The archipelago has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Christmas Island frigatebirds and Nicobar pigeons.

On May 15, 1975, U.S. Marines on board U.S. Air Force helicopters landed on Koh Tang in the hope of freeing the crew of the SS Mayagüez which had been captured by Khmer Rouge gunboats on May 12, 1975.

The crew of the Mayaguez was not on Koh Tang, but had been taken to the Cambodian mainland and were released during the rescue operation.

The other two crewmen, Englishman John Dewhirst and New Zealander Kerry Hamill dived into the water and were picked up by the Khmer Rouge boats.

Dewhirst and Hamill were later transported to S-21 prison in Phnom Penh where they were tortured and forced to write confessions.