Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [523]
Getting Around
Srng·ta·ou crowd around the pier in Mae Hat as passengers alight. If you’re a solo traveller, you will pay 100B to get to Sai Ri and Chalok Ban Kao. Groups of two or more will pay 50B each. Rides from Sai Ri to Chalok Ban Kao cost 80B per person, or 150B for solo tourists. These are non-negotiable prices, and passengers must wait until each taxi is full before it departs. If taxis are empty, you will be asked to pay for the entire cab (300B to 500B). Prices double for trips to the east coast, and drivers will raise the prices when rain makes the roads harder to negotiate. If you know where you intend to stay, call ahead for a pick-up.
If you’re one to throw caution to the wind, then consider renting a motorbike to explore the island’s rugged jungle. There are loads of places to lease a vehicle, but be warned that scams are common ( Click here). Go with Lederhosenbikes (08 1752 8994; www.lederhosenbikes.com; Mae Hat; 8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat), an expat operation that has a great selection of quality equipment, and promises honest service. Daily rental rates begin with 150B scooters; it’s 200B for an automatic, larger bikes start at 350B, four-wheelers are 500B, and four-seater ATVs will set you back 1800B. It costs around 45B to fill the petrol tank on a moped.
Boat taxis depart from Mae Hat, Chalok Ban Kao and the northern part of Hat Sai Ri (near Pranee’s bungalows, Click here). Boat rides to Ko Nang Yuan will set you back at least 100B. Long-tail boats can be chartered for around 1500B per day, depending on the number of passengers carried.
ANG THONG MARINE NATIONAL PARK
The 40-some jagged jungle islands of Ang Thong Marine National Park stretch across the cerulean sea like a shattered emerald necklace – each piece a virgin realm featuring sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and perfect peach-coloured sands. These dream-inducing islets inspired Alex Garland’s cult classic The Beach about dope-dabbling backpackers.
February, March and April are the best months to visit this ethereal preserve of greens and blues; crashing monsoon waves means that the park is almost always closed during November and December.
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Sights
Every tour stops at the park’s head office on Ko Wua Talap, the largest island in the archipelago. The island’s viewpoint might just be the most stunning vista in all of Thailand. From the top, visitors will have sweeping views of the jagged islands nearby as they burst through the placid turquoise water in easily anthropomorphised formations. The trek to the lookout is an arduous 450m trail that takes roughly an hour to complete. Hikers should wear sturdy shoes and walk slowly on the sharp outcrops of limestone. A second trail leads to Tham Bua Bok, a cavern with lotus-shaped stalagmites and stalactites.
The Emerald Sea (also called the Inner Sea) on Ko Mae Ko is another popular destination. This large lake in the middle of the island spans an impressive 250m by 350m and has an ethereal minty tint. You can look but you can’t touch; the lagoon is strictly off-limits to the unclean human body. A second dramatic viewpoint can be found at the top of a series of staircases nearby.
The naturally occurring stone arches on Ko Samsao and Ko Tai Plao are visible during seasonal tides and weather conditions. Because the sea is quite shallow around the island chain, reaching a maximum depth of 10m, extensive coral reefs have not developed, except in a few protected pockets on the southwest and northeast sides. There’s a shallow coral reef near Ko Tai Plao and Ko Samsao that has decent but not excellent snorkelling. There are also several novice