Tuesday 29 October 2013

Langkawi departure……….I’m awake before 8am. I’ve made no provision for breakfast, the coffee will have to do for now. There’s still time so I continue adding to my log. I’m soon packed and there is just one job left on my list before I depart for the jetty. I’m down to just 105 Ringgit but I need 10 Ringgit at the jetty on top of the bike deposit to pay for the ferry to Satun. I need some cash for lunch but the rest I can use at the duty free shop. I’ve spent a week in Malaysia on the money I cashed in Bangkok. I’ve not only calculated that right I’ve secured a good rate of exchange, better than I could get on Langkawi. Collecting my duty free I can now head for Kuah. As I near Kuah I remember the route I took a couple of days ago. It was a mistake then but near a junction I bought my lunch from a mobile café. It works for me again. I can eat my chicken and rice in the terminal. I arrive in plenty of time for the 1pm ferry departure for Satun. I have no phone I can use here but I get help contacting the owner of the motorbike. This time the real owner turns up in a black sedan. Huh! Everything's OK and I get my deposit back. Now where do I get a ticket to Satun? That's easily sorted too. With so many touts around I can kick them into touch by mentioning Satun. They can do nothing but direct me to the ticket office across the road behind KFC. With just 30 minutes left to departure there is no activity near the immigration post which bothers me but with 20 minutes left the booths are manned. Probably no more than fifty people queue for boarding and within no time I’m aboard waiting for departure. Like the Penang speed boat it is an all cabin affair with limited views. The crossing is about 75 minutes and I sleep for probably half of that. The only sign the jetty is near is the throttling down of the marine engine. I’m back in Thailand!
Tammalang Pier……….One of the consequences of my losing an internet connection for three days is that I haven’t been able to plan ahead my stay in Satun Province. I decide to do the logical thing and head for Satun itself. It’s 11 kilometres from the jetty here at Tammalang and normally it’s 30 baht by songtheaw. However I drag my feet having to fill in the immigration papers by which time waiting songtheaws have already left with arriving passengers. I’ve no choice but to negotiate a higher price to get into the city but at least I’m dropped off at one of the hotels in the city.
Sinkiat Thani Hotel……….The songtheaw driver has given me a price for the hotel of 650 baht. That’s about par. The rooms are spacious and ticks all the boxes except one. There is only an internet connection in the lobby. That’s OK if my computer fires up so I’m keen to check that first. Fearing there are problems with my computer I am almost in shock as the machine fires up with email service restored as if nothing had happened. That throws into question the service provided at Cenang Valley Inn. It’s still only mid afternoon and with an hour gained I can now relax at last but by the time I venture out for an evening meal my attention is well and truly fixed on plans for tomorrow. I believe I'm heading out to sea again...to Koh Lipe. I head for the night food market and familier food but at least it's cheap. I return to Sinkiat Thani Hotel where I'm finally able to upload my log covering the last few days. It's great to get news from home too. Before I settle in for the night I'm curious about the whiskey I bought from the duty free in Langkawi. Turns out to be a very smooth drink.


