Day 9, Wednesday 30 October 2013 - Koh Lipe

Pakbara Pier..... Yesterday I inquired about the ferry to Koh Lipe. The going rate for the speedboat is 1200 baht for the round trip. Not only that, I need to get to Pakbara Pier which is an hour up the coast from Satun. This could work out to be expensive. I've not done much research and need more information especially regarding the cost of accommodation on Lipe. Then I get a break. A lady working in a restaurant near the hotel is going to Lipe tomorrow for work. She explains that she pays only 800 baht. Was I interested in going? I find out that accommodation on the island is cheap; I just need to get there. The return trip can be made any time. I have just two more nights allocated to Satun Province. It should be OK as I need only food and accommodation. Following a phone call, perhaps it is no surprise to learn that the fare for me will be more, but 900 baht is still less than the 1,200 baht general rate. In addition, I will use local transport to Pakbara. I'm advised to wait in the lobby from 9.30 am. Waking at 7.30 am I have plenty of time to pack, pop out to the morning market and buy something for the journey. I'm still on the internet when I'm told a minivan has arrived. I need to get my skates on. The minivan heads north collecting passengers then terminates at the market in Langun. I'm directed to a songtheaw bypassing the motorbike taxi drivers; then it's a short trip to the pier as I follow the lady I spoke to yesterday. I've paid only 60 baht.
Delayed..... It's now 11.30 am. There will be a wait but then comes the news that the speedboat is not arriving here till mid-afternoon. It's not ideal, but I've no choice but to wait at the pier. I hope it's worth it! At least there are shops here: I won't be stuck for lunch. At the pier is the Taratao National Park Headquarters. I soon find out that the whole archipelago falls within its jurisdiction with one notable exception. Koh Lipe is set aside for development and tourism and doesn't attract the park entry fee of 200 baht. Basically, that means if I wish to travel to any of the other islands from Lipe, I won't be exempt from the fee. I get out my netbook and continue with my blog. There is little activity till about 2 pm when at last I receive my ticket. There is curiously, a 20 baht entry fee to the waiting rooms on the pier itself, but toilets are free and the building modern with ample seating. A few people gradually trickle in, but there's no sign of the boat, but I'm told it's arriving soon. I'm not aware of anything till I see passengers heading away from the jetty with their luggage. The pier is located at the mouth of the Pakbara River leading out to the archipelago of islands and the open sea. More precisely, these waters are known as the Malacca Straits.
Yamaha power..... With increased activity, I head out onto the pier itself where the boat is unloading. It's surprisingly small, not appearing above the level of the jetty giving it a phantom appearance. A flight of concrete steps leads down to water level. The passengers number around 30 and there will be room to spare in the cabin which unlike the larger boats on Langkawi has a canvas roof and offers views directly to the side and rear. There are also a few seats forward in front of the cabin for the more adventurous. It's taken time, but the luggage is finally loaded onto the boat. The time is slipping past 3 pm. It seems that the departure is at 3.30 pm as passengers wait patiently, but then black clouds appear with several claps of thunder. It has been raining, but this has since stopped and despite the rumbling, remains that way. Finally, the passengers are helped aboard. The crew work on their chores, urgency not an issue; the feeling not at all like the Langkawi ferry service. Then finally, everyone seems happy especially the young driver who has been clambering around the boat making preparations. The engines start and the boat chugs out into the estuary and maneuvers into position. Only then do the powerful twin Yamaha four-stroke engines throttle up causing the nose of the boat to rise. No mistake, this is a speedboat.
It heads out past the inner ring of islands and into the Straits on its 67-kilometre journey to Koh Lipe way out on the outer reaches of the archipelago. To the left is Koh Taratao, easily the largest island in the park, then further across is Langkawi Island. Yes, it’s not so far away.
Still there's much more of an open sea effect here till the outer ring comes into view. Back at the jetty I studied the map of Lipe and appear to have asked a stupid question. I wanted to know where the jetty was. Cumon! This is a tropical island in paradise in the middle of nowhere. There's no such thing as a jetty. I prepare to get my feet wet as the boat powers down and maneuvers into position, inching its way over the coral beds tail first towards the sandy beach. The boat is secured with beach anchors and passengers drop over the tail at the shoreline. It's now a case of manhandling the luggage. I've never collected luggage nearly knee-deep in water before. What happens next is rather chaotic.
Wapi Resort..... By not booking accommodation, I've not helped myself. Despite being told in Satun that accommodation is cheap and readily available here, it just isn't! Logic dictates that everything will be expensive hence my concerns. I trudge around for a while making enquiries. The days of beach huts with mosquito nets are fast disappearing. They are replaced by new structures with all mod-cons. En-suite electric shower, satellite TV, air conditioning, fridge and internet. That's what I'm offered at Wapi Resort after a motorbike and side-car, the only passenger transport on the island delivers me there, but it comes with a price tag of 1000 baht/night. I check in for two nights calculating that tomorrow I'll just absorb this magical location and consume little. At dusk, I wander out for a meal. There's enough choice on this tourist dominated island, but inevitably it's far more expensive than on the mainland. I'm certainly not ordering a beer with my meal; I have scotch whiskey in my room. There's one final thing to do: Fall asleep in paradise!
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