 Believe It or Not -
Tabu Island was created because of anger. There is a local story that
said : once upon a time, there was a fisherman who normally caught a lot
of fish everyday for selling at the market. One day, as usual, he went
to net, but it was not his day. He threw his net many, many times but
got nothing. With great patience he tried again and again, but still got
nothing.
Consequently, he stared at the water looking for a waving pattern, he
then threw his net again with a lot of hope. He kept his eyes fixed on
the net when pulling it up, hoping some fish would be caught.
Unfortunately he caught nothing but a nail. He became angry and threw
the nail into the sea.
Again with great concentration, he kept his eyes on the sea surface and
tried his net once more. This time he threw his net as wide as he could
with great hope of getting some fish. Then he pulled it up slowly as it
was very heavy. He pulled it up with great care. At the end of the net
he found the only thing caught was the same nail.
He was so angry, he grasped his long knife and cut the nail with all his
strength. The nail was cut in half. The nail was catapulted away and
driven into the bottom of the sea standing up as you see it today.
The area around Phangnga bay has a long history and is famed for its
nature and beauty, especially Ko Tabu, Ko Panyi, Tham Lot and Khao Phing
Kan. The rock art in this area has always been an important attraction
The popularity of the Phang Nga bay area led to the designation of the
current area as a forest park in 1974, this was named Sri Phang Nga
Forest Park. The Royal Forest Department then began to survey the area
and realised it's heritage should be further protected by increasing the
areas status to a national park.
Ao Phangnga was created by Royal decree and gazetted under proclamation
number 98 section 64 of 29th April 1981. The park created covers an area
of 400 sq.km, protects the largest area of this original primary
mangrove forest remaining in Thailand. The park stretches from Muang
Phangnga District to the coast at
Takua Tung District. Over 80 % of the
park is covered by the Andaman sea, with over 42 large and small
islands, including such as Phra At Tao Island, Maprow Island, Boi Noi
Island, Boi Yai Island, Rayaring Island, Phanak Island, Hong Island,
Panyi Island, Phing Kan Island etc.
Topography
The topography of the park is strongly influenced by several faults,
particularly the north-east trending of the Klong Marui fault. This
offsets the eastern terrain from the central mountain ranges by a right
lateral movement. This fault movement resulted in the formation of a
large graben parallel to the fault. This graben is marked by the present
bay.
The high ground is produced by massive limestone blocks displaying
classic karst scenery. These blocks extend southward into Phangnga bay
where they form islands with vertical cliffs, mainly orientated in a
north-south direction.
Phangnga bay slopes seaward and is filled with tidal sediments. The bay
itself is composed of large and small tidal channels which originally
connected with the fluvial system of the mainland.
The main tidal channels for instance Klong Ko Panyi, Khlong Phangnga,
Klong Bang Toi and Klong Bo Saen all run in a north-south direction.
They consist of several tidal creeks or tidal channel distributaries.
Most of the tidal channels are meandering with well developed point
bars. Mangrove forests grow around the whole area of the Phangnga bay,
they differ in species depending on elevation and relative tidal range.
The landward boundary of Phangnga bay is marked by a gentle erosion
slope, limestone cliffs and transition forest between mangrove and
upland forest which extends beyond the bay margin.
Climate
The climate experienced in Phangnga Bay is tropical marine, with
characteristic high rainfall and year round high temperatures. Thirty
year records of Metrological Department of Thailand (1961-1990)
collected at Takua Pa
weather station indicate that rain is abundant in the south-west monsoon
season from May to October. The average annual rainfall is 3,560.5 mm.
and the average total rain days is 189 days. The temperature fluctuates
between 23๐C and 32๐C. The average relative humidity is 83%.
Flora and Fauna
Vegetations
Plant society in the Phang Nga Bay National Park could be divided into 3
types as follows :
Mangrove Forest
 Mangrove forest in the
limestone mountain which found a lot of important plants in mangrove
forest upto 12 types such as Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata,
Xylocarpus granatum, etc. In addition, also found sea holly and a lot of
Acrostichum aureum which growing up in the bank area or mud soil. Sea
cyad is found a little bit in only the oponed area or destroyed area.
Mangrove forest in the cell and quatsite rock mountain which found the 7
important types of plants such as Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora
apiculata, Xylocarpus granatum, etc. The other important low level plant
found in this area is the dense growing sea holly.
