How do you get a job like this?

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"You have the dream job, I wish my office had a view like yours! How do you get a job like this?" This is the question that I hear everyday since I have been working in Thailand and I don't get tired of answering it at all. I am lucky and I do have a great job.

Looking back, I realize that this is not my first "dream job". I have almost always worked in hospitality or food and beverage which has given me opportunity to work in some pretty unique places. I have also lived and worked in a lighthouse bed and breakfast in California, managed small inns in North Carolina and cooked in restaurants in New Orleans. Cliff has also had a few "dream jobs" of his own, from Captain of ferries, yachts and tug boats to scuba diving instructor.

I met the owners of Mali Resort while I was living on Phi Phi Island and worked for them at a small cafe. When they found this island, Koh Lipe, they told me how beautiful it was and I would love it here also. To make a long story short, the cafe on Phi Phi was sold and I returned home to America for a while. During this time I had received a few photos of Koh Lipe and the resort they were building. It wasn't long before the decision was made to sell our home and return to Thailand. Lucky for us the timing was right and I was offered this job at Mali Resort.

Yes, it is work everyday but we live on a beautiful island and my "office" is just steps from a white sandy beach with beautiful turquoise water and Cliff's office is in the water. He works as a diving instructor at a shop just 100 meters down the beach. We do work very hard in the high season, sometimes 7 days a week with12 hour work days and little time off. But the reward comes in low season when there is plenty of time off to travel and relax. We have to do the occasional "visa run", maybe a quick trip to the border or often a trip out of Thailand.

Where is Koh Lipe? Lipe is an island in the South-West of Thailand, just before you reach Malaysia. From Bangkok fly South to Hat Yai and take a 1.5 hour taxi to Pak Bara where you will then take a 1.5 hour speedboat ferry to the island. Or, in high season only, there are ferries coming from Phuket, Phi Phi, Lanta and every island in between. You can also arrive on the island from Langkawi, Malaysia in the high season when Immigration is open. Larger ferries from Langkawi run a couple of times a day and take about 1 hour or so.

We hope you enjoy these photos of Koh Lipe. Soon we will have to go on one of those "visa runs" and will have more pictures to share!

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Photos

Powdery white sand at Mali Resort

This is Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe. Mali Resort is located here.

Elephant Rocks

Coming to or from Lipe, board the speedboat by number. We prefer lower numbers to get best seats!

The Platform. All boat stop here where you then transfer to longtail boat which takes you to the beach.

Longtail boats to the beach

Sunrise beach is where you arrive in low season.

Pattaya Beach is where you arrive in high season. The white umbrellas are at Mali Resort.

Why not take a tour around the island by longtail boat?

This is my official photo with Thai staff for my work permit.

The Bar at Mali Resort

The sea at the door steps but kids still play in the sprinklers.

Sunset at Mali

Cliff at "The Cliff Resort"

Setting up for the dive

Staff and students taking off for a dive

Cliff's team

Sometimes you take a little walk…

...have a drink at the beach...

...then dinner with friends.