Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Every tour stops at the park's head office on
Ko Wua Talap
, the largest island in the ar-
chipelago.
The naturally occurring stone arches on
Ko Samsao
and
Ko Tai Plao
are visible during sea-
sonal tides and weather conditions. Because the sea is quite shallow around the island
chain, reaching a maximum depth of 10m, extensive coral reefs have not developed, ex-
cept in a few protected pockets on the southwest and northeast sides. There's a shallow
coral reef near Ko Tai Plao and Ko Samsao that has decent but not excellent snorkelling.
There are also several novice dives for exploring shallow caves and colourful coral gar-
dens and spotting banded sea snakes and turtles. Soft powder beaches line
Ko Tai Plao
,
Ko
Wuakantang
and
Ko Hintap
.
Viewpoint
The island's viewpoint might just be the most stunning vista in all of Thailand. From the
top, visitors will have sweeping views of the jagged islands nearby as they burst through
the placid turquoise water in easily anthropomorphised formations. The trek to the
lookout is an arduous 450m trail that takes roughly an hour to complete. Hikers should
wear sturdy shoes and walk slowly on the sharp outcrops of limestone. A second trail
leads to
Tham Bua Bok
, a cavern with lotus-shaped stalagmites and stalactites.
VIEWPOINT
Emerald Sea
The Emerald Sea (also called the Inner Sea) on
Ko Mae Ko
is another popular destination.
This large lake in the middle of the island spans an impressive 250m by 350m and has an
ethereal minty tint. You can look but you can't touch; the lagoon is strictly off limits to
the unclean human body. A dramatic
viewpoint
can be found at the top of a series of stair-
cases nearby.
LAKE
Tours
The best way to experience Ang Thong is by taking one of the many guided tours depart-
ing Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan. The tours usually include lunch, snorkelling equipment,
hotel transfers and (with fingers crossed) a knowledgeable guide. If you're staying in lux-
ury accommodation, there's a good chance that your resort has a private boat for provid-
ing group tours. Some midrange and budget places also have their own boats, and if not,
they can easily set you up with a general tour operator. Dive centres on Ko Samui and Ko
