The Tarutao archipelago is the oldest national marine park in Thailand, status that it was awarded in 1974. It is made up of 51 verdant islands, tucked away close to the Malaysia border and spared of any commercial, property or tourist development for the past 30 years. Covering an area of 1 490km2, the park is an extraordinary natural sanctuary, both in terms of its wealth of marine life and the beauty of its islands.