Anthong Marine Park, which means "Golden Bowl" in Thai, is familiar in absentia to those who have seen the film "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The scene of the main character's fight with crocodiles was filmed on the shore of the Tale Nai Lake, also called Emerald Lake. This natural body of water, connected to the sea by an underwater opening, is located on Mae Ko Island and is considered one of the attractions of the marine park. Established in 1980, the park covers 42 islands, only one of which is inhabited. It is said to be inhabited by sea gypsies who are engaged in fishing. The reserve covers an area of 250 square kilometres, but tourists will only be able to see a small part of it.
The archipelago is located near the island of Samui, where tours to the marine park start from. Many tour companies on Samui offer organised tours to several nearby islands. The road to the nearest island takes about 2 hours, so the tour is designed for a whole day. Tourists are sure to be shown the largest island of Anthong - Koh Wua Talap. Here is a kind of "headquarters" of the marine reserve, a small restaurant and a museum. Travellers get the opportunity to explore deserted beaches, swim in coastal waters, see a coral reef with bright sea creatures. Some tour organisers offer boat trips. This is the only way to visit the inaccessible limestone caves.
Hiking around two or three islands will appeal to wildlife lovers. Ankhtong Marine Park is home to 16 species of mammals, 5 species of amphibians and many species of birds.
