RAFFLESIA FLOWER TREK
WALK THROUGH THE RAINFOREST OF KHAO SOK IN SEARCH OF THE UNUSUAL RAFFLESIA FLOWER, ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE PLANTS FOUND IN THAILAND’S FORESTS.
Trek to the Rafflesia Flower
The flowering season falls between January and March.
The biggest flower on earth can be found in Khao Sok !
Fully open flower of Rafflesia
Flower bud, in a later stage of opening.
Close-up view of two Rafflesia anthers dehiscing the pollen in a sticky fluid.
Fully open flower of Rafflesia
Agreement before booking :Rafflesia flowers are seasonal, and flowering cannot be guaranteed. Please check the expected flowering period and availability with the local guide before booking.
ABOUT THE RAFFLESIA FLOWER TREK
The Rafflesia(in Thai: Bua Phut) is a rare and unusual flowering plant that grows in rainforest environments. Unlike most plants, it does not have visible stems, leaves or roots of its own. Instead, it develops inside a host plant before producing a large flower.
During the trek, a local guide will lead you through the forest and explain more about the Rafflesia, its life cycle and the conditions it needs to grow. The walk also offers an opportunity to observe the plants, trees and other features of the surrounding rainforest.
Rafflesia flowers are only visible during certain periods of the year, so sightings depend on the season and local conditions.
About Rafflesia
Rafflesia is a parasitic plant with no leaves or roots on its own. It invades the liana vines and like a parasite, it absorbs all the vine's nutrients.Once a year small buds begin to develop beneath the root bark of the vine. As they mature, they swell, breaking through the bark, to the size of a football. They then burst open revealing the massive flower, which can be up to 80 cm. in diameter and is ocra, yellow, chesnut and white in colour.
Flies pollinate Bua Phut, attracted by the sweet, slicky smell. A female flower is polinated oly by a male flower, and chances are reduced, not only by its rarity, but also because it only flowers for 3-4 days, then it shrivels and dies.
Rafflesia is found in only countries on the Sunda shelf, namely Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. It get its name from Sir Stanford Raffles, who first found specimens of another species in Sabah, East Malaysia.
Rafflesia Flower Hike
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
