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Fun act top articleAndaman Camp TripStory & Photos : Paul Stretton
That was a long time ago however, and now I had no small boys to bark orders to, more’s the pity. Thankfully I did have the expert guidance of Elizabeth and Sun, the couple responsible for me being here on this beautiful deserted tropical island, looking at my plastic and zips combo. They offer one of the most unique experiences you could possible get during your time the Krabi area, and I was lucky enough to be joining them on their latest trip. That morning we had set out from their house in Klong Haeng to collect 2 of their customers that had booked their private experience through their website, choosing to leave the organizing up to Elizabeth and Sun. We were off to the beautiful Hong Island Archipelago to explore for the day and we were in absolutely no hurry as we were going to do what no other tourist could - to camp on the island overnight and return in the morning. We set off just before 10 am on their traditional longtail boat. Everyone was in good spirits and the weather was beautiful - clear blue skies and hot sunshine. There were even giggles of approval from Noah, Elizabeth and Sun’s little 15 month old son who is fast becoming the youngest boatman in Ao Nang after accompanying them on all of their trips since he was born! 50 minutes later, the longtail gently came to a stop against a beautiful beach and we jumped onto the powder white sand of Hong Island bay. We were given masks and snorkels and off we went to explore the crystal clear waters of the bay. Hundreds of tiny fish swam up to meet us as we waded into the water and squeals of delighted children (and I’m sure, a few adults!) could be heard echoing off the spectacular surrounding limestone cliffs. After a few moments, Sun served a mouthwatering plate of freshly sliced, ice-cold watermelon and pineapple to eat as they sat in the warm, shallow waters, taking in the view. After an hour or so, Sun skillfully reversed the boat out of the bay just as more tourists were arriving; we had timed our visit well. We chugged away from the island for 10 minutes and soon arrived at our second destination, Pakbia Island. Some more snorkeling and exploring here had our appetites whetted and soon we were called for lunch. As would become very apparent throughout our journey, Sun loves to cook. This was a definite plus as it turns out he is very good at it! We were presented with lunch, Thai style. Delicious Tom Kaa Gai; a chicken soup made with coconut cream, lemongrass and coriander was joined by a tender and delicately spiced beef curry, all with plenty of soft steamed rice. Traditional Thai sweets followed that satisfied my usual post meal sugar craving! We almost had an uninvited guest as a rustle in the bushes behind us announced the arrival of a 4-foot long water monitor lizard! These impressive animals are commonplace in Thailand and are obviously attracted to the delicious aroma that comes picnicking tourists! A few shushing noises from us saw him lazily lumber off again in the search for something less appetizing. After digesting for a while in the shade of some trees, we slowly drifted back to the boat to explore our next location, appropriately named ‘Paradise Island’. Paradise Island is home to a small but perfectly formed sandy bay fringed with coconut and papaya trees, clear blue water and not much else. Whilst our tour companions swam and snorkelled, I chose this time to sit on a large wooden swing and gaze out to sea. The European part of my brain was nagging at me to do something productive - I mean I was here with a purpose! But after taking in my surroundings and a few photographs, I felt my eyelids growing heavier and before long I had joined the rest of the other boatmen on the island in a nap. Paradise indeed! All too soon it was time to rouse myself and back into our longtail we climbed, ready for our penultimate destination of the day. Only accessible at high tide, we squeezed through a narrow opening in the island and glided slowly into an enormous lagoon. The lagoon is actually what the island is named after, ‘Hong’ meaning ‘Room’ in Thai. In the centre of the deserted lagoon, Sun cut the engine and silence descended upon us. We jumped into the water, which was only waist deep, and enjoyed a cool, refreshing dip right in the centre of our own paradise. We then headed back to Hong Island, our first destination that morning, but now it was almost deserted as the rest of the tour boats were going back to the mainland. A little after 4 pm and we were the only people left, apart from the national park officers who stay there all the time. Another half an hour later and even they had retreated to their homes further inside the island. We were truly alone. It is difficult to describe the feeling of being one of 5 ½ people (Sorry Noah!) on a white sandy beach in the soft light of the evening sun in Thailand. I have been to this beach before on a few occasions, but this was something special. As Sun sat about yet again creating his culinary masterpieces in the boat using nothing but a couple of pans and a small gas burner, Elizabeth and I unloaded the gear from the boat and it was then I found myself taking a trip down memory lane as I had to admit to Elizabeth how long it had been since I had put up a tent. Thankfully, she could do it blindfolded, having done it countless times before, and I soon got the hang of it. After we had set up camp, I went for an explore of the beach and was again struck by the silence that hung over the whole bay, broken only now and then by the cry of a pair of majestic eagles that were circling above looking for their dinner. After the sunset, our Sun called that our dinner was also ready. I had to admit that after my day of sitting on a boat, lounging on beaches and swimming, I was famished! Sun did not disappoint us as we sat down to another sumptuous meal of traditional Thai beef soup, green vegetable curry and tofu curry, followed by an amazing sweet potato and coconut cake and washed down with tea and coffee. We chatted and laughed until just before 10pm when the effects of the day started to lie on us like a heavy blanket, and we said our good nights and headed off to bed. Unsure if I would be able to sleep on a mat on the ground after becoming spoiled with my cozy soft mattress at home, I needn't have worried as listening to the ocean gently lapping on the beach and crickets chirping lulled me off to a deep sleep. The next morning I awoke at 6am as usual, thanks to my Phi Phi diving days, and unzipped my door to be greeted by a beautiful dawn. We broke camp and were soon drawn to the boat like kids by the smell of toast drifting from it! Along with omelettes, coffee, yoghurts and fresh fruits, we demolished the lot and relaxed for an hour before we had to head back home. I went for another exploratory walk and was rewarded by the sight of a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills wheeling overhead - one of the highlights of the trip for me! I also came across an ominous set of footprints that came from the jungle all the way to the waters edge that I realized must belong to another of the monitor lizards we were visited by the day before. As the first regular tour boats of the day began to arrive at around 9am, we started to make a move to return to Ao Nang. It was strange watching other people come onto what had been our own private island for the past 12 hours - it almost felt like they were trespassing! Our time had come; Sun fired up the longtail and we headed back to the mainland, waving to local fishermen on the way. Back at the beach, my tour companions couldn’t thank Elizabeth and Sun enough for their experience and we said our goodbyes. More happy customers chalked up for Andaman Camp & Cruise! I returned with Elizabeth and Sun to their house for a coffee and soon after they dropped my home, real door-to-door service that I couldn’t fault from the beginning. If you are looking for a trip with a personal, authentically Thai flavour, try Andaman Camp & Cruise. They pride themselves in offering private trips, so you aren’t herded along with 20 other people you don’t know. Herein lies the difference! They also feed you with real Thai food too. If you like spicy, they can do spicy! As they only do private tours, you can make specific dietary requests and they will do their very best to accommodate you. They can help you with your itinerary here in Krabi if you are on a tight schedule, and can offer a wealth of activities including coconut harvesting, elephant riding and traditional Muslim home stays, for the true taste of Thailand no other tour agency can offer.
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