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Leslie has been back for just over a week at school that it is already time for a long week-end of public holidays...and therefore we are back on the road. I know, this is kind of our own family logic, but hey, we live the way we can...
This time we are on for a very nice discovery, heading for one if not the Southern island of Thailand, to Koh Lipe. We are a mere 30km maximum from the Malaysian border, with Langkawi just in our sight. But here it is, Koh Lipe is a jewel that you earn, at least for now. How you are going to ask me? Well, it's not really you next door to Bangkok. All in, the shortest time we could have made it door to door is a short 9 hours.
We took our time to get down. First the flight to Hat Yai, Air Asia is still the way to go for these short flights. We slept in Hat Yai after leaving to the airport just after school. Hat Yai is not a very attractive city...well, Hat Yai simply doesn't look very interesting. We still managed to have a nice thai meal,
and yes, here things are way cheaper than in Bangkok.
We spent the night at the Novotel, ready early morning to hit the road again. First the tuk tuk to the the bus station. There, I bought a return all the way to Koh Lipe. I will found out later on that it was a pretty good idea. We paid 1150baht per person for the van and the speed boat. The van is clean, nice and fast, no need to splurge in a private car...only issue, not much space to store any bag, but we managed.
The ride to Pak Barra took us just over two hours before being transferred to the speed boat. We left our hotel at 7.45am, on the bus by 8.20am, arrived in Pak Barra at 10.30am, and on the speed boat at 11.30am...pretty nice and smooth transition. The ride was pretty wet for 30 minutes as we had to face some rain...bear in mind, beside this rain, the next morning we had a good shower rain for 20 minutes, and that was it for the full 5 days on the road...not bad....
Why is it better to have a return ticket...because on
our way back there was not much interest of people reaching Hat Yai, but we had to catch our return flight to Bangkok. The travel agency we used charged us 300 baht more for three of us, to get us in a car direct to the airport. Wouldn't have loved the stress of trying to find some transfer in those conditions. The flight on Air Asia back hone in Bangkok wouldn't have waited for us...for sure...
The speed boats was packed to the max.....but still comfortable and seriously fast. Koh Lipe is actually a pretty small island surrounded by way bigger islands which are mainly inhabited. Here the season starts 1st November, and by the 15th May, everything closed. So staying on Koh Lipe from the 5th to the 8th of May, we had the island pretty much to ourselves.
I had booked our accomodation and diving beforehand via email with Forra Diving. I confirm, this is the place to stay (for now) and for sure the people to dive with. Forra is own by Antoine, a very nice french guy which I would say goes by the motto...deeper better....longer better...do you really thing we cannot enjoy our
time all the time! I can tell you, I dive with this guy wherever, whenever tomorrow or after tomorrow...safely...of course!
So, accommodation, 750 baht will have you a “hut” next to the beach if you dive. And this is where Antoine has it fully right. Clean bungalows...I mean clean! Spacious bungalows, we were three, we could have been four easily! Basic bungalows...pride of having “24 hours power with a smile”....but hey, you have electricity, and cold water....pressure...not sure...And as Antoine say, and he means it...no food....no food, not even crisps in the place...because of the rats and the snakes! So no food in the bungalow, obvious. These are built on stills, he could have put 30 of them, he didn't, less than 10 of them, or so it looks, so you do enjoy a proper level of privacy. Nice job!
Next the food...low season, so no food at Forra. We went either right or left...but never wrong. We kept it simple, meaning we could reach any restaurant by simply walking 100 meters on the beach, either to the right, and headed to Sunrise, or to the left, and headed to Zanom. Wow, fish, squids, prawns, masamam curry, fried
seafood rice...orgy every night. We kept ourselves on beer, just to stay a little local. No backpackers food, great thai food...they do the job, and they do it well...and it's cheap!
For wifi, we headed everynight to Castaway for few drinks and for me to stay connect with the world, not much TB...looked more like outside their everybody is still working...me too...on the beach...
The diving. Well, we were not lucky, it was black moon, aka the new moon. What does it mean in english....it means lower visibility at around 10 meters most of the time, sometimes a little better...ok, was still pretty ok 80% of the time. But it also means way stronger current. I'm way ahead of 300 dives...and Mari is...diving too. But the current was more an issue to make sure Leslie stay safe. We had drift, serious drift, fun drift, and some times, crazy drift!
What we saw...a lot of soft corals, a lot of them. Not much of the big stuff, but let be honest, I was not expecting it. We also saw at seriously close range two sea horses. What we didn't see is any big boys, and this include divers
as we had the place for ourselves. Same rule apply as usual...look at our top ten diving pics and you get a clear idea of the diving. I love when any diver is praising a place and unable to provide any amazing pictures. Koh Lipe is really nice for diving, don't ask me to put it in my top ten list.
Mari had here 100th dive...I know, sound casual, but this is over the last 30 months...and more to come soon. I have a rule for Leslie, you are ten, we keep it to one dive a day...so today, he has 9 dives logged on his dive book...and he loved it. I will not put in black and white how deep we went with him, but let say it was a proper 12 meters plus plus...It's impressive how this little guys improve so fast. He is now fully autonomous, well, most of the time, when the drift is a killer, he needs some help. He aslo reached depths he didn't thing he would for a while.
Because this is the end of the season, we had the place to ourselves. First day a single dive out of a
long tail. The next two days...2 dive masters (actually instructors with a passion for fun!) and 3 of us...on our own liveaboard. Leslie had his dives, we had 3 everyday.
Now I'm going to write something I shouldn't. Forra do have a liveaboard. Ok, we saw it, and the rooms are more than basic, never been on something so basic. But hey, price is cheap...and these guys have the passion. I asked Antoine what was his schedule for next season...his answer, check the web site, we have planned the all thing around the moons to have the best visibility and diving conditions. This guys doesn't care about the commercial point, he is a diver. Ok...be ready to rough it...this is not luxury living condition if you go on the liveaboard, we will...once we find the time...
So now my five cents points. Why do people rave about Phi Phi...it's turned ugly over the years, it is seriously over crowded, over commercialized. We have been to Koh Chang, Kao Lak(Similans), Phuket, stopped by Phi Phi...and I've been to few more...the place to be, is Koh Lipe.
This is a note to Donna and Neil, come next season, not
the one after. They are building a huge ferry pier in Pak Barra....and they are ready to destroy Koh Lipe. I bet you Koh Lipe will be ugly in 5 years...but I warn you, if you want something amazing in Thailand, come next seasons...because for now, it's already over...put it in your calender, and come to enjoy doing nothing much than meeting nice people.
Thanks to Antoine, but he wouldn't do it without a great team. I won't put many names, because they are all nice, but I will simply thank Mercedes and Sergi...guys...wish you the best for the next few months...but most important, thanks for what you did and what you are. They know our little secret plans for the future...coming one day...not that far...
Next blog...guess if I can get proper internet connection it will be in less than 3 weeks. More diving...but this time on the road alone , a sequel entry. Because the fun is actually really coming from June...
You only live once, better be good...
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gerry
non-member comment
just wondering
hi, just wondering where your profile pic was taken... the water looks absolutely gorgeous =)