Ang Thong National Marine Park is a fascinating archipelago of 60 or so islands in the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand. It is north west of Ko Samui.
Understand
Most of the islands are close to each other making a breathtaking panorama sailing around the park. All the islands are of different sizes and shapes. Most of them are covered with tropical forests and named after their distinguishing geography, a kind of descriptive appellation, such as 'Sleeping Cow Island' and 'Three Pillar Island'.
Landscape
Angthong, translates as 'golden bowl', occupies almost 250 sq km and includes 50 sq km of limestone islands and karsts topography which rise from the sea as dramatic rock cliffs and bizarre rock formations. Caves, hidden lagoons and white sand beaches are there to be explored and snorkeling among the shallow coral gardens makes a popular and fascinating day trip.
Ang Thong National Marine Park is a protected nature area consisting of over 40 islands, and is famous for its natural beauty. All of the islands are uninhabited and undeveloped except for one. This island, Ko Paluay, is inhabited by sea-gypsies who still earn a living from fishing.
Flora and fauna
The woods in this national park can be classified as dry evergreen forest, beach forest and limestone forest. Dry evergreen forests are found in larger islands like Wuatalab, Paluay and Samsao.
Beach forests are lighter woods found in small stretches along the beaches and the shoulders.
Limestone forests are found on limestone mountains with thin soil layer. Plants are smaller.
Larger animals do not thrive on these islands as they are small and dominated mostly by steep limestone mountains, with only few lightly to moderately slanted plains.
Sixteen species of mammals like otters, langurs, crab-eating monkeys, hogs, silver haired bats, dolphins and whales are found.
Other inhabitants are at least 54 species of birds, including Little Herons, Brahminy Kites, Common Sandpipers, Oriental Pied Hornbills, Drongoes and Hill Mynas.
14 species of reptiles are found like ground lizards, iguanas, Green turtles, Hawksbill turtles, phytons and cobras.
Only five species of amphibians are found, Common Asian Toads, Tiger frogs, Rugose frogs, Grass frogs and Tree frogs.
The waters of the national park are home to Butterfly fish, Angel fish, Parrot fish, Blue-Spotted fantail rays, Blacktip reef sharks, snappers groupers, sea slugs, blue swimming crabs, sea fans, sea whips, giant clams, oysters and coral. The park is also a breeding ground for mackerel.
Getting there
Our tour to the Ang Thong National Marine Park departed from big Buddha aboard a luxury speedboat. All the places we visited were not crowded, it seems that the company design the trip in a way that avoid other operators. In addition as far as I know, this is the only company that visit and have lunch at Ko Paluay, sea-gypsies village. Ko Paluay was very interesting and the food for lunch was the best Thai food I ever had in Thailand. In addition, the kayaking was very interesting and we, for a minute, felt like explorers of undiscovered land.
Access to the Marine Park is controlled, but there are several Samui based boat rental and kayak operators who are licenced carriers, catering to both independent visitors and in organized kayaking/camping trips.
From Ko Tao, Island Cruises,is doing a 4 day live aboard to the marine park. With a limit of 4 passengers on the yacht, knowledgeable guide, exquisite European cuisine and the possibility to visit even the main attractions of the park with nobody else around, this is probably the most comfortable way to get a real insight into this national park.
Traveling around
The most common transport are tour boats taking 40-50 people, with lunch on board. These require you to transfer to a longtail boat to get onto the shore of whatever island you are visiting, which can be tricky and requires a modicum of fitness.
Or else you can take speedboat tours which also provide a snorkeling program. It gets you to the archipelago faster. The best way is to put together a group of friends to hire a boat and explore the islands and beaches in your own time.
Most tours go to the Park's Visitor Center for lunch and kayaking. The Visitor Center is visited by most tour operators, making it very crowded.
This applies for the time from about 10am to 4pm. Before and after it's a totally secluded place with almost nobody around.
See
Ko Mae Ko (Mother Island) is a must to visit. Here, an emerald seawater lake in the middle of the island is encircled on all sides by limestone cliffs, but linked by an underground tunnel connecting with the sea. Reaching the lake entails a strenuous climb of 40 minutes or so, but is rewarded with a spectacular view across the whole park.
Rather, the climb is up a series of staircases wonderfully combined into the natural landscape of the karst, threading through a narrow opening in the rock face at one point, and entailing minimum exertion if you pace yourself and are in decent physical shape. The final series of steps is a bit steep and caution should be exercised when descending the steps, but the entire trip up and down would not take 40 minutes unless you stopped and enjoyed the spectacular Emerald Lagoon, as the locals call this trapped sea-lake inside the collapsed island, for 20 minutes or so from the lookout point at the very top.
Things to do
Caves in many of the islands have intriguing rock formations. Visit one for an awesome experience. The beaches are surrounded with excellent coral reefs which make for perfect swimming and snorkeling. Hundreds of beaches here in the archipelago are deserted. Get a boat and find your own secret beach away from the crowds.
