Winemaking in Phonsavan

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Damien

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As the road zigzags from Luang Prabang through the central north of Laos towards the east, you begin to think that steep valleys covered in dense forest with occasional hilltop villages are all you are ever going to see. The views can be spectacular, to be sure, but seeing the same vista of serrated peaks greying into the distance for hours on end can get a tad monotonous. But suddenly, as you cross into the eastern province of Xieng Khuang and get within 50 kms of the regional capital Phonsavan, the picture changes dramatically.

Here there are rolling hills covered in green pasture, sometimes bounded by tidy fencelines, with numerous cattle grazing peacefully. Pine trees and eucalypts dot the landscape, and creeks, small ponds and weathered tree trunks are scattered about. As the bus bounded on towards Phonsavan, the scenery looked so much like Australian countryside – say the Yarra Valley, or the hills around Canberra – that I half-expected to see kangaroos lolling idly under a tree! It’s only when you spot some rice paddies, or water buffalo, or an older-style house that you realise with a start this is actually Laos.

We’re on this elevated plateau (approx. 1100m above sea level) to see the fascinating Plain of Jars. On my previous trip to Laos I didn’t make it to this area, so we were both very excited to see these mysterious large stone burial urns left here by an unknown culture centuries ago. There are thousands of them scattered in more than 150 different sites across the plain, and a handful of the best sites have been tidied up to allow tourist access. They are a very worthy diversion if you have the time, and staying in dusty Phonsavan also has a certain charm.

But as we’re rolling along in our tour van on our way to Site 3, gazing out the window at the ridiculously familiar landscape, a radical thought strikes me. This place could be excellent for making wine! I quickly list the pros for this nutty idea in my head:

  • The climate at this altitude is cool and temperate, escaping the excessive heat and humidity of lower areas
  • There is less rainfall, only enough to support one rice crop per year (much of tropical Asia can grow two crops annually)
  • There are plenty of free-draining south-facing slopes, ideal for avoiding waterlogging and maximising sun exposure
  • Land and labour costs would be extremely low by world standards, making the end product very cost competitive

I mention all this to Kristen, and for a fleeting moment we are caught up in the idea of living an idyllic existence while making a fortune as the wine pioneers of Laos. Of course a thorough analysis of the soil, rainfall, sunshine hours and business plan would be needed before embarking on such a mad idea, but at first glance it sounds exciting. There are numerous lesser-known pastoral regions of Australia with similar climates that have established successful wine industries over the past 30 years: Orange and Cowra in NSW, Heathcote and Beechworth in Victoria, Mount Barker and Denmark in WA and the Granite Belt in Queensland, to name just a few.

There would be some hurdles to overcome, of course. Every skerrick of winemaking equipment, from the trellises to the rootstock to vats to bottles and caps would need to be imported. With zero prior exposure to the wine industry, the local staff would need extensive training in new concepts and techniques. And then there’s the not inconsiderable obstacle that I’m neither viticulturalist nor winemaker. As a wine enthusiast I can talk in general terms about the requirements for healthy vines, about matching particular grape varieties to specific microclimates, and the basic principles of making various kinds of wine. But if challenged with the tasks of actually establishing a vineyard, building a winery and turning grapes into wine, I wouldn’t know where to begin.

However the biggest obstacle by far would be unexploded ordnance, or UXO. The area around Phonsavan has the unenviable distinction of being the most-bombed province of the most-bombed country in the world. During its undeclared war on Laos, America dropped more than 1.3 million tonnes of explosives on this area, almost continuously, for eight years from 1964 to 1973. That’s more than was dropped on the whole of Germany during WWII. It’s estimated that about 30% of those bombs failed to explode on impact, remaining on the surface or becoming buried in the topsoil, awaiting an unsuspecting foot or plough to detonate it with devastating effect.

The terrible legacy of UXO was countless thousands of people killed and maimed in the years after the war. While such accidents are now rarer, to this day large areas of the province are still littered with UXO despite some valiant efforts to de-mine them. The simple truth is that even with vastly improved resources it would take many decades to declare the entire province safe. We had a taste of the ongoing bomb clearance efforts during our tour of Site 3, where we’d noticed warning signs by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) that UXO clearance was in progress in the area. At one point we were startled by a sharp crack-boom, followed by rolling thunder-like echoes bounced around the valley. It didn’t sound quite like thunder, though, and our guide cheerfully said that it was an old bomb being detonated (in a controlled way). Sure enough, we could see on a nearby ridge a large puff of brown smoke indicating where it had gone off. Look in any direction in this region and it’s not hard to spot bomb craters, both old and new.

Clearing a potential vineyard of UXO would be essential before you could plant anything, or even walk around the site to check the soil. That would be time-consuming and expensive, as a considerable area would need to be planted to make the project commercially viable. To give some idea of how widespread UXO is here it’s instructive to look at the experience of Jars Site 1. It covers 25 hectares – smaller than a typical large-scale vineyard – and during clearance operations by MAG in 2004 (funded by NZ Aid) they discovered and detonated no less than 127 unexploded bombs. That’s five bombs per hectare – hardly the kind of return you are looking for when planting a vineyard.

