:: City Attractions : Phang-nga Bay" How to get there"


Ao Phang-nga National Park is situated 12 kilometres from Phang-nga town. Travel 8 kilometres from the town via Highway No. 4, then turn left into Highway No. 4114 and continue for 4 kilometres to the Ao Phang-nga National Park's headquarters where visitors can obtain tourist information. The trip can also be made by riding a local bus from Phang-nga town. Several tour operators in Phang-nga and Phuket organise a day trip to Phang-nga Bay.

Chartered boats around Phang-nga Bay are available at the following piers:

  • Customs Pier or Tha Dan, located at nearby Phang-nga Bay Resort. There are various sizes of chartered boats. Prices range from 600-3,500 baht per boat.
  • Ao Phang-nga National Park's pier, speedboats and long-tail boats available.
  • Surakun or Kasom Pier, located in Amphoe Takua Thung.

A trip to Ao Phang-nga National Park takes around three hours, with a half-day tour arrangeable. The Phang-nga Bay Resort near the Tha Dan pier offers comfortable accommodation. There are bungalows and tents available at the National Park. For more information contact Ao Phang-nga National Park at 80 Mu 1, Tambon Ko Panyi, Amphoe Mueang, Phang-nga 82000 or tel. 0 -7641-1136, 0-7641-2188.

Phang-nga town is a quiet little town with none of Phuket's hubbub but a great deal of its own charm.

Khao Chang is a huge mountain resembling a crouched elepant situated behind Phang-nga's former city hall. It is considered a symbol of Phang-nga. Inside the mountain, there is a dark and long cave called Tham Phung Chang which is full of stalactites and stalagmites.

Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park is opposite the former city hall. This is a beautiful public park surround by limestone mountains. There are two adjoining caves called Tham Ruesi Sawan and Tham Luk Suea, in which a stream and formations of stalactites and stalagmites are found.

Sa Nang Manora Forest Park is located in Tambon Nop Pring, and approachable by driving on Phang-nga - Krabi (Highway No. 4) route for 4 kilometres, then take a right turn for another 4 kilometres. The park contains shady cascades and small basins as well as a 2-kilometre nature trail.

Phang-nga Wildlife Nursery Station is situated alongside Phetkasem Road, Tambon Tak Daet. From Phuket, the station is located on the route to Phang-nga Bay. It nurses rare and nearly extinct wildlife, particularly birds, including mynahs, parrots, hawks, pheasants, and peacocks. The station also houses some interesting animals such as mountain goats, monkeys, bears, and ducks. It is open daily from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information call 0-7641-3261.

Ton Pariwat Wildlife Conservation Area is situated in Tambon Song Phraek, on a route between Phang-nga town and Kapong district. To get there, visitors travel 5 kilometres from Phang-nga town along Highway No.4, then take a right turn at Ban Song Phraek for 10 kilometres. There, one finds shady plants, streams and a waterfall.

:: Khura Buri part 1


Mu Ko Similan National Park "Similan" is a Yawi or Malay word, which means nine or a group of nine islands. It is located in Tambon Ko Phra Thong, Amphoe Khura Buri, occupying an area of 32,000 acres. It was declared a national park on 1 st September 1982. Similan is a small group of islands comprising nine islands stretching from north to south, respectively, namely: Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands), Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. The National Park's office is located on Ko Miang. Similan is highly praised for its beautiful scenery, both onshore and underwater. It is situated 70 kilometres from Phang-nga town. Best time to visit is between November and April.

Interesting attractions in the National Park include:

Ko Similan or Ko Paet is the largest island in this group of islands. It has a distinctive horseshoe-shaped bay. The average depth of the water is 60 feet. Underwater is full of rock formations and coral reefs in several shapes and forms such as deer, leaf, brain, and mushroom. The latter one is the most unspoiled coral found in the country. Its soft sandy beach is very beautiful and diving around here will let you see a lot of fishes and coral. To the north, lies a striking large rock formation with astonishing shapes such as a boot and Donald Duck's head. The upper part of the beach is an ideal lookout point with a rock that resembles a sailing boat.

Ko Ba-ngu  is the ninth island of the Similan group of islands. It has a strange feature. Looking from one point, the shape of a skull can be seen. Underwater is as beautiful as a valley full of coral reefs, deep gorge, and various sizes of fish.

Ko Huyong, the island offers the whitest and longest beach of all the nine islands. During turtles' egg laying season, from November to February, there would be tracks on the beach from turtles that come onshore to lay eggs, resembling centipede tracks.

Ko Miang is the second largest island among 9 islands after Similan Island. It is where the office of the National Park is located. The island offers a scenic beach which is suitable for camping.

 

 
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