The main islands in the Tarutao National Park are Koh Tarutao itself and the smaller, but more distant, Koh Adang. Nestled offshore of Satun Province this group of islands are as close as you get to Malaysia; Langkawi, the Malay tax haven is actually closer than the Thai mainland. They aren’t the main destination off this section of the coast though. Koh Lipe for some reason is not included within the bounds of the national park, and it shows; it’s bristling with resorts and restaurants. Within the park there are no private developments, and only in recent years have the park authorities developed their own low-key resorts. Adang is the smaller of the two, a forested island virtually untouched. The only blemishes on it’s otherwise pristine lands are the resort itself and a Sea Gypsy village a short way round the coast. (Photo: Nit-picking– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
It sounds idyllic, and in many ways it would be stupid to dispute this; there again I can be quite stupid at times. I didn’t immediately take to the place, for such a potential paradise I thought they’d fallen short of the mark through sheer laziness. A beautiful beach of powdery white sand, choked with the remains of uprooted trees, first greeted me. Providing natural shade conifer glades line the beachhead, where you can rent a forestry tent or pitch your own, but watch out for the bottles and cans strewn around the place. OK, there aren’t that many left lying around, but they are in plain sight and remain there six days after I first saw them. It’s these shows of laziness I refer to, only a visit by the big boss got the staff off their backsides, and then it was only a quick scurry around to rake up some leaves; the bottles and cans are still there. To be honest private ownership encourages a bit more pride, or is it just a clearer view of what’s needed to satisfy the market? (Photo: Say cheese, ugh! – Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
Dogs running free around the place did little to impress me. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs and enjoy their company, but it’s hardly in the nature of a national park sanctuary is it? Apparently the big boss doesn’t think so either, because suddenly a number of them contracted typical symptoms of being poisoned. The story goes that they’re brought over from Koh Lipe and dumped, every now and again the staff simply poison them. It’s horrendous to see a dog you’ve befriended slavering and convulsing, unable to stand, terror in its eyes. I managed to get it to drink some water, 24hrs later it was still alive so I fed it an omelette. Another day went by and it was showing signs of improvement, managing to eat a portion of battered chicken. I ensured she had a supply of fresh water available by the steps of my bungalow. It took over 48 hrs before all the convulsions stopped, but she was scared and hid under my bungalow half the time. I was tempted to remove her from the island, but wasn’t sure if that would do her any more favours. All I could do was take her and dump her on another island, somehow that seemed even more irresponsible. (Photo: Gecko, gecko– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
I found the whole episode deeply disturbing, watching the terror stricken dog violently convulsing broke my heart. It might sound awful but I think caving a dogs head in with an axe is less traumatic for the animal; no more humane, but quicker and therefore involves less suffering. Though difficult, I’m trying not to fold under the emotional turmoil this has invoked. It wasn’t as if I felt happy and strong beforehand, now I need to concentrate on whatever positive aspects of life I encounter. A father playing with his daughter in the ocean brings a smile to my face. As he grabs her and flings her high in the air her squeals of laughter remind me of playing the same games with Cai, when he was a similar age. It seems so long ago now, but the memory is as vivid as though it was only yesterday. How much nicer it is to see compared to other families; one where overprotective parents have created a paranoid trio of siblings.The mere sight of a dog sets these kids into hysterics, they can’t go near the water without inflatable armbands on, and heaven forbid being allowed the chance to feel the pleasant sensation of the sun on bare skin.
