Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
4.5
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
About
Please book your visitation in advance via our website. We are neither a Zoo nor a tourist destination. We are a charity run organisation that rescue, rehabilitate, release, reintroduce and repopulate gibbons in Thailand. Here in Phuket, gibbons were poached to extinction 50 years ago for tourism purposes. We are now successfully return more than 60 of them to this last remaining rainforest of Phuket. Here, we offer an amazing learning session for visitors. You will have a great chance to see and hear a select number of rescued gibbons as most of them are limited human contact as part of an ongoing reintroduction program so that they can be released later on. Come to learn about the fascinating lives of gibbons and how you can help these highly endangered animals! Be part of a responsible visitors : ) Remember to book your visitation via our website as we strictly limit to 36 people per day !
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

See what travellers are saying
  • marie l
    Devon, United Kingdom12 contributions
    Absolutely the best experience in Phuket
    Wow, amazing back story and lesson. These volunteers are passionate and dedicated. Informative, very sad but hopeful. Tan was honest and witty, but the animals are first and foremost in his mind! They need more volunteers, if I was younger without parental responsibility I would love to be part of this team.
    We're incredibly grateful for your enthusiastic feedback! It's heartening to hear that you found the backstory and lessons we provide both informative and inspiring. We understand the challenges of balancing personal responsibilities with the desire to contribute more actively. Just by visiting and spreading awareness, you're already playing a significant role in supporting our mission. Remember, there are many ways to be part of our team, even from afar. Thank you for your support, and we hope to continue inspiring visitors of all ages and walks of life!"
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 11 August 2023
  • Victoria J
    Wotton-under-Edge, United Kingdom23 contributions
    Learn about the plight of these beautiful creatures & their rehabilitation back into the wild.
    Thanapat a knowledgable and very passionate guide. We learnt so much about the gibbons and their plight in the tourist industry / poachers. It’s a long term project. We helped make their food & feed them via a pulley system (important they don’t get familiar with humans). A wonderful experience. Highly recommended.
    Thank you for your kind words and high recommendation! We're delighted that our work enhanced your experience. Your support and understanding of this long-term project mean a lot to us. It's wonderful to hear that you had a memorable experience, and we hope to see you again
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 14 December 2023
  • Sylvia K
    Singapore, Singapore89 contributions
    100% must visit if you are in phuket
    Amazing project that gives these beautiful animals a second chance in living a life in the jungle. We learnt so much about gibbons in the 1 hr tour. Your visits will provide much needed funds for the wonderful men and women behind this initiative that has been going on since 2009. Highly recommended!
    We're incredibly grateful for your supportive words and recommendation! It's fantastic to hear that you learned a lot about gibbons during your visit and appreciated the efforts of our dedicated team. Since establishment, our mission has been to give these beautiful animals a second chance, and it's only possible with the help of visitors like you. Your contribution plays a crucial role in sustaining our project. Thank you for joining us in this journey, and we hope to welcome you again in the future!
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 December 2023
  • John C
    4 contributions
    An absolute must-see in Phuket
    This place was truly amazing and our guide Tan was a wonderful guide and host- informative and entertaining and his love for these fascinating animals was palpable. We got to see the Gibbons up-close in their natural surroundings and interact with them! He did wonderful job explaining the rehabilitation process. It is an absolute must- see while you are visiting Phuket!!
    Thank you so so much for your kind review. We are happy that you had a great time learning about gibbons : )
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 December 2023
  • Victoria G
    27 contributions
    Amazing guide, so knowledgable must do!
    Wow - we had an amazing experience. Mainly down to our guide - didn’t catch his name, but I know he was from Sweden . I booked this as I had an interest in apes, and did this tick all the boxes. A smaller project, trying to do good and their story is incredible. A must do to support this sanctuary/rehab project!
    It was Mikael who host you on that day : ) We will tell him about your kind review. Thank you and have a great day.
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 December 2023
  • Janie Walker
    Porirua, New Zealand97 contributions
    Best activity in Phuket, and Thailand
    The best activity in the whole of Thailand. It's worth the cost because the money goes towards saving precious gibbons. Our host was amazing. He has such a strong and beautiful connection to the gibbons, as does his family. We learnt so much. I will never forget this experience.
    Thank you for your wonderful and kind feedback. We're delighted to hear that you had an unforgettable experience and appreciated our efforts in saving gibbons. Your support means a lot to us. We hope to see you again : )
    Written 19 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 January 2024
  • Tobiasgill77
    Phuket, Thailand11 contributions
    Great and interesting tour
    Very interesting tour and information about Gibbons. Heartbraking to hear how they kill 3 whole families to capture one surviving baby Gibbon to use as tourist attractions. Never support this terrible act by giving money or having your picture taken with the Gibbon. I truly recommend to take this tour and also support their important work. A special thanks to our great tour guide Mikael from Sweden who volunteers and dedicates every winter to this project.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 January 2024
  • Martha M
    8 contributions
    An inspiring project with dedicated people running it
    This place is so inspiring, but also very sad. I work in conservation so I found it absolutely fascinating what they are doing to rehabilitate the gibbons. It is so worth going and also to support this wonderful project. I probably found it the most interesting and inspiring thing I did on my 3 week holiday.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 23 February 2024
  • eeky888
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia187 contributions
    A must visit!
    The highlight of our trip in Phuket. The gibbon sanctuary is a must visit . The 1 hour educational tour clearly explained the abuse and torture suffered by the poor gibbons for tourism purposes. Thankfully, the sanctuary has successfully paired & rehabilitated gibbons over the years and released into the wild. Do your part and don't support gibbons used for any commercial purposes. Whole families are killed by poachers just to capture that 1 "cute" baby gibbon.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 April 2024
  • Becky B
    21 contributions
    Informative and heartwarming
    Tan is Thailands Steve Irwin! He is a wonderful advocate for the gibbons. We had lots of fun learning about the gibbons and the incredible work Tan and his crew have been doing for the wildlife of Thailand. Highly recommend the 2.5hour tour!
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 14 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
1,161 reviews
Excellent
757
Very good
271
Average
91
Poor
25
Terrible
17

