Angthong National Park, Samui

Ang Thong Archipelago: the Marine National Park
Many consider Ang Thong Marine National Park the most beautiful island grouping in the Gulf of Thailand.

Established in 1980 as the 2nd marine park, it covers an area of 102 square kilometers and comprises 42 islands located northwest of Koh Samui. Some of the better known islands include Koh Wua Talap, Koh Mae Koh, Koh Sam Sao, Koh Pa Luay, Koh Nai Pud, Koh Hin Dab, Koh Tai Plai, and Koh Wua Kan Tang. The national park’s office is on Koh Wua Talap.

The island’s topography consists of steep limestone mountains, rocky cliffs, dry, dipterocarp forestland and some sandy beaches. Some of the islands are close to the mainland and affected by muddy sediment from the Tapi River at Surat Thani that tends to make the sea a cloudy, emerald-green color, creating poor living conditions for corals and marine animals. However, many sea creatures seem to thrive on these conditions and have made the area a refuge.

There are rare, wild animals on these islands, mostly small mammals, amphibious animals, and birds. One of the most interesting creatures, and easily spotted around the park office, is the Dusky Langur (semnopithecus obscurus) a rare, long-tailed monkey.

It is possible to engage in kayaking activities around island coastal waters and into caves. Many tourists spend the night at Koh Wua Talap, visit Talay Nai on Koh Mae Koh and kayak under the rocky arch at Koh Sam Sao.

Koh Wua Talap
The island of Koh Wua Talap is located at the center of Ang Thong Marine National Park, around 32 kilometers northwest of Koh Samui, and takes about 50 minutes to get there by boat.

The island is also the site of the park office that can be found in the northeast of the island, at Ao Kha Bay, which has lodgings, restaurants, restrooms, camping site, and a tourist office.

The 100-meter-long sandy beach at Ao Kha offers visitors their first welcome on arrival at the island. Safe for swimming, the peace and tranquility of this spot makes it popular with tourists who enjoy camping on beaches and watching spectacular sunrises in the morning.

Not far from the shore, clumps of coral wait to be explored. Travelers can take a kayak along the beach line to watch the island’s flora and fauna. The tourist office on the beach can provide more information on these activities.

Visitors can walk to the south of this beach and into a cave called Tham Bua Bok to view the beautiful stalagmites and stalactites inside.

Koh Mae Koh
Koh Mae Koh is located to the north of Koh Wua Talap, around 10 minutes distant by long-tailed boat.

One of the bigger draws at Mu Koh Ang Thong Marine National Park, this island is a starkly beautiful area of limestone mountains and steep cliffs, with two, sandy beaches in the south and east of the island known, respectively, as Ao Na Thap and Ao Tham Rang. The former is a long beach suitable for swimming; the latter is the location of the park ranger unit and the entrance to the talay nai, or inner sea.

Talay Nai
Talay Nai is a trapped inner sea on the island of Koh Mae Koh, a vivid green seawater lake that is seven meters in depth and surrounded entirely by steep-sided cliffs. Swimming is not allowed there because there isn’t a beach and constant tidal changes produce shifting currents. However, tourists can view this rather unique attraction from Ao Tham Rang, a beach in the east of the island. There are other viewing points with breathtaking views of the inner sea as well as vantage points on nearby islands.

Koh Sam Sao
Located to the northeast of Koh Mae Koh, Koh Sam Sao is another interesting island to explore. It has a headland with a natural rock archway that can be negotiated by kayak at low tide, beyond which is a gently-sloping sandy beach suitable for swimming. The beach is the location of a park ranger unit and a drinks stand. There isn’t any fresh water on this island. Most tourists prefer to stay over at Koh Wua Talap.

Apart from the rocky archway, Koh Sam Sao has coral reefs worthy of exploration, so it’s not surprising to find this island on most of the tour programs to Ang Thong Marine National Park.