Angthong National Park

Comprising 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, Ang Thong National Park features towering limestone mountains, thick jungle, white-sandy beaches, waterfalls, hidden coves and lakes. It is home to a rich variety of exotic wildlife and marine life. Snorkelling, hiking, kayaking and diving are the main activities to enjoy here. 

Koh Wua Ta Lub is the location of the National Park Office, and nearby you’ll find Tham Bua Bok cave. Inside the cave are stalagmites and stalactites shaped like a blooming lotus. Beside them, a 400-metre walking trail will take you to the breath-taking viewpoint on the hill where you can see the line of Mu Koh Ang Thong islands stretch across a turquoise sea.

Talay Nai, the lagoon inside the mountain, is on Koh Mae Koh. It is a geological phenomenon caused by the subsidence of limestone basin. This oval-shaped emerald lagoon is 250m wide, 350m long and 7m deep. To visit, take a 15-minute motorboat-ride from the National Park Office and walk further a further 400m to the view point for the lagoon and surrounding mountains.

Koh Samsao is located opposite Koh Mae Koh and has a beautiful fringing reef along its 1km length, with a natural stone bridge extended to the sea. From Ko Samsao, you can see a natural sculpture, that looks like a stone castle, towering on the top of the mountain. Camping is permitted on the island but visitors have to bring their own food and fresh water.

Koh Tai Plao and Koh Wua Kantang are located further north of Koh Mae Koh and both have magnificent views of the islands’ fringing coral reefs.

Koh Hin Dub boasts the longest beach in the national park, and has a unique coastline, with a line of piled-up stones that looks like a thin stone plate.

Most visitors come here on a day trip from Koh Samui or Koh Pha Ngan. For those who wish to stay overnight, the park offers five cabins for around 500-1400 baht per night, tents for 200-300 baht per night and a campsite for the visitors who bring their own tents, which costs 20 baht per tent. 

The best time to visit Ang Thong National Park is March to October when the seas are usually calmer. The park is sometimes closed due to inclement weather in the months of November through January.