Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park

Year of Declaration:  2019
Area (hectares): 10,200
Area and Location:

It is located in Ang Thong Sub-district, Koh Samui District, Surat Thani Province, about 35 km. west from Koh Samui and Pa Ngan Island.

 

Description:

A marine national park that comprises of 42 islands and has been listed as Ramsar Site in 2002. It is abundant with both island’s terrestrial and marine biological resources including 4 flagship species, namely Indo - Pacific Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Finless porpoise, (Neophocaena phocaenoiodes), Bryde’s Whale, (Balaenoptera edeni) and Green turtle (Chelonia mydas). 

 

Habitat Types:

Lowland evergreen dipterocarp forest;  lower and upper montane forest; peat swamp; forest over limestone, sub-alpine meadows and heathlands; freshwater lakes and rivers; 7 ecosystem: dry evergreen forest, ecotone forest, evergreen forest, mangrove forest, beach forest, seagrass bed and coral reef 

 

Unique Flora:

Endemic Lady sliiper (Paphiopedilum niveum; Evergreen tree, Hopea odorata; Threatened Madhuca krabiensis; mangrove species like Lumnitzera littorea and Excoecarja agallocha

 

Unique Fauna:

Plain-pouched hornbill, a vulnerable species; green sea turtles, whale sharks, bryde's whale, pacific humpback dolphin

 

Ecotourism Destination and Activities:

Mu Koh Ang Thong has become the crucial nature--based destination
for Koh Samui tourism industry which was rated of No. 10 in the Top 10 Island in Asia by
Travel and Leisure Magazine, and No. 5 in the Best Islands in the World to be visited
by CN Traveller Magazine (year). Famous as day trip nature-base destination from Koh Samui on weekdays. Enhanced tourism developemnt is proposed with Community Based Pha Luay Route with the development of new tourism product that starts from Don Sak Peir heading to Southern part of Koh Pha Luay which are non-park portion.

 

Biological Richness: • 9 mammal species
• 17 reptile and amphibians
• 91 birds
• 59 species of butterflies and insects
• 175 flora species