For these unfortunate offspring being on the beach involves being fully clothed, and no they are not Muslim, just mollycoddled. Surely being taught not to be afraid of dogs would be of more benefit to their lives. Wouldn’t an effective sun cream provide the requisite protection from the harmful UV rays, and condition their skin gradually to exposure to the sun? They are obviously a close and loving family, can’t they see beyond their own over-exaggerated fears? Don’t they see the limitations of their own paranoia? Before their very eyes are numerous examples of bold cheerful kids having a great time, while their own are infinitely more subdued. You can’t shelter kids from life, it’s there, it must be lived, as parents shouldn’t we allow them the chance to live it? (Photos: 1] Bird of Paradise, 2] I must be in heaven – Koh Tarutao, Tarutao National Park)
So far this journey has been largely devoid of much in the way of wildlife. I’m glad to say there is a lot more to see where I am now. It isn’t as if there is a huge variety of animals, but at least there is some. Despite their mischievous ways the monkeys are a welcome sight, they may well create havoc with campers who inadvertently leave possessions in the open, but the answer to that one is simple. Monkeys quickly adapt to the presence of humans, and they take full advantage of it. Not that they need to steal food, of make off with interesting objects, it’s just that it’s so much fun. Watching them it’s abundantly clear they are perfectly aware of their actions. They advance en masse, constantly checking that the coast is clear. One will make the first move, the others quickly follow, and then mayhem breaks loose. Try and chase them away and they’ll only go as far as absolutely necessary, only just out of reach. (Photo: Hornbill ahoy– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
It shouldn’t be forgotten though, they can be very aggressive, especially the mature males. I moved to Koh Tarutao on my birthday, for a change of scene, and the monkeys there tend to have even less fear of humans. Walking along a shaded path I solitary male wandered from out the jungle, in front of me by about 6m, heading in the same direction. He hadn’t seen me, nor heard me; I was walking barefoot on solid ground. Gradually drawing closer I decided not to surprise him, it isn’t a good idea with wild animals, so made some noise. His reaction was instant, he turned and charged at me, fangs bared, screeching for all he was worth. Having only a bag on me I swung it straight at him, which seemed to do the job. But he didn’t run away, rather nonchalantly he continued on his way, keeping me in his field of view. As for yours truly, I allowed him a bit more space before I carried on. Though when confronted with the whole troupe spread across the road, not moving, I turned tail and went back the way I’d come. (Photo: Ao Mo Lae beach – Koh Tarutao, Tarutao National Park)
My time on Tarutao has mainly been spent enjoying the copious amounts of sun, and searching out my own little spots of private paradise. There’s been good company most nights, but the days have been enjoyed alone. It isn’t difficult to find isolated beaches, and many of them are totally deserted. Well not totally, one morning I was greeted with the sight of a couple cavorting in the shallows directly in front of the only entrance onto the beach. I was a bit slow on the uptake, it took a second look before I realised they were in the throes of sex. And I’d been worried about being seen working on my all over tan, at least I’m conscientious about keeping away from prying eyes. Mind you, from their reaction I think getting caught out was the last thing they expected. Personally I preferred watching the natural wildlife, though I’m not sure which made me laugh me, catching the tourists at it or a couple of macaques the day before. (Photo: Brahimey Hawk– Ao Lac beach, Tarutao National Park)
The main islands in the Tarutao National Park are Koh Tarutao itself and the smaller, but more distant, Koh Adang. Nestled offshore of Satun Province this group of islands are as close as you get to Malaysia; Langkawi, the Malay tax haven is actually closer than the Thai mainland. They aren’t the main destination off this section of the coast though. Koh Lipe for some reason is not included within the bounds of the national park, and it shows; it’s bristling with resorts and restaurants. Within the park there are no private developments, and only in recent years have the park authorities developed their own low-key resorts. Adang is the smaller of the two, a forested island virtually untouched. The only blemishes on it’s otherwise pristine lands are the resort itself and a Sea Gypsy village a short way round the coast. (Photo: Nit-picking– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
It sounds idyllic, and in many ways it would be stupid to dispute this; there again I can be quite stupid at times. I didn’t immediately take to the place, for such a potential paradise I thought they’d fallen short of the mark through sheer laziness. A beautiful beach of powdery white sand, choked with the remains of uprooted trees, first greeted me. Providing natural shade conifer glades line the beachhead, where you can rent a forestry tent or pitch your own, but watch out for the bottles and cans strewn around the place. OK, there aren’t that many left lying around, but they are in plain sight and remain there six days after I first saw them. It’s these shows of laziness I refer to, only a visit by the big boss got the staff off their backsides, and then it was only a quick scurry around to rake up some leaves; the bottles and cans are still there. To be honest private ownership encourages a bit more pride, or is it just a clearer view of what’s needed to satisfy the market? (Photo: Say cheese, ugh! – Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
Dogs running free around the place did little to impress me. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs and enjoy their company, but it’s hardly in the nature of a national park sanctuary is it? Apparently the big boss doesn’t think so either, because suddenly a number of them contracted typical symptoms of being poisoned. The story goes that they’re brought over from Koh Lipe and dumped, every now and again the staff simply poison them. It’s horrendous to see a dog you’ve befriended slavering and convulsing, unable to stand, terror in its eyes. I managed to get it to drink some water, 24hrs later it was still alive so I fed it an omelette. Another day went by and it was showing signs of improvement, managing to eat a portion of battered chicken. I ensured she had a supply of fresh water available by the steps of my bungalow. It took over 48 hrs before all the convulsions stopped, but she was scared and hid under my bungalow half the time. I was tempted to remove her from the island, but wasn’t sure if that would do her any more favours. All I could do was take her and dump her on another island, somehow that seemed even more irresponsible. (Photo: Gecko, gecko– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
I found the whole episode deeply disturbing, watching the terror stricken dog violently convulsing broke my heart. It might sound awful but I think caving a dogs head in with an axe is less traumatic for the animal; no more humane, but quicker and therefore involves less suffering. Though difficult, I’m trying not to fold under the emotional turmoil this has invoked. It wasn’t as if I felt happy and strong beforehand, now I need to concentrate on whatever positive aspects of life I encounter. A father playing with his daughter in the ocean brings a smile to my face. As he grabs her and flings her high in the air her squeals of laughter remind me of playing the same games with Cai, when he was a similar age. It seems so long ago now, but the memory is as vivid as though it was only yesterday. How much nicer it is to see compared to other families; one where overprotective parents have created a paranoid trio of siblings.The mere sight of a dog sets these kids into hysterics, they can’t go near the water without inflatable armbands on, and heaven forbid being allowed the chance to feel the pleasant sensation of the sun on bare skin. 
