Koh Lanta Gallery

I've added some Koh Lanta pictures to my picasa gallery.

Lanta Life Uncovered - bikes, beer and bar brawls

Playing a bit of a catch up due to slow expensive internet connections, here's a summary of Life On Lanta for the last week or so....

Alan, A geordie mate who stays in Merlbourne, flew over and met me the night after I met another mate from Aus, Rachel. We had been out for her birthday,and ended up at a thai club, so when Alan arrived, the same thing happened, even more alcohol fuelled by Alan's ability to order drinks not stop, at a pace that seemed like a round a minute for a while! Needless to say I've probably spent more in Thailand in the last month than the previous three put together..!

We all headed over to Koh Lanta, where I had been the week before. Although staying at a different beach, the lifestyle ended up the same - sleep, sunbathe, eat, drink, and a big chill out. Of course I had another 'last night' to attend as Alan only made a brief visit before heading to Indonesia to start a job.

The last night was pretty eventful. Having had our share of time on the beach, we flagged down two ladyboys on a moto and hitched a lift to a bar down the road which was having an opening night. The kind sods took two trips to take the three of us, and wouldn't take any cash for it. We overshot the pub, and after stopping they made a quick u-turn, which promptly threw Rachel off the bike...much to our amusement (we could laugh as we were only doing one mile and hour, and alcohol would've more than made up for any scratches received).

When we left we caught a minibus back, where we made some sarcastic 'complaints' about the cost of it back to our resort. Turns out some of the brit residents there have forgotten sarcasm, so when this was topped off with a drunken 'you're a wanker' motion (not by me!) tempers soared, and toys came out the pram, as someone started attempting to throw punches in my mate's direction. Luckily there was a friendly british driver, but when the Thai woman got involved, we were forced to walk after a pretend apology was made to calm down the situation. All in a night out we reckoned!!

After this, and Alan's departure, we made a trip back to Lanta Family Resort, and the Chocolate Bar for a party they had organised. I felt obliged to go as some of the crowd from the previous week were still there, and after all, I made the finishing touches to the flier momnets before catching the ferry last week. It was a cracker, but we left 'early' after the samsong buckets came out....if they kept flowing I'd have ended up staying there.

Back at Long Beach, we made friends with Sue, from The Joyful Bar - the local beach ladyboy, but super friendly, and really liked after he started to give us free drinks - Mai Tai's and whiskey's - as 'you drink a lot here' - each one getting stronger as the week went on. The drinking was pretty much sitting in their beach hut, feet in sand, and totally chilled.

Rachel and I managed to get several dives in last week while on Lanta, visiting two sites at Koh Ha, and two at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Unfortunately we only saw a few reef sharks, and none of the biggies that are often there, but many many fish, shrimps, octopus and plenty of the fish I don't think I had seen before.

Eventually we left Koh Lanta, me for the second time in two weeks, and headed back to Koh Phi Phi on the way to Phuket so we can join the liveaboard to the Similan Islands from the 18th to 22nd, which I'm really looking forward to. I wanted to do a few more dives around the area like King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and others, but I may get to do them when I hook up with another mate John who arrives in the area around 21st Jan.

After this I hope to book flights to go and see my sister in Manila for a week, before returning to Singapore for a mad night out with Matt, before very very sadly leaving Asia to head to Australia.

Lanta Life

I'm still alive in Koh Lanta. Heading to Koh Phi Phi on 16th then over to Phuket for a 4 day liveaboard starting on 18th. The internet is a bit problematic here sometimes - I need to walk around 50m to get it ;->
When I get round to it I'll tell tales of falling off motorbikes, bar brawls, booze, parties, and sleeping in. Don't worry mum, it's not as bad as it sounds.

