Oriental Pied hornbills and Southern Pied hornbills regularly cross over the mangrove channels or soar along the side of the massive limestone mountains. I've been diving for 20 years and it was as good as anything I've seen. We normally spend a couple days on Tarutao before departing for some islands further out to sea. These remarkable islands have crystal clear water and primary jungle down to the white sandy beaches. Instead of limestone, these islands have granite boulders.
Sea gypsies live on one island.
You'll get a good taste of their friendly, laid-back lifestyle. They also run some nice bungalows with great restaurants. We've managed to find several areas where the coral is in superb condition. Globally, this is rare. A schools of sailfish occasionally visits the area.