Wednesday 30 October 2013

Pakbara Pier……….Yesterday I enquired about the ferry to Koh Lipe. The going rate for the speedboat is 1200 baht for the round trip. Not only that, I need to get to Pakbara Pier which is an hour up the coast from Satun. This could work out to be expensive. I’ve not done much research and I need more information especially regarding the cost of accommodation on Lipe. I get a good break. A lady working in a restaurant near the hotel is going to Lipe tomorrow for work. She explains that she pays only 800 baht. Was I interested in going? I find out that accommodation on the island is cheap; I just need to get there. The return trip can be made any time. I have just two more nights allocated to Satun Province. It should be OK as I need only food and accommodation. Following a phone call, perhaps it is no surprise to learn that the fare for me will be more but 900 baht is still less than 1,200 baht general rate. In addition I will use local transport to Pakbara. I’m advised to wait in the lobby from 9.30am. Waking at 7.30am I have plenty of time to pack, pop out to the morning market and buy something for the journey. I’m still on the internet when I’m told the minivan has arrived. I need to get my skates on. The minivan heads north collecting passengers then terminates at the market in Langun. I’m directed to a songtheaw bypassing the motorbike taxi drivers; then it’s a short trip to the pier as I follow the lady I spoke to yesterday. I’ve paid only 60 baht.
Delayed……….It’s now 11.30am. There will be a wait but then comes the news that the speedboat is not arriving here till mid afternoon. It’s not ideal but I’ve no choice but to wait at the pier. I hope it’s worth it! At least there are shops here: I won’t be stuck for lunch. At the pier is the Taratao National Park Headquarters. I soon find out that the whole archipelago falls within its jurisdiction with one notable exception. Koh Lipe is set aside for development and tourism and doesn’t attract the park entry fee of 200 baht. Basically that means if I wish to travel to any of the other islands from Lipe, I won’t be exempt from the fee. I get out my netbook and continue with my log. There is little activity till about 2pm when at last I receive my ticket. There is curiously a 20 baht entry fee to the waiting rooms on the pier itself but toilets are free and the building modern with ample seating. A few people gradually trickle in but there’s no sign of the boat but I’m told it’s arriving soon. I’m not aware of anything till I see passengers heading away from the jetty with their luggage. The pier is located at the mouth of a river leading out to the archipelago of islands and the Indian Ocean. More precisely these waters are known as the Malacca Straits.
Yamaha power……….With increased activity I head out onto the pier itself where the boat is unloading. It’s surprisingly small, not appearing above the level of the jetty hence its phantom appearance. A flight of concrete steps leads down to water level. The passengers number around 30 but there will be room to spare in the cabin which unlike the larger boats on Langkawi has a canvas roof and offers views directly to side and rear. There are also a few seats forward in front of the cabin for the more adventurous. It’s taken time but the luggage is finally being loaded onto the boat. The time is slipping past 3pm. It’s seems that the departure is at 3.30pm as passenger wait patiently. ,black clouds appear then several claps of thunder. It has been raining but this has since stopped and despite the rumbling remains that way. Finally the passengers are helped aboard. The crew work on their chores, urgency not an issue; the feeling not at all like the Langkawi ferry service. Then finally everyone seems happy especially the young driver who has been clambering around the boat making preparations. The engines start and the boat chugs out into the estuary and maneuvers into position. Only then do the powerful twin Yamaha four-stroke engines throttle up causing the nose of the boat to rise. No mistake, this is a speedboat. It heads out past the inner ring of islands and into the Straits on its 67 kilometre journey to Koh Lipe way out on the outer reaches of the archipelago. To the left is Koh Taratao, easily the largest island in the park, then further across is Langkawi Island. Yes, it’s not that far away. Still there’s much more of an open sea effect here till the outer ring comes into view. Back at the jetty I studied the map of Lipe and appear to have asked a stupid question. I wanted to know where the jetty was. Cumon! This is a tropical island in paradise in the middle of nowhere. There’s no such thing as a jetty. I prepare to get my feet wet as the boat powers down and maneuvers into position, inching its way over the coral beds tail first towards the sandy beach. The boat is secured with beach anchors and passengers drop over the tail at the shoreline. It’s now a case of manhandling the luggage. I’ve never collected luggage nearly knee deep in water before. What happens next is rather chaotic.
Wapi Resort……….By not booking accommodation, I’ve not helped myself. Despite being told in Satun that accommodation is cheap and readily available here, it just isn’t! Logic dictates that everything will be expensive here hence my concerns. I trudge around for a while making enquiries. The days of beach huts with mosquito nets are fast disappearing. They are replaced by new structures with all mod-cons. En-suite electric shower, satellite TV, air conditioning, fridge and internet. That’s what I’m offered at Wapi Resort after a motorbike and side car, the only passenger transport on the island delivers me there, but it comes with I price tag of 1000 baht/night. I check-in for two nights calculating that tomorrow I’ll just absorb this magical location and consume little. At dusk I wander out for a meal. There’s enough choice on this tourist dominated island but inevitably it’s far more expensive than on the mainland. I’m certainly not ordering a beer with my meal; I have scotch whiskey in my room. I fall asleep in paradise.

