Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park

Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park is located in Mueang Krabi District, Krabi Province. Established in 1983, it cover an area of 387.9 square kilometres including some areas of the Andaman Sea and the southern region’s west coast. The marine national park is rich in natural beauty, it has islands, coral reefs, coralline algae, a wonderful seabed and unique landscapes like limestone mountains with several levels of cliffs, amazing caves and long white beach with fossil shells. The park consists of two main areas, the islands scattered in the Andaman Sea and the coastal area which includes Nopparat Thara Beach, Ao Nang Beach, Railay Beaches, Ao Nam Mao and Pa Ao Nang-Hang Nak areas. It has high and steep mountains running northwest-southeast parallel to the coast. The west side of the mountains is steeper than the east side. A small river called Khlong Khao Klom receives fresh water from the Nong Thale Lake and flows through the Khao Hang Nak mangrove forest. This river naturally creates the mangrove forest and a lowland area with melaleuca forest known as “Khlong Haeng” or “Noppharat Thara Beach”. The park is influenced by tropical monsoon winds resulting in two seasons, the rainy season from the beginning of May until December and the hot season from the beginning of January to April. Average temperature ranges from 17˚ to 37˚ C. Average rainfall per year is about 2,231 millimeters, highest in July and lowest in February.
Flora: Vegetations in the national park area could be classified into 3 groups as follows: Primary rainforest, which could be found in the high steep mountain where most of plants are iron wood, rubber and shorea, and the low level trees such as chanpha, rattans, banyans and many kinds of vines. Mangrove forest could be found in dry canal and Yan Saba canal where most of plants are red mangroves, samae, peninsular, withe beans, black beans, etc. Phru forest is the society of dominant plants which found the dense samet trees in the Nhoparatanatara beach. Other found plants are shorea, jambolan plum, cogon grass, etc.
Wildlife: Animals at the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and other aquatic animals which no spine, such as sea slug. The important one in this group is coral such as a thorn coral, cub surface coral, leaf coral, tree coral, ect.
Admission fee: 400 THB for adults and 200 THB for children.
Mu Ko Phi Phi is a small archipelago of six islands located about 50 km to east of Phuket's coast and 40 km west of Krabi's mainland, in southern Thailand. The islands are a veritable tropical paradise, six small amazing jewels in the middle of Andaman Sea with a wonderful landscape including green lush hills and towering limestone cliffs that overlook stunning bays, pristine white sand beaches with incredible turquoise waters surrounded by coral reefs teeming with marine life. Phi Phi Islands are one of Thailand’s most famous tourist destinations, which attracts each year millions of visitors in search of their hidden corner of paradise. Phi Phi Don is the largest island of the group and the only one with inhabitants, facilities and hotels. There are no cars on Phi Phi Don, the only motor vehicles allowed are reserved for emergency services; the few and narrow concrete roads on island are limited to Baan Ton Sai, port and main village. Links between the village and all other bays, including Laem Tong where is located the other ferry pier, are just narrow dirt paths to cross on foot by bicycle; this is the only way to move around beyond the classic Thai long-tail boats. The second largest island is Phi Phi Leh, it is uninhabited but well known thanks to its stunning Maya Bay. The view you get when you cross the access by sea is breathtaking. Maya Bay is a stunning enclosed cove sheltered by 100-metre high cliffs on three sides, a natural amphitheatre that is unmatched on the face of the earth. The cove has a main beach, about 200 meters long, with a soft white sand like talcum which is considered among the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. The unique show offered by the bay is even more remarkable in the surrounding waters. The underwater world offers a wonderful view of beautiful colorful corals and tropical fish that swim in crystal waters of an incredible turquoise color, the whole bay is in fact a large shallow reef. The rest of the islands in the archipelago, which includes Bida Nok, Bida Nai, Koh Mai Phai aka Bamboo Island and Koh Yung aka Mosquito Island, are little more of white sandy strips or limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The entire archipelago is part of the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, a real must see destination to divers and snorkellers. Diving in these clear waters, between majestic limestone cliffs is a unique experience, with a nature that will charm even under the sea surface. Phi Phi Islands are easily reached from Phuket or Krabi with regular ferry services throughout the year. Ferries leave daily, with frequent departures, from the docks of Krabi and Ao Nang, at a cost of 400/500 THB per way, or from Rassada Pier in Phuket Town, at a cost of 500/700 THB. Alternatively you can get to Phi Phi Don, or all other islands of archipelago, with a day trip by speedboat from Krabi or Phuket, roughly the cost of the single rental is between 6,000-8,000 THB for whole day.
Mu Koh Poda, best known to tourists as Four Islands, is an archipelago located approximately 8 kilometers south of Noppharat Thara Beach in Ao Nang, Krabi. The small group of semi-uninhabited islands is composed by Koh Poda, the largest of the group, Koh Khai, also called Koh Hua Khawan or Koh Poda Nok, Koh Mor, or Koh Mawr, and Koh Tup, also transcribed as Koh Tap, Koh Tub or Koh Thap. The small archipelago is one of Krabi's most popular attractions and a favorite destination for the boat day trips from the mainland. Despite is the largest of whole archipelago, Koh Poda is a very small limestone island, more than one kilometer in diameter, covered with palm trees and almost entirely surrounded by a white sandy beach soft as talcum. Koh Poda's highlight is its northern tip, where a huge limestone monolith sits just offshore facing beach. Apart the Poda Island Resort the facilities on Koh Poda are rather limited, there are a National Park Rangers’ camp, a few toilettes, a bar restaurant and some kiosks, selling snack, Thai street food and drinks. Koh Khai, which in Thai means Chicken Island, owes its name to a strange chicken-shaped limestone formation located on its southern tip. One other special feature of this tiny island is that it is possible to walk from its northern shore to the nearby Koh Mor and Kon Tup during low tide. The 300-meter long sandbank between the islands is truly amazing, but often overcrowded with boats and tourists. There is no accommodation on the island, as well as on the two neighboring islands, apart from a small kiosk selling snacks and drinks. Poda Islands are located approximately 8 kilometers south of Krabi. To get to archipelago you can hire a long-tail boat individually, or split the cost with other tourists, from Ao Nang Beach, Noppharat Thara Beach or Railay Bay, the one-way trip will last about 25 minutes. The daily rent is 4,500 THB and boat can take up to six people. The usual round trip by speedboat will cost more than double or triple, but the one-way trip will last only about 10 minutes. Alternatively, to get the islands you can buy a tour package all-inclusive organized by the various agencies in Ao Nang or Krabi. The majority of these tours include the transfer by song-thaew from your hotel in Ao Nang, the roundtrip by long-tail or speedboat, the visit to all Poda Islands, lunch buffet, tropical fruit, drinking water, snorkeling equipment, tour guide and insurance. Prices of tours range from 600-900 THB, for long-tail boat ride, to 900-1,300 THB for the speedboat tour, depending on the company and the service provided.Read More