Even if you could overcome all these obstacles and somehow manage to produce a decent drop from this land, the last hurdle would be convincing people that it was worth drinking. It would have to be cheap to be viable, and that would automatically imply in many people’s minds that it was inferior quality. “How could they possible produce good wine in Laos??”, would be the refrain. But that’s what they said 30 years ago about making quality wine in New Zealand, or Chile, or California. Didn’t they?

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The Emerald Cave, Koh Mook

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Kristen

Although we are now in Cambodia I have been wanting to put together the videos of Morakot Cave (The Emerald Cave) I took when we were in Thailand. I have finally got around to it! So even though we visited this place a while ago, I feel it would have been disappointing not to save a visual and aural record of this little slice of Eden.

Both Damien and I agree that visiting the Emerald Cave was probably the most memorable and magical experience of our time in Thailand. Swimming through the darkness to be greeted with the view of this grotto with nothing but the sounds of the creatures that dwell there was so special.

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Classic Trio of Laos

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Damien

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There are three places in Laos that feature in almost every itinerary for those who visit this landlocked country: the modern capital Vientiane, the idyllic riverside town of Vang Vieng, and the ancient capital Luang Prabang. In large part this is simply due to geography: there is only one major north-south road, and anyone coming down from the north (or vice versa) must pass through Luang Prabang to get onto it. Heading south from Luang Prabang there is only one route to Vientiane, and as it passes through Vang Vieng many stop there to break up the long, twisting journey.

The other reason these places feature is that they are three of the standout highlights of Laos. When planning our journey here (my return after two and a half years, Kristen’s first time) there was no question that these three stops would feature highly. The accident on Koh Lanta caused a severe alteration to our plans, and we were forced to delete some more remote places from the menu due to lack of time, and also change our direction of travel. But we still made this classic trio our first stops in Laos, and below is a brief summary of our time in each of them.

Vientiane

In my experience Vientiane tends to polarise people. Some people find it dull and uninteresting, with few tourist sights and tepid nightlife, and want to leave after a day or two; others love its laidback atmosphere and abundance of superb cafes and restaurants, and want to stay for days. We are definitely in the latter group! It’s true that there aren’t many things to see here, and we visited the main tourist sites of Patuxay and That Luang in half a day. But to me the real attraction of Vientiane is its beautiful central area near the Mekong, full of cruisy places to while away the hours chatting, reading or surfing the internet. It’s sometimes hard to believe this is a national capital, it’s so relaxed.

However there have been substantial changes since my first visit, and although still quiet the pace is picking up. The waterfront area has been completed changed, with a landscaped promenade now running for several kilometres along the river (and being expanded at both ends as we speak). There are hoardings up showcasing promised future developments, and they look so modern they would not be out of place on Singapore’s waterfront. What these will do to the atmosphere of Vientiane remains to be seen, but I can’t avoid the feeling that its character will change irrevocably once these glossy modern constructions are built.

Anyway, for the time being it’s still a wonderful place to visit and we were forced to limit ourselves to just three nights here. Once the sightseeing was out of the way this town was all about the food for us, and we sure did dine well! Makphet, a charity restaurant that trains former streetchildren in cooking and hospitality, produces sensational Modern Lao food and we ate there twice. There was another fine dinner at Amphone, an upmarket Modern Lao restaurant that I remembered fondly from my previous visit and can happily say still offers great food. And for something different, a good meal at L’Adresse de Tinay, a newish addition to the city’s extensive array of French bistros and restaurants.

The only real disappointment was that the Intercity Hotel – where I enjoyed two good stays last time – has gone considerably downhill in recent years. Its location is great but the rooms are rundown and the service mediocre. A tip for any future visitors: get dropped off on Rue Francois Ngin on arrival and simply walk around the many hotels and guesthouses on this street until you find one you like. There are plenty of smart-looking yet very affordable places here, and it’s extremely central.

Vang Vieng

This place doesn’t just polarise people, it’s schizoid. For years it’s had a reputation as a drug haven and for being one of those places that brings out the worst in western backpackers. It’s true that you can visit Vang Vieng and get well and truly messed up on any drug you choose, if you are looking for it, and there are still plenty of “TV bars” playing endless reruns of The Simpsons, Family Guy and even Friends (still!!). Unfortunately this reputation can deter people from visiting the area at all, which is a great shame as I think it is arguably the most beautiful part of Laos.

It’s easy to avoid the mayhem, and when you do you discover a spectacular landscape of jagged karst peaks, sublime river views and gentle villages. Just south the main part of town are plenty of quiet lodgings to suit any budget, and there are some fine restaurants along the waterfront (often attached to upmarket hotels). Activities such as caving, kayaking, trekking and swimming are all on offer, so it’s very easy to spend days here and not get bored. We initially planned just two nights but very quickly extended to three, and would have stayed even longer if we’d had the time.