For these unfortunate offspring being on the beach involves being fully clothed, and no they are not Muslim, just mollycoddled. Surely being taught not to be afraid of dogs would be of more benefit to their lives. Wouldn’t an effective sun cream provide the requisite protection from the harmful UV rays, and condition their skin gradually to exposure to the sun? They are obviously a close and loving family, can’t they see beyond their own over-exaggerated fears? Don’t they see the limitations of their own paranoia? Before their very eyes are numerous examples of bold cheerful kids having a great time, while their own are infinitely more subdued. You can’t shelter kids from life, it’s there, it must be lived, as parents shouldn’t we allow them the chance to live it? (Photos: 1] Bird of Paradise, 2] I must be in heaven – Koh Tarutao, Tarutao National Park)
So far this journey has been largely devoid of much in the way of wildlife. I’m glad to say there is a lot more to see where I am now. It isn’t as if there is a huge variety of animals, but at least there is some. Despite their mischievous ways the monkeys are a welcome sight, they may well create havoc with campers who inadvertently leave possessions in the open, but the answer to that one is simple. Monkeys quickly adapt to the presence of humans, and they take full advantage of it. Not that they need to steal food, of make off with interesting objects, it’s just that it’s so much fun. Watching them it’s abundantly clear they are perfectly aware of their actions. They advance en masse, constantly checking that the coast is clear. One will make the first move, the others quickly follow, and then mayhem breaks loose. Try and chase them away and they’ll only go as far as absolutely necessary, only just out of reach. (Photo: Hornbill ahoy– Koh Adang, Tarutao National Park)
It shouldn’t be forgotten though, they can be very aggressive, especially the mature males. I moved to Koh Tarutao on my birthday, for a change of scene, and the monkeys there tend to have even less fear of humans. Walking along a shaded path I solitary male wandered from out the jungle, in front of me by about 6m, heading in the same direction. He hadn’t seen me, nor heard me; I was walking barefoot on solid ground. Gradually drawing closer I decided not to surprise him, it isn’t a good idea with wild animals, so made some noise. His reaction was instant, he turned and charged at me, fangs bared, screeching for all he was worth. Having only a bag on me I swung it straight at him, which seemed to do the job. But he didn’t run away, rather nonchalantly he continued on his way, keeping me in his field of view. As for yours truly, I allowed him a bit more space before I carried on. Though when confronted with the whole troupe spread across the road, not moving, I turned tail and went back the way I’d come. (Photo: Ao Mo Lae beach – Koh Tarutao, Tarutao National Park)
My time on Tarutao has mainly been spent enjoying the copious amounts of sun, and searching out my own little spots of private paradise. There’s been good company most nights, but the days have been enjoyed alone. It isn’t difficult to find isolated beaches, and many of them are totally deserted. Well not totally, one morning I was greeted with the sight of a couple cavorting in the shallows directly in front of the only entrance onto the beach. I was a bit slow on the uptake, it took a second look before I realised they were in the throes of sex. And I’d been worried about being seen working on my all over tan, at least I’m conscientious about keeping away from prying eyes. Mind you, from their reaction I think getting caught out was the last thing they expected. Personally I preferred watching the natural wildlife, though I’m not sure which made me laugh me, catching the tourists at it or a couple of macaques the day before. (Photo: Brahimey Hawk– Ao Lac beach, Tarutao National Park)
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