Ang Thong Marine Park

Ok where do I start with this tour of Angthong Marine Park lol. The company Safari Boat was recommended, so we went to their office to see what the tour involved etc and ended up booking directly with them.

It was 1790baht per person for the day trip by Speed Boat, 300baht extra for National Park Fees and another 300baht if you wanted to do kayaking. The kayaking ended up being added in for free.

We were all so excited to be doing this tour and looking forward to seeing the beautiful sights. Pickup from our hotel at 8.30am to the Safari Boat office was on time and there was a light breakfast of toast, coffee, tea and cookies supplied.

Then after about one hour we walked over the road to the beach to wait for our boat which had come over to Koh Phangan from Koh Samui with others doing the same tour.

Seems quite a few people on board but we all fit on – just. It was not until later when we did a count that we realised there were 41 passengers including a couple of children, this did not include the driver or 3 staff.

Ok everyone is given life jackets and told put them on now as police are on the beach and if you do not have a jacket on it will be a 1,000baht fine, but you can take them off after 10 minutes.

Our jackets stayed on. It was a bit of a bumpy ride but ok and took about 50 minutes to our first stop which was for snorkeling.

I think the snorkeling spot was called Koh Wao, this is not a beach stop it is straight off the boat into the water, we lined up with all the other speed boats and in everyone went, we are told we have 50 minutes. There were people everywhere, I did not like being in an area where I knew boats were coming and going, the water was very murky so the snorkeling was not good.

We are not comfortable being here so decide to get back onto the boat.

Now if you’re a young person this is quite easy, I struggled to get my leg up onto the tiny step, then try to pull myself out of the water, the young guide stood there watching, no offer of help, nothing. In the end, Gary from below in the water pushed Di and I up. We all struggled, Di hurt her shoulder trying to pull herself up, Gary’s turn and once again, no offer of help. I couldn’t even watch as I was so sure he would hurt himself, eventually he managed to get on.

When it was Robs turn a young man (maybe Russian) tried to help him but then the boss guide came and helped. Quite a few people on the boat were disgusted at the lack of help we all received as it was very obvious we were having trouble getting back into the boat.

Next stop is Mae Koh, the Mother Island where there is a beautiful beach and the most amazing inland saltwater Emerald Lagoon in the middle of the island.

The Lagoon is surround by Limestone cliffs and linked by an underground passage to the ocean. It is quite a hot strenuous hike up steep, narrow stairs, especially the last section but it is so worth it once you reach the top.

Absolutely beautiful.

The photos show just how amazing the colors are. Coming back down the steep steps you really do need to be careful but there is a reward at the end, the little Ranger/First Aid Station sells Beer and it was so hot even I had one lol.

Ang Thong Marine Park Mae Koh, the Mother Island

Back onto the boat we go and now we are off to another island for kayaking then lunch, not 100% sure of the name of this place but maybe Koh Sam Sao. Di and I decide to do the kayaking while Rob and Gary watch our bags and rehydrate themselves with a couple of cold beers.

Once again, we are told wear life jackets but no need to do them up, the police are here and will fine you 1,000 baht. Our jackets stay done up the whole time.

The water is extremely shallow and rocky in places and the young guide is at the front of everyone. There is no guide following the group. After a few minutes, a mother and son behind us fall in. Gary and Rob said it took about 10 minutes for the guide on the beach to realise and get out to them, apparently he was busy having a cigarette!!

Anyway, we really enjoyed the kayaking, we sort of did our own thing. Then it was back to the beach for lunch.

There was plenty of food and water supplied and it was very good. I forgot to say there is also a large esky on the boat full of soft drinks and water which are included in the price.

Our last stop is Koh Wua Talab which is also where the Park Headquarters are. You can swim or snorkel in an enclosed area or take a huge steep 500 meter hike to the top of the cliff for amazing views of the Marine Park, there are no stairs just a rope to guide you and pull yourself up over the difficult sections. Apparently, it is not for the faint hearted.

So, we chose to swim instead. We found a nice area with some shade and within a few minutes saw a wild Dusky Langur (monkey). You can hear them in the trees and see them up high moving around so we were lucky to see this one so close.

Koh Wua Talab is beautifully maintained, there is even a coffee shop, lovely grassed areas and plenty of room for the many tourists. Oh, and there is an extremely busy first aid station, my nickname for this island is Cut Foot Island due to the amount of people with bandages on their feet hobbling around. Yes, inside the roped off swimming area is a lot of sharp rocks so many people from various tours were cutting themselves, including our friend Rob.

We did not realize he was cut or there would be photo’s, he went up to the first aid building and all the chairs were full of people waiting to be treated, so they sat Rob in a wheel chair to wait his turn, damn shame we do not have a photo.

While all of this was happening Di and I were happily swimming away and Gary was standing next to a large sign keeping an eye on our belongings etc. He was leaning against the wooden structure with his right arm resting on it when he felt something crawling across his arm.

He looks and there it is, a snake using his arm as a shortcut through the sign. Not much you can do but let it carry on across. Then he raced back to get the camera and managed a couple of photos before it slid away, it was only a green tree snake but glad it was on him and not me!!

Now it is time to go back to Koh Phangan so back on the boat we go, life jackets have all been packed away lol and Gary and Rob decide to sit at the front of the boat much to the 5 or 6 Russian Super Models disgust.

They have made sure they had the front the whole trip for their various posing photos, I am not sure if they even went swimming, probably not as their hair and makeup still looked perfect hahaha. They did go kayaking as Di and I saw 2 of them get stuck in the shallows, of course we just rowed on by laughing.

The trip back was a lot faster only 35 minutes, no one from the company at the back of the boat watching the passengers, they are at the front now for the trip back, really no safety on this boat at all. At one stage, the boat did a sharp swerve and it was only when we got off that we learnt what had happened and this is only because Rob and Gary were at the front and could see it eventuate.

Our driver was racing to get in front of the Samui to Koh Phangan ferry which was coming from the right side. When it was obvious he could not make it, he veered sharply at speed to the right coming within 5 meters of the rear of the ferry, crossing its wake and then continuing onto our drop off point, still at speed right up to within a hundred meters of the beach.

This was so irresponsible and dangerous, this idiot should be sacked for putting passengers lives at risk, there was no consideration for the safety of the 40 odd people on that boat. What did the lead guide in charge do or say about this, absolutely nothing.

Once on the beach the girl from the office asked Gary, how was the trip and all he said was bloody cowboys and walked off. This is the first tour we have ever been on where none of us tipped the staff and we were not the only ones onboard who were unhappy with the safety aspects.

So that is the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, we saw some beautiful sights which we would have seen no matter who we went with but we will never recommend Safari Boat to anyone.

1/20

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