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The unspoilt Ko Tarutao National Marine Park is probably the most beautiful of all Thailand's accessible beach destinations. The park covers 51 mostly uninhabited islands, of which three - Ko Tarutao, Ko Adang and Ko Lipe - are easy to reach and offer accommodation. The island's forests support langurs, crab-eating macaques and wild pigs, plus reef egrets and hornbills. The park is also the habitat of about 25 percent of the world's fish species, as well as dugong, sperm whale and dolphins. Turtles lay their eggs on Ko Tarutao between September and April. The park is officially closed to tourists from mid-May to mid-November, but in season, boats to Ko Tarutao leave PAK BARA , 60km north of Satun, at 10.30am and 3pm (90 min; B150). The only way to reach Ko Adang and Ko Lipe is on the mail boat which, from December to May, travels from Pak Bara via Ao Pante (daily; 4hr 30min). In low season, private operators organize trips to Ko Tarutao, Ko Adang and Ko Lipe (B700 return). The private boats are notoriously unreliable. Boats for Ko Bulon Lae leave Pak Bara at 2pm from November to April (1hr 30min; B120), but will sometimes set off in the low season (contact Udom Tours on tel 01/963 6916 in Pak Bara). To get to Pak Bara from Trang, take a Satun-bound bus or share taxi to Langu and change to a red songthaew for the ten-kilometre hop to the port. From Hat Yai three buses a day from the Plaza Cinema (at 7am, 11am & 3pm; 2hr 30min) and faster air-con minibuses from an office on Thanon Prachathipat go all the way through to Pak Bara; otherwise, take a share taxi to Langu, or a Satun-bound bus to Chalung and change onto a Satun-Trang bus to get to Langu. From Satun, frequent buses and taxis travel the 50km to Langu. If you miss the boat, you can stay in Pak Bara at Diamond Beach (under $10), 500m before the pier, or at Isra Guesthouse (tel 01/9690956; under $5), 150m from the pier along the main road, which has clean rooms, a restaurant, travel agent and Internet access.
Anwartristen says "Id like to dive in Tarutao island, help me find a place where I can dive and stay all at the same spot?"
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