Mu Ko Phi Phi (Phi Phi Islands)

Regarded by travelers from all walks of life as being among the most beautiful tropical islands of the world, Phi Phi Islands have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. In addition, the islands are famous as the location where the movie "The Beach" featuring Leonardo Di Caprio was shot. The islands, together with the nearby NoppharatThara Beach, a total area of 390 square kilometers, were recently established as a national park.
Phi Phi Islands are located just 40 kilometers away from both Krabi and Phuket. Thus, despite the fact that both Noppharat Thara Beach and Phi Phi administratively are a part of Krabi Province, most tourists think that Ko Phi Phi is part of Phuket Province.
The islands and the coastal hills are composed mainly of limestone and are an extension of the limestone mountain range in Phang-Nga Province. The main characteristics of these mountains and islands are their steep cliffs, large caves and dwarf trees growing out of the rock crevices, like those in Phang-Nga Bay.Interesting Attractions of Mu Ko Phi Phi:
The island group is composed of two rocky, tree-covered islets Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le. Ko Phi Phi Don - covers an area of 28 square kilometres. Outstanding attractions are the twin bays with curving white sandy beaches of Ao Ton Sai and Ao Lo Da Lam. Ko Phi Phi Pier, accommodation, and restaurants are situated at Ao Ton Sai. Visitors can walk from this bay uphill to the scenic spot where the visibility of the twin bays is generally excellent. Beside Ao Ton Sai, there are also other attractive beaches and bays around the island. A number of accommodation is available at Hat Laem Hin, Hat Yao, and Ao Lo Bakao. At the northern end of the island is Laem Tong, renowned for its underwater natural beauty with lodging available. A huddle of fisherman’s huts (15 – 20 families) is located here. Most of them have previously migrated from Ko Li Pe of Tarutao National Park, Satun province. A day trip by boat or snorkelling spectacular coral shallows around. Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le is recommended.

Ko Phi Phi Le- Covering an area of only 6.6 square kilometres, this islet is surrounded by limestone mountains and sheer cliffs plunging hundreds of metres to the sea. The sea is 20 metres deep and the deepest point in the south of the island is around 34 metres. Ko Phi Phi Le offers superb scenic bays such as Ao Pi Le, Ao Maya, and Ao Lo Sa Ma. In the northeast of the island is a large cave called Tham Viking. The cave was renamed Tham Phaya Nak or Naga Serpent Cave by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej because of a stone resembling the mythical creature, which His Majesty saw when he paid a visit here in 1972. The cave is considered sacred to locals who come here to collect swallow nests. Inside the eastern and southern parts of the cave are ancient rock paintings of elephants and various types of boats, including a European sailboat, an Arabian sailboat, a sampan, a Chinese junk, a waterwheel sailing boat, and a steamboat. It is believed the paintings were the works of sea merchants or pirates because the study of west-to-east ship routes indicates that this area may have been a stopover for boats seeking shelter from storms, transferring cargo or making repairs.

Ao Maya and Ao Lo Sama - Phi Phi Islands scenic coves are favorite snorkeling places while the sea around the islands, especially the southern part, which are deep and full of coral formations are popular diving spots. With its emerald crystal sea, secluded beaches, mountain cliffs, colorful coral reefs and undersea life, Phi Phi is a paradise in the Andaman Sea. The best time to visit Phi Phi Islands is from November to April, when the sea is calm.

Ko Yung- An island to the north of Ko Phi Phi Don, has a stone beach on the east and small sandy beaches amid valleys. In addition, the island is teeming with diverse colorful coral reefs.

Ko Phai, another island to the north of Ko Phi Phi Don and not far from Ko Yung, has spectacular beaches in the north and east of the island. The bank of coral reefs comprised mainly of antler corals stretches from the north to the south of the island.

Ko Mai Phai - Ko Mai Phai is north of Ko Phi Phi Don and not far from Ko Yung. Marvellous beaches are in the north and east of the island. The bank of coral reefs with staghorn corals, in particular, stretches from north to south of the island.