Thursday 31 October 2013

Anniversary……….On a day when I find myself in one of the most idyllic locations on the planet, there is significance in this date. Of course, it’s Halloween but this date is poignant for me personally. It’s exactly 5 years since my mother died and far from celebrating Halloween I will dedicate this day to her memory.
French connection..........Today there are plans to do absolutely nothing but I have to eat. I had plenty of time to stock up yesterday with snacks but what I need most is hot water for my flask. I realized yesterday that the resort was foreign owned. That turns out to be French and the owner is happy to fill my flask and add some cake too. Now how do I do nothing till lunch time?
Orientation……….When I first saw a map of Koh Lipe it reminded me of a pork chop but other version suggest it’s more like a boomerang. Either way it’s small. Relative to the total area of Taratao National Park it’s miniscule but the authorities here seems to have got it right realizing there is a huge tourist demand that has to be balanced against the need to protect this precious natural resource. They are prepared to sacrifice this small island to developers to concentrate on the bigger picture. There are three beaches. Sunrise beach on the east coast services boats arriving from Pakbara and is relatively quiet. Pattaya Beach, facing west, is smaller but this beach explodes into life after dark with beach bars and restaurants using all available beach space. I’m inclined to avoid it. To give you some idea of the island’s size, there is a concrete road barely five feet wide connecting the two beaches. It’s a ten minute walk along Walking Street. Private cars are not allowed on the island, motorbikes and sidecars providing the only transport for tourists. They aren’t generally needed except for moving luggage and other supplies. There is one more beach to the north known as Sunset Beach but it is small, much less developed and certainly harder to get to over rutted tracks.
Busy doing nothing……….With clear blue skies today it brings home the sheer beauty of Koh Lipe. I’m dazzled by the clear blue/green waters containing patches of darker blue revealing the presence of coral below. My beach hut is practically on the shoreline. It’s hard to wish for anything better than this. I’m itching to plunge into that crystal clear water. I’m only restricted by the cluster of long-tailed boats moored on the shoreline. I decide to take a walk north along the beach stopping for a swim as the mood takes me. Certainly the northeast corner of Lipe appears the most beautiful overlooking as it does the much larger island Koh Adang. Here I observe a few soles swimming and snorkeling in these magical waters. I join in. Curiously I make my way around the headland and into the interior. Here there is still space on the island but in stark contrast it is literally a building site also housing the islands refuse, water storage tanks and a battery of solar panels. The matrix of dirt tracks eventually takes me to Pattaya Beach now almost deserted at midday. It’s hot and time for lunch. It will be my only cooked meal today.
A change of plan……….I head back to Wapi Resort with one thought on my mind. This location has grabbed my attention in a big way. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced anything like this and it will get even better. Worried that I need to confirm my ferry ticket for the morning I take an instant decision to extend my stay here for a further night. That will leave just 2 nights left on this tour. I’m prepared to compromise the fourth and final location which takes me into the next province of Trang. Trang also has its fair share of tropical islands but I’m running out of time to do it any sort of justice. With excellent air, road and rail links compared with Satun it could easily form a tour of its own or perhaps combined with Krabi. I confirm the extra night with the owner of Wapi and acquire a snorkel and mask.
Underwater paradise……….I haven’t tried snorkeling since I jumped off a boat out of Mombasa which scared me to death but here in the shallow lagoon at Lipe I hope to kill that demon. It would be a shame if I failed. Fortunately the coral starts with water at chest height and offers a great chance to practice. My perseverance pays off. I’m absolutely bewildered by the variety of tropical fish species I noted so close to the shoreline. Clown fish, angel fish and a host of other species swim amongst the coral which accommodate sea anemones of various types in bewildering colour. It’s 4pm before I make this discovery. I’m itching to try this again tomorrow. Fantastic! It’s dark here just after 6pm. I walk up into the town to get a snack. It will be enough for today on this odd anniversary.

