Wednesday, August 28th to Friday, August 30th, 2024 - My Bucket List - Phang Nga Bay, Phuket, Thailand

As I left Singapore, I was feeling my tiredness and asked myself why on earth I had decided to visit Thailand for just two nights. When I was sitting at home planning, I knew it was a lot, but on the ground in Singapore I was saying to myself, 'this is crazy'! It had been a 'bucket list' decision. So often when I have visited Sarah and Chuck (who live in Bangkok), I had made feeble efforts to get down to Phuket, to see the karst topography that I love to experience, but it never came to fruit. So, being so close (relatively speaking) I had said to myself - 'This is it! You must go now!'

View From Our Rooms at Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel (Photo by Sarah Lamp)

As soon as I stepped foot in our hotel and saw this view from the balcony of my hotel room, I took a huge sigh and said 'Yes! This is so right!'

Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel, Phan Nga Bay

Sarah had found this small hotel some time ago, so we decided to splash and stay here. It was off season, so not as expensive. As you see, the Thai hospitality was in full swing with frangipani petals strewn across the bed, with that gorgeous view in the background.

Fresh Coconuts in the Mini-Bar

There was a lovely basket to fresh fruit on the table, but they won my heart with the fresh coconuts in the mini-bar - all ready for drinking that delicious beverage.

Phang Nga Bay - Karst

The hazard with having a blogger who was a geology major, is that you probably get more information about rocks than you would like. So here goes anyway! (It might help you to know that I don't really understand how karst forms, but I keep trying to figure it out.) I do know it is formed from limestone which is dissolved by water more easily than other rocks. It takes tens of thousands of years to develop and is recognized by sinkholes, caves, springs, cliffs and steep-sided hills called towers. I am surprised to learn that it is a form of topography found in every US state except Hawaii! 

The type of karst topography I have been most partial to, is that which is dominated by towers, which I have enjoyed visiting in other parts of the world. One could see here the remnants of stalactites and sinkholes which have been eroded by water and wind. It was a coral reef that has been uplifted by tectonic forces to make these fascinating shapes - from reef, to caves, to these islands.

Ban Hin Rom Pier, Community Enterprise

We decided to get more 'up close and personal' with these interesting rocks, by taking a boat ride. It was low tide as we left the pier down the hill from our hotel to meet our boat.

Dwelling in the Mangroves

As was the case on the pier, this house in the mangrove trees, has a cobbled together look. I hoped that it was a daytime structure for the fisherman or tourist boatman, and not a home. The roof looked too precarious for the heavy rains that can fall here.

 Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island)

Our boat chugged steadily, (with occasional hiccups) toward one of our first stops - Khao Phing Kan, otherwise known as James Bond Island. (No, don't ask me how to pronounce it! Sorry!) It was one of the locations for the filming of The Man With the Golden Gun in 1974, a James Bond (Roger Moore) movie. the island was the base for the villainous assassin, Scaramanga who was using it as a laboratory to get a monopoly on the world's production of solar power.

Longtail Boat

Our boat, called Little Rihatour, was similar to this one, only we had a blue canopy over our heads for sun and rain protection. They are called longtail boats and you can see how the propeller is at the end of a long shaft, powered by a car engine (usually used according to Google). This 'tail' can swivel 360 degrees and is the tiller for the boat. 

The ribbons wrapped around the prow are offerings to water gods and the Goddess 'Mae Ya Nang', guardian of boats. The Thais believe that every tree has a guardian spirit 'Nang Mai' who takes care of it. When the tree is cut down to make the boat, this spirit never leaves, but stays in the wood and protects the boat  in the form of 'Mae Ya Nang', the guardian spirit of boats and travelers. I think it is a lovely idea. Here's more if you want to read about it. https://learnthaistyle.com/guardian-goddess-of-boats/

Guardian Spirits Needed Here!

As we motored near these craggy rocks, we could see why a fisherman may be happy to know he (probably mostly men) had guardian spirits on board. I expect in rough weather, the Andaman Sea can become quite treacherous. This one looked like a monster poised to grab one with his beady eye and numerous teeth!

Beach at James Bond Island

This beach was the setting for the opening scene of the James Bond movie and you can see why, with the rather menacing collapse of the rocks above and the old stalagmite 'teeth' hanging down.