How to Get to Ko Phi Phi
It is accessible from both Krabi and Phuket. From Krabi, take the Song Thaeo service (12 baht) from the provincial town of Krabi to Pak Khlong Chilat Pier. From there, ferries depart for Ko Phi Phi twice daily at 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. On return, the ferries leave Ko Phi Phi at 9.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. The 2-hour trip costs 350 baht per person. For further details, contact Phi Phi family Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7561 2463. Chao Ko Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7563 1823. Andaman Wave Master Co., Ltd., offers a ferry service from Pak Khlong Chilat Pier twice daily at 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. (200 baht). For further details, contact A D V Co., Ltd., on Khao San Road, Tel. 0 2281 1463 - 5 or Andaman Wave Master Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7563 0471. Alternatively, a one-day trip on a speedboat is available at Ao Nang. Departure time is 9.00 a.m. On return, it reaches Ao Nang at 5.00 p.m. Contact Ao Nang Travel and Tour Co., Ltd. for more information, Tel. 0 7563 7152 - 3. The trip costs 1,200 baht per person with lunch included.
Remarks: Boat fares are subject to change without notice.
Visitors travelling from Phuket can contact tour operators in Phuket’s provincial city for a one-day trip to Ko Phi Phi (boat fares are subject to change without notice, please contact tour operators directly for more details.)
On arrival to Ao Ton Sai in Ko Phi Phi Don, trips to the surrounding islands can be made in a long-tail boat.

DIVING THE ANDAMAN

Encounters with whale sharks are not uncommon in the northern Andaman Sea. Photo/www.scubajam.com


Magic off the Mergui islesBy JIWAMOL KANOKSILP THE NATIONDivers exploring Burma's largely uncharted waters are left as gapemouthed as the mammoth whale sharks they encounter
There is indeed peace to be found in troubled Burma, and it's yours for the plucking in an undersea garden. In the waters around the Mergui Archipelago in the country's far south, you're far from Rangoon's political agonies and deep beneath the appalling tide of drug cartels and human trafficking. With an air tank and fins, you can explore serene, aweinspiring beauty among the vividly wafting sea fans. The surface conditions can be rough and the currents strong, so scuba diving in Burmese waters requires a spirit of adventure, and beginners ought to have someone keeping a close watch on them. Burma offers neither great historical wrecks to sift through nor extracurricular nondiving activities - one of the
reasons that few Thai dive shops offer Burma excursions - but count on thrilling encounters with plentiful sharks and rays. Our expectations were high when we discovered that one of our dive sites would be the celebrated Burma Banks, where we'd heard about divers feeding small fish to sharks up to three metres in length. Imagine lots of sharks - grey reefs, silver tips, white tips and even nurse sharks - enjoying a frenzied lunch right before your eyes! A few years ago, though, the government banned shark feeding to prevent people from altering their natural behaviour. Still, we reckoned there must be lots of things to see, and we were right. Our first day began at High Rock, where the underwater conditions weren't so rough, making it perfect for a check dive. There were schools of fish in the 28degree water, though the visibility wasn't great. At Bualoy Rock we started to experience strong currents. There were fewer schooling fish than we expected, and still no sign of sharks, but more lionfish and stonefish than we'd seen off the Similan Islands or Koh Tao. "The low numbers of schooling fish might be the result of fishermen using explosives and dragging seine nets," explained Chanin Yodkaew, an experienced diving instructor from the Scuba Jamboree shop. There were no sharks at Shark Cave either, but we really enjoyed swimming through the short gap. The swift and strong current pushes you in and out, but at a predictable rhythm, so you just wait for the next wave to carry you a few metres more. The cave is so small you can't stand up, so you need good buoyancy to keep away from the rock surface and the poisonous stonefish and sea urchins. On the second day we explored the Twin Pinnacles, North and South, where the rocks are covered by a vast, lovely carpet of soft coral. I've never seen such colour at any of Thailand's famous diving sites. The rock formations are as big as those we've seen at Richelieu in Thailand, but more beautiful and abundant. Perhaps the only place comparable is the small Hin OneRoll Film dive site off the fifth of the Similan islands. The exciting Burma Banks came on the third day, evidently a fantastic place to see wildlife in its natural habitat. You need patience - we waited the whole day, and only saw one large, sleepy shark and a small nurse shark. There were complaints, but I didn't feel disappointed because among the small rock formations on the site's broad plain are gorgeous gatherings of soft coral, sea fans and colourful fish, just like in an aquarium. Our real highlight came on the fourth day, when we visited Sea Fan Forest and encountered a big whale shark. We fought the current to grab lots of photos of the huge fish loitering in the depths with its jaws gaping wide open for plankton. At Western Rocky you get the real experience of cave diving. The cave is about 30 metres long, and on one side is a large archway where you can swim in and out, a window through which the sunlight streams. The light illuminated the most beautiful scenes among the swiftly turning current, lobsters and barracudas appearing frequently as we took the opportunity to do some wall diving. The rush of the tide was all but forgotten as we lost ourselves in the wonders of a uniquely different world.Don't forget the passportThe Mergui Archipelago has more than 800 small islands, with some areas open for scuba diving, and much of it not yet thoroughly explored. Dive sites such as Burma Banks ensure a big dose of adrenaline and shark encounters. Silvertip and nurse sharks are those most commonly seen. North and South Pinnacle promise colourful carpets of sea fans. Go between October and May, with prime time from December to April and manta rays and whale sharks more common from February to May. Liveaboard cruises can be booked in Phuket and Ranong. From Phuket you might need 10 days travelling north with visits to some of the Similan dive sites. From Ranong the trip can be squeezed into six days - two days travelling and four diving. A sixday diving trip will cost around Bt30,000, with fullboard service. You'll need your passport when you enter and leave Burmese waters.

