Tarutao Marine National Park
Thailand's first marine national park, established as such in 1974, Tarutao lies off the coast of Satun Province and comprises 51 mountainous and forested islands, with caves, mangrove swamps and beaches strung along their shorelines. The dramatic beauty of the scenery is all the more striking when compared with the islands' history. The word `tarutao' is derived from Malay and translates as old and mysterious, a reference to the legend that the islands were long hidden from the world and were to remain troubled after a curse was cast upon them by a beautiful princess wrongly accused of adultery. Whether one believes in the curse or not, it is a historical fact that the archipelago was for centuries a dangerous haunt of pirates, and an unsavoury reputation persisted into the 20th century when, between 1939 and 1946, Tarutao was a penal colony.

Perhaps largely due to this dark history, which kept the islands remote, Tarutao today is as near pristine in its natural beauty as can be found anywhere in the country. For the visitor there are various walking trails, fine beaches, superb views and much more to discover, including a comparatively rich fauna among which wild pigs, crab-eating macaques, dusky langurs and monitor lizards are all fairly common. The surrounding waters are home to dolphins and sea turtles, while whales and dugongs, although rare, have also been spotted.

Getting There
Ferry boats depart regularly from Pak Bara, 60 km. northwest of Satun town, taking 1-2 hours for the journey. Boats may also be hired from the piers at Ko Nok, Tammalang and Chebilang, which are, respectively, 4 km., 9 km., and 13 km. from Satun.