Friday 1 November 2013

High Season..........Today according to the seasons in Thailand this is the start of high-season and a signal that the rainy season is at an end. Certainly October has had its share of rain, some heavy thunderstorms at times but now things seem more settled and there is frantic activity on Koh Lipe getting geared up for the new season. That will signal higher prices as if things weren’t already expensive here. That won’t affect me much; I’m leaving tomorrow. I’m still surviving on some provisions I bought at Pakbara especially coffee so I won’t need to venture far from Wapi Resort today. In fact it’s lunchtime before I walk into the town. Any thoughts though of snorkeling this morning are out of the window due to high tide and a brisk wind blowing across the bay. Low tide won’t be till 3pm. I stay near the bungalow and start thinking about the remainder of this tour. Now I have a good internet connection I can add the final touches to this tour. Initially I had no idea how it would end. My plans for a three night stay in Trang Province are in tatters. It seems with only two night left it makes sense to see it out on Lipe but then I get a break.

One more island..........I notice a resort on Koh Kradan, an island off the Trang coastline. My flight is at 4pm on Monday, just 3 days away. I can’t put that in jeopardy. I first need to establish availability of accommodation then confirm the route. I call the resort. There is only one problem. Koh Kradan has no regular ferry service. If I want to reach the island I have to charter a boat. It’s a case of money will buy you anything. There’s no need to rush to make a decision; I’m not going anywhere at the moment but this gives me the chance to complete the tour on a high and achieve my objective of a four island hop. Before the day is out I learn that a speedboat service is available from Lipe to Kradan but that won’t help me as I’ve already purchased a boat ticket back to Pakbara. I’m committed to the land route. I draw up a plan and calculate the cost. First I need to get to Trang. The speedboat leaves Lipe at 9am in the morning. There should then be a van available to Trang. That shouldn’t be too much. The resort informs me that they have an agent in Trang near the railway station. If I make that, all should then be arranged for me. I would have to plan for a worst case scenario that there are no other passengers willing to travel. On the return leg that has to be the case since I am governed by my fight schedule. On the plus side, of course, that means I can choose the time. After I feed all this information into the mincer the verdict is affirmative. In the grand scheme of things I should go over budget for this tour but by just 5%. I’m conscious that I’ve passed by so many opportunities already on a tour that is reaching its end. I confirm the accommodation and also the speedboat for the morning.
Beer, coke and..........It’s now around 12.30pm and I pop out for lunch. With clear skies and a drop in the wind I can think again about snorkeling. I’m keen to get back and change noting the tide is now well out. Among the fleet of long-tailed boats I note the arrival of one loaded with beer and soft drinks, someone’s order. Black-skinned bodies manhandle cases up the beach, a reminder that everything that arrives here has to come in this way. It makes me wonder how Eddie Stobart would have dealt with this!
More coral..........Off sunrise beach there are 2 small islands. Both can be accessed at low time but as I find out, it requires appropriate footware. A feature of the seabed around Lipe is the granite rock bed that has become weathered by wave action and forms a habitat for the amazing variety of sea creatures around the island. It is difficult to negotiate the mosaic of coral and sand bed, the former appearing just below the surface. The main problem I found at low tide was simply that the water is to shallow. Despite this I am again treated to an amazing display of sea life, an abundance of which you would unlikely see on land. The colours of the butterfly fish and angel fish are incredible in the bright sunlight and sea anemones look like purple cloth has been draped around then. Spiny urchins deter me from walking too near the coral. Here and there small fish appear in shoals. One species appears to find me irritating and swims towards my mask then veers away when I don’t respond. This is all a great education to me. I’ve spent maybe 90 minutes in the water but I’m conscious of the fact that I’m exposing my back and upper arms to the intense sunlight. I decide to take a break for an hour. At 5pm I head up the beach towards Koh Adang. Here the water between the islands is deeper. Here also is a chance to witness a beautiful sunset. For the final hour I get a view of larger fish amongst coral not so dense but all too quickly the light fades and with it my stay on Koh Lipe. As I head back to Wapi a small army of volunteers is scouring the beach for debris, each sole equipped with a black bag. It’s curious to see the number of foreigners involved. Unfortunately after every high tide an unsightly band of garbage appears on the shoreline. After a clean-up of my own I head into town for my last meal, a tuna baguette.