Activity-wise we took the same day tour organised by Green Discovery that I did a couple of years ago. Combining visits to some caves, walking through the countryside and a Hmong village, lunch and kayaking down the river, it’s a great introduction to the area and we enjoyed our time with guide Toto (there were only the two of us on the tour). The following day we engaged him again to take us to a beautiful area known as The Blue Lagoon, about 7 kms away, which is a swimming hole fed by pure mountain water at the base of a steep hill with a huge cave at the top.

Food-wise, it was almost all Elephant Crossing for us. We were staying at a cheaper guesthouse next door, but the broad outdoor verandah with drop-dead gorgeous views of the mountains enticed for almost every meal during those three days. With good food and free wifi too, why not? One notable exception to our Elephant Crossing rule was a visit to the Organic Fruit Farm Café, which offered tasty fare including a creamy homemade goat cheese. It was with great reluctance we boarded our bus to Luang Prabang on that final morning…

Luang Prabang

This ancient city has tempted travellers for years, and there is something about this place that gets under your skin and doesn’t want to let you leave. Once again we extended our planned stay here soon after arrival, and ended up spending five days saying “how’s the serenity” to each other frequently with satisfaction. Our enjoyment was enhanced by our accommodation, located at it was next to Wat Nong (one of the 30+ temples) and in a quiet residential part of the old town. I should say however that our sleep was affected by local cats that serenaded us with their unmelodious howling most nights, but I still have fond memories of the place!

Tourist highlights are many in Luang Prabang, and Wat Xieng Thong did entrance us with its unique murals. Kristen has already talked of our night meeting Hien, a local man who worked in a bar and wanted to meet up with us a few days later. He took us up to Phu Si, the high hill in the centre of the town that offers great views of the rivers and the surrounding hills, and then the next day helped us get to Kuang Si waterfall. Located about 30 kms out of town, I didn’t visit this last time I was here and am sorry that I missed it then. It’s quite simply the most stunning waterfall complex I’ve ever seen, with each cascade so perfectly beautiful that it’s hard to believe it’s not artificial. We didn’t get to visit the famous Erewan Falls in Thailand due to the accident, but Kristen said that Kuang Si is even more amazing. On our final morning we got up early to watch the monks parade to receive alms from the locals, and were pleased to find that their path actually wound its way right past our guesthouse!

Yet again, and not surprisingly, the remainder of our time in Luang Prabang was taken up with food (seeing a pattern here?). Kristen will be writing separately about various food highlights, so I won’t go into much detail here. But we were especially taken with Tamarind, a restaurant run by an Australian-Lao couple that specifically aims to broaden the food horizons of its patrons. Although there is “Lao food” available everywhere in Laos, the vast majority of places you come across limit the genuinely Lao options to various kinds of laap, noodle soup and sticky rice. As Tamarind makes clear, this is just a small subset of what Lao people normally eat and they do very well in filling in the knowledge gaps. We ate a fair bit of western food in Luang Prabang too, particularly at Café Ban Wat Sene just a few minutes walk from our guesthouse, and also spent some long afternoons at Sala Café. Finally, on our last two days we also squeezed in some extensive massage time at Hibiscus Spa (also close to where we were staying). Starting from just $11 for an hour and half, who could resist??

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The Bowling Alley

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Kristen


“USA . USA!” he was chanting in my ear, again, as I bowled yet another gutter ball. So I punched him playfully (or was it) in the guts for his hubris. I am mediocre at this game at the best of times, but couple that with being three sheets to the wind and nursing a healing broken arm and you would be witnessing some of the most appalling bowling ever attempted! To add to the humiliation of it all I was oddly peppering my pathetic gutter balls with the occasional spare, which must have been confusing to my drunken opponents but was entirely frustrating to me. How could I go from crap to near stellar in one fell swoop? I tried feebly complaining in the ears of anyone who’d half listen that the reason for my comprehensively dismal bowling was because I had broken my arm not long ago, but I’m pretty sure no one really cared! But let me back track aways…

There we were. Enjoying another quiet night in the all too picture-perfect monastic town of Luang Prabang. One thing led to another and we found ourselves strolling along the waterfront to a bar (we did not know where) when finally (where are the tuk tuk drivers when you need them most?) out of the darkness we got a lift down the road to a drinking establishment. Pity we didn’t realise when we climbed into the tuk tuk that a destination was a mere 300 m away! The bar had loads of character and enough foreign patrons to add atmosphere and make as want to stay for a few more.

