39) Thailand: West Coast. 20 January to 27 February, 2016.

Patong Beach, Ko Phuket.

Finally some wind had arrived and we sailed all day with the main and jib from Phang Nga Bay to the mid-west coast of Ko Phuket. We had a two day stop off in Patong Beach to get some provisioning attended to, before heading north and then west to some of Thailand’s more remote islands. 

There is a lovely wide beach on Ko Phuket’s NW coast. The airport is situated in the north of the bay and there is a lovely village with some small tourist hotels in the south. The beach was sandy, the water was very clear and even had turtles swimming around in it and the village was low key. Reminiscent of what Ko Phuket would have been like a few decades ago. The airport was not too intrusive either, as there were only a few arrivals/departures each day. Great location if you have to pick or drop off visitors at the airport.

We stayed in this bay for a few days and really enjoyed the place. It was also the designated meeting place for all the Aussie yachting fraternity in Phuket, to celebrate Australia Day on the 26 January.  
 

Vertigo - anchored next to us.

Though we did have to share the bay with the huge yacht named Vertigo, owned by Rupert Murdoch. There were people on board but no one joined us for Australia Day on the beach, despite our flags. At Euro 245,000 per week for up to 12 people, it wasn’t likely anyone we would have known.

A beautiful anchorage.

We had a great day as all the crew on most of the boats in the anchorage participated. Even our Kiwi and English friends turned out to join in the fun. A large area was set out under the trees of the National Park by the Kiwi’s – a big thank you guys. Then people brought over BBQ’s, nibbles, meat, salads, drinks, chairs, flags and even a cricket pitch was set up.

It was then we had to get inventive and a chair was used for a wicket and an oar for a bat. It was great fun and there was a lot of conversation into the late afternoon. 

Cricket in action - moveable chair as a wicket and an oar as a bat.

Early the next morning a group of us left for the Similan Islands and after a 12 hour day sail and then motor sail, we arrived at Ko Miang. Gone were the limestone islands and cliffs of the south and east that had become so familiar to us since Langkawi, Malaysia. Here, it had been replaced with numerous granite boulders of various sizes.

What we expected and what we got in the Similans, were two completely different things. Firstly, we were told they were remote and a great place to dive/snorkel which was true. What we got was some lovely and pretty islands heaving with the amount of tourists and boats that visit daily. The beaches are crowded with tourists until about 4pm along with all the snorkel spots. Thankfully it is a National Park and there is a daily fee for the boat and each person to visit here. Unfortunately though the place is being loved to death.

There are only a small number of moorings available at each of the islands and you have to be quick to snag these because by about 4pm the larger tourist boats grab them to stay overnight. If you want to anchor you have to be a fair way off the beach to avoid getting your anchor caught up in the coral, an annoyance removing it but the whole time you are there you are destroying the coral you came to see. There are roughly only two or three islands you are allowed to visit and then there are really only two or three sheltered bays in which to anchor in. Most bays are unsheltered and way too deep to set an anchor. 

Ko Miang, Similan Islands.

Over three days we did fit in a fair bit of snorkelling but were very pleasantly surprised with the quality and quantity of the coral just off the beach at the remote island of Ko Ta Chi, further north. We had stopped here on route to the Surin Islands, as it was roughly halfway between them and the Similan Islands. The bay had very limited space for anchoring and you are best to use one of the three moorings to protect the coral and to be certain of holding. You can also anchor further out past these moorings, which we did as the moorings were taken, but it becomes very deep, very quickly. It is also not a great place to stay overnight either, as the bay is very unsheltered and exposed to all winds and swell. Best is to come early, grab a mooring and snorkel for a few hours, then head north to the Surin Islands or south to the Similan Islands.

Ko Surin Nua in its natural state.

