Reinventing Tarutao The island of Tarutao, Thailand's first marine park, is an hour's ride by speed boat or 22 kilometres from Pak Bara pier in Satun. Rising majestically in the Andaman Sea, the park covers an area of 1,490 square kilometres and has 51 smaller islands in its neighbourhood. Bordering Malaysian waters, Ko Tarutao is scenic, endowed with mountains and rich natural beauty, albeit a notorious history. The best place to start exploring its place in history is the park's headquarters which also provides lodges for visiting tourists. It all began in 1936 when the Corrections Department of the Interior Ministry made Tarutao a penal colony for political prisoners condemned to spend their terms learning vocational skills on this remote island completely isolated from the outside world. Food for the prisoners had to shipped from the mainland and the conditions were harsh. During World War II, food shipments were severely disrupted and prisoners often went without food and other basic essentials. They as well as their keepers took to pillaging boats straying into the waters around Tarutao. In 1946, one year after the war's end, the prisoners-turned-pirates were handed over to Thai and British forces. Two years later the detention centre was closed down and the island went virtually unnoticed until 1972 when the government declared it a marine national park. Among the more noted inmates there was So Sethbut who spent more than 10 years of his prison sentence compiling the most popular and comprehensive English-Thai dictionary available to students even today. Remains of the prison can be seen at Ao Talo Udang Bay on the southern part of the island and Talo Wow to its east. Visitors arriving at Phantay Malacca pier need to hire a boat from the park office to get to Talo Wow. A boat ride around Tarutao takes four hours. The island, situated at the confluence of two monsoons - southwesterly and northeasterly - boasts of cloud-trapping mountains covered with thick rainforest. Visitors can take a boat ride along the Phantay Malacca Canal that snakes through mangroves to the Crocodile Cave that was once infested with the reptile, although none can be seen today. The cave has inspiring limestone formations. At the park office's visitor centre there is a map showing the topography of Tarutao and nearby islands. Travellers can enjoy a very long strip of sandy beach but the sea itself may not be as compelling as the island's history. However, it is peaceful and laden with abundant natural greenery. The park also has a restaurant. To watch the setting sun, walk from the park lodge via a long, steep flight of ladders to the viewpoint situated atop Toh Boo cliff. You can spot untamed monkeys along the way. Unfortunately, the park lodge is located some distance from the beach behind trees. In the evening the lodge can be a bit stiffling if the wind drops, even balmy in hot season. After exploring Tarutao, you can hop around islands lying to its west. Regular boat service is available to Ko Lipeh, the only island that is not part of the marine park. Inhabited by sea gypsies, the island, 40 kilometres from Tarutao, has a score of resorts along its white sandy beach facing beautiful coves and turquoise sea. Visitors should get off at Ao Pattaya Bay in the south of the island because it has several resorts they can choose from. The north and northeast of the island is more peaceful. A dozen bungalows dot its Sunrise Beach. Visitors usually stop at Ao Pattaya for a few days and then walk to the other side of the island past a village of sea gypsies, a school, bars and restaurants. It's a brief 30-minute walk at leisurely pace. Alternatively, you can take a boat there. Ko Adang, where the park protection unit is located, is just 30 minutes by boat from Ko Lipeh. It has a fine sandy beach devoid of any modern development. It is extremely peaceful. The park provides simple accommodation if you want to spend the night there. Most visitors travel to Ko Lipeh and Ko Adang to relax. Once there, they go out on day-long tours snorkelling and scuba diving in the neighbourhood. One of the more popular sites is Rong Nam Ja Bung because the water there is shallow and full of colourful soft corals. But a lot depends on tide and visibility: if the sea is choppy there's little you can do about it. I tried twice but failed, weather not permitting. Boat operators can lead you to all the interesting spots. One of the highlights is Ko Hin Ngam, a small island noted for its colourful schools of fish and snorkelling. Its beach is paved with bewildering, smooth naturally-washed gravels that glitter in the sun and make rustling sound when swept by the waves. These gravels are not found on nearby islands. Why? it remains an intrigue. A lot of yarns have been spun around the mystery. One of them involves a curse that says anybody taking the pebbles home, for whatever reason, will meet bad luck. I heard of cases where visitors taking the pebbles home had nightmares and in some instances met with accidents. Those aware of the curse came back to Ko Hin Ngam to return them. Snorkelling off Ko Hin Ngam yielded one surprise. Hard corals of various shapes, sea anemone and clown fish live side-by-side the intimidating sight of sea urchins. As such snorkellers are advised not to plant their feet on the seabed. One of the best snorkelling spots is off Ko Rawee, not far from Ko Adang. Park officials have put up a boundary rope warning snorkellers not to venture beyond it. If the time is right - that is the tide is not too high - you can admire the diversity of marine life here: hard corals of numerous shapes dotted with sea anemone and a profusion of brightly coloured fish that we usually see in aquariums. The patch of the sea where I went snorkelling is still in good condition, although I came across damaged corals in some places. I don't know whether it was caused by humans or the tsunami that hit the region in 2004. Ko Rawee is ideal for beach lovers. Make sure to find out if your tour includes lunch because the island has no shops or restaurants, not even basic tourist facilities. If not, carry your own lunch and water bottles. Travel TIPS Tarutao National Marine Park is off Satun, the southernmost province of Thailand. The closest airport from there is in Hat Yai. Thai Airways, Air Asia and Nok Air have scheduled flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai. Hat Yai can also be reached by train and air-conditioned buses from Bangkok. Once in Hat Yai city, take a van to Pak Bara pier. It takes two and a half hours to get there from the railway station. Daily ferry service to Ko Lipeh and Ko Adang is available starting 11am. On the return leg boats leave the islands at 2pm. Call Thai Ferry Centre at 074-732-510 for more details. From Pak Bara, it's a forty-five minutes ride to Ko Tarutao, and from there to Ko Lipeh an hour and forty-five minutes. A round-trip costs 1,000 baht per person. |