Nature places in Asia

Not only does Yala National Park have the world's highest concentration of leopards, but the landscape is extremely diverse, ranging from dense jungle over open scrubland to sandy beaches sloping into the Indian Ocean. The park is packed with all kinds of wildlife like Asian elephants, crocodiles, Grey langurs, Sloth bears (like Baloo from the Jungle Book) and more than 150 kinds of birds, including White-bellied Sea Eagles and Painted- and Black-necked storks. This is what makes the park so special:; there are literally animals everywhere and you get fairly close to them in the small jeeps.

It is a bit of a miracle that this pristine slice of dense jungle is not more visited, considering it is only a few hours drive north of Phuket. All the big game are advertised to roam the national park, but the chance to see a tiger, leopard or sun bear is probably pretty slim. A wild elephant on the other hand is not impossible. The park's pride-worthy botanic attraction is the world biggest flower, Rafflesia (Rafflesi kerrii). This giant flower (50-90 cm) is both rare and weird (smells of rotten meat) and blooms only in dry season from January to March. There are several trails throughout the park to waterfalls and viewpoints. You cannot sleep inside the park, but the guest houses right outside are famous for their treetop bungalows.