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Tarutao


Tarutao is a marine national park is on the border between Thailand and Malaysia. In fact, Langkawi (a huge island in Malaysia) is just five miles from Tarutao. Tarutao has been designated by UNESCO as an ASEAN Heritage site. The park consists of 51 islands - seven big ones. The main island features tidal rivers, primary mangrove forests, primary hardwood forests, primary nipa palm forests (this palm's fronds are customarily used for roof thatching), and lots of wildlife.
Crab-eating Macaques (monkeys) are common on Tarutao. We often see them walking the mudflats at low tide searching for crabs or whatever else they can eat. Dusky langurs, cute black monkeys with white rings around their eyes, are common too. We frequently see monitor lizards. They get as big as 60 pounds and as long as six or seven feet! We do see huge one occasionally, but the smaller one are much easier to see.
There is a park headquarters with bungalows where we land. The long beach in front of the park adds much beauty to an already stunning scene. A tidal river next to the park is where we do our first bit of exploring. Actually, you could spend several days exploring just this one area. We paddle in a mangrove forest beside steep limestone cliffs. There are lots of birds in the mangrove. Brown-winged Kingfishers, bright orange birds with brown wings and a blue back, are often seen. Oriental Pied hornbills and Southern Pied hornbills regularly cross over the mangrove channels or soar along the side of the massive limestone mountains. Greater Ratchet-tailed Drongos, medium-sized black birds with two very long tail feathers, flutter between trees at the park headquarters in their constant search for insects.


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