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Ko Tarutao is one of the 51 islands that belong to the Tarutao National Marine Park in Satun Province.

Campsite on Ko Tarutao

[edit] Understand

Ko Tarutao is part of Tarutao National Marine Park, whose administration provide a number of facilities for guests to the island, including the following:

• Bungalows for rent
• Restaurant serving good food (fried rice/noodles: 70 baht, other main courses: 100-150 baht) all day with cold soft drinks, water and canned beer (40 baht)
• Toilets and cold showers
• Fresh water showers near the beach for rinsing off saltwater
• Small museum/information centre
• Mini-mart for snack foods, soft drinks and bottled water
• Internet (2 Baht per minute and slow)
• There is No ATM facility on the island (the closest is in La-Ngu)

There is a one-time National Park entry fee upon arrival of 200 baht for foreigners and 40 baht for Thai citizens.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By Bus

[edit] From Phuket

Buses labelled "Phuket to Satun" leave at 08:15 and 10.15 (317 Baht), passing through La-Ngu at 3pm and 5pm. Songthaew from La-Ngu bus stop to Pak Bara Pier (20 Baht) get you there at 15:30 and 17:30 - too late for the last ferry (15:00) so plan to stay the night in Pak Bara. Use the afternoon to visit the National Park Office next to the Pak Bara pier and book accommodation on the island, as it is frequently booked out.

[edit] By Boat

[edit] From Pak Bara

Slow ferries (250 Baht one way, 400 Baht return, 1 hour) leave Pak Bara for Ko Tarutao at 10:30 and 15:00, and after dropping passengers at Ko Tarutao continue on to Ko Adang and Ko Lipe. Return tickets can be used any day. Its best to avoid the speedboat (350 Baht one way, 650 Baht return, 30 mins, depart Pak Bara 11:30, depart Ko Tarutao 11:00) as it is almost always running late and the vendors are happy to sell more tickets than the speedboat’s safe capacity (don’t worry – most of the people continue on to the other islands rather than getting off at Tarutao). If the speedboat is a must, some of the travel agents at Pak Bara Pier can be convinced to sell tickets for 200 Baht each way. Either way, don’t be suckered into paying 10 Baht to walk onto the pier – the pier can be accessed without charge via the National Park Office.

[edit] Get out

[edit] By Bus

[edit] From Pak Bara to Hat Yai

Government-run minivans (120 Baht, 2 hours) leave from in front of the pier at Pak Bara for Hat Yai every hour on the hour. Never fear - these are government run mini-buses and thus are not subject to the same tricks of the tourist-focussed mini-buses. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Restaurant

The National Park runs and manages a restaurant that provides a considerable range of good quality meals, and is open all day. In addition to meals, cold soft drinks, canned beer and bottled water are availabe from the restaurant

[edit] Mini-Mart

The National Park also runs a small mini-mart for snack foods, soft drinks and bottled water. They do not tend to stock the necessary items to allow for self-catering.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

All accommodation on the island is National Park owned and managed, and guests have the choice between bungalow or camping accommodation.

[edit] Bungalows

Bungalow accommodation is 500B per room, which can house up to 4 people. Bungalows have a varying degree of luxuriousness: some are a simple room with 4 beds, some have room divisions and some have outdoor toilets.

[edit] Camping

Tents can be hired from the National Park Office on the island for 150B per night, which includes the cost of the tent site right behind the beach. The tents are not waterproof, fit 2 people without luggage, and are short for anyone over 5’10”. Luggage can be stored in the office to free up space in the tent. Tent sites are 30B per night if you bring your own.

[edit] Contact