Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sharks. There are dive sites at each of the six islands north of Ko Miang (Island 4); the
southern part of the park (Islands 1, 2 and 3) is a turtle nesting ground and off-limits to
divers. No facilities for divers exist in the national park itself, so you'll need to take a
dive tour. Agencies in Hat Khao Lak and Phuket book dive trips (three-day live-aboards
from around 15,000B).
You can hire snorkelling gear (per day 150B) from the park headquarters. Day-tour op-
erators usually visit three or four different snorkelling sites. Plenty of tour agencies in
Hat Khao Lak offer snorkelling-only day/overnight trips (from around 3000/5000B), and
the beach can become positively packed. It's clear that nobody is really monitoring the
numbers of day trip visitors, to the park's detriment. Some snorkelling outfits go so far as
to feed the fish, which is a big ecological no-no. That would never happen if this place
were a national park! Oh, wait...
Wildlife & Hiking
The forest around the park headquarters on Ko Miang (Island 4) has a couple of walking
trails and some great wildlife. The fabulous Nicobar pigeon, with its wild mane of grey-
green feathers, is common here. Endemic to the islands of the Andaman Sea, it's one of
some 39 bird species in the park. Hairy-legged land crabs and fruit bats (flying foxes) are
relatively easy to spot in the forest, as are flying squirrels.
A small beach track , with information panels, leads 400m to a tiny snorkelling bay. De-
touring from the track, the Viewpoint Trail - 500m or so of steep scrambling - has panor-
amic vistas from the top. A 500m walk to Sunset Point takes you through forest to a smooth
granite platform facing west.
On Ko Similan (Island 8) there's a 2.5km forest hike to a viewpoint , and a shorter, steep
scramble off the main beach to the top of Sail Rock (aka Balance Rock).
Sleeping & Eating
Accommodation in the park is available for all budgets. Book online at www.dnp.go.th or
with the mainland national park office ( 0 7645 3272) at Hat Khao Lak. Tour agents in Hat
Khao Lak also arrange overnight and multi-day trips that include transport, food and
lodging at the park - these cost little more than it would to go solo.
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