket is surprisingly narrow. I came here by car, so I say right away that it would be more comfortable on a bike. Not that there was particularly active traffic here, and almost all along there are places where you can pass with oncoming traffic. But whatever one may say, for all four kilometers of the road there is only one lane for traffic, with a bunch of pedestrians. Moreover, pedestrians are either local athletes who habitually keep to the side of the road or do not leave the sidewalk at all, or simply tourists who scatter all over the road like cows.

When you go to the Monkey Mountain, then along the road, from the base of the mountain, you will meet two intermediate parking lots that do not deserve attention, but on the third parking lot there will be a main platform. As a rule, this is where everyone stops for a dangerous entertainment - to feed the monkeys. In the parking lot you will see parked bikes, people and monkeys. Also, there is an option to leave the car at the very bottom, as many do, and walk all the way upstairs.

Trekking is a useful pleasure, but in the heat for an amateur, plus a long one, so I drove to the top by car to save time. If it's important for you to look closely at the macaques and feed them, you can buy food for monkeys at the beginning of the road, where there is a sanctuary with tigers and several shops. Fruits and nuts are sold downstairs for 20 baht. You can come like me, and just watch the monkeys from the side, take pictures of how others feed them. I think that this activity is quite dangerous, especially if you are with children.

Monkeys, whatever one may say, remain wild animals, and on Monkey Hill it is not uncommon for them to bite people, who then had to contact the insurance () and give rabies injections - a terribly unpleasant procedure, especially on vacation. If you decide to feed the monkeys, be on the lookout. It makes sense to hide away bags, especially small ones, close them tightly, hold them tightly, remove chains and earrings - they can also attract the attention of monkeys. A monkey can run up and snatch anything shiny from its hands, such as the keys to a bike. You have to be careful with things. But many people forget about elementary safety rules, feed monkeys from their hands, let children do it, then you decide how you feel about this.

I noticed that some people rise from the very bottom to the top purely for the load, they go in for sports, they are fit, athletic. For me it's not the best the best place for sports, run between humans and monkeys. It’s better to climb up, where there is a normal observation deck with a view, a couple of restaurants, but almost without macaques and tourists.

Someone wrote that this is not a mountain of wild monkeys, but a mountain of wild dogs, but I still did not understand why. Several dogs hang out at the base of the hill, but their number is clearly not enough to call the whole mountain that way. Apparently I was just lucky that there were no dogs up the slope.

Observation deck

If you came here only for the sake of the monkeys, then you don’t have to climb above the last and main platform with monkeys (above in the photo). Although the first time, it will probably be difficult to understand that it will be the last. Usually there are the most monkeys, people feeding them and enough space for parking.

So, a little higher there will be an observation deck with a view of Phuket Town - a very small wooden platform with a railing. The views are not even 180 degrees, as the trees interfere. Monkeys come across all the way, but there are almost none closer to the top. If you are on transport, then why not go up.

And even higher than this point, literally after 100 meters, there are cell towers and all sorts of buildings related to them. In principle, there is nothing to see there and there are no viewing platforms either. On the way up the mountain come across outdoor fitness equipment. There is also a small gym upstairs. open sky: dumbbell bars and two barbells.

Visiting Information

Open from 6 am to 8 pm. Best time to visit the viewpoint - closer to sunset.

If you get to the feeding hours (I could not find out which ones), then you can participate and do not have to buy fruits and nuts. Do not keep nuts and food in a bag - they will take it away. It is better to put the nuts in your pocket and not attract attention with the rustling of the packaging, then you can safely feed the macaques. Do not leave food under the scooter seat - they will smell it, they can turn the saddle around and drop the scooter. Macaques near the feeding grounds are calmer than on the outskirts and on the top of the mountain. Do not smile at them, for them a smile is an aggressive grin and a challenge to a duel.

Everything shiny - does not belong to you, or hide in advance or prepare to fight back. But you should be afraid in general even for bags, wallets and other items hanging on you. I'm not kidding. They tried to take away my camera by grabbing the strap from it. To be honest, it's not pleasant.

On the map

The point marked on the map is in the place where the main platform with the monkeys. There's only one way, you'll figure it out along the way.