Ang Thong Marine National Park Thailand  

The panorama over some of the 40 lime stone islands

of the Ang Thong Marine National Park, dotted with white pristine beaches in a dream vacation setting in southern Thailand. Sightseeing, Kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving are, naturally, the main attractions in the Ang Thong Marine National Park, southern Thailand. To get to the coral reefs just visit a travel agent in Samui or check with your hotel. Pickup in the morning (around 8am), takes you to the pier for breakfast. Guests board a speedboat (at the bottom, 2. picture below) for an hour’s pleasant journey. An alternative is to go with a larger vessel which is cheaper but the journey is longer (center of  2. picture below).

On the main island of in the Ang Thong marine national park southern Thailand, Ko Wua Talap (1. picture below), is a lookout with a great panorama. To climb there is a tough challenge. On most of the 500 metre climbing course, you pull yourself up by rope. If you are out for a climb, wear comfortable shoes and if possible take some gloves as the stones you have to hold on to have very sharp edges and you also have  a better grip on the rope. 

The people who implemented this climbing trek have done a great job. Ang Thong means “golden basin” in English and has been left quite untouched for a long time. It was under the control of the Thai Navy until 1980 when it became a national park. Before the islands came under the control of the navy it was a hideout for pirates.

Some small animals are present in the Ang Thong marine national park southern Thailand such as wild pigs, snakes, macaques, leopard cats and other creatures, but normally you won’t see them. Swiftlets are present in the limestone caves and their nests are collected to make bird’s nest soup. Ang Thong marine national park island southern Thailand On Ko Mae Ko in the Ang Thong marine national park southern Thailand is the beautiful emerald lagoon (picture below); you can reach the lake after a steep climb over some staircases (right picture) anchored into the stones. The lagoon is fed by seawater by an underground connection to the sea. You are not allowed to swim in the lake, and don’t try it as you will have a difficult time in getting out from the water.

Ang Thong marine national park Ko Mae Ko Emerald Lagoon southern Thailand