Damien was off for a while getting cash from an ATM so I had time to chat to one of the staff. Clearly we hit it off and we exchanged details so we could hang out while we were in town. Once Hien had moved on to serve other patrons and Damien had returned, I noticed a large contingent of British nearby and was considering ingratiating ourselves when suddenly it was all over. It was curfew time. All bars in Luang Prabang must stick rigidly to the 11.30 pm curfew or be fined. So all too soon our night was over. Not satisfied with this we asked the tuk tuk driver if there was anywhere else we could possibly go and he replied that there was! So we were whisked away at speed and watched as the charming streets of this UNESCO world heritage town flew by and were replaced with the less pleasing to the eye outskirts. We certainly were a long way from the town centre at this stage and I was beginning to wonder exactly where we were headed when next minute we were there.

We arrived at a large shed in what felt like the middle of nowhere with an equally large collection of tuk tuks and their drivers assembled outside. So we sauntered up to the shed in the quiet and sultry night air and as we flung open the doors we were assaulted with a cacophony of bowling bowls connecting with ten pins and it was quite the soundtrack to our entrance to the scene in front of me. There they were, lines and lines of teams of drunken falangs all intently engaged in games of ten pin… downing long necks of BeerLao. Well, this was not quite the thing I had in mind when we had hopefully enquired about another possible drinking venue. But hey, when in Rome! I mean, Lao!

As things often go on nights like these, the British guys we’d seen at the bar were also at the bowling alley along with two Americans and we soon found ourselves playing with them. Damien was good at the game in equal proportion to how woeful I was, which was lucky, cause someone had to fly the flag for the Aussies, especially, when we had “Mr USA” loudly chanting away every time he bowled a strike or I bowled at gutter ball! He was also keen to tell me that Australians were American wannabes which did not endear him greatly to me. Nonetheless, his mate was an engaging conversationalist and we got involved in lengthy discussions about everything and anything and I didn’t seem to mind at all when he told me that he had met lots of really nice Aussies, but there are a lot of “assholes” too.

What an odd night indeed. I did wonder how the bowling alley got away with serving alcohol when clearly everywhere else could not. I asked Hien (the worker from the bar) this when we spent some time with him later during the week. He said that it was because the bowling alley was outside of the UNESCO area. But as Vientiane (the capital) also has a curfew, I am not entirely sure if that is the whole story. Another strangely unexpected aspect of that night was that twice during the evening Damien was offered, unsolicited, drugs by tuk tuk drivers. Once was when he was going to the ATM and the other on the way home. When he was going to the ATM the tuk tuk driver asked him to sit up front with him and then pulled back a cover on his dashboard to reveal bags of pot and opium. This came as a bit of a shock to both of us, as this more seedy underside did not match our idealised view of it as a pristine monastic town.

This wasn’t the first time this happened to Damien though… maybe he has the “look”! When we were kayaking in Vang Vieng we stopped off for a beer at a riverside bar in the infamous tubing zone. We had met a couple of Swedes the day before, Theresa and Peter. Theresa and I had spied each other and she yelled out wanting to know if we would stop off for a while and join them. We had intended on cruising straight through but we are always keen for a yarn with new people and we had met them the day before and I had felt an instant affinity with Theresa and was happy to chat some more. As I was later to discover, Theresa was particularly keen for some company other than Peter!

As I sat chatting to Theresa and Peter, Damien returned with our beers and told me that he had been asked whether he would like a complimentary spliff with the beers! My first reaction was surprise but then that wasn’t for long as this town has unfortunately become notorious for the groups of tourists who come here to drink, take drugs and go tubing down the river. It is a shame that it has this reputation as I am sure it probably deters some people from visiting the town. But if you want to avoid this scene it’s really not hard to do, at least it wasn’t when we were there. Vang Vieng is truly breathtakingly beautiful and every time I raised my eyes and was confronted with the view of those sheer karst cliffs rising above the Nam Song (River Song) I was jolted again by its grandeur…. there were more than a few “How’s the serenity?” moments!

Yes, I was having “How’s the serenity” moments and poor old Theresa was having “Peter’s ruining the serenity” moments. There was clearly some tension between the two. We met for dinner and drinks later in the evening and when the boys went to play pool Theresa told me exactly why she was unthrilled about having to travel with Peter. Peter was a guy she worked with and they had travelled together for this short trip and things had not gone well very early in the piece. When they were in Vientiane Peter had bought some pot and proceeded to smoke it while they were down by the Mekong. Theresa was not interested in getting involved. The next minute Peter and Theresa were surrounded by the police, all with AK47’s and they were demanding they pay 7 million Kip (approx. A$900). So poor Theresa was left with the cops and the AK47’s while Peter went off to try and withdraw the cash from the ATM. He eventually returned but with less than the amount they demanded as he had reached his withdrawal limit. Peter said that Theresa would have to get the remainder out of her account. She was understandably angry about this as it had nothing to do with her in the first instance but luckily for Theresa, they accepted the cash Peter had produced and let them off the hook. So no surprises really that Theresa was not feeling too amorous towards Peter for involving her in this shitfight when she had herself done nothing illegal. To compound matters Peter had again taken it upon himself to smoke more weed in public after this scary episode. I felt really sorry for Theresa and glad that at least by meeting Damien and I she had some fun and a bit of a break from the not so cold war waging between Peter and herself.