Spirit House on James Bond Island

The dominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism (90% of the population), but the traditions of other religions are infused into the way it is practiced - especially Hindu and animism. Although not part of Buddhism, spirit houses, like this one, are very common throughout Thailand and daily offerings are made to encourage protection from the spirits believed to inhabit each location. Garlands, fruit and soda are the most common offerings. For a deeper dig, you can read more at https://www.thailandnow.in.th/arts-culture/ghosts-matter/

Ao Phang Nga National Park Sign

The island is part of the Ao Phang Nga National Park. It had nice steps and paths to navigate with, and a helpful sign that said beware of wild monkeys and another that said to not feed them. We were disappointed that we didn't see any.

We came around to this lovely beach and found this sign is placed in front of another notable island, Ko Tapu. In the movie it had housed huge solar panels which emerged from its top at the touch of a button and directed the beam of light into Scaramanga's laboratory. The light could then be concentrated into a laser-like weapon. In my mind, 'this' is the iconic island from the movie with it's tooth like structure. (Spoiler Alert: You can be relieved to know that James Bond eventually saved the world from Scaramanga's evil intentions and ended up in the arms of a woman - just didn't want anyone of you suffering angst from the lack of resolution!)

Souvenir for You?

I was surprised at the number of people walking through, as there had only been one other boat on our beach. So when I turned around from the previous view to see this conglomeration of market stalls, I was surprised. It didn't take long to see that there was another beach here, where many boats were moored offshore. Most likely this was the landing site for day trippers from Phuket, about an hour away.

Floating Canoe Platform

The next part of our itinerary was to take a canoe trip to explore the caves and hongs one finds at sea level here. (A hong is a sinkhole that has been raised above the water level by tectonic action. Some cannot be paddled into as they are cut off from the ocean, others have erosion that allows one to paddle in.) I was pretty confident I could handle that as I had spent many years paddling in Minnesota, so I was 'in'. When we arrived at the platform to get our boats we were puzzled to see the two 'canoe' men in a quandary as to what to do with us - much conversation. There were just the three of us - myself, Sarah and Robyn. (Chuck (wisely?) decided this activity was not for him.) The two men on the canoe platform kept looking us up and down in consternation, until they finally decided they could handle the situation. 

Eek - This is how I Had to Sit!

 Once they produced the 'canoe', I saw that this was not Minnesota style paddling. They decided they had to put all three of us in one inflatable kayak, and the guide from the platform was number four - he was paddling US around - poor man! He was about half our size, so I'm sure that the conversation had been something along the lines of  'how the hell do you think I'm going to do that!'

So they put Robyn in front, me in the middle and Sarah in back. Of course I was not able to bend my legs on the bottom of the boat, so flung them over the sides alongside Robyn. I wasn't going to miss out on THIS one! Happily my back held up to it, the Andaman Sea was calm and off we went!

It was Hard Work for the Man in the Back Seat! (From Video by Robyn Lamp)

Our guide didn't speak much English, and Sarah speaks a little Thai, so communication was a bit iffy. At first we thought he was mad at us for being a threesome, but when he learned we were from the United States he declared very happily 'America Number One' and became quite chatty!

Paddling Into a Hong (Video by Robyn Lamp)

(Apologies for the poor quality of the video - it was the only video format that I could upload to blogger - it has too much compression, but it gives you the idea.)

The pace was very gentle - it was a quiet, lovely way to travel. He wordlessly steered toward the craggy rocks, to then reveal the secret beauty that was hidden within. Sometimes, we weren't sure what was ahead....

Quick, Lay Back, Lay Back! (Video by Sarah Lamp)

The vicious 'teeth' of eroded stalagmites sometimes came too close! He was saying 'Lay back, lay back!' as we approached these rocks. Just in time, we figured out what he was saying and flattened ourselves to float within inches of their jaggedness! It was a lot of fun!

Nature at its Best - Trees Clinging to Rocks and Mangroves

The serene beauty of the tight spaces was captivating, but after our canoe trip, we were headed to a floating Muslim Village - Koh Panyee.

Taxi?

There was more serious traffic on the water than us - this boat looked as if it was moving with a purpose, not just meandering. I was pleased to see the young man in the middle of the picture with his camera/phone pointed at us. Perhaps we'll get shared on social media, too!

