The port town of Pakbara is the gateway to the islands of Ko Tarutao National Park and for the vast majority of visitors, it's just a spot where you wait for the boat. Chould you miss the ferry or if it has been cancelled -- or if you just happen to have a penchant for hanging around port towns, there is accommodation and a few places to eat scattered along the seafront.

Most of the offshore islands are a part of the Ko Tarutao National Park and the 200B National Park fee needs to be paid before you board your ferry -- yes, even if you're only going to the privately-developed Ko Lipe.

The beach near Pakbara's pier is mostly mud-flats, but 5 km around the headland to the south is a curve of beach known as Ao Noon. The headquarters for Mu Ko Phetra National Park is near here and there are a few small restaurants. During high tide, the water here is deep enough for swimming. If you've got a few spare hours waiting for the boat, you could do worse than heading over here to kill some time.

Orientation
The road leading up to the pier is Pakbara's central 'downtown'. It's lined with restaurants, internet cafes (1B/min), and travel agencies who sell boat tickets and make advance bookings for island accommodation. Forra Diving is a good source of scuba information and Maleeya Restaurant has a long menu with some vegetarian dishes. The National Park visitor's centre to the left of the pier can reserve park bungalows and campsites.

There are no banks or ATMs in Pakbara. A couple places will exchange traveller's cheques and give cash advances for a hefty fee, otherwise La-Ngu is the nearest source of baht.

The nearest police station and hospital are in La-Ngu.