The Giant Tree is located near Wat Po Temple on the road to Thong Nai Pan 700 metres from the turning off the Ban Tai Road. The tree is marked with a yellow and a red ribbon and a sign that says ‘Biggest Yang Na’.
About the Giant Tree
The Giant Tree is a Diptcrocarpus Alatus tree or Yang Na Yai in Thai. This specimen was measured in 2013 as being 53.5 metres tall and 14.64 metres in circumference. The Giant Tree is thought to be the tallest tree is Koh Phangan although there may be bigger specimens located in the large jungle in the centre of the island.
Koh Phangan Giant TreeThe Diptcrocarpus Alatus grows all over South East Asia, however, large specimens such as this are becoming rarer and rarer and rarer because the wood is sought after for construction and furniture making, and the resin is used for lacquering and sealing boats. The bark of the tree is also used in traditional medicine.
Base of the Giant TreeThe Giant Tree is located on the roadside and is free to visit.
Travel to the Giant Tree
The Giant Tree is easy to reach. Many people visiting Koh Phangan hire a motorbike to travel around. From Haad Rin its a 6.6 km journey by road although there are some steep hills and sharp bends to negotiate which make the journey dangerous especially if you have little experience on a motorbike. A shared taxi from either Haad Rin or Thong Sala to the turning to Thong Nai Pan off the Ban Tai Road should cost 100 THB per person. Its an easy walk from the Ban Tai Road to the Gaint Tree and you visit nearby Wat Po and Wat Nai at the same time.
The most straightforward way to get to Koh Phangan is to either take a train to Surat Thani and then a ferry to Koh Phangan, or even easier take a joint bus and ferry services direct to Koh Phangan with the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry Company from their bus stop near the Khao San Road in Bangkok.
Location of the Giant Tree
- The Giant Tree is in Bantai on the South Coast of Koh Phangan.