Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ko Tarutao
Most of Ko Tarutao's whopping 152 sq km is covered in old-growth jungle, which rises
sharply up to the park's 713m peak. Mangrove swamps and typically impressive lime-
stone cliffs circle much of the island, and the western coast is pocked with caves and lined
with quiet white-sand beaches. This is one of Thailand's wildest islands. The park en-
trance fee, payable on arrival, is 400B (200B for children).
Tarutao's sordid history partly explains its preservation. Between 1938 and 1948, more
than 3000 Thai criminals and political prisoners were incarcerated here, including inter-
esting inmates such as So Setabutra, who compiled the first Thai-English dictionary while
imprisoned on Tarutao, and Sittiporn Gridagon, son of Rama VII. During WWII, food and
medical supplies from the mainland were severely depleted and hundreds of prisoners
died from malaria. The prisoners and guards mutinied, taking to piracy in the nearby Strait
of Malacca until they were suppressed by British troops in 1944.
Sights & Activities
The overgrown ruins of the camp for political prisoners can be seen at
Ao Taloh Udang
, in the
southeast of the island, reached via a long overgrown track. The prison camp for civilian
