Wednesday January 30, 2019 – In Phuket and Phang Nga by long-tail boat. FX rate US$1 = 30THB (Thai Batt).
Phuket (formerly Thalang – Cape in Malay) lies off the West Coast of Thailand in the Andaman sea. This, the largest of the Thailand Islands, is one of the country’s southern provinces consisting of the island of Phuket (47 km x 21 km) and 32 smaller islands and covering 576 Sq Km (222 Sq Miles) and with a population of 400,000. The island mainly produced tin (16th to 20th centuries) and rubber (a major part of the economy still today). It was also a major stop for French, Dutch, Portuguese and English Traders traveling between India and China. Today it mainly derives it’s Income from tourism (1.5 million people a year) being a popular destination principally from Europe and many young people visit during their “gap year” (between High School and University). An interesting point about elephants which are still used in agriculture today and we saw one with a young boy on top waiting to cross the road, is that the ears of the African continent are shaped like Africa while the Indian elephant ear is shaped like India. They consume some 250 Kg (550 lbs) of food a day have a gestation period of about 2 years, produce only one child and have s 5 year interval between babies. Another interesting point made by the guide during our travels was that Thai language has 44 letters and various tones altering the meanings of the word and thus various diacritics to affect the meaning / tonality.
We anchored in Patong Bay in the Kathu district and tendered ashore then walked some 15 minutes along the attractive beaches of Patong to the awaiting coaches. Thailand, like Singapore and Malaysia, drives on the left hand side and though never taken over by the British, as were all the neighboring counties, at the time of the popularization of the motor car were under British rule, car imports for the region were from Britain.
We boarded the coach where Brang the local guide (female but with strong male traits) and Ashley from the ship greeted us and provided commentary during the 2 1/2 hour drive along the beaches, crossing Thalang district and the bridge to Phang Nga Island and to its South Eastern Sector – Phang Nga Bay. We did get a “happy Room” stop along the way!! We boarded a long tail boat after donning life jackets. This is like a mix of a Viking Ship raised bow and a large canoe, with a seating capacity of 50-60 people on benches attached to the gunwales and a large open lorry (truck) motor mounted on a pivot with a 20 foot shaft at the end of which is a three bladed propeller (the tail). The aft section is open to permit maneuverability. The captain, with great dexterity and care is able to move the vessel in tight corners. The reason for the long tails is to propel the vessel in very shallow waters. The ebb and flow of the tides cover a height of 3 meters (10 feet).
After all had boarded the boat, we set the course down the river and into the bay. It was here that the enormous sandstone Islands karats with the sheer rock face studded with cacti, succulents, and other plants and trees became apparent. These “Islands” with their different shapes and size – rising 100 meters (330 feet) or more from the waters below make one feel like an ant. The 45 minute ride to the first island we stopped at to examine more closely – Koch Tapu or “James Bond Island” so named because of it being the setting of the climax scene from “The Man with the Golden Gun” – has a structure like a revolver, two other large “Mountains” and a beach in between which many tourists enjoyed. We circumnavigated the island both ways permitting those sitting both on the Port as well as the Starboard sides to get s good look. As we were sitting in the last seats near the motor, it was loud but the local guide was there and we observed a zodiac craft with three armed men in uniform approach our vessel and money was changed hands between the local guide and the uniformed men. Since we did not get off the long tailed boat, we wonder what this “fee” represented?? There were many films made here at least in part – Rambo, Around the world in 80 days to name a couple.
After half an hour at James Bond Island. We then travelled 20 minutes to a nearby floating village on stilts off Pan Yi Island – the Sea Gypsy village. This Muslim village is built entirely on stilts and where we stopped for lunch. The restaurant, where we ate an excellent Thai lunch, seats about 350-400 people and there are probably a half a dozen such restaurants on stilts.
Behind the restaurants was a school with at least 6 classrooms that we saw young children actively learning or sleeping on the floor all in blue and white uniforms. Outside the classrooms there was a soccer / games field – blue and white painted wooden planks on stilts – plus other structures. Many shops selling trinkets although some had clothing and others sold pearls, were between the school and the Restaurant. We could see many residential units and even a mosque – a full gypsy town on stilts.
After lunch we headed back to the embarkation point and from there to a large cave turned into a Buddhist temple built 161 years ago with many Buddha statues around a central 12 meter (40 foot reclining) Buddha. The origin was that of o Buddhist monk meditating in the cave became the oracle that many consulted. A meditating monk sat cross legged by the Buddha and the faithful consulted him. Several kings and other nobility have left signatures on the wall of the temple for posterity. A couple of other temples were in the compound as well as an area set aside for long tailed monkeys. These long tailed monkeys are sent to school for 5 months to learn coconut picking. A novice may pick 20-30 coconuts a day and is not equipped to deal with which are ripe. After the boarding school period costing 6,000 THB (US$200) where the monkeys get and education as well as room and board, they are able to pick 1,000 coconuts in one day and distinguish which are the ripe ones based on shaking as they cannot detect colours. A worthwhile investment in education! The can work effectively until they are 14 years old and can live to the age of 26. The short tailed monkeys Makak are not as easily trainable.
We then boarded the coach for the 2 1/2 hour ride back to the dock, tender and back to the ship for a 6 pm sail away.
Roger & Anne Travels 