There are some settings that leave you speechless, and that’s exactly what I felt while kayaking past the mist and mangroves along Thailand’s Klong Root canal. The forest-colored waterway, carpeted in gnarled tree vines and lotus pods, was cinematic in every sense, and I wasn’t surprised it was chosen as the setting for a summer blockbuster like Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Photo: Stock High angle view/Shutterstock
Dinosaurs Roam Again: Thailand's Real Locations Behind Jurassic World Rebirth
The franchise that sparked a three-decades-long, dinosaur-themed empire recently returned in its seventh iteration, this time on the fictional island of Ile Saint-Hubert. In the real world, it was filmed throughout some of southern Thailand’s most sensational natural terrain, including Khao Phanom Bencha National Park in Krabi, Ao Phang Nga National Park in Phang Nga, and Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang.
Paddling on Klong Root canal, one of the filming locations for Jurassic World Rebirth. Photo: Ismail Salahuddin
There, all the larger-than-life, awe-inspiring landscapes you’d expect from a dinosaur-filled jungle exist in abundance: towering limestone cliffs, emerald-green mangroves, hidden caves, and untouched beaches. The teeming jungle environments like Klong Root make the gripping special effects that bring dinosaurs from 165 million years ago back to life all the more thrilling, and when you visit today, it feels like there could be a dinosaur around every turn.
These dramatic landscapes also geographically and geologically parallel the Mesozoic Era that inspired Jurassic Park. Krabi’s limestone cliffs and ridgelines were formed during the late Permian period, around 250 to 300 million years ago, just before the Mesozoic Era. During this time, much of the region was beneath a shallow tropical sea, and over time, layers of calcium collected beneath the sea turned into limestone.
This makes Krabi’s limestone some of the oldest formations on Earth. The Himalayas formed around 50 million years ago, the Alps 30–40 million years ago, and the Rocky Mountains 50–80 million years ago.
“[It] mimics the kind of environment in which dinosaurs once roamed,” says Paul Maneerat, General Manager at Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi and Avani + Koh Lanta Krabi resorts. “The region’s caves and fossil-rich zones, such as those near Phra Nang Beach, mirror the geological conditions often depicted in the Jurassic Park films.”
And the fact that the karst landscapes are covered in dewy, lush jungles only adds to the look of a prehistoric wonderland.
Toh Luang Cave looks straight out of the Jurassic Era. Rebirth. Photo: Ismail Salahuddin
There’s Klong Root, the setting for the lush jungle scene and dramatic sequence escape following a shipwreck early in the film. Railay Bay Beach, reachable only by boat, has limestone cliffs and undeveloped beaches that required minimal cinematic enhancement, and the striking rock formations of Toh Luang Cave, complete with natural light filtering through the cave’s windows and chambers, certainly help to add mystery and tension to the storyline.
Jurassic World Rebirth has already been an economic boost
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Offscreen, the impact of Jurassic World Rebirth on the region has been largely positive. According to Thailand’s Public Relations Department, the production brought in more than 428 million baht (about $13,100,704) to the local economy. In 2019, the latest year for which data is available, Krabi’s annual value of all goods and services produced was roughly 418 million. Ut also employed more than 2,245 Thai workers. “The film’s presence supported eco-tourism initiatives, engaged local guides, artisans, and hospitality providers, and helped reinforce the importance of preserving Thailand’s unique environments,” says Chompu Marushachot, the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand‘s New York Office.
As set-jetting (traveling to movie locations) becomes more popular, Thai tourism officials say they hope the movie’s global reach will inspire travelers to visit the landscapes in real life and support the local tourism economy. According to residents with whom Maneerat spoke, the production company made infrastructural improvements in rural areas such as road and street signs, which will benefit tourists long after the movie’s release.
Local guide TK recommends visiting not just outdoor sites, but cultural sites like Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi, shown here. . Photo: Balate.Dorin/Shutterstock
Yutthana Budaded, my guide through the misty waters of Klong Root, shared how he benefited from the film shooting in Krabi. “I feel proud and grateful that our location was part of such a huge film, especially when I saw Klong Root featured in the movie.” Since it became known that the film would shoot in Thailand, “many people came to visit me and other filming locations,” he added. Beyond the film’s scenic locations in Krabi, he recommends that tourists explore the local markets and visit traditional fishing villages, and take the opportunity to attend a local festival or cultural performance. A visit to the temples or nearby natural sites like mangrove forests is also recommended, he says, to get a “deeper understanding of the spiritual and environmental connection the people have with their land.”
The exposure is also expected to encourage sustainable tourism and cultural exchanges, creating more jobs and spurring long-term growth in the tourism sector. A tour in Koh Klang, just a short boat ride from Krabi Town, includes the chance to learn about traditional longtail boat building, batik painting, and rice farming, all while supporting locals. In Krabi’s Ban Nai Nang, travelers can learn how local beekeeping is saving mangrove forests.
Where to stay in Thailand
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Travelers can get closer to Jurassic Park Rebirth’s iconic scenes and support Krabi’s residents by staying a few nights on their trip to Thailand.
The Thai-owned Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort and Avani + Koh Lanta Krabi Resort share a four-night “Jurassic Paradise” package, including two nights at each resort, a kayak trip through Klong Root and snorkeling the crystalline waters of Koh Kradan—another site in the film. Themed wellness offerings like a lava stone massage or Age of Rebirth treatment utilizing local Thai botanicals are also included. The package runs through at least the end of November 2025.
For a luxury stay with a prime location between Krabi and Phuket, Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas is a jungle-flanked retreat just 30 minutes by boat from two stunning sites featured in Jurassic World Rebirth: Ao Phang Na National Park and Khao Phanom Bencha National Park. The property can also plan local fishing and island hopping excursions. 