I went diving to Hin Daeng and Hin Mueng (will need to check spelling!) yesterday which was great. There were problems with the speedboat so after two boat swaps, we finally left and got out there. Unfortunately the visibility wasn't as good as it often is. The first dive had quite strong currents, and the second was way more relaxed. I never saw any leopard sharks which I hoped for, but I did see several fish I hadn't seen before and a few small white tip reef sharks, many small shrimps etc. The boat trip back was made all the better for having a school of small dolphins following us for a while.

Annoyingly I can't seem to find any stockists of Ikelite housing that can get one to me in time for these dive trips and the liveaboard. Arg!

Hopefully I'll manage to get more stories and some pics online before I'm on the boat for a few days.

Back in Koh Lanta

I'll keep this one brief, but I'm back in Koh Lanta, and have just spent a few days with my mates Rachel, and another unexpected one Alan who had a cancelled job in Indonesia and decided to pop down to Krabi and Lanta with me. Needless to say I spent too much, and drank too much. Alan left from Lanta yesterday and I went diving at Koh Ta today. The horrible visa runs happens tomorrow and Friday we are scheduled to go to Hin Daeng diving, but the forecast is not looking too promising, with a few operators turning back today and yesterday due to the winds.

I'ev also reserved a place on a 4 day liveaboard to the Similan Islands NW of Phuket on 18th-22nd.

Anyway, things to do - more soon!

Sleep, swim, eat, sunbathe, tunes, drink...

The visa run didn't happen today as for once, the bus was full...probably of people who have just sobered up after new year and realised their time is due...

So life on Koh Lanta? The title above about sums up our life at Lanta Family Resort for the last week. Get up...sometime, go for a swim if the tide is in (it's too far to walk the 100 metres along the beach if the tide is out...), have breakfast (or more likely lunch by that time), grab a bit of beach real estate (there's hardly anyone on it - not a problem), and fall asleep listening to tunes.

If you are feeling really energetic you may read a book, or get up and order another banana shake. If your brain is really working on overtime, a day may also involve a 25 metre walk to the internet cafe on the beach. If the tide's still in, heck, go for it - another wee swim.

Anytime from 3pm onwards (sometimes earlier, sometimes later....usually sunset for me) on the Lanta clock it's beer o'clock. Sometimes there's enough time for a pre-dinner snack, but if you are really energetic (or need a kick) then you may sneak in a shower between beers. Usually I'll try to put a bit of exercise in and walk to the shop along the driveway and across the road to get cheaper bottles of water.

I've got too settled in this environment, but I'm loving it. I don't know how I'll handle the 'metropolis' of Krabi and Ao Nang tomorrow, but hey I'll be back here in a few days.

Last night it was the second birthday of the week so we excelled ourselves and walked 150m up the road to 'Take A Seat' for a Scottish guys birthday. He had arranged a buffet with an owner he met here a few years ago, and it was most of his group's last night. I was convinced I'd have a few beers then go back for an early kip.

Little did I realise that later on I'd be playing the bongos at the bar and be the catalyst in getting the whole crowd up on 'stage' dancing like complete loonies to some corny dance tunes. The stage was one of the several beachside raised platforms at the 'resort'. I crashed at 3am after we had a little fireshow on the beach, some firecrackers for the birthday, several beers, a cocktail and the inevitable buckets of Samsong. It was a great evening though - around ten of us sitting on a mat at a table on the beach with our tunes on in the background (the night before I was playing a specially compiled playlist through the speakers from my MP3 player :-)))))))) ). Eventually I crashed taking home someone else's sandals (they took mine by mistake) and after convincing one of the guys it wasn't a good idea to take his hired moto into town to find a party and kebab.

I got woken up this morning around 11am hearing voices outside the bungalow....

"I bet he can't even remember I took his sandals when he wakes up"
"Thanks very much guys, have a good flight home today".....then I decided I should get up as I could fall asleep on the beach instead.


Gotta go, the sun is going down so I better get off this beach hut and go and post this....

Biking around Koh Lanta

I managed to move a bit further than the 20 metres to the beach today. I got a scooter with one of the other guys in the accommodation and biked around the southern end of Koh Lanta. We also spent an hour in a kayak just to pretend we did something a bit energetic.

