These two caves are located on Khao Chang Road in
the vicinity of Muang Phangnga municipal area near
Phetchakasem Highway, slightly opposite to the
Provincial Court. One can walk inside from one
cave through another. The Rusi Sawan Cave is
in front of Luk Sua Cave facing the edge of
Phetchakasem Highway. The municipality
utilizes this area as a public park.
This cave is located, in Muang Phangnga
municipal area, behind the Provincial Hall
before entering Phangnga Market area make a turn
via a 500 m asphalt roat to Wat Praphat
Prajimkhet where one can walk to the cave.
This, also know as Sa Nang Manora Waterfall, is
located in the area of Tambon Nop Pring Amphoe Muang. To access the park one has to use Phangnga-Krabi
route (Highway No.4) for a distance of five kms.
where a turn is made at the Electricity Generating
Station via a three kms. laterite road to the
fall area.
The park occupies an area of 180 rai and, in
general, it is a pleasant forest having various
kinds of plant and wood species. The
outstanding characteristic of this park is the fall
originating from a stream flowing along the hillside
and cascading down to the big reservoir all year
round.
Khao Chang is a huge mountain resembling a crouched elephant situated behind Phang-ngas former city
hall. It is considered a symbol of Phang-nga. Inside
the mountain, there is a dark and long cave called
Tham Phung Chang which is full of stalactites and
stalagmites. Exploring through the dark cave have to
be done both on foot and by boat since some parts of
the cave are always flooded.
This marine park is situated in the vicinities of
Amphoe Muang, Takua Thung, and Ko Yao occupying an
area of 250,000 rai and it was announced as the
national park area on April 29, 1981.
To access Ao
Phangnga from the township area, one has to use
Highway No.4 heading southward to Tambon Khok Kloi
passing the Provincial Hall and when arriving at
km.8 make a left turn for another four kms. distance
via Highway No.4144 to Ao Phangnga National Park.
At the Customs Check Point Pier one can find boating
services operated by private enterprises (besides
the pier, one can use the Surakul Pier or Kasom Pier
in Amphoe Takua Thung). Those who travel as a
big group tour should use the boating service at the
Customs Pier because suitable vessels are available
there. Sightseeing route will commence from
the pier passing Khao Machu, Khao Khian, Ko Panyi
and stops will be made at Tham Lot, Khao Tapu, Khao
Phing Kan.
Attractions in the area of Ao Phangnga National Park
are:
It is a small flat island of about one rai.
There are about 120 households and the majority of the
population earn their living from fishery, selling souvenirs
and food to tourists. There is one public school named
Ban Ko Panyi School, and the villagers are mostly Moslem.
This small hill is located in the area of Amphoe
Takua Thung. The origin of this name is that a
rocky hill is broken apart and the smaller piece
slid down with the base sunk in the earth while the
upper part still abuts on another posing the present
learning hills.
Behind Khao Phing Kan the scenery is very
picturesque and when looking afar to the sea "Khao
Tapu" is seen amidst the sea. It look like a
nail, e.g. having a big top while the bottom part
touching the sea is slim.
It comprises small a big hills situated in a
mixed-up manner like the stage partitions of a
theatre. Looking around on a boat when sailing
in, one will feel like staying in a big hall having
two doors. Tourists mostly do not visit Khao
Hong because it is located outside the usual
sightseeing route. To visit it properly,
careful timing must be taken into consideration to
match with the proper tide level because its beauty
will be decreased by too high a tide while too low a
tide requires smaller vessel for boating inside the
area.
It is located on the way to Ko Panyi and there are
various paintings of animal of different types.
The Fine Arts Department has studied and found that
the age of those paintings is not less than 30,000
years and it is believed that those paintings were
made by seamen, in the ancient days, who stopped
over to hide from a heavy storm.
Departing
from Phuket
island, day-tours using longtail boats
usually land at Ko Khao Phingkan, where
market booths are set up. The islands
are located within the Ao Phang
Nga National Park.