It is easy to forget that all is not as it seems in Lao and that even is this apparently laid back and amiable society, you can still find yourself in hot water if you flaunt the rules. I was reminded of this again when we had dinner one night with Ivor, a Victorian fisheries worker who was involved in a fishing ladders project being funded by the Australian Government in Paksan. He relayed a story of one evening in Vientiane when he had been drinking at his mate’s bar down on the Mekong. It was past the curfew and the music was still pumping and no one looked close to calling it a night. They were suddenly surrounded by militia (Ivor said they were clearly not the police) with AK47’s and everyone at the bar very promptly called it a night.

These stories seem so completely incongruent with the way I feel about this country and the impression it has left on me. I was only saying tonight to Damien as we walked down the road in the dark to a restaurant that I feel so completely safe in this country. I have never once feared that someone would harm me or steal from me. I have found Lao people to be gentle, friendly, and considerate people and that will be my enduring recollection of them as a people when I leave.

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Island hopping through the Andaman Coast, Thailand

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Kristen

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We had quite different plans for our time in Thailand than what eventuated. We had planned on working our way up the Andaman Coast, staying at Hat Yao, Koh Kradan, Koh Lanta and then Ao Nang for the water festival and lastly finishing our Andaman amore at the rock climbing mecca of Railay. From there we were to continue our trip further north where I was keen to show Damien Erawan Falls, which had stayed in my mind (over decade later) as the most gorgeous waterfalls I had ever laid eyes on. We would spend another couple of weeks heading further north until we reached Chiang Rai, where we had booked four decadent days at the Le Meridien. In the planning  we had relished the thought of a lazy stop over here where we could rest and bliss out in lavish surroundings, after what we thought would be a few weeks of roughing it in bungalows and less salubrious accommodation.

However the accident on 11 April threw a massive spanner in the works and dictated that our sojourn in the land of smiles was to be all about the Andaman Coast, and in some parts of it that we had never thought we’d go to, much less devote nearly a month of our time to!

I decided to write about our time at all the different islands as an example of one the hundreds of different routes one could take up the coast. I for one was quite overwhelmed when I began reading Lonely Planet all those months ago at home. There are so many islands that it is really hard to narrow it down to a short list of potential options that tick all your boxes. I actually think we did alright with our choices, and here is where we went and how we went about it. I would love to go into immense detail about every exciting and interesting thing about our island time but I would need to write a short story to tell it all! I mean even the sometimes insanely mundane weeks we spent while I were recovering could be be a short story on all the TV series and movies we watched alone… because, mate, we watched a lot of TV!

So without further ado, here ’tis:

Koh Libong – 30 March 2012

How we got there

We were staying on the Andaman Coast in a small fishing village called Hat Yao. We arranged our day trip around Koh Libong via the front desk at our accommodation. It was a longtail boat with a local driver.

The cost of the trip

THB 3600 (A$120) for two; four people is THB 4800 (A$160)

Highlight

At the conclusion of our day trip we casually asked about how to access the secluded beach of Hat Apo on the mainland, and our longtail driver was happy to drop us off there at no extra charge. We enjoyed a number of hours on a spectacular private beach that we will never forget.

Lowlight

We were led to believe that we would have an English speaking guide, as the purpose of the tour was to spot and learn about the elusive dugong in the area. Instead we got a longtail driver who didn’t speak any English at all. We were also, due to the language barrier, unable to suggest a different location for our lunch on Koh Libong. It was a wildly beautiful island with many tempting potential picnic sites, but our guide picked probably the most dull and uninspiring spot of all! We were also advised before the journey that we would be able to snorkel through the seagrass, but we were taken to an area of seagrass that seemed to be affected by algal bloom and the water was murky and not suitable for swimming. We also didn’t see any dugongs on the day (but this is really up to nature, when it comes down to it).

Accommodation

Haad Yao Nature Resort, Hat Yao. We had a large room with a lengthy balcony overlooking the water. It was a pleasant spot to watch the sun rise, and the goings on of the local fisherman. Although not an overly flash accommodation option and overpriced for what it was, it was by far the best of what we saw elsewhere in the area. Breakfast was included in the cost, and the dining area sat out over the water and was a wonderfully chilled place to relax and eat. The staff were friendly and helpful.

Cost of accommodation

THB 1350 (A$45) per night

Best eating options

There is a small brick building behind the large casuarina trees on the edge of Hat Yao beach (approx. 10 minute walk from Haad Yao Nature Resort). Make sure you go to the restaurant that is closest to the casuarina trees, on the left hand side of the dirt road to the beach. The food is outstanding and very cheap, but make sure you eat before dark or you’ll get carried away by the mozzies!

