A trip to Satun reveals a geopark with ancient fossils, cultural heritage and beautiful sunsets.
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Read the following story by Pattarawadee Saengmanee from Bangkok Post’s Life section. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Satun’s Khao To Ngai Fault Plane, also known as the Time Travel Zone, is an interesting part of southern Thailand to take in nature and history.
As part of Satun Unesco Global Geopark, it transports visitors back to the period when the 541 million-year-old red rock and the 485 million-year-old limestone were merged due to a fault and the sea covering the whole area.
Set against the backdrop of a cliff, visitors can climb up to a pavilion and learn how the rocks parted along the south coast roughly 20 million years ago.
This area was formerly covered by an ancient sea that dates back 470 million years. It was home to a variety of ancient marine species. Fortunately, people may be able to spot the fossils on the limestone walls.
Selfie spot
Visitors to Laem Hin Chang can take a break next to a collection of towering stones that resemble elephants and serve as a picturesque backdrop for selfies. At low tide, you will see the beach at the end of the bridge covered with white, red, pink and grey stones.
Tham Le Stegodon is a cave in Thung Wa district, which is north of the Satun Geopark and houses the Satun Karst Zone, which is mostly made up of limestone hills and cliff canyons.
In 2008, a group of villagers went to a cave to catch giant river prawns and they found a strange-looking rock that turned out to be a fossil. To promote sustainable tourism, a 4km kayak tour was launched along the Wang Kluay River in 2013 so that visitors can learn more about ancient aquatic habitats through the creation of murals inside the cave.
More to see
A cruise to Tham Le Stegodon can be made at any time of year, except when it rains heavily. But the best time is between December and February. During rainy season, there will be waterfalls in the cave, and in the summer, the limestone walls gleam like diamond dust.
Nearby, the Panya Batik community enterprise group creates a wide collection of unique handicrafts that are inspired by the beauty of nature.
To earn more income during the low season, the group was formed in 2002 and uses natural materials for dying clothes. Products include scarves, clothing and bags featuring a flower used in wedding ceremonies and designs inspired by the local geography.
Section 1: Choose the correct answer.
1. Which geopark rock is oldest? …………….
2. What animals do Laem Hin Chang’s stones look like? …………….
3. When can you see Laem Hin Chang’s colourful beach? …………….
4. Which months are best for the cave tour? …………….
5. Which river has a kayak tour? …………..
6. Which is older, the kayak tour or the Panya Batik group? …………….
Section 2: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
We continued to Tam Malang Pier where we …7… a fishing boat for a sunset cruise …8… Tam Malang Bay. It's a century-old Muslim fishing community that …9… managed to maintain the way of local life. Tourism-related activities reflect their lifestyle and the …10… of natural resources.
7. __A. bored __B. board __C. boarded
8. __A. to __B. too __C. two
9. __A. was __B. has __C. did
10. __A. wealth __B. wealthy __C. rich
Section 3: Find words that match the following definitions.
11. a crack in a large piece of rock ……………
12. the shape of a long-dead plant or animal seen in a rock ……………
13. a large natural hole in a rock or cliff ……………
14. things you make with your own hands …………
