Tarutao
National Park
kayaking to tropical islands, secluded beaches & great
snorkeling
Level:
moderate to mildly strenuous (depending on the season)
Season: November through mid April is moderate
The outer islands are closed from the end of April through the middle
of November. No
trips are offered during the summer months, September and October.
Accommodations: Deluxe camping with electricity for fans and lights.
Due to mass tourism ruining Ko Lipe, we no longer offer bungalow
stays. Camping gives you the ability to experience the natural
wonders 24 hours per day, in comfort.
Tarutao is a marine national park is on the border between Thailand and Malaysia. In fact, Langkawi (a huge island in Malaysia) is just five miles from Tarutao. Tarutao has been designated by UNESCO as an ASEAN Heritage site. The park consists of 51 islands - seven big ones. The main island, Ko Tarutao, features tidal rivers, old-growth mangrove forests, old-growth hardwood forests, primary nipa palm forests (this palm's fronds are customarily used for roof thatching), limestone karst islands and lots of wildlife.
Crab-eating Macaques (monkeys) are common on Tarutao. We often see them walking the mudflats at low tide searching for crabs or whatever else they can eat. Dusky langurs, cute black monkeys with white rings around their eyes, are common too. We frequently see monitor lizards. They get as big as 60 pounds and as long as six or seven feet! We do see huge one occasionally, but the smaller one are much easier to see.
There
is a park headquarters with bungalows where we land. The long beach in
front of the park adds much beauty to an already stunning scene. A tidal
river next to the park is where we do our first bit of exploring. Actually,
you could spend several days exploring just this one area. We 
paddle
in a mangrove forest beside steep limestone cliffs. There are lots of
birds in the mangrove. Brown-winged Kingfishers, bright orange birds with
brown wings and a blue back, are often seen. Oriental Pied hornbills and
Southern Pied hornbills regularly cross over the mangrove channels or
soar along the side of the massive limestone mountains. Greater Ratchet-tailed
Drongos, medium-sized black birds with two very long tail feathers, flutter
between trees at the park headquarters in their constant search for insects.
| If you'd like to take a quick look at some sample photos of Tarutao National Park, click on the images below. |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Click
here to see a map
of Tarutao National Park, including the outer islands.
Click here to see a map
of Ko Tarutao only.
The
American TV show "Survivor" is being filmed on Ko Tarutao in
June of 2002. PaddleAsia offers a variety of tour packages to Tarutao
National Park. If you'd like to learn more, see our Tarutao
Survivor page.
PaddleAsia is in no way associated or endorsed
by the CBS Survivor program.
|
Rick
Herpel (American), on snorkeling in Tarutao Marine
National Park: One of the most outstanding days I've had diving. I've been diving for 20 years and it was as good as anything I've seen. |
On
our eight-day trip we normally spend a couple days on Tarutao
before departing for some islands further out to sea. On our four or six-day
trips we head straight out to the outer islands. These remarkable islands
have crystal clear water and primary jungle down to the white sandy beaches.
Instead of limestone, these islands have granite boulders. Sea gypsies
live on Ko Lipe. 
We paddle around several islands, taking time to relax and/or snorkel at the numerous beaches. We've managed to find several areas where the coral is in superb condition. Globally, this is rare. This is one of the most idyllic areas in Thailand for snorkeling Click here to visit our snorkeling page!
We have a local sea gypsy escort boat skipper who shuttles our camping gear ahead of us. Our skipper and another sea gypsy set up the camps. We believe that employing the sea gypsies is the only way to go down here. They are at the bottom of the social ladder unfortunately and don't have much going for them. They are lovely people who need a break. Our sea gypsy team is friendly and very hard-working. You'll love them for sure.
Camping allow you to experince this very special national park without having to deal with the people who go to Tarutao to party and make noise. You, on the other hand, get to spend your nights on the many gorgeous beaches and experience watching the stars, listening to the waves lapping the shore and listening to the sounds of the jungle.
|
As
individual paddlers, we search for ways to get away from other tourists. |
We
offer a six-day and an eight-day tour
to Tarutao for two to eight people. These islands are well off the beaten
tourist path - this is PaddleAsia.
If you'd like to read more about Tarutao, check out our previous trip reports:
Tarutao
stormy weather story
The
Trang and Tarutao expedition
Suvivor
Thailand
The
joy of crossings
No
experience is needed for any of our trips, though this trip is seasonal
for novices. We will teach you proper paddling technique. During some
years, due to climate changes, the seas can be bumpy when they're supposed
to be calm. We reserve the right to change the itinerary for safety reasons
with beginner paddlers.
Our trips are all-inclusive. This price includes: all transfers
(airfare not included), all equipment, all camping gear, all meals, all
snacks, coffee and tea, a complimentary PaddleAsia shirt and comprehensive
insurance.