Tip

I wouldn’t recommend staying on Koh Libong if you’re after a typical Thai beach experience. It seemed very basic and more a local’s island, but it could be tempting to those who are into camping or a more rustic experience. If however your whole purpose is to see dugongs, it might be worthwhile researching to see if any of the accommodation options have canoe hire so you can spend as many hours as you like each day floating in the seagrass in search of the duges. It would be too expensive to do multiple day trips for this express purpose.

Koh Kradan – 31 March to 9 April 2012

How we got there

We arranged a ferry transfer from Kuantunku pier via a tourist office in Trang (Happy Trip Tours), one or two doors down from the Sri Trang Hotel. We had to get our own way to the pier because of our stay at Hat Yao; normally you can get a direct connection from Trang. We caught a local minibus from Hat Yao to the pier, the pickup point was just outside our accommodation. The only available minibus left at 8am which got us to the pier hours before our departure time scheduled for 12pm. When we arrived a local approached us and asked to see our ticket, and then advised that he was the one who would be taking us at 12pm. Instead he offered to take us immediately there by longtail, which we jumped at!

The cost of the transport

Minibus from Hat Yao to Kuantungku pier THB 100 (A$3.35) per person, 30 minutes. Boat transfer from Kuantungku pier to Koh Kradan THB 350 (11.65) per person, approx. 1 hour.

Highlight

Staying on a small island that was the epitome of my island fantasies. No crowds, no roads and golden sandy beaches with warm azure waters, the stunning vista of surrounding islands, gorgeous sunrises and lazy, quiet days.

Lowlight

Around the time of the full moon there are king tides and at low tide the water creeps away so far from the shore that it makes swimming at that time of day an unattractive option.

Accommodation

We spent our time at Kalume Resort which is positioned at the northern end of the island (away from day tripping boats and their passengers!). It is an Italian/Thai owned resort and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there. There are the basic bungalows which we stayed at or there are slightly more upmarket options for those who want something better. It is worth mentioning that at the time we were there they were also constructing a new set of bungalows around a pool area which I assume will cater to those with even more cash to burn. Although our bungalow consisted of no more than a bed (with mosquito net) and a separate bathroom area (with cold shower) it was extremely well maintained and a nice place to call home. There was also a hammock and built in benches on the balcony for when you felt like lounging somewhere other than the beach or the well appointed hammock pavilion (where I spent many an hour devouring the pages of my book). There is wifi at the resort.

Cost of accommodation

THB 900 (A$30) per night.

Best eating options

We actually only dined at Kalume and its neighbouring resort but this was because we were completely satisfied with the food there. Kalume has mostly Thai dishes but also some western/Italian. Coral Garden next door serves Italian food and we had a rather odd pizza from there one night that had all of the four ingredients neatly positioned in their respective food groups on a quarter of the pizza. A definite “what the?” moment for us! However, we went for some pasta dishes another evening and they were fabulous and as good as any Italian meal we’d find in a decent  restaurant back home.

Tip

Don’t come here if you are after night life, bars and shopping. There is none!

Koh Mook – 2 April 2012

How we got there

We arranged our own longtail boat via the staff at Kalume Resort. We were specifically going to Morakot (The Emerald Cave) and wanted to go early in the morning before any other tourists arrived so we could enjoy the serenity all to ourselves. We were successful 😀

The cost of the transport

THB 1000 (A$33) which included an hour in the cave itself. We noticed somewhat smugly that the other tourists who came after us were there between 10 – 30 minutes maximum as they had arrived as part of a big tour group.

Highlight

Without doubt, entering the breathtakingly beautiful cave to the sounds of birds and insects singing and not another soul there. God was showing off when he created this place.

Lowlight

Can’t think of one!

Tip

I think this is obvious, but if you can get there early in the morning you may be rewarded with having the place all to yourself. The other is if you are claustrophobic the entrance into the tunnel to get to the cave is not very high. However, once you swim into the cave, even though it is dark the cave roof is high and with a torch you can spy the bats hanging from the rocks.

Koh Lanta – 9 to 23 April 2012

How we got there

We arranged a ride on a ferry boat from Koh Kradan via a tourist desk located out the front of Kradan Beach Resort. The ferry stopped at a few other spots along the way as it also served as a “Four Island Tour” for people wishing to do some snorkelling. We didn’t opt for this, but aside from not having a set of snorkels, I was able to jump off the boat and swim with the fishies and enjoy the sights. The water was so crystal clear that I soon ditched my swimming goggles (that kept filling up with water) as I could see all the coral and fish as if I was looking through glass anyway.

The cost of the transport

THB 550 (A $18) per person

Highlight

On our first full day on Koh Lanta we had a ball. Part of what made it so much fun was hiring some scooters so we could go up and down the coast and stop wherever we pleased. It is very cheap to hire a scooter (TBH 250/A$8) and the traffic is not too busy so you feel fairly safe getting onto the road with the locals. We enjoyed a very tasty meal at the Diamond Cliff Restaurant, which has wonderful views of the coast and what looks like a great area for cocktails to watch the sun go down. The Thai massage I had at the outdoor pavilion at Kantiang Bayview Resort was awesome and I had every intention of going back the next day before the accident changed our plans. And if you enjoy a good cover band then you can’t go past the Why Not bar at this resort.

