There is a concrete road running through the island, but the terrain is rugged and mountainous with several peaks stretching more than 500 metres (1,600 ft) high.

[2] The western coast has long and wide white-sand beaches which are historical nestling ground sites for turtles.

Ao Son beach on the west side of the island is over 4 km (2 mi) long and over 100 metres (330 ft) wide.

Between 1938 and 1948, more than 3000 Thai criminals and political prisoners were held here, including Prince Sithiporn Kridakara a member of Chakri dynasty who would later serve as Minister of Agriculture of post-war Thailand under the third premiership of Khuang Aphaiwong.

A 16 August 2013 Bangkok Post editorial said human trafficking gangsters "use the southern tip of the island to incarcerate and torture Muslim Rohingya boat people to extort ransom money before selling them into slavery".