Sand from this beach consists of 100% large and small marine fragments including barnacle shell fragments, broken shards, and bits and pieces of mollusk shells.
At the low magnification a white barnacle shell plate with distinct linear parallel grooves stands out in the center of this mixture of relatively large white, tan and brown broken marine shards. A tan barnacle shell plate with linear grooves is at the middle right of this low magnification view. Details of the white barnacle shell plate and a fragment of sea urchin spine are on the right and left of the high magnification, respectively. A variety of small bits and pieces of marine fragments are abundant in this sample.
Geographic Overview
Several beaches are in Ao Phang Nga National Park. The Park, located in southern Thailand, is a maritime park consisting of islands that have steep, sheer sides and that features numerous stunning limestone karst formations, some of which rise up to 200 metres above sea level. Ao Phang Nga National Park is world renowned for the white sandy beaches and crystal clear water as well as dramatic cliffs that have been formed over millions of years through the process of erosion and weathering.
Sand Location
See where this sand sample was collected on Google Maps.
Virtual Sand Tour
Explore an interactive map of Ao Phang Nga Beach on Google Earth.
Sand Gallery
A white barnacle shell plate with distinct linear parallel grooves stands out in the center of this mixture of relatively large white, tan and brown broken marine shards. A tan barnacle shell plate with linear grooves is at the middle right of this view. A variety of small bits and pieces of marine fragments are abundant in this sample.
This mixture of small and larger marine shards includes some flat pieces with grooves typical of marine bivalve shell pieces. A small gray and tan conical mollusk shell is present in the center and an off-white linear scaphopod tube shell is left of center and partially covered by a large triangular white mollusk fragment. Many small bits and pieces of white, tan, brown and red marine fragments are present with a rare occurrence of small clear grains that may be quartz.
Larger sand grains, some with subtle linear grooves, include white, light and dark tan, and dark red mollusk shell fragments. A tan coiled rams horn snail is present just right of center. Other sand grains are too small to specifically identify.
Large white, tan, brown and translucent sand grains are fragments of various marine shells. This colorful mixture includes a conical light tan mollusk shell in the center and a white fenestrated conical mollusk shell just left of center.
This spectrum of small and large marine fragments includes large mollusk fragments, some with smooth edges from exposure to wave action, some with linear grooves or texture, and others smooth and translucent. A small white spiral mollusk shell is present in the center.
This low magnification features a mixture of large and small marine sand grains and includes a fan shaped grooved barnacle shell plate in the lower center and a tan and gray bivalve chard at the upper right. Many small white, tan and dark marine grains are in the background.