Lowlight

Well the second full day was the polar opposite of our first. We got caught up in the fear and the panic of a tsunami evacuation on the island and I was hit by a motorbike and that put an end to all our plans for the following month and a half. However, if I was to pick a less dramatic lowlight I would say our room at Kantiang Bayview Resort. It had a rather unpleasant odour of urine/mould and we resorted to purchasing incense sticks to disguise the smell until we could exit stage left to a new location the next fateful day.

Accommodation

1.Kantiang Bayview Resort. We stayed in a rather run down bungalow with a fan and cold shower. The room had that rather unpleasant odour as I mentioned. I would not recommend staying here but the massage, food, bar and beach are all nice so it’s a bit of a shame. Cost THB 500 (A $17) per night.

2.Friendly Guesthouse. This place was next to the Blue Moon Cafe and we are not even sure if it was actually called “Friendly Guesthouse” or if that was the sign to let you know they were friendly! That aside, it was positioned on the northern end Klong Nin Beach. This beach has a lovely string of guesthouses and restaurants and the leafy street really has a wonderful appeal that drew us straight in. The Guesthouse rooms are very basic – a bed, a table and a light. It has a shared bathroom. But you cannot get more beachfront than this and the staff are friendly. Due to the tsunami evacuation and my accident the day we arrived I can’t say much more about the place except to say that if our circumstances had of been different I would have loved to have stayed there. Cost THB250 (A$8) per night.

3.Ban Kantiang See. This is a small group of palatial villas perched on a hill overlooking the bay of Kantiang. The view is magnificent and so are the villas! The villas all have two bedrooms, a huge deck area, wifi, flat screen TV and are self contained There is an infinity pool as well. We stayed here during the period when I was immediately recovering from the accident and I can’t think of a more perfect place to recoup. The cost was initially THB 4800 (A$160) per night but by the end of our stay they were charging us THB 4000 (A$130). In the low season (starts May 1st) it drops to THB $2800 (A$93) per night. This is a total bargain and split across two couples you would be congratulating yourself every morning for your decision to stay there! At night you might be lucky like we were to be treated to breathtaking sunsets of firey orange, pinks and mauves or perhaps watch the fireflys that meander through the villa. There are always a few cheeky monkeys wandering around as well.

4.Lanta Loft. Set back from the road about 10 minutes south from the wharf. The rooms are huge, have balconies, wifi and flat screen TV and are self contained. The décor has a modern minimalist feel about it. There is a small pool on the property as well. Cost THB 2300 (A$77) per night.

Best eating options

By far our favourite place was Alama a trendy joint newly opened in 2012 at Ao Kantiang. We got to dine at the restaurant once and upstairs they have low tables with cushions so you can recline, enjoy a wine or cocktail while you eat some seriously tasty meals. The upstairs area of the restaurant is open to the air and it adds to the atmosphere at night. I loved the tofu in gravy. This bland sounding dish was anything but! It was packed with flavour and lots of veges, mushrooms and prawns to boot. While I started my recovery at Ban Kantiang See Damien purchased the majority of our take away meals from there.

Tip

Most beaches on Koh Lanta are at least partly rocky at low tide which makes it not so great for swimming at that time.

Phuket – 23 April to 14 May 2012

How we go there

We arranged a ferry transfer that we organised from our accommodation at Lanta Loft. It is easy to arrange tickets elsewhere as well. We changed to a much bigger and much more packed ferry at Koh Phi Phi Don for the final leg to the wharf at Phuket.

The cost of the transport

THB $550 (A $18) per person. Transport to the wharves both ends cost extra.

Highlight

It may sound unfair to those who love Phuket but the highlight was definitely the day when the hospital gave us the OK to leave! Unfortunately for Phuket my impression of this island is tainted because we never intended on having to go there, and definitely didn’t want to spend three weeks there in total. You could easily forget you are even on an island as it is so large and it has become a tourist playground, and not always in a very flattering way. But it isn’t all bad and we did have some good times there and see some interesting sights. If I had to pick a single highlight I would say staying in Phuket Town. Phuket Town did not have the touristy feel that all the beachside areas did. There are some charming streets where the Sino-Portuguese architecture has been restored and you can easily while away a day in the various funky cafes and restaurants and end the night in a local bar sharing a drink with the locals. Here they let their hair down and you can pretend you are not the only falang in the joint!

