Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park
General Information
The Royal forest department had surveyed and established the 75 million-year shell cemetery (Susan Hoi), Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi and near-by islands in Nong Thale sub-district, Ao Nang sub-district, SaiThai sub-district and Pak Nam sub-district of Amphoe Mueang Krabi, 389.96 sq.km, as the 47th National Park of Thailand so called "Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park". There after, it had been expanded to cover the shell cemetery and near-by islands, 0.02 sq.km. After that the area of Nong Thale sub-district, Amphoe Mueang Krabi, Krabi province which is the area of the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Palace area has been excluded from this national park and left only 387.90
sq.km.
Consists of the land area on the coast of the island such as Ao Nammao mountain area, Ao Nang-Hang Nak forest and other islands. The geological form of this area is the high mountain laid along the northwest-southeast direction. Coast area is the high mountain while the western side has deeper slope than the eastern side. Geological form of sea coast area and islands in Andaman sea would be affected by the line of earth layer movement so called "Indosenia Teotonic Movement". At the area of mangrove forest of Hang Nak mountain you would find the Klom mountain canal on the coast rim which get the drained water from a big pond, so called "Nong Thale" (Sea Pond) and originates the mangrove forest and low plain area of the Samed forest in the area of national park office namely "Khlong Haeng" (Noppharat Thara
Beach).
Climate
"Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park is influenced by tropical monsoon wind. During November-October would has the southeastern-monsoon wind drives through and induces to have two seasons of weather here; the first is raining season starts from May till December and the hot season starts from January till April. Average temperature here is about 17 - 37 degrees celsius. Average rainfall per year is about 2,231 milimeters which would be highest in July and lowest in
February.
Flora and Fauna
Vegetations in the national park area could be classified into 3 groups as follows :
Primary rainforest could be found in the high steep mountain. According to these are the limestone mountains which have a thin layer of soil and are frequently impacted with strong wind, lets the rainforests in this area are not naturally fertile. Most of plants are iron wood, rubber and shorea, and the low level trees such as chanpha, rattans, banyans and many kinds of
vines.
Mangrove forest could be found in dry canal and Yan Saba canal. Found plants are red mangroves, samae, peninsular, withe beans, black beans,
etc.
Phru forest is the society of dominant plants which found the dense samet trees in the Nhoparatanatara beach. Other found plants are shorea, jambolan plum, cogon grass, etc.
Wildlife
Animals int the Nhoparatanataral-Phi Phi Islands National Park can be classified as follows : mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and other aquatic animals which no spine, such as sea slug. The important one in this group is coral such as a thorn coral, cub surface coral, leaf coral, tree coral,
ect.
Formerly, local people calls this island as "Pu Lao Pi Ar Pi". Pu Lao means "Island", Pi Ar Pi" means a kind of sea tree likes samae then calls it as "Ton Pi Pi" and finally it would be pronouced as "Phi Phi" which consists of 6 islands : Phi Phi Don island, Phi Phi Le island, Pi Da Nok island, Pi Da Nai island, Yung island, and Mai Phai island which far from Krabi coast about 42 kilometers. The bay of this island looks like the half-circle shape surrounded by a vertical height limestone mountain, likely to be the inside sea or so called "Pi Le". Mai Phai Island is another island which has a beautiful beach and varieties of coral of Krabi
province.
Wai King Cave
In the northeastern part of Phi Phi Le Island, is the location of the Waiking cave where the King Phumiphol Adulyadej had been here and gave the new name as "Phaya Nak Cave" because there is one stone looked like the head of naga which local people who collect the nests of swallow birds pay their respects. In this cave, eastern side and southern side, you would find the historical paints of elephant and many kinds of boats
pictures.
Shell Cemetery (Susan Hoi)
This is the miracle of nature which took place on the ancient age, 75 million years ago when many kinds of freshwater shell had been starved as a huge fossil, so called the cemetery of shell or "susan hoi" in Thai language. After carefully measurement and analysis by a new technology, we found that this shell cemetery is actually 40-20 million years of
age.
Noppharat Thara Beach
Formerly, it's so called " Khlong Hang" because after the water from the northern mountain is gone, it would leave only a long sand beach which end at Ko Khao Pak Khlong. This area is the world biggest house of a "hoi-chak-tin" or
"feet-pulling shell"
Nang Bay
There is a colorful view diferent from other beach because one side of the beach is a mountain which has a stalactite cave, so called Tham Phra Nang. It's very quiet here, so many tourists love to visit and stay
here.
Poda Island
Located at the southern part of Phra Nang Bay. From the shore, you can see the white sand beach and many kinds of coral because the sea in this area is very clear. This's very attractive for tourists which they can visit here for almost year
long.
Mai Phai Island
Located in the northern part of Phi Phi Don island, not far away from Yung island. Northern side and eastern side has a beautiful beach and coral reef which most of them are the staghorn coral, laid along to the southern part of
island.
Yung Island
Located in the nothern part of Phi Phi Don island, you can find the rock beach on the eastern side here and also a small sand beach located in the alley of mountain. In addition, you would find the varieties of beautiful fertile coral reef
here.
Phi Phi Le Island
Phi Phi Le covers area about 6.6 sq.km. It is the island of limestone mountains consisting of a steep high cliff vertically with the sea surface. Around this island has a sea area with depth about 20 meters. There are many beautiful gulf areas such as Pi Le Bay, Maya Bay, and Lo Sa Ma
Bay.
Phi Phi Don Island
Phi Phi Don is located about 28 sq.km. Laem Tong Cape is situated at the north of the island where 15-20 families of the sea gypsies dwell. These sea gypsy migrated from Li Pe Island in Satun Province. The cape is suitable for scuba diving and snorkelling. Lam Hua Ra Ket Cape, Had Yao Beach, and Hin Pae are also very beautiful. Ton sai Bay is the most beautiful scenery of the twin bays. Accomadation can be found at Loa Adam. This beautiful picture was been taken 10 years ago where settlement was
absent.
Contact Address
Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park
79, Mu 5, Ban Khlong Haeng, Ao Nang Sub-district, Amphur Muang Krabi Krabi Thailand 81000
Tel. 0 7563 7200, 0 7563 7436, 0 7569 5345 Fax 0 7569 5345 E-mail
kanya_meekham@yahoo.com
How to go?
By Car
You can drive from bangkok on the road no. 4th, through Phetchaburi province, Prachuap khirikhan, Chumphon, Ranong, Phang Nga and Krabi which is about 946 kilometers long. The other way, you may drive on road no. 4 to Chumphon province and then change to the road no. 41 through Amphoe Langsuan, Amphoe Chaiya, Amphoe Wiangsa of Surat Thani province, then change to drive on the road no. 4035, through Amphoe Ao Luek and turn to use the road no. 4 again and drive to Krabi province which is about 814 kilometers.
By Airplane
Go by airline, from the Bangkok Airport directly fly to the airport of Krabi
province.
By Train
Take a train from Bangkok to the train station of Trang province or the Phun Phin's train station of Surat Thani province or the Thungsong's train station of Nakhon Si Thammarat. After that please take a bus to Krabi province.
By Bus
Take a bus by buying a ticket at the Southern Bus Terminal. There are two bus companies, the first one is the "Transportaion Co., Ltd." and "Lignite Tour Co., Ltd.