WESmile Magazine June 2019

TRAVEL
TRAVELLERS’ GUIDE
Best season : Weather-wise, Satun can
be visited every month but the sea is
best in November-April.
Getting there : Fly THAI Smile from
Bangkok to Hat Yai, 1 hour and 25
minutes. Reservations can be made at
www.thaismileair.com. From Hat Yai,
travel on land to Satun for 1 ½ - 2 hours.
More info : Tourism Authority of
Thailand, Satun office: Tel. 074 740 724,
Le Stegodon Cave: Tel. 084 858 5100,
Phetra National Park: Tel. 074 740 272,
Tarutao National Park: Tel. 074 783 597
Special Thanks : Local Experience 360
Degrees, a project on development of
tourism products and services,
Tourism Authority of Thailand
SATUN FOR GEO LOVERS
THAILAND’S SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF SATUN IS BECOMING A FAVOURITE NATURE-BASED
DESTINATION FOR ADVENTURE TRAVELLERS. DISTINCTIVE FOR ITS GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER,
THIS LITTLE TOWN ON THE COAST OF THE ANDAMAN SEA IS RICH WITH NATURAL
ATTRACTIONS BOTH LAND BASED AND SEA BASED.
Satun Geopark, endorsed by UNESCO as Thailand’s first
global geopark, is abundant with diverse and oldest
succession of fossils, sandstone and limestone mountains,
and submerged caves. The Geopark covers 4 districts:
Thungwa, Manang, La-ngu and Mueang.
LE STEGODON CAVE
Thailand’s longest sea cave, it is over 4 km long
and takes at least 2 hours to explore by kayak from the
entrance to exit. There was a discovery of vertebrate
fossils such as elephants of the Stegodon clan with an age
of over 1.8 million years and ancient rhinos. The cave is
outstanding for formations of stalactites and stalagmites
in different shapes, and glittering calcite and silicate
minerals. The exit leads to a mangrove forest and a canal.
The Satun Geopark Museum in Thungwa district is worth
a visit.
KHAO TO NGAI : 2 TIME PERIODS
Khao To Ngai, literally the flipped table mountain, is
in Phetra National Park where travellers visit to appreciate
the geological beauty. No visitor can leave the park without
a walk on seafront “time-bounded crossing bridge” to
witness red sandstone of the Cambrian period (542-488
million years old) and limestone of the Ordovician period
(488-444 million years old), in other words 2 different
time periods. It is also a favourite point to watch sunset.
MULTI-SPIRE FORTRESS, FOSSIL BAY
Koh Khao Yai, a limestone rock mountain in Phetra
National Park, is renowned for Prasad Hin Panyoda
natural sculpture with thousands of spires. The
limestone rocks are in the shape of a fortress surrounding
a lagoon. There is a small entrance from the sea into the
lagoon. At low tide, travellers can kayak into the lagoon
to witness the amazing scenery. It takes 40 minutes on
a speed boat from Pak Bara Pier to Koh Khao Yai. On the
other side of Koh Yao Yai, you can take a 30-minute boat
ride to the Ao Fossil, or fossil bay, where nautiloid and
ammonite fossils are abundant.
TARUTAO NATIONAL PARK
From Pak Bara Pier, you can take a speed boat to
Tarutao National Park which has become a popular
sightseeing spot. In the old days, political prisoners were
isolated on one of Tarutao islands. Paddling on the
canals is enjoyable, or you can walk up to Pha To Bu
to watch sunset.
สะพานเดินเลียบทะเลยาวเหยียด
ที่เขตข้ามกาลเวลาเขาโต๊ะหงาย
The long walking path
at Khao To Ngai
多 奈 山 穿 时 区 的 海 边 步 行 桥 。
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