Overview
‘Ang Thong’ or ‘Golden Bowl’ marine park is situated in the Gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani province – consisting of 42 islands and covering the area of over 102 sq.km. The marine national park is famous for its gorgeous scenic view where you can see a group of small islands covered in green jungle scattered and stretching out across the horizon surrounded by a blue ocean.
Most of the islands in the park are uninhabitable and undeveloped except for ‘Koh Phaluai’ where you can find a sea-gypsy village, and ‘Koh Wua Ta Lap’ where the park’s head-quarter and basic facilities are located. Moreover, in Koh Wua Ta Lap is where the spectacular panoramic viewpoint which is the main attraction of the park is located. The trail to the viewpoint is 500 meters from the head-quarter and takes about 25-30 minutes to walk, but be aware that the trail is quite steep and you may need to use the rope support at some points. However, the view is surely rewarding once you make it to the top as you can see a beautiful panoramic view of all the islands.
Apart from the amazing view and whitesand beaches, snorkeling is another great activity to enjoy when visiting the park as there are many great spots where you can enjoy the untouched marine life – swimming among many fish and corals. The park has also gained its international exposure from a movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo Di Carprio which was also inspired and partially filmed here.
