ANG THONG MARINE NATIONAL PARK
Situated about 20 km. west of Samui, this archipelago of 42 islands fits everyone’s image of a tropical paradise, with huge, limestone rocks covered in virgin rainforest rising out of the aquamarine waters. Most people go here on a day trip from Ko Samui, which is easy to organize.
There is a fantastic viewpoint on Ko Wua Talap, just above the park headquarters, looking out over the uninhabited, pristine islands. Trips around the park usually include a visit to a delightful concealed lagoon on Ko Mae Ko, as well as the opportunity to paddle a sea kayak around the strange limestone formations.
KOH PHA-NGAN
Just 20 km. north of Ko Samui and a short boat trip away, Ko Pha-ngan is a mountainous island ringed18 by secluded bays that offer ideal getaways. Its only town of any size, Thong Sala, has a bank, post office, supermarket and shops selling beach equipment and souvenirs.
Many of its beautiful beaches are accessible only by boat, though pick-up trucks and motorbikes also ply the island’s rough roads. Its most famous beach is Hat Rin, in the southeast corner of the island, which is the location for the world-famous full moon parties that attract thousands of visitors each month to dance the night away on the beach.
The island’s most picturesque beach is Thong Nai Pan, a double bay in the northeast of the island, which has good swimming and snorkelling, as well as the island’s most comfortable accommodation. A little south of Thong Nai Pan is Than Sadet, the island’s most impressive waterfall, which was once a favourite place of King Chulalongkorn.
KOH TAO
‘Tao’ means turtle, and the island is named for its shape west on the mainland. The island is particularly popular among divers, and has a reputation for some of the most exciting dive sites in the entire gulf. Several companies based at Mae Hat, the island’s only town, can arrange dives for beginners and experienced divers. There are many peaceful and idyllic beaches on the island, such as Sai Ri, the island’s longest beach on its west coast, and Chalok Ban Kao and Sai Daeng on the south coast. There is also a unique geological phenomenon at Nang Yuan, a tiny cluster of islets just off the northwest coast of Ko Tao, where stunning causeways of sand join the islands, offering visitors the choice of two seas to swim in.