Guess Where?
I’m just back from what I think is my island paradise—and I know a fair bit about these islands. Obscure without being isolated, quiet without being dead, nice enough size, and a great vibe many of the developed islands lost a long time ago. I think I’m going to keep going back here for as long as possible until it goes the way of Koh Phi Phi and Phuket.
Did I also mention how one can hypothetically get here for about S$60?
2008
29
Jan
- Posted by popagandhi at 02:06 pm
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no doubt it is some “undiscovered paradise” island off the coast of Southern Thailand. Koh Lanta?
how do you “hypothetically” go there for S$60? that makes it one heck of an alluring weekend getaway :D
$60! you have got to tell me where….
You >have
doh.
You have to tell. I’d die for one such S$60 getaway. Email me ;)
Is it Koh Chang or one of the islands off the bottom of Koh Chang?? It looks beautiful anyway!!
Hmm, the location….good thing I follow you on Twitter ;)
@Tony you’re right.. but go even further southwards :)
@russell koh chang is beautiful (it was my first thai island, and i still love it to bits), but that’s way too far north near cambodia already :)
this one is across the sea from langkawi, in koh lipe, part of the tarutao group of islands (where survivor: thailand was filmed). there’s a direct boat from langkawi (easiest way to get there, but costlier than the alternatives), and also boats from pakbara pier in satun (easily accessible from hat yai).
hypothetical way to get there for S$60, which i’ll test out soon enough (i got there in slightly more.. luxury this time): cross border by public transport from singapore-johor bahru, $1. get on a bus to kl from larkin terminal in JB, RM 30. hop onto the daily langkawi express at sentral kuala lumpur, RM 55, all the way to hat yai. once at hat yai either pay a travel agent outside the train station for an all-inclusive bus/boat ticket to koh lipe, OR get on the minibus to pakbara yourself (150 baht), and buy a ticket at the pier for 650 baht. i usually do my ‘hi i’m a nice thai-looking girl who speaks some thai’ thing, and score half price off my boat tickets ;) there’s a chance you might not catch the boat from pak bara in time as the last boat to lipe is at 1330h, but hey this was always a journey meant for people who love the road and have plenty of time.
alternate routes involve flying to krabi from singapore/kuala lumpur, and bus-sing down southwards for about 3-4 hours or so (not entirely sure); OR. coming from bangkok, taking the overnight train/bus from hualampong train station/southern bus terminal towards trang. from trang it’s just another 2 hours to pakbara pier. there are domestic thai budget airlines that do bangkok-trang or bangkok-hat yai in under an hour, too, for pretty cheap. trang would be a better bet, if you’re coming from the north.
coming from singapore getting yourself to langkawi or hat yai, in whatever way at all, is the key to getting to this little slice of paradise. or do it the long winded way and have an extended island hopping holiday: fly in to phuket, boat phuket-koh lanta, spend a few days on koh lanta (which i love as well), then boat koh lanta-koh lipe. :) the possibilities are endless, but i prefer my S$60 overland train journey best.
Ok, I’ve got a stupid qn to ask.. would it be safe for a lone female traveller to make it there and back in 1 piece? Cos you know, it’s tiring to find travel companion etc and some no like sun, some no like beach etc etc.. so..
A friend beside me is yelling Pattaya Beach! ;)
@miss loi hey your friend is VERY close. except that.. this isn’t technically pattaya beach, nor is it technically koh lipe. i hired a boat for a day from koh lipe and we went out around—and i actually have no idea which beach or island this was. it was one of the small ones en route to Koh Rawi from Koh Lipe, on a tiny patch of sand only accessible by boat—our boatman thought it was a swell picnic spot, and i agree. i don’t even know the name of this island. it could be koh butang or koh ngin (i don’t know how to spell this!). but all the islands in this group (Adang, Tarutao, Lipe, Bulon Leh) all look like this, possibly even better.
@jill yes of course! i do believe all of thailand (and southeast asia) is more than safe for a lone female traveller :) you’ll definitely meet a lot of people along there way, some lone female travellers too.
Just wondering.. since it’s so beautiful, maybe you’d like to consider going back there again like really soon?
And I think I’m pretty good a traveller to have with too.. heh. Been thinking about the laid back beaches and the getaway..
Air India Express. Wei she meh cheap cheap now!
smacks hand from getting credit card
if i’m not mistaken, u can get direct buses jb – hadyai but it’s around 13 or so hour journey . i think the cost is in the range of RM 70 i’m not sure though. Look out for them at Merlin Tower Jb.
is it advisable to get to teh tarutao islands in june? I read fomr some website that it will be the monsoon season…