Koh yao Hotels & Resorts

The area around Phang Nga bay has a long history and is famed for its nature and beauty, especially Ko Tabu, Ko Panyi, Tham Lot and Khao Phing Kan. The rock art in this area has always been an important attraction.

The popularity of the Phang Nga bay area led to the designation of the current area as a forest park in 1974, this was named Sri Phang Nga Forest Park. The Royal Forest Department then began to survey the area and realised it’s heritage should be further protected by increasing the areas status to a national park.

Ao Phangnga was created by Royal decree and gazetted under proclaimation number 98 section 64 of 29th April 1981. The park created covers an area of 400 sq.km, protects the largest area of this original primary mangrove forest remaining in Thailand. The park stretches from Muang Phangnga District to the coast at Takua Tung District. Over 80 % of the park is covered by the Andaman sea, with over 42 large and small islands, including such as Phra At Tao Island, Maprow Island, Boi Noi Island, Boi Yai Island, Rayaring Island, Phanak Island, Hong Island, Panyi Island, Phing Kan Island etc.

Geography

The topography of the park is strongly influenced by several faults, particulary the north-east trending of the Klong Marui fault. This offsets the eastern terrain from the central mountain ranges by a right lateral movement. This fault movement resulted in the formation of a large graben parallel to the fault. This graben is marked by the present bay.

The high ground is produced by massive limestone blocks displaying classic karst scenery. These blocks extend southward into Phangnga bay where they form islands with vertical cliffs, mainly orientated in a north-south direction.

Phangnga bay slopes seaward and is filled with tidal sediments. The bay itself is composed of large and small tidal channels which originally connected with the fluvial system of the mainland.

The main tidal channels for instance Klong Ko Panyi, Khlong Phangnga, Klong Bang Toi and Klong Bo Saen all run in a north-south direction. They consist of several tidal creeks or tidal channel distributaries. Most of the tidal channels are meandering with well developed point bars. Mangrove forests grow around the whole area of the Phang Nga bay, they differ in species depending on elavation and relative tidal range.

The landward boundary of Phang Nga bay is marked by a gentle erosion slope, limestone cliffs and transition forest between mangrove and upland forest which extends beyond the bay margin.

Climate

The climate experienced in Phang Nga Bay is tropical marine, with characteristic high rainfall and year round high temperatures. Thirty year records of Meteological Department of Thailand (1961-1990) collected at Takua Pa weather station indicate that rain is abundant in the south-west monsoon season from May to October. The average annual rainfall is 3,560.5 mm. and the average total rain days is 189 days. The temperature fluctuates between 23 degrees C and 32 degrees C. The average relative humidity is 83%.

Islands

The 2 largest islands in the Phang Nga region (discounting Phuket which is linked to the mainland) are Ko Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi. Ko Yao Yai is by far the largest of the 2 islands and whilst it has some tourism it is generally unspoilt, there are some fine beaches but facilities can be limited, however tourism is starting to take a hold on Ko Yao Yai.

Koh Yao Noi in contrast is well developed and has a strong tourism sector complete with a large number of hotels and resorts.