General Information
The coastline of Trang in total extends for over 120 km. And has historically been inhabited by sea fishermen whose houses were built at the mouths of streams and rivers flowing into the sea. These people had an simple easy life, fishing and harvesting produce from there surroundings. The coast of Trang is dominated by beaches of the finest quality sand, clear water and a plentiful unspoilt coastal forest. The coastal zone is very natural. This natural unspoilt environment is the last remaining refuge of the strange marine mammal, the Dugong in Thailand. The Dugong is one of the fifteen reserved animals of Thailand, species which have been adopted by the people, because they are endangered, and require special efforts to ensure there survival in the future.
Hat Chao Mai is a very popular name in this region of Thailand, it is used to signify a special beautiful place and many villages, canals, beaches, caves, hills and islands within the national park are called this. Thus the region when designated a National Park. The national park covers 230.86 sq.km. The park was established in 1981.
Hat Chao Mai National Park is located on the western shore of Thailand and has connecting area as follows:
North : adjacent to Khao Chong Chan in Amphoe Kan Tang, Klong Meng and Khlong Lam Yao in Mai Fad district, Amphoe Sikao, Trang.
South : adjacent to Malaka channel, Amphoe Sikaow, Trang.
East : adjacent to Khuan Din Dang, Khuan Medjun, Khuan Lu and Khuan Dang.
West : adjacent to Ko Ngai, Ko Mang, Malaka channel
Hat Chao Mai National Park consists of land area and sea area, located in the western side of southern part of Thailand. It covers land area about 93.64 sq.km and sea area of Andaman sea in Indian ocean about 137.21 sq.km. This national park is divided into 2 parts, the first part is the coast land including Muk island, Kra Dan island, Wan island, Cheaung island, Pring island and Meng island. This area consists of a steeply high limestone mountain where the northern part of the eastern side has Chong Chan mountain, Kwan Med Chune mountain, Kwan Dang mountain, etc. where are the source of many streams which joins together at Bang Sak canal and drains to the Trang river. In addition, this national park also consists of grass field, rainforest, mangrave forest, beach forest and sand beach whereas sea area has the deep sea widely covered with coral reef along the steeply high shoulder of mountain. This coral reef would be found in the Waen island, Cheaung island and Kradan
island.
Climate
Hat Chao Mai National Park is influenced by the northeastern nonsoon wind and southwestern monsoon wind which induces it has a lot of rain all year round. There are two seasons here; the hot and raining season. The hot season starts from Jauary till April while the raining season starts from May till December. Average temperature of March and April is about 35.2 degrees celsius while the lowest temperature is about 21.2 degrees of celsius in January and February. Related humidity for all year round is 80 percent and average rainfall is about 2187.3 milimeters. The highest rainfall is in September which is about 158.8
milimeters.
Flora and Fauna
Vegetations
Able to classify into 5 groups as follows :
Primary rainforest is the main type which covers the inner land area of Nam Rab mountain, Hot water pond and the eastern part of sand beach including Muk island. Most of found plants here are Dipterocarpus chartaceous, Burma reed, and low level woods as found in a general rainforest such as rattans, vines, etc.
Mixed forest in limestone mountain area has been found in the western part of Muk island, Cheaung island, Wan island, Pring island, Bare Na mountain, Meng mountain, Yong Ling moutain and Chaow Mai mountain. These consists of plants which grow only in the specific area such as Dracaena lourieri, Phoenix paludosa, Euphorbia lacel Craib., Orchid, etc.
Beach foresthas been found in the area of shore mountain of Muk island, Chaow Mai island and Meng island. The important plants here are Cassuarina equisetifolia , etc.
Mangrove forest widely covers all area of bay of Muk island. The important plants are Rhizophora apiculata, Ceriops tagal, Xylocarpus granatum , etc. At the back side of this mangrove forest are the place of brackish water plants such as Nypa fruticans, Heritiera littoralis , etc.
Aquatic plants society that could be found here are sea grass, seaweed and planton, especially in the sea area of Chaow Mai National Park is the place of the big sea
grass.
Wild Animals
From survey, could be classified as follows :
Mammal Animalswhich are going to be gone in the near future are sea cow, Capricornis sumatraensis, Presbytis melalophos, Muntiacus muntjak and Tragulus javanicus, while the pedatory animals that rarely found here are Felis bengalensis The easily found animals are Aonyx cinerea , etc.
Dugong is a kind of marine mammal. It has a slim and shuttle like body parallel to the ground and swims by use of their two Flippers. Its mouth is at the lower part of the face where the upper lip is thick like a pigs nose. Dugong is mostly herbivorous and feeds on sea grass on the sea floor. It is a rare animal in Thailand but still found in Trang. Therefore it is regarded as a preserved forest animal as being categorized in appendix I of CITES. Being hunted for its meat as Foods, caught by fishing gears, holding low reproduction capability, getting affected from coastal pollution which extinguishes sources of sea grass and algae as their nourishing foods, dugong will be extinct in the near future.