Other popular sites are Ko Sam Sao (Tripod Island) with an extensive coral reef and Wua Talap Island or 'sleeping cow'. It takes some effort to climb up the steep 430m hill to a viewpoint offering great scenery of the entire archipelago and the mainland.
Eat
The main restaurant managed by Nam is excellent and offers a variety of cuisine. Only be careful to order early as the cook leaves by 10pm and the lights go out by 11pm
Drink
The Park headquarters offer two "bars" that sell beer. And by bar, this usually means a cooler full of beer. But when sitting on the beach watching the sun set, it beats most bars and clubs fairly easily.
You should take water anyway, you'll need plenty.
Sleep
The park headquarters are located on Ko Wua Talab, which has basic bungalow accommodation.
Lodging
The park has 5 bungalows which are of different sizes. The costs are quite low - 500 Baht per day - for a 2 bedroom cottage. The cottages are set in a beautiful backdrop and the park staff are very friendly, and fanatical about football. However please note that the park is not for the resort seeker. Facilities are basic - no hot water - and the park shuts off its electric supply at 11pm. So no electricity at night which only adds to the appeal of the place.
Camping
In case the cottages are full, you can rent a tent for 2 for 250 Baht. You can also bring your own tent and camp at the camping grounds. But you will almost always find a tent to rent.Punk
Backcountry
Probably one of the best hikes in Thailand. In the National Park headquarters there is a path leading up the side of the rocks. This will take maybe 25-30 minutes to walk up, and well worth it. But be warned, this is not a hike for the faint hearted. Make sure you have good footwear as there are sharp limestone crags which will be your foothold, especially towards the peak. With a breathtaking view of all the Ang Thong islands, the end result of the hike is well worth it. Beware though, the hike is very steep in some sections and offer questionable ropes to hang on to. But this hike will justify the trip to Ang Thong alone.
Safety
Obvious things like take water, hat, sunscreen and something like an old tea shirt to cover up with when you snorkling are always worth mentioning.
Fees/Permits
Entrance fee to the marine park: Normally not included in the tour fee unless otherwise specified, 400 baht/person, 200 baht for kids under 12 years old. Thai nationals pay 80 baht.
From February to May 2009 entrance to all Thai National Parks is at a reduced rate. We paid 100 baht per adult at the end of February.
Ko Samui - well-developed tourist beach destination
Contact & location
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Ang Thong National Marine Park is a fascinating archipelago of 60 or so islands in the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand. It is north west of Ko Samui.
Understand
Most of the islands are close to each other making a breathtaking panorama sailing around the park. All the islands are of different sizes and shapes. Most of them are covered with tropical forests and named after their distinguishing geography, a kind of descriptive appellation, such as 'Sleeping Cow Island' and 'Three Pillar Island'.
Landscape
Angthong, translates as 'golden bowl', occupies almost 250 sq km and includes 50 sq km of limestone islands and karsts topography which rise from the sea as dramatic rock cliffs and bizarre rock formations. Caves, hidden lagoons and white sand beaches are there to be explored and snorkeling among the shallow coral gardens makes a popular and fascinating day trip.
Ang Thong National Marine Park is a protected nature area consisting of over 40 islands, and is famous for its natural beauty. All of the islands are uninhabited and undeveloped except for one. This island, Ko Paluay, is inhabited by sea-gypsies who still earn a living from fishing.
Flora and fauna
The woods in this national park can be classified as dry evergreen forest, beach forest and limestone forest. Dry evergreen forests are found in larger islands like Wuatalab, Paluay and Samsao. Beach forests are lighter woods found in small stretches along the beaches and the shoulders. Limestone forests are found on limestone mountains with thin soil layer. Plants are smaller.
Larger animals do not thrive on these islands as they are small and dominated mostly by steep limestone mountains, with only few lightly to moderately slanted plains. Sixteen species of mammals like otters, langurs, crab-eating monkeys, hogs, silver haired bats, dolphins and whales are found.
Other inhabitants are at least 54 species of birds, including Little Herons, Brahminy Kites, Common Sandpipers, Oriental Pied Hornbills, Drongoes and Hill Mynas. 14 species of reptiles are found like ground lizards, iguanas, Green turtles, Hawksbill turtles, phytons and cobras.
Only five species of amphibians are found, Common Asian Toads, Tiger frogs, Rugose frogs, Grass frogs and Tree frogs.
The waters of the national park are home to Butterfly fish, Angel fish, Parrot fish, Blue-Spotted fantail rays, Blacktip reef sharks, snappers groupers, sea slugs, blue swimming crabs, sea fans, sea whips, giant clams, oysters and coral. The park is also a breeding ground for mackerel.
