岛屿
Ko Lipe
Ko Lipe is a small island in the Adang-Rawi Archipelago of the Strait of Malacca in Satun Province, close to the Malaysian border, and is Thailand's southernmost inhabited island. Its name is derived from the Malay 'Pulau Nipis' meaning 'thin island', and the island falls within the boundaries of Tarutao National Marine Park.
Ko Lipe has three principal beaches — Sunrise Beach (Hat Chao Ley), Sunset Beach (Hat Pramong), and Pattaya Beach on the southern shore — separated by forested headlands and accessible by walking paths through the island's interior. The island was originally settled by the Urak Lawoi' people, a group of Malay-speaking sea nomads (chao leh) whose community still maintains a presence on the island alongside the now-dominant tourism industry. The surrounding waters are part of the Tarutao Marine National Park and are known for exceptional coral reef diversity, with an estimated 25 percent of the world's tropical fish species recorded in the area. Ko Lipe has experienced rapid tourist development since the early 2000s, raising concerns among conservation authorities about waste management, building on national park land, and reef damage. The island is reachable by high-speed ferry from Pak Bara Pier in Satun's Langu District, with seasonal connections from Ko Lanta and Penang in Malaysia.