Koh Tarutao (Islands)
Prisoners, pirates and reality show contestants - they have all been here. Not many years ago, the Turatao archipelago was a pirate's heaven - attacking ships entering the Malacca straits. Today it is a tropical wonderland and Thailand's first marine national park - covering 1500 square kilometers.
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A brief history
The name of Tarutao means "old, mysterious and primitive" in Malay. Since the 15th century these islands were home of the Chao Lay, sea-going gypsies who originally came from the Middle East. Starting from the late 19th century it became a penal colony and place of detention for political prisoners.
World War II changed everything. Tarutao became a pirates' haven. After the end of the war a few thousand pirates preyed on the commercial, fishing and passenger ships entering or leaving the Malacca Straits, which connects the India Ocean with the Pacific.
In 1964 a 360-man group from the Royal British Navy landed in Turatao and made sure the pirates were dealt with swiftly. The Thai navy took control over the islands and closed them off completely until 1974. During this 10 year period the wild underbrush was left untamed. Mother nature did the rest.
In 1974 Tarutao and the 51 islands in the group were declared Thailand's first national marine park.
Marine Life
The waters surrounding the the national park are clear and translucent. They are also pollution free as there are no industries nearby.
The group of islands in the western corner of the national marine park area contains many coral reefs of high-species diversity. It is estimated that the park contains 25% of the world's fish species, including members of the shark, ray, gulper, eel, catfish, salmon, flying perch, angel and butterfly fish.
Among the marine mammals, are the dugong, dolphins, and minke whale.
The Tarutao National Marine Park is also the favoured breeding grounds for three species of migratory sea turtles - Green, Hawks-bill and Pacific Ridley - who nest on the islands' beaches from October to January, laboriously making their way ashore to lay their eggs.
The marine park officials have built sea turtle nursing ponds at the park headquarters, where the hatchlings are raised until they will be old enough to brave the dangers of the sea predators and this is certainly worth visiting.
