New Friends under the Sea

Last Update : Monday 5 March, 2001 0:33 AM

Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park


Map of Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park Getting to Know Ao Phang-Nga Forests in the Mid-bay New Friends On Land Shoreline of Phang-Nga Bay New Friends under the Sea Activities Boat Viewing A trip with Sea Canoeing What’s on Yaow Islands Islands Around Phuket Delightful Phang-Nga



Your Heart for the Beautiful Sea Possible Dangers form Marine Tourism

New Friends under the Sea

          The splendid scenery of Phang-Nga Bay and the interesting culture may make many people forget that in this area, there still are three marine ecology systems that are highest primary producers, which are mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrass sources. Hundreds larvae of large and small aquatic animals use the area as their habitats which make the high quantity of plankton in Phang-Nga Bay. Many kinds of animals are important economic aquatic animals such as Black Tiger prawns, Green Tiger prawns, snappers, groupers, and pomfrets.

          However, the seawater here is muddy so the chance to see those animals is harder than the islands far from the shore. The diving sites usually are far away like Ko Lawa and Ko Kai Yai. Diving in this area is normally a part of a trip from Phuket to view the bay or do sea canoeing.

          Most of marine animals found are several forms of corals, butterflyfishes, angelfishes, and lionfishes. Coral reefs are similar to those found in coastal islands of Ranong and Phuket.

          For those who would like to learn more about aquatic lives, you may choose to take a trip into mangrove forests and observe the behaviors of various animals; for example, Soldier crabs, Mud gobies, and Meder’s Mangrove crabs, along the canals and muddy shores.

          The Royal Forestry Department has surveyed aquatic animals in Phang-Nga Bay in 1991, and found 80 species all.