X-SITEMENT IN THAILAND

On Lao Liang, an island in the Andaman Sea.

We were three weeks into our three month backpacking adventure in south-east Asia, which would see us travel through Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, then north through Laos, Viet Nam and back to Thailand via Cambodia.

After spending one week on busy Ko Pha-Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand (Ko means island in Thai), my wife Jo-Ann and I were looking for an opportunity to relax in an isolated spot and enjoy some paddling.

We’d heard about Hat Jao Mai (City of Waves), a relatively undiscovered jewel on the southwestern coast of Thailand. With limited services and only two options for accommodations, the town’s main industries are commercial fishing, diving expeditions and island hopping. We decided to make our way there on our own rather than booking through a tour, hoping for some solitude.

We caught the train in Surat Thani, on the west coast of Thailand and took it to the end of the line—the small fi shing village of Katang. From the train station it was a short walk in the midday heat through town, where staff at a bank kindly directed us to the small river ferry. On the other side of the river we ate a simple lunch at a roadside stall while we waited for two hours for the local mini-bus to take us to Hat Jao Mai—gateway to Hat Jao Mai National Park and hundreds of pristine islands in the Andaman Sea.

A newly formed company, X-site Diving had recently been granted access to one of the islands for tourism purposes on the proviso that there be no environmental impact. They transported us to the small island of Lao Liang, some 30 kms from Hat Jao Mai, where we were assigned our tent on the beach, a lavish two room abode complete with electricity from a generator. It was Thailand’s version of an all-inclusive Club Med, but without all the frills.

Limestone islets in crystal clear water.

All the water was bottled or was rainwater collected from high atop the limestone cliffs. Structures on the island were temporary and everything had to be brought in by boat and replenished weekly. But that did not prevent the chefs from preparing exquisite meals fresh from the sea. And since the company was new, the patrons were mostly locals looking for a two to three day get-away, so being the only foreigners on the island meant we were treated like royalty by the hospitable staff.

During our three nights and four days, we snorkeled, ate a lot, relaxed in our hammocks and for one full day we signed ourselves up to do a kayak trip around a few of the islands. From the comfort of our sit-on-top double we explored several of the limestone islets that rise majestically from the crystal clear, azure sea.

Cliffs rise straight from the depths with little or no vegetation except on the very top. These islands are famous for the bird nests used in Chinese cuisine, as evidenced by the long ropes hanging from the cliffs; harvesting had gone on for years before the birds and their nests became protected. The area is also home to the rare and endangered black-necked stork and the sea cow or manatee. Surprisingly, there were very few waterfowl present. Most of the life in and around the islands is found beneath the water’s surface, so we snorkeled directly from our kayak. Jo-Ann was particularly excited to see many of the fish that were featured in the movie Finding Nemo including Nemo himself. The local name for Nemo is ‘cartoon fish’.

Although the islands are protected, there are squatters who make a meager existence by shellfish harvesting. The crab, shrimp, snails and clams mostly find their way to the restaurant tables in Bangkok.

The paddle to several of the nearby islands was pleasurable, calm and hot. With little or no shade, hats and sunscreen were a must. Villagers were excited to see visitors and proudly displayed their catch of the day.

Back at camp and with the sun moving to the western side of the island, there was ample time to relax in our hammocks in the cool shade, enjoy a local beer and wait for the evening’s standard four-course dinner of Thai delights.

On the morning of our final day, well rested and relaxed, our porter (yes, porter!) assisted us in packing our things and loading up the long-tail boat for the trip back to the mainland. Back in Hat Jao Mai, the helpful staff went the extra mile and assisted us with our transportation plans south as we mapped our route onwards to Malaysia.

We can honestly say that of all the amazing places we visited on our jour- ney, X-Site on Ko Loa Liang was the most peaceful and relaxing four days of any.

For more information on X-Site , visit their web site at www.Xsitediving.com.

© Rod and Jo-Ann Tait own and operate Orca Canoes and Kayaks Ltd, designers and builders of Orca Boats. They can be reached at 604-312-4784 or through their website at www.orcaboats.ca.