Traveller T
Moonah, Australia43 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
We learnt a lot about gibbons on this tour and the problems facing the species. What they are doing here is wonderful and it’s a great organisation to support by visiting. The tour guide was very friendly and informative. We were able to see gibbons here but didn’t get too close (which is the most ethical way)
Written 18 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suzanne L
5 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
The best tour ever. We were not rushedand got to ask so many questions, all of which were answered fully. What an amazing thing these guys do. Their dedication to the gibbons is outstanding. I highly recommend this. Please support them ❤
Written 15 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Becky B
21 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Tan is Thailands Steve Irwin! He is a wonderful advocate for the gibbons. We had lots of fun learning about the gibbons and the incredible work Tan and his crew have been doing for the wildlife of Thailand. Highly recommend the 2.5hour tour!
Written 15 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John
Lower Hutt, New Zealand476 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
In an early 1980’s, a six-month-old baby gibbon was rescued in Bangkok by a group of kind-hearted individuals, after being found chained to a pole, exposed to harsh weather conditions and on the brink of death. Although the group tried to care for her, their limited knowledge and the lack of available veterinary clinics at the time unfortunately led to her passing. Despite the heartbreak of their loss, the group’s passion to help wildlife continued to burn bright. With the cooperation of the Royal Forest Department (at a time when the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation had not yet been established in Thailand), the group continued to rescue more gibbons and other wild animals such as tigers, bears, leopard cats and pangolins.

They providing them with care by their own resources and funding in their own backyards. As word of their efforts spread, the number of rescued gibbons grew rapidly, reaching over 70 individuals. Each one was given the care and attention needed to thrive and recover from their past trauma.

In 1992, when the first action law regarding wildlife was established, the group made the decision to formalize their efforts and establish the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF). With a strong mission to save Thailand’s wildlife, the organization continued its work to rescue and care for gibbons and other wild animals, helping to give them a second chance at life.

