I think I have found my favourite island in Thailand - Ko Tarutao is the largest of the islands in the Tarutao National Park, is 26.5km long, and 11km wide. The highest point is over 2,000 feet. Rain forest covers over 60% of the island. The many beaches are stunning, silver, long and very wide at low tide. The dry beach sand is silver and crunches like fresh snow underfoot.The only development on the island is a cluster of government-run bungalows by the ranger station at Ao Pante Malacca. There was a good Thai restaurant near the ranger station. It would appear that alcohol is not served at the ranger station. 
This was not a problem for me as I had a good stash on board the boat.
The party island of Ko LIpe is only around 20 miles away to the south west. Duty free Langkawi is also around 20 miles away to the south. Fast ferries arrive several times a day from the Mainland (Saturn) and Ko Lipe. The Thais don’t mess around when it comes to powering boats – I managed to snap a shot of one of the fast ferries with five 225 horse power outboards on the back.
There was a steel post on the beach marking the height of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami at 4.5 metres. There were the Tsunami evacuation signs pointing people in the direction of high ground. These signs were very evident on all the islands that I had visited in Thailand.
I motored in the dingy down a river for just over a mile to visit the Crocodile cave – a 200 metre long cave used by smugglers in the past.
Fortunately, I had been told to take a head lamp or torch as once into the cave proper it was deepest pitch black. I helped myself to one of the large green plastic kayaks at the entrance of the cave and paddled into the darkness. Some of the caverns that lead off from the main passage were huge. At one point I turned off the headlamp to experience the darkness, other than the occasional ploop of water dripping from the stalactites and the squeak of a bat, it was very very dark and very quiet. 
Perish the thought of the torch failing as you’d have to wait until someone else came through before you could get out. That did not appear to be too often as I had the darkness to myself along with the myriad of bats that I disturbed along the way.
I spent a very pleasant few days exploring parts of the island of Ko Tarutao. I hope to get another opportunity to visit another part of the Tarutao. Eventually, I had to haul the anchor and head for Langkawi. I arrived at Bass Harbour Kuah, Langkawi at 18:30 on February 2, having change the time forward one hour (+8.00 UTC).
This was not a problem for me as I had a good stash on board the boat. The party island of Ko LIpe is only around 20 miles away to the south west. Duty free Langkawi is also around 20 miles away to the south. Fast ferries arrive several times a day from the Mainland (Saturn) and Ko Lipe. The Thais don’t mess around when it comes to powering boats – I managed to snap a shot of one of the fast ferries with five 225 horse power outboards on the back.
There was a steel post on the beach marking the height of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami at 4.5 metres. There were the Tsunami evacuation signs pointing people in the direction of high ground. These signs were very evident on all the islands that I had visited in Thailand.
I motored in the dingy down a river for just over a mile to visit the Crocodile cave – a 200 metre long cave used by smugglers in the past.
Fortunately, I had been told to take a head lamp or torch as once into the cave proper it was deepest pitch black. I helped myself to one of the large green plastic kayaks at the entrance of the cave and paddled into the darkness. Some of the caverns that lead off from the main passage were huge. At one point I turned off the headlamp to experience the darkness, other than the occasional ploop of water dripping from the stalactites and the squeak of a bat, it was very very dark and very quiet. 
Perish the thought of the torch failing as you’d have to wait until someone else came through before you could get out. That did not appear to be too often as I had the darkness to myself along with the myriad of bats that I disturbed along the way.I spent a very pleasant few days exploring parts of the island of Ko Tarutao. I hope to get another opportunity to visit another part of the Tarutao. Eventually, I had to haul the anchor and head for Langkawi. I arrived at Bass Harbour Kuah, Langkawi at 18:30 on February 2, having change the time forward one hour (+8.00 UTC).
