Explore your wild side in 10 of Southeast Asia’s national parks
From Kimodo to Taman Negara, the region’s national parks offer remarkable diversity
Whether you are looking for a quick day trip or wanting to go full Mowgli from The Jungle Book and live in the wild forever, Asia is home to some of the world’s most diverse national parks. If you love being in the thick of things, here are some that you should visit.
Ang Thong Marine Park, Thailand
Around 20km from Koh Samui, Ang Thong Marine Park is a pristine archipelago of 42 islands. The archipelago covers 102 square kilometres and features sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and peach-coloured sand. The islands of Ang Thong are said to be those that inspired Alex Garland’s novel, The Beach, which was later adapted into the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Ang Thong means “Golden Basin” in Thai and local wildlife species include sea turtles, monkey and egrets.
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Khao Sok is the oldest and largest national park in Thailand at over 739 square kilometres. The park is home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests and the rare flowering, Rafflesia plant. Featuring lush jungles, mountain peaks and 48 species of known mammals including barking deer, Asian elephants, sun bears, gibbons and macaques, you will find all sorts of beauty in Khao Sok.
Khao Sok is in Surat Thani, and a few hours from Phuket.
Komodo National Park, Indonesia