Sailing the Andaman Sea

The Andaman Sea, the sea which joins the Indian Ocean, stretches 894 kilometers along the west coast in the south of Thailand, from Ranong province all the way to Satun province. It consists of as many as 475 beautiful islands, big and small.

The sea is divided into two parts: North Andaman (Ranong, Phangnga and Phuket) and South Andaman (Krabi, Trang and Satun.)

In Ranong province, Laem Son National Park is one of the places you shouldn't miss. It has the most fertile mangrove forest in the world. It is surrounded by many small islands such as Koh Kang Kao, Koh Pamyai and Koh Payam. Some of them are natural habitats for swallows. Concessions to collect the swallow nests are given out by the Forestry Department.

Down to Phangnga, there are two splendid national marine parks. First is the idyllic Surin Islands  National Park, which consists of five islands. Surrounded by a wide variety of coral reefs and consequently a huge quantity of fertile marine fauna,it is an ideal spot for both snorkeling and scuba diving. About 14 kilometers from the main island is where divers often find the harmless and friendly whale sharks, the biggest in the shark family. Besides, the Surin Islands National Park is the permanent living quarters for primitive sea gypsies who migrated from Malaysia.

The other national marine park is the Similan islands National park which was named by Skin Diving Magazine, one of the most popular diving magazines in the USA, as one of the ten most beautiful spots for scuba diving in the world. It consists of nine islands (Similan means "nine") Pristine white-sand coves and an array of exotic marine life are what draw visitors to its unspoiled shores. Like Surin Islands National Park, it also offers top class diving and snorkeling as it has a breathtaking variety of exciting sites to dive.

The last province in North Andaman is Phuket, the biggest island in the Andaman Sea. The island has an interior of forested hills interrupted by rubber coconut and pineapple plantations, while strung all along the western coast is a series of beautiful bays with fine sandy beaches. Phuket has rocketed to international tourism stardom since the 1970s and now plays host to almost two million visitors annually.
 

Let's go down further to the South Andaman and visit Krabi province, where the alluring Phi Phi Island are located. The Phi Phi Islands consist of five to six islands, two of which are Phi Phi Don Island and Phi Phi Leh Island. Phi Phi Don Island is home to a group of Muslim fishermen who have lived on the island for decades. Phi Phi Leh Island, some call it "Viking Island", has many beautiful stalactite caves painted with pre-historic paintings. Phi Phi Islands under water world is also a haven for divers.

After enjoying diving at the Phi Phi Islands, you shouldn't miss visiting Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang province. The beach is surrounded by fertile mangrove forests and boasts marvelous unspoiled white-sand beaches and many small islands which are rich with coral reefs. It's also a great place for spotting rare birds.

End your tour of the Andaman Sea at Tarutao Islands National Park in Satun province. Originally used as a prison for  over 50 years ago, the islands have been transformed into another attractive tourist spot in the South Andaman with their strange formations of rocks, long pristine beaches, lush coral reefs and varied marine life. The islands also attract rock climbers with their challenging cliffs.

Whether your favorite activity at the sea is sailing,  swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sun bathing, wind surfing or rock climbing, the Andaman Sea has them all to serve you.