In total, Muslims make up 1.5% of the Thai population, but this southern region of Thailand, there is a greater concentration of Muslims, as it is getting closer to the Malaysian border.

Koh Panyee

This village is quite remarkable. It was started by several fishermen from Java (Indonesia today) who came here about 200 years ago. They declared that if they found a good fishing spot, they would raise a flag on the top of the nearest mountain. They found fish plentiful here and felt the rock offered protection. So the flag must have been raised, though I imagine the climb was tough!

The Mosque and platforms at Koh Panyee

The laws at that time only allowed Thai nationals to own land, which presented a dilemma for these families. At first they probably lived in their boats, but after a while the ingenious fishermen created stilt houses in the water instead, which were joined by platforms. Now the village houses 400 families - about 1600 total population. In addition to fishing, they have encouraged tourism. Modern laws allow foreigners to buy land now, so the community purchased some of the land at the base of the rock to build the mosque and a freshwater well. Power and fresh water are delivered form the mainland, but the village recognizes that expansion is no longer feasible, so many of the younger generation are encouraged to leave.

Gardens on Stilts

Adapting to life on the water has a sort of Waterworld vibe to it. Almost everything must be brought from the mainland. Trying to live a 'normal' life takes ingenuity and persistence. While we might wish for an easier life, such resilience can bring rewards. There is a fabulous story about some of the kids who wanted to play soccer after seeing the World Cup on TV in 1986. They built themselves a platform with wood from old houses. It had open sides and a rough surface, but it was all they has, so they started playing soccer. Every time the ball went in the water, they had to dive in to get it. They played barefoot, often in wet conditions, so they became pretty good at controlling their feet and the ball. It was probably no surprise that when they went to the mainland for contests, they were pretty good compared to peers who played in better conditions. They started winning competitions and won six South Thailand Soccer Championships from 2004 to 2010.

There was a movie made as part of a TMP Bank advertising campaign about their story called TMP Panyee FC - it's fairly short. You might find it inspiring.

They now have three soccer pitches and are still regarded as having one of the best soccer teams in Southern Thailand.

A Hotel at Koh Panyee

Now that tourism is established, the community has hotels and restaurants, as well as markets for day tourists. We did not go ashore, as it was the end of the day and time was tight. It is worth keeping in mind, if you plan to visit, that there will be no pork or alcohol served and smoking is prohibited. 

Lounging on the Dock

It seems the best thing to do if you stay in Koh Panyee, is to relax. There is little in the way of night life and when the day tourists leave, everything shuts down.

End of Day

There was no dramatic Thai sunset for us, as we headed back to our hotel. It had proven to be a delightful excursion and my bucket list was very satisfied.

Pre-Dawn Hopefulness

It was my last day here. The hotel had greeted us with a post card on our beds that was a photo of a glorious golden sunrise. The first morning had been quite dull, so I woke again on Friday morning with hope in my heart. At first it was sinking - there was little gold here.

Sarah Also Hoped For a Good Sunrise

Sarah is not usually a morningbird, but even she thought it worth getting up to catch the first rays of the morning.

Bingo!

Oh, my goodness! Was I thrilled as the colors deepened and the sun finally broke through with its golden glory!

Liquid Gold

Even the water was aglow, as a longtail boat curved it's way out into the Andaman Sea.

Panoramic View of the Andaman Sea from Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel 

And so my time here came to a close. It was time to prepare to get packed up again, get to the airport, and say goodbye to Sarah, Chuck and Robyn, who were headed to a resort south of Phuket. I was to start my journey to Hoi An, Vietnam - my next and final stop before finally heading home. 

Even as I sit and write this, the warm glow from images of that sunrise, help to chase away those sad shadows, that accompany departures like this. Although I knew I would see Robyn back in Florida before long, there is always the uncertainty about the timing of the next visit when I say goodbye to Sarah and Chuck. It had been a delight to be in their company.

All of Us: L-R Sarah, Me, Robyn and Chuck

This is the only photo I have of all four of us together, so it's fortunate its a decent one. This short stay at our little boutique hotel became one of the highlights of my entire trip. Our isolation from other restaurants and services created a simplicity that allowed us to just enjoy our time together, without distraction and dealing with diverse interests.

It has been a lovely time.