Horizons in Phetchaburi

By Manote TripathiThe Nation

Just 30 minutes north of Hua Hin, the beaches are empty of people but full of local character
Most weekend road warriors tend to avoid the provincial capital of Phetchaburi, sticking to the main north-south highway that grazes the town and sighing with relief as road-hogging buses turn off for a short stopover en route from Bangkok to Hua Hin or other destinations further afield.
Phetchaburi is not even considered a worthy weekend destination, especially as Hua Hin is only another 60 kilometres further down the highway. In many ways, that's a shame, as this town and its environs have many attractions and the lack of tourists gives it a wonderfully unhurried feel.
Just 123 kilometres from Bangkok, Phetchaburi has managed to retain both bucolic charm and royal grandeur. For variety and distinctiveness, it's hard to beat, from royal palaces and quiet beaches to a cluster of sleepy fishing villages and home-cooked seafood. For those who have had enough of mega-resorts, it's an ideal destination for a peaceful weekend retreat.
In fact, the provincial capital served as a mellow haven not just for the Thai elite; members of Siamese royalty were regulars here long before Hua Hin came onto the scene.
Chao Samran beach, a 10-minute drive from the town centre, and the first stretch of sand you see when travelling from Bangkok to southern Thailand, remains relatively empty most weekends. Well-shaded by the tall pine trees that line the beach, it has everything that Hua Hin boasted a century ago. Forget beach parties or music festivals. Here, beachcombers relax under the trees. At low tide, the beach is as big as a football pitch and early in the morning, locals dig for hoi siab (a type of clam) that they'll later pickle with garlic.
Fishermen haul their catches right on to the shore, landing tons of small shrimps, the raw material for making kapi, or shrimp paste.
It's a scene that hasn't changed much since 500 years ago, when King Naresuan of Ayutthaya vacationed here with his future successor King Ekathotsarot. The two kings were said to be so taken with the beach that it was named Chao Samran, meaning "Happy Kings", or "Had Chao", as it's called locally.
King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) liked it so much he had a palace built near the beach in 1918. The environs were later deemed unhealthy, so the royal residence was relocated to a drier and cooler site a few kilometres down the coast at Huai Sai Nua in Cha-am district and renamed Marukhathaiyawan Palace.
Visitors to Chao Samram can find accommodation at the inexpensive bungalows that dot both sides on the road running along the beach, or in Ban Laem, which is home to a cluster of high-end resorts.
You need to rise early to savour the local seafood, which is available at stalls in front of the bungalows and at the market near the only temple in the area. The grilled fresh shrimp and squid are top draws at the market.
For a full-scale inexpensive seafood meal, check out Auntie Chaliew's near the PTT gas station on 4018, the road that runs from Chao Samran Beach to Cha-Am.
A 15-minute drive will take you to Marukhathaiyawan Palace, a visual treat that shouldn't be missed. Also known as "the palace of love and hope", the residence boasts three clusters of elevated buildings: the front court, the royal suite and the inner court.
Designed by the Italian architect Ercole Manfredi and fusing Thai and European styles, all the buildings in the royal compound comprise a single storey built of golden teak and perch elegantly on a total of 1,080 concrete pillars. They are joined by covered wooden corridors, and the high ceilings and fretwork walls ensure ventilation from the sea breezes.
Although few people lived nearby, not too far from the palace is the residence of the king's aide, Chaophraya Ramrakop, the design and location of which is well worth seeing, with even the lavatory offering a sea view. The park nearby is a good spot for cycling in the late afternoon.
Next time you have a free week, visit a bygone age with a trip to Phetchaburi.
getting there
Phetchaburi is less than two hours by car from Bangkok. From Bangkok, take the southbound expressway to Dao Kanong, exit at Phraram Song (Rama II) Road and connect with Highway 4 leading to Phetchaburi and southern provinces.
From Phetchaburi, follow road 3177 to Chao Samran Beach. Road 4018 leads from Chao Samran to other beaches in the province as well as to Auntie Chaliew's seafood restaurant.
To get to Marukhathaiyawan Palace from Chao Samran, take any road that connects with Highway 4. The Palace is on the Phra Ram Hok (Rama VI) military base.