AND - the bike never broke down OR ran out of petrol (like the last times)!

Tonight we're heading along the road to eat elsewhere for a change. Someone we invited to join our group the other night is having a bit of a birthday meal, so we're off to show out faces. A lot of the group here left to Koh Samui today, and tomorrow I'm off (very briefly!) to spend 30 minutes in Malaysia to do a visa renewal run, before heading back to Ao Nang in Krabi to meet Rachel the day after. It's a bit mad going back there for two days before heading back to Koh Lanta but it's a birthday....

I hope they're up for diving etc as I've put all that off until they arrive. I also need to make a few phone calls about liveaboards if I'm going to head to the Similan Islands...but that's an expensive treat!

Stuck in Koh Lanta

Well, I wouldn't quite call it stuck. I cashed in my ticket to Koh Lipe today (albeit a bit reluctantly, but wise due to the time available) and am staying here until I go back to Ao nang / Krabi on 6th. I'll do a visa run over the next few days. Due to having a sore neck today for no apparent reason, the most I've done is walk to breakfast, walk to the massage place, lie on the beach, then go for a half hour walk just now.

Also looks like I can't get hold of an underwater housing in time for most of my diving, but will likely order it anyway. Arg!

Koh Lanta - staying

Well the guys at the Lanta Family Resort perked me up a bit. After picking me up at the peir, after dinner I went back to the bungalow's restaurant and was told to join him and the other guests for a beer, and stayed a few hours, despite thinking I wouldn't be out past around 10, given the night before. A sound bunch of folk, some of whom had came here for a few days and stayed here 1.5-3 weeks!

Unfortunately, as warned last night, we went to the pier today to find out the boat to Koh Lipe wasn't running today as it's every alternate day. Due to only having a few days there I may just skip the expensive boat trip and hang around on Koh Lanta a few days before my visa run, and heading back to Krabi.

In saying that, it's quite windy tonight so I hope a storm doesn't pass through!
I have a new Thai mobile number, so email me if you want it to call me and have a chat (go on, you know you want to!)

New Years Day

I've calmed down a wee bit after realising that there's nought I can do about my phone. I've had it on my 'list' to back up all my numbers for ages but never got round to doing it, so everyone please email me your home and mobile numbers!!!! It's really frustrating loosing a phone at the best of times, but at New Year's when you are abroad its much worse as its the one contact I had to be able to say Happy New Years to everyone.

So I had a bit of a hangover this morning, but it should probably be a lot worse! I lost my phone when stumbling around trying to find my mate's accommodation, knowing I had walked past the strip several times. I took a wee nap after texting him, and couldn't find my phone when I woke up, or on the strip I had been walking along.

So, quite rightly I'm on a bit of a low today, which isn't a good start to the New Year, but hey it can only get better eh! I now know why I haven't had many huge sessions on the booze though as it just kills the next day. I slept all the way on the ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lanta today.

It is so different on Koh Lanta. I accepted the first offer of accommodation on the pier and am in a basic bungalow 50m from the beach. It's so much more laid back here though as I didn't really like Koh Phi Phi - way too many people and way too touristy - hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants crammed together in a very small area.

I don't think this is the best time to travel in Thailand if you are backpacking. I guess I've been spoiled in the previous countries where everything is really cheap, and it's very easy to find accommodation. Prices here are hiked up to maybe three or four times low season rates and you could spend ages looking for accommodation.

Today is probably the first time I've been on a travel low, but that's just a combination of hangover and my phone loss!

I'm only here for the night as I am taking a three hour speedboat to Koh Lipe from Koh Lanta (1600 Baht!! 26 UKP!). I'm not sure if this is a wise choice as I'm sure it's going to be very expensive there. You can also now get direct boats from Koh Lanta to Langkawi in Malaysia as well which is an interesting one.

Anyway, I'm off to brighten up and drink a shit load of water!