Getting there
Our tour to the Ang Thong National Marine Park departed from big Buddha aboard a luxury speedboat. All the places we visited were not crowded, it seems that the company design the trip in a way that avoid other operators. In addition as far as I know, this is the only company that visit and have lunch at Ko Paluay, sea-gypsies village. Ko Paluay was very interesting and the food for lunch was the best Thai food I ever had in Thailand. In addition, the kayaking was very interesting and we, for a minute, felt like explorers of undiscovered land.
Access to the Marine Park is controlled, but there are several Samui based boat rental and kayak operators who are licenced carriers, catering to both independent visitors and in organized kayaking/camping trips.
From Ko Tao, Island Cruises ,is doing a 4 day live aboard to the marine park. With a limit of 4 passengers on the yacht, knowledgeable guide, exquisite European cuisine and the possibility to visit even the main attractions of the park with nobody else around, this is probably the most comfortable way to get a real insight into this national park.
Traveling around
The most common transport are tour boats taking 40-50 people, with lunch on board. These require you to transfer to a longtail boat to get onto the shore of whatever island you are visiting, which can be tricky and requires a modicum of fitness.
Or else you can take speedboat tours which also provide a snorkeling program. It gets you to the archipelago faster. The best way is to put together a group of friends to hire a boat and explore the islands and beaches in your own time.
Most tours go to the Park's Visitor Center for lunch and kayaking. The Visitor Center is visited by most tour operators, making it very crowded. This applies for the time from about 10am to 4pm. Before and after it's a totally secluded place with almost nobody around.
See
Ko Mae Ko (Mother Island) is a must to visit. Here, an emerald seawater lake in the middle of the island is encircled on all sides by limestone cliffs, but linked by an underground tunnel connecting with the sea. Reaching the lake entails a strenuous climb of 40 minutes or so, but is rewarded with a spectacular view across the whole park.
Rather, the climb is up a series of staircases wonderfully combined into the natural landscape of the karst, threading through a narrow opening in the rock face at one point, and entailing minimum exertion if you pace yourself and are in decent physical shape. The final series of steps is a bit steep and caution should be exercised when descending the steps, but the entire trip up and down would not take 40 minutes unless you stopped and enjoyed the spectacular Emerald Lagoon, as the locals call this trapped sea-lake inside the collapsed island, for 20 minutes or so from the lookout point at the very top.
Things to do
Caves in many of the islands have intriguing rock formations. Visit one for an awesome experience. The beaches are surrounded with excellent coral reefs which make for perfect swimming and snorkeling. Hundreds of beaches here in the archipelago are deserted. Get a boat and find your own secret beach away from the crowds.
Other popular sites are Ko Sam Sao (Tripod Island) with an extensive coral reef and Wua Talap Island or 'sleeping cow'. It takes some effort to climb up the steep 430m hill to a viewpoint offering great scenery of the entire archipelago and the mainland.
Eat
The main restaurant managed by Nam is excellent and offers a variety of cuisine. Only be careful to order early as the cook leaves by 10pm and the lights go out by 11pm
Drink
The Park headquarters offer two "bars" that sell beer. And by bar, this usually means a cooler full of beer. But when sitting on the beach watching the sun set, it beats most bars and clubs fairly easily.
You should take water anyway, you'll need plenty.
Sleep
The park headquarters are located on Ko Wua Talab, which has basic bungalow accommodation.
Lodging
The park has 5 bungalows which are of different sizes. The costs are quite low - 500 Baht per day - for a 2 bedroom cottage. The cottages are set in a beautiful backdrop and the park staff are very friendly, and fanatical about football. However please note that the park is not for the resort seeker. Facilities are basic - no hot water - and the park shuts off its electric supply at 11pm. So no electricity at night which only adds to the appeal of the place.
Camping
In case the cottages are full, you can rent a tent for 2 for 250 Baht. You can also bring your own tent and camp at the camping grounds. But you will almost always find a tent to rent.Punk
Backcountry
Probably one of the best hikes in Thailand. In the National Park headquarters there is a path leading up the side of the rocks. This will take maybe 25-30 minutes to walk up, and well worth it. But be warned, this is not a hike for the faint hearted. Make sure you have good footwear as there are sharp limestone crags which will be your foothold, especially towards the peak. With a breathtaking view of all the Ang Thong islands, the end result of the hike is well worth it. Beware though, the hike is very steep in some sections and offer questionable ropes to hang on to. But this hike will justify the trip to Ang Thong alone.
Safety
Obvious things like take water, hat, sunscreen and something like an old tea shirt to cover up with when you snorkling are always worth mentioning.
Fees/Permits
Entrance fee to the marine park: Normally not included in the tour fee unless otherwise specified, 400 baht/person, 200 baht for kids under 12 years old. Thai nationals pay 80 baht.
From February to May 2009 entrance to all Thai National Parks is at a reduced rate. We paid 100 baht per adult at the end of February.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
David Sim, Dmitry Teslya, enqvist lau
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jan, Jani Patokallio, Dom, John Holt and Andrew Haggard, Globe-trotter and Scipio
This travel guide also includes text from Wikipedia articles, all available at
View full credits