Lowlight

Kamala Beach  gets our collective thumbs down. We hitched a local bus all the way up there from Phuket Town (It is a unique, if somewhat slow experience to save some dosh and do it the way the locals do) hoping to enjoy the surf but the beach was not at all appealing and to top it off the local taxi drivers charge a ridiculous amount of money to drive you the short distance to nearby (and much much prettier) Surin beach. Kamala just doesn’t have a nice feel about it. The streets are shabby and depressing and after experiencing Surin and Kata Noi beaches Kamala just can’t compete.

Accomodation

1. Villareal Heights: This property is located on a hill, set back from the beach and main tourist areas between Kata and Karon. You can walk to the beaches in 10-15 minutes. The rooms are very clean, spacious and have good bathrooms. What sets the place apart is the unbelievably friendly and personalised service of the owners. We only met Phil as his wife was on holidays when we were there but Phil went above and beyond to help us. He took us for an orientation drive around town when we first arrived, gave us a mobile phone (with credit already on it) to use, offered use of his moto for short trips and as we couldn’t use this he personally drove us to places in Kata we wanted to go to on a number of occasions. Cost THB 1650 (A$55) per night.

2. Sawaddi Patong Resort: This is a lovely little resort set back in a quieter part of town so that you can sleep at night when everyone else parties to the wee hours on Bangla Road. Possibly the nicest pool we have come across on our trip and very professional and accommodating staff to boot. Cost THB 1650 (A$55) per night.

3. 99 Oldtown Boutique Guesthouse: This done-up old Chinese shop house was very comfortable, clean and in a central part of Phuket Town – positioned on the mainstreet, Thalang Road. The only thing I didn’t rate so much was the coloured panels of glass along the top of the walls between the rooms. If you have neighbours, as we did, who come home very late and fall asleep (probably pissed) with the lights on you will not be a happy camper if you sleep lightly like moi.

Best eating options

In Kata, for beautiful Thai food, you can’t go past Kampung Hill. The prices are reasonable, the food is lovely and the service is great. The setting is a winner too with tasteful Thai and Chinese artwork inside and a pretty garden outside. You can nearly forget you are on the tourist strip. For really great cocktails and wine (with the expensive Thai price tag for wine) to enjoy the gorgeous views of Kata with, either The Boathouse or Mom Tri’s are fabulous. The cocktails made with Thai flavours are the standouts. Both establishments are very upmarket (particularly Mom Tri’s) and receive rave reviews on Trip Advisor for their food, but we felt for the expensive price tag they were little better than what you would eat in most good midrange priced places in Sydney. The other “must eat” venue is the Pad Thai shop located on Karon Hill. The shop actually doesn’t have a name on the awning outside but it is on the righthand side of the road as you head north towards Karon, just past the “Ping Pong Bar” (classy). In Phuket Town we enjoyed a couple of really good meals at Suay. It does mostly Thai dishes with a modern twist and some very fine western options as well. The standout dish for me was without doubt the mango sticky rice spring rolls, flamed mango and black sesame ice cream. The wine list is small but well chosen and not too badly priced for Thailand.  For great Thai food we loved Gotum. The yellow curry was the best I have ever eaten. In fact, every dish was excellent.

For my birthday we dined at the award winning, Acqua which is a refined and stylish Italian Restaurant on the water at Kalim Bay. It is a quick taxi ride from Patong but far enough out of the mayhem. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here and would have happily dined there a second time but it is a little on the expensive side so we stopped at once. They have an extensive wine list and we opted for an Argentinian wine which was lovely. The only thing that let the restaurant down was the cocktails. After enjoying some excellent cocktails elsewhere, Acqua definitely was weaker in comparison.

Tip

Don’t go to Phuket if you are after an “island” experience. This place is so huge that you really feel like you are on the mainland. Go if you love getting amongst it with the other tourists, partying, shopping and lying on beaches that are covered in deckchairs and umbrellas.

Koh Phi Phi – 11 May 2012

How we got there

We booked a speedboat tour from a tourist outlet in Phuket Town which included transfers to and from our hotel.

The cost of the transport

THB 1500 (A$50) per person. The price also included lunch and a snorkel for looking at the coral and fish.

Highlight

Phi Phi Leh (the smaller and uninhabited of the two Phi Phi islands) was what captured my imagination. Although Maya Bay was beautiful I was actually more blown away by the impossibly aqua blue waters of the lagoon. We vowed that if we come back to this part of the world we would ensure we hired a longtail so we could spend as long as we liked swimming in this water wonderland surrounded by gorgeous karst cliffs.

Lowlight

There was no real downers on this day trip. However, when we arrived at Maya Bay (of Leonardo Di Caprio, “The Beach” fame) so had everyone else. I think to fully appreciate it’s beauty we would need to do what we did for the Emerald Cave and arrive early in the morning before everyone else. We also noted that you can camp at Maya Bay overnight, which would ensure you would the first there – with the sunrise, no less. Bliss.

Tip

Go to Phi Phi in the low season to avoid massive crowds. There were still a lot of people when we went, so I’d hate to see it when the high season tourists descend.

Categories: Koh Libong, Thailand, travel | Leave a comment

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