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Of all the islands
in the Samui area, it is those in Mu Ko Ang
Thong Marine National Park that score highest
for sheer beauty and excursion potential.
Located 31 km west of Samui, the park covers
more than a hundred sq km and comprises a group
of some 40 lovely steep-sided limestone islands
fringed with forest. Their shores are dotted
with sandy coves and limestone caves, while the
lush interiors are home to a wealth of flora and
fauna.
The name translates
as 'golden basin', and this is indeed a rich
ground for exploration. Mainly because it was a
preserve of the Royal Thai Navy and so closed to
the public until 1980, when it was declared a
marine national park, Ang Thong has managed to
preserve its unspoilt character to an
exceptional degree.
Sea canoeing offers
perhaps the best way of appreciating the islands
rugged coastlines, endlessly intriguing with
hidden little bay, beaches and caves.
Alternatively, excellent coral and plenty of
fish, as well as occasionally dolphins, make the
waters around Ang Thong ideal for snorkeling and
scuba diving.
The terrestrial
attractions are no less. On the largest island,
Ko Wua Talap island, location of the park's headquarter
and the only tourist facilities in the area,
there is a trail up to a 400 m high vantage
point, the stiff climb being rewarded by
stunning views out over the archipelago, as well
as Buabok Cave, the name meaning 'waving lotus',
a reference to the shape of the stalagmite and
stalactite formations. Other walks lead around
the national park village and to a small fishing
settlement. Elsewhere, a magnificent
emerald-green lake, 250 m across and surrounded
by cliffs, is the highlight on Mae Ko island.
In addition to the
natural wonder of the scenery, wildlife is
comparatively abundant on Ang Thong and includes
leopard cats, wild pigs, long-tailed macaques,
squirrels, pythons, monitor lizards and dusky
langur. Among the 40 or so bird species that
have been confirmed in the islands are the
little heron, black baza, brahminy kite,
Eurasian woodcock, and the white-rumped shama,
while nesting in the caves on the islands are
the variety of swifts whose homes are the basic
ingredient of that Chinese delicacy, bird's nest
soup.
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