Mangrove forest in sandstone mountain which found a little bit of
important plants because this area is very far from the main land. The 5
types of important plants here are Rhizophora apiculata, Sonneratia
ovata, Aegialites rotundifolia, Xylocarpus granatum and Melaleuca
leucadendron. In addition, samed would be found in the area adjacent to
land forest which has the lower salt level.
Land Forest, Defined as the evergreen forest which is
rainforest and classified as follows :
Land forest on the limestone mountain which could be found throughout
the national park, there are 2 types : the first is the forest on the
plain land and the forest on the area so called Karst which is a valley
area. They consist of the important plants such as Aporosa aurea, Hopea
ferrea Heim. and Cassia alata Linn. Also, there are many important low
level plants such as Fishtail palm. The second is the forest on the
moisture high area on a limestone mountain which consists of small and
short plants such as Hopea ferrea Heim., Water wisteria, etc.
Land forest on the cell quatsite rock mountain which found a lot of
plants growing in the foot of mountain with very high moisture, we can
find yang na woods scattering throughout this area and also find other
important plants such as Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth., Bruguira
gymnorrhiza, Carallia brachiata (Lour.) Merr., etc. while the low level
plants found here are Bambusa arundinacea Wild, Glass, etc.
Land forest on a sandstone would be found on the slope area which has a
lot of tree and not too high. There is a little bit of the low level
plants here, most of them are grasses because of infertile soil. The
important plants are Bruguira gymnorrhiza, Sesban, etc.
Aquatic Plant Society
Could be classified as Padina, red alge, Halimida and including a lot of
sea grass and plant planton.
Wild Animals, From survey could be classified as follows :
Mammal animals, from survey
could be found up to 27 types such as Macaca irus, Semnopithecus
obscurus, Hylobates lar, etc. In addition, also found the important
aquatic mammal animals such as
Infonesian white dolphin, Malayan dolphin, Finless porpoise.
Birds have been found totally
120 types, the important ones are Little heron, Pacific reef-egret,
Little egret, etc.
Reptiles have been found
totally 26 types such as Siamese box terrapin, Pseudoxenodon macrops (Blyth),
etc.
Amphibians have been found 4
types such as Rana cancrivora, R. limnocharis, Rhaco phorusleucomystax,
etc.
Fishes consists of
squat-headed hammer head shark sphyrna tudes, freshwater ater stingray
dasyatis bleekeri, Moray eel, Puffer fish and many kinds of fish which
live in the coral such as Butterfly fish and the economical valued
fishes such as short-bodied mackerel.
Marine Life
Marine life totals over 80 species: 24 species of fish, 14 species of
shrimp, 15 species of crabs and another 16 species of manta-rays,
sharks, and gamefish. In the bay, you will find blue crabs, swimming
crabs, mud-skippers, humpback shrimp, mud-lobsters, pomfrets, jewfish,
sole, anchovies, scad, rock cod, as well as rainbow cuttlefish, soft
cuttlefish, musk crab, mackerels, spinefoots, groupers, black sea
cucumbers, brain coral, staghorn coral and lastly flowerlike soft coral.
The bay of Ao Phangnga National Park has a wealth of plankton, these are
small plant and animal organisms that float at the water surface and
serve as food for many species. The presence of large amounts of
plankton is due to the shallowness of the water, rich nutrient supply
and the higher temperatures found in the bay area. As the food resource
is high, this makes a good nursery area for mothers of many species,
which enter the bay to rear their young before returning to deeper water
Attractions
Panyee Island
 Panyee Island,
actually, is the fisherman village, built on the area which can be
flooded by the sea, so their houses were leveraged to the most high
level over the highest level of the sea. This village is located outside
the national park. Panyee people are the original fishermen, living with
the shallow fishery by using floating bag-net, cockle farming, fish
farming in cage, At present, Koh Panyee is the community for serving
tourist and some of buildings had been modified to be restaurants and
souvenir shops.
Activities - View - Cultural Sight Seeing Top
Khien Mountain
Lies on the way to Panyee Island. Khien Mountain have a cave painting of
there pre-historic people about 3,000 years.There are ancient
 depiction of
animals and boats.
Activities - View - Historical Sight Seeing - Rafting-Canoeing-Kayaking
Top
Panak Island
Panak Island is the bigger than Hong Island, between the boat route from
Phuket to
Phangnga, have a many cave, such as , Khang Kao Cave, Kong Kang Cave,
Icecream Cave, and Peen Cave. To access this cave, has to use the sea
canoe. Its depth is about 50-150 meters.