Around the same time, the situation for the gibbon population in Phuket had become seriously critical. Gibbons were being taken from the wild and used in the tourism industry, as there was great demand from international tourists wanting to see, play with, pet, and take photos with a species they do not have in their own countries. Unfortunately, this led to no gibbons being found alive in their natural habitat, and the future of the species in the area looked uncertain.

After years of setbacks, GRP developed a new plan to move the gibbons back to Phuket’s last remaining rainforest. With dedication and hard work, the team finally achieved a major breakthrough when they successfully released the first gibbon family back into their natural habitat. Over time, through trial and error, the team at GRP refined their techniques (which can take up to 5 years, and they only release them once a male and female have mated and had a baby, They then release them as a family unit, and believe it or not, stay with them a further 3 months in the forest to help them with re-wilding!).

Today, the release efforts have expanded to the north of Thailand, where gibbons have also faced extinction due to poaching. The team has made many new breakthroughs in releasing more gibbon families in much shorter periods. The project has seen great success in reintroducing captive gibbons back into the wild, contributing to the protection and preservation of these precious apes for future generations. They have released nearly 500 gibbon back into the wild.

The tour only looks at the few gibbon close by who haven’t been reintroduced yet, but it is a fascinating story, the guide Khun (English speaking – learned in NZ, so therefore the best sort) 😊 was just great and this group is well worth supporting. This group gets no support from the Government!
Written 24 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

eeky888
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia187 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
The highlight of our trip in Phuket. The gibbon sanctuary is a must visit . The 1 hour educational tour clearly explained the abuse and torture suffered by the poor gibbons for tourism purposes. Thankfully, the sanctuary has successfully paired & rehabilitated gibbons over the years and released into the wild. Do your part and don't support gibbons used for any commercial purposes. Whole families are killed by poachers just to capture that 1 "cute" baby gibbon.
Written 6 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martha M
8 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
This place is so inspiring, but also very sad. I work in conservation so I found it absolutely fascinating what they are doing to rehabilitate the gibbons. It is so worth going and also to support this wonderful project. I probably found it the most interesting and inspiring thing I did on my 3 week holiday.
Written 23 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tobiasgill77
Phuket, Thailand11 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
Very interesting tour and information about Gibbons. Heartbraking to hear how they kill 3 whole families to capture one surviving baby Gibbon to use as tourist attractions. Never support this terrible act by giving money or having your picture taken with the Gibbon.
I truly recommend to take this tour and also support their important work. A special thanks to our great tour guide Mikael from Sweden who volunteers and dedicates every winter to this project.
Written 25 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janie Walker
Porirua, New Zealand97 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
The best activity in the whole of Thailand. It's worth the cost because the money goes towards saving precious gibbons. Our host was amazing. He has such a strong and beautiful connection to the gibbons, as does his family. We learnt so much. I will never forget this experience.
Written 18 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your wonderful and kind feedback. We're delighted to hear that you had an unforgettable experience and appreciated our efforts in saving gibbons. Your support means a lot to us. We hope to see you again : )
Written 19 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kelvin K
Helensburgh, Australia9 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
The staff were amazing. Very knowledgeable and really care about the gibbons. They are doing their best to educate people. Don't expect to go there and touch them. That's not what it is about.
Written 14 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review. Your words really mean a lot to us. We wish you have a great time.
Written 19 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Victoria G
27 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Wow - we had an amazing experience. Mainly down to our guide - didn’t catch his name, but I know he was from Sweden . I booked this as I had an interest in apes, and did this tick all the boxes. A smaller project, trying to do good and their story is incredible. A must do to support this sanctuary/rehab project!
Written 31 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was Mikael who host you on that day : ) We will tell him about your kind review. Thank you and have a great day.
Written 19 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Showing results 1-10 of 905
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

GIBBON REHABILITATION PROJECT (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Thalang District HotelsThalang District Hotel Deals
All things to do in Thalang District
Day Trips in Thalang DistrictAmusement Parks in Thalang District
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday HomesTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire