WEEK 16: 22 May – 28 May –Phi Phi Don to Singa Besar, Langkawi

DAY 106 Saturday 22 May –Phi Phi Don to Ko Ngai
07°24.561N 99°12.927E
Departed Phi Phi Don at 8.15 in the rain. Noticed Whitby Lass nearby so motored over to say hullo. They were just heading up to Thailand. We had a little bit of wind at first and then of course on the nose! The swell was 1 – 1 ½ metres and we had forgotten what those conditions are like and we reflected on how lucky we all were with the weather when Debbie and Phil were here. It was overcast all day and because of the swell Koh Lanta wasn’t an option so kept going. Ko Muk would not have been any good either – that’s where we went for the Emerald Cave with Debbie and Phil so we pulled around behind Koh Ngai and anchored quite a distance from the beach in 11m. It is a beautiful beach with a few discrete resorts and lots of palm trees – very pretty and more importantly – no swell! Still a bit overcast but a lovely evening. Watched a longtail put out a net which went for at least a mile. Quiet evening watching the lights on the shore.
Miles: 34 Total: 6,765

DAY 107 – Sunday 23 May – Koh Ngai
Woke to a beautiful day so decided to stay. Went to shore and went on a long walk along the beach and Peter cleaned the barnacles off Zed. There are a few resorts along the beach. The two furtherst ones were closed and under repair. One good looking one looked as though it just had caretakers and the pool was green. Three of the resorts were open. We went for a swim – the sand was really white and it was a gorgeous spot. Watched the lights again in the evening. We decided the view was better from the boat than it would be from the shore. Another lovely calm night.

DAY 108 – Monday 24 May – Koh Ngai – Tarutao
06°42.520N 99°40.156E
Left at 7am for a very long day of motoring. It was very hot – the sea just a touch swelly but otherwise a lovely day. Peter read and did watch and Dell did logistics puzzles (a little bit hooked!). We came into an anchorage that Peter had chosen at 5.15 at the northern end of Tarutao. There were a lot of small fishing boats on the shore and a big cave where they stored their gear and crabpots. A really lovely calm spot.
Miles: 51 Total: 6,816

DAY 109 – Tuesday 25 May - Tarutao to Ko Lippe
06°29.634N 99°17.743E
We left at 8.15 and grabbed a large buoy off Koh Lippe in the Butangs at 2.20. It was a beautiful day and we could see the beautiful aqua water over the lovely white sand. We went up the channel and I phoned Margaret to see where the little bar they visited was then Henry off the other boat came by and invited us into the bar but we were quite comfortable and stayed on the boat. He told us we had to follow a channel through the reef to get in but as it was getting late we elected not to go. It got quite windy through the night.
Miles: 31 Total: 6,796

DAY 110 – Wednesday 26 May – Ko Lippe
There was a huge swell coming through and it was windy so we couldn’t get off the boat. Thought of leaving but haven’t visited the bar yet!!

DAY 111 – Thursday 27 May – Ko Lippe
Went for a snorkel at 10.30 – the coral was quite good – beautiful yellow and blue hard coral. We snorkelled to the beach and went ashore. There were a lot of people there and it was a bit embarrassing but then a lovely young lady named Emily came down and welcomed us and got us a plate and told us to help ourselves to food. Emily is American and her partner Tom is Thai and they had built four cabins and a bar and were having an end of season party to celebrate their first season of being open. We had green curry and noodles and barbequed wild boar. Emily’s friend Fawny (American) and another American backpacker named Bjorn were there and all the rest were Thais. We left after a couple of hours and had another snorkel though visibility wasn’t great. At 4.30 we went back in and Henry did too and had another free meal. Sat and talked to Emily and the lovely Thai ladies who were related to Tom and had come over from the mainland to prepare the food. Had a lovely evening, then back to the boat.

DAY 112 – Friday – 28 May – Ko Lippe to Singa Besar, Langkawi
06°13.725N 99°44.743E
Went to shore at 9am as we were supposed to meet Henry but he was late so we went for a walk around the island. The vegetation reminded us of New Guinea. Then we came to the walking road which is where all the little tourist shops, restaurants and resorts are – laid back resorts, not flash. It seems to be pretty much closed down for the low season but we would like to come back in the high season. We think it would be a lot of fun and a pretty swinging place! Got back and said farewell to Emily and Fawny and headed off at 10.30. We had been hoping to catch up with Cilantro and Kristie but wouldn’t have made it in time so headed towards Kuah. Motored all the way. The sea was swelly and we pulled in behind an island about 2 hours short of Kuah. It was a lovely spot.
Miles: 32 Total: 6,828


Love and Cheers

Dell and Peter