 Activities -
Cave/Geological Touring - Canoeing-Kayaking Top
Hong Island
Hong Island is actually the limestone mountain, inside have many cave
and beautiful ,which separate into many rooms arranged in the same line
and has stalactite there. To visit them, you must park your boat in
front of island and then use the canoe to take you look around and
access to inner sea.
Activities - View - Cave/Geological Touring - Canoeing-Kayaking -
Rafting-Canoeing-Kayaking Top
Talu Nok Island
Talu Nok Island is another one of limestone mountain. It has the hollow
cave, similar the big through cave but smaller one. A boat can sail
through it as well. There is a once famous site in Ao Phang-Nga National
Park for sea canoe.
Activities - View - Cave/Geological Touring - Canoeing-Kayaking Top
 Tapu
Island and Phing Kan Island
Tapu Island and Phing Kan Island is the main tourist attraction which
all tourist boat must stop for visiting and take a photograph . The
front side of Tapu Island is very well-known by foreigners because it's
one scene of the "James Bond " movie.
Activities - View - Cave/Geological Touring Top
 Lod
Cave
Lod Cave is a big cave and length about 50 meters, lies in
Takua Thung
District. There are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites inside the
grotto. During way, you can see a perfect mangrove forest in Thailand.
Activities - View - Cave/Geological Touring - Rafting-Canoeing-Kayaking
Top
 Mah
Ju Mountain
Lies on the way to Panyee Island. Mah Ju Mountain is a small limestone
island. The rock face looks remarkably like a poodle dog.
Activities - View - Rafting-Canoeing-Kayaking Top
Lawa Yai Island
 In two hours you
will reach this very small island with a white sandy beach or you can go
by boat on the way at Ban Klong khein pier about 30 minute, where you
can relax to your picnic after some sun and fun , Also remember to bring
your own mask and snorkel if you can to look and coral.
Activities - Activities on Beach - Camping - View - Snorkeling Diving
Facilities
Accommodation - Ao Phang nga National Park have 8 bungolows for tourists
Camping site/Tent - Ao Phang Nga National Park have tent camping area,
and have a tent for rent,
Fee Entrance to National Park 20 Baht/person/day.
for 2 person price 100 Baht / day
for 3 - 5 persons price 200 Baht / day
for 8 - 10 persons price 300 Baht / day
Food services - Ao Phang Nga National Park have a restaurant for service
tourists at headquarter and Koh La Va Yai .
Docking , Boat Tie-up , Wharf - 3 ports at Barn Ta Dan, Service Center
of the National Park Office and Surakul Port.
Service boat for treveling to hollow cave, Khao Khian, Khao Mha Chu, Ko
Pan Yee, Khao Ta Lu, Khao
Phing Kan, Khao Tapu.
Total charge for 12 persons at baht 650-800.-
Total charge for 15 persons at baht 1,500.-
Total charge for 60 persons at 2,500-3,500.-
Visitor center - Ao Phang nga National Park have a visitor center and
nature education center at Barn Ta darn Tambon Koh Panyee
Amphoe Muang , and conference room contain audience about 50 persons,
including multimedia tools and exhibition for
tourists.
Others - One walk namely "The trail of mud- beach nature studies". It's
long about 1.5 kilometers.
Getting there
By Car
Once in Phang nga Town , go past on highway heading to
Takua Thung
District, pass the provincial Hall. About after 850 kilometers, at three
junction, you turn left about 2.5 kilometers.
By Airplane
Takes a plane to Phuket International Airport, for about 1 hours 15
minutes, and then connect a car for 61 kilometers which takes time about
45 minutes to Phang Nga town. After that takes a minibus, Phang Nga-Tha
Dan route, for 9 kilometers and will find it priot to Ta Dan 300 meters.
By Ship
Rent a boat or contact tour agent to handle for you.
By Train
Takes a train from Houlampong in
Bangkok to Poonpin District at
Suratthani and connects to a car for about 160 kilometers (3
hours) to Phang nga town.
By Bus
Takes an air-condition bus for 441 Baht and the V.I.P bus for 685 Baht
about 850 kilometers from Bangkok to Phang nga and then to the bus
station Phang nga, you takes a minibus, Phang nga-Tha Darn route for 9
kilometers and for 20 Baht per person.
Contact & Source
Ao Phang-nga National Park
80, Mu 1, Ban Tha Dan, Ko Panyi Sub-district, Amphur Muang Phang Nga
Phangnga Thailand 82000
Tel. 0 7641 1136, 0 7641 2188 Fax 0 7641 3791 E-mail reserve@dnp.go.th |
