Tarutao Marine National Park

Tarutao Marine National Park is located in the  south of Thailand on the border with Malaysia just four miles from Langkawi Island. The National Park consists of 51 islands which belong mainly to the Tarutao and Butang archipelagos. The Park was created in 1974. Because the Park is located on islands traveling by boat is the best way to explore it.

Tarutao Marine National Park has a huge number of kinds of fish (stingrays, eels, sharks, salmonids, perch, angelfish, butterfly fish, dolphins, and many others). The fauna of the park is represented by lizards, pythons, macaws, flying lemurs, different kinds of snakes, birds and others. Tarutao National Park is considered the best place in the country for scuba diving and snorkeling.

The largest island of the National Park is Tarutao. Here is the headquarters of the park.

There is a fee to visit the island - about 200 baht per person. 

There is no commercial housing and hotels on the island but only a tent city and a few simple cottages belonging to the national park administration. There are also no bars, restaurants, or nightlife on Tarutao Island. So the main visitors to the island are wildlife enthusiasts.

There are several roads and trails on the island, which can be navigated on foot and by rented bikes. There are several anchorages along the coast of the island. You can get to the shore from the boat by dinghy.

The most famous island of the National Park is Ko Lip the southernmost island of the Butang archipelago. Ko Lipe was one of the most beautiful islands in all of Thailand but because unregulated development of tourism almost 90% of the beaches are now occupied by longtails - long narrow motorboats carrying tourists.

Ko Lipe today is a big hangout with a nightlife like Phi Phi Islands.

Ko Lipe is part of Tarutao National Marine Park but since it is a typical overcrowded tourist destination we find nothing interesting to write about in terms of wildlife conservation.

However Ko Lipe is the only one place in the National Park where you can rent a boat to visit some of the great diving, snorkeling, and other activities on the surrounding islands.