Birds, there are two types which are going to be vanished, the first is the black-necked stork and the second is the lesser adjutant. Also found the rare migrating sandpipers such as chinese egret, Nordmann's greenshank and chinese crested tern.
Retiles such as yellow-headed temple terrapin, Indian python an reticulated python.
Amphibians such as R. nigrovittata, Ornate Froglet, etc.
During December to April is the Tourist season. This is the cool season with little rain and clear sky most days. This is the best time of year to view the natural beauty of Hat Chao Mai National Park. The locations to visit
include;
Kuan Khang Hot Spring
Hot spring is located in Amphoe Kan Tang, far from the national park office about 12 kilometers. Water of the hot spring is extremely warm at more than 70 celcius degrees. Its buble, sometime, is a smell of
sulphur.
Chao Mai Beach
Chao Mai Beach, the park headquarters are 59 Km. from Trang town via the scenic route or 47 via Kantang town. When traveling by the scenic route, the last part of the journey runs along the beach from Pakmeng village to the park office with good views of the An daman sea and the many islands. In the northern part of the park the beaches are very beautiful but dangerous for bathing as the sea has strong currents which can quickly sweep swimmers away. The beaches near headquarters and in the south of the park are beautiful and much safer. The road running from Pakmeng crosses many canals and is bordered on the landward side by thick mangrove forest and on the other side by clean beaches and the
sea.
Chao Mai Cave
Chao mai cave, is a large cave which is big enough to enter by boat. The cave has many levels which the bottom level being the biggest, with all the levels connected by passages on the right hand side, which run for about 100 m. In many caves are extensive rock formations with stalactites, stalagmites, crystal curtains and fossils. Some of the stalactites and stalagmites have fused, thus forming massive pillars which stretch from floor to ceiling. In a small chamber at the level is a very beautiful small
spring.
Yong Ling Beach - Son Beach
Yong Ling - Son Beach are far from the national park office about 15 kilometers. The southern part is adjacent to Yao Beach which has a curve shape along with a group of pine trees so called Yong Ling Beach. The end of beach is the high mountain with a full of concave and caves which we can walk to the sea-side cliff. From Yongling Beach, we can find a way to the another beach in the norther in part so called Son Beach and the long one is Laem Yong
Lum.
Muke Island
Muk Island, to reach any of the island, boats can be hired from Pakmeng, Chang Lang and Chao Mai villages. Muk is a large island which has a very prominent long peninsula on its southern side. The peninsula on its where the majority of habitation occurs especially around the village of Hat Hua laem, which is in a very sheltered location. Both sides of the peninsula are covered with beaches of soft white sand and clear water, making them the ideal location for swimming and water sports. Muk island has a very beautiful cave on the western side.
The cave mouth is quite small but can be entered by boat during low tide. The tunnel stretches for 80 meters to emerge in an open pool the water in which is a beautiful emerald colour, hence the cave is called Tham Morakot, [Emerald cave]. Inside the chamber is a beach of beautiful sand of many
hues.
Kradan Island
Kradan Island, lying to the west of Muk island, it takes about 1 hour to reach. The island is quite hilly with a range of 5 hills running the length of the island. Kradan is the most beautiful island in the sea off Trangs coast. The beaches are of the most luxurious white sand, and the water so clear. This clear water permits the growth of corals and good healthy reefs occur on the north side of the islands, the water shallow enough to view by
snorkeling.
Chueak island Waen island
Chueak island Waen island, these are small islands which are situated between Muk and Kradan islands and the Trang coast. These islands have corals reefs and Chueak island has a small cave which can be entered by boats at low tide. Both islands have small beaches but the sand is clean and the water very clear. The cave on Chueak island is home to a colony of bats which can be observed leaving the cave at
dusk.
Chang Lang Beach
Hat Chao Mai headquarters is located at Changlang beach. The headquarters is in a very scenic location with many limestone cliffs, sandy beaches and clear water. On one of the cliffs near the office is a series of ancient rock paintings in red ochre, some of which are very weathered. There is also a freshwater spring and a campsite on a grassy area beneath Casurina trees which can cater for many
people.
Pakmeng Beach
Pakmeng Beach, is the most popular tourist beach in Trang province. It is 40 kms from Tang city and is located in a bay surrounded by rugged limestone cliffs, some of which from islands when the tide is high. The island in the center of the bay looks like a man lying down when viewed from the
beach.
Contact Address
Hat Chao Mai National Park
Mu 5, Ban Chang Lang, Mai Fad Sub-district, Amphur Sikao Trang Thailand 92150
Tel. 0 7521 3260 Fax 0 7521 3260
How to go?
By Car
To reach the park leave Trang on the # 4046 road and head towards Krabi until the 30 km post is reached when you turn left onto the # 4162 road. This road is followed until you reach Pakmeng beach when the road turns left to run along the beach. This followed for about 7 km. to the headquarters is
reached.