Koh Tarutao National Marine Park, Langu

Koh Tarutao Islands lie about half a days boat ride southeast of Phuket. These islands, declared as a National Marine Park in 1974, are amazing for their untouched beauty, seasonally clear waters and magnificent coral reefs. Tarutao itself offers lots of walking trails, which lead to waterfalls, caves, lookouts and isolated beaches. It is hard to believe, when surrounded by such beauty, that this place has a rather notorious history. In 1937 it was used as a penal colony for political prisoners; there are also many legends of clashes between park rangers, pirates, fishermen and poachers.