This 150 km² island is the biggest of 51 island in the national park. It is 26 km long and 11 km wide with highest peak at 700m above the sea level.
Ko Tarutao is home to national park headquarters located at the northwest side of the island on Ao Pante Malacca Bay. The bay has a smaller pier which is the main entry point to the island, a second pier is located around 12 km from HQ at the east coast. Speedboats that operates from Pak Bara to Ko Lipe stops by at Ko Tarutao if the boat captains are notified ahead the time for around 300-400 THB per person.
The HQ area has a visitor center, a small shop and other basic facilities. There are no ATM services on the island, so the visitors are adviced to have enough money on local currency with them.
The transportation possibilities are limited to couple of mini truck style shuttle taxis operating during certain hours. Taxis will also operate for around 300 THB when needed. Limited number of mountain bikes can be rent from HQ or at Mo Lae Bay but not always available. Motorcycles are allowed for personnel only, not possible to rent or borrow any.
There are two ranger stations located along the coast line 4 km and 8 km south from HQ, both have camping areas, restaurants, bungalows and tents available for rent. While bungalows must be booked online in advance for HQ area and the first ranger station, no advance booking needed for very few bungalows at the second ranger station.
Crab-eating macaques, langurs and boars are regularly seen around HQ area. Boars tends to show up more around evening time, sometimes also during day light. A slow and silent night walk along the roads with strong flashlights in hand could be rewarding with very good chanse to see civets and mouse deers.
While the bays with ranger stations are cleaned up regularly, hundres of tons debries and rubbish can be found along the tree roots further inside other remote beaches. These are result of rubbish that has been dumped to the sea from ships further out and flaoted all the way to the islands. Officials clean up these bays only once a year.