The next day we motor-sailed north to the Surin Islands, three nautical miles south of the Thai/Myanmar border, and what a breath of fresh air this place was. Unusual for this time of year the wind was from the west and quite strong in intensity, so we anchored in the eastern bay, of Ko Surin Nua. We arrived late in the day and headed for one of the four mooring balls in the north east of the bay, just off the beach or headland. Whilst attempting to snag a mooring, the depth dropped from 30 to 12m in a span of 10m, so we decided not to pursue this further as the tide was dropping, there were too many shadows as it was late and we were unsure just how shallow it was around the balls. The only other option was to anchor in the bay. We didn’t anchor too close to shore to ensure we didn’t damage the intact coral nor out in the middle where it was over 40m deep, so ended up anchoring in 30m, between the two extremes. 

Spoilt for choice - pretty little beaches and even better coral.

We had decided to get a mooring the next morning but it was such a pleasant night we decided we would stay right where we were. Friends arrived in the afternoon and luckily snapped up the four moorings. We spent five lovely days here as the peace, serenity, and the quality and quantity of coral to snorkel in, was just too much to resist. Due to the wind we didn’t get to check out any western or southern anchorages. The Surin Islands are also a National Park, and we gladly paid the rangers the daily rate for the boat and per person to stay here. We subscribe to the system that the money helps support staff to manage these wild areas, and that all users of the park should pay.

Finally the wind from the west was dying and it was scheduled to turn around and blow hard from the east the following day, so we left and made haste to a sheltered NW bay on Ko Phayam, just off the mainland. As predicted the wind blew hard for a few days but we were tucked into the NW corner of the bay and it was sheltered from the wind and swell. Ko Phayam is a lovely small island. It has no cars so you either walk around or grab a local bike taxi. The mainland is a short ferry ride away where you can extend Thai visas, provision or gain access to Myanmar easily. The island offers plenty of bars and small restaurants to keep the tourists happy and the bay and beach offer some lovely spots for a swim. By far our most favourite place was the wreck bar. Not its official name but it’s what we came to call it. The structure is made entirely out of driftwood and resembles something out of Robinson Crusoe. It is literally right on the beach, with a sand floor and has great and cheap drinks, cocktails and food. Why go anywhere else. The ten of us spent a lot of time here.

Hippy Bar - but 'The Wreck Bar' to us.

After a few days we begrudgingly left everyone here and headed south. We were hopeful     to get to Rebak Marina, in Langkawi by mid-February to pull the boat out onto the hardstand to do some much needed repairs and we still wanted to check out Thailand’s southern coastal islands. We quickly made passage south past Phuket and headed to Ao Chalong to officially check out of Thailand. 

 

Stunning. Our anchorage Ko Phi Phi Don.

After check out we headed directly to Ko Phi Phi Don and anchored in the western bay. The amount of change astounded us as we had visited this lovely island last in 1996 and it bore little resemblance to what we remembered. The anchorage and sights are still pretty but the isthmus is overpopulated and throbs with the young tourist set loudly partying until 4 in the morning. If you prefer sleep to partying it would be best to anchor off the north of the island. Do go to Ko Phi Phi Lai by longboat if you don’t wish to anchor at this smaller and less protected island.

Ko Phi Phi western coast.

We then travelled south staying at the western bay of Ko Muk for two days and then onto Ko Andang, part of the Ko Lipe group of islands just on the Thai/Malaysian border. We definitely encourage anyone to make the effort to go here. The islands and people are beautiful and so is the water and coral. We stayed four days here and would have stayed longer if we didn’t have a booking at Rebak. So after a short trip across the water we were back in Telaga Harbour, Malaysia. 

Anchored off Ko Andang - part of the Ko Lipe group of islands.

Reverie was starting to look a bit worse for wear as it was 2011 when it last had any attention and anti-fouling. So upon our arrival in Langkawi, we checked our booking with Rebak Marina. It appeared they could not accommodate us after all. We were already on the border of their lifting capabilities, being 18.3m (60ft) and 20 tonnes, but being a steel boat they had decided they could not risk us grinding off rust that could potentially affect other boats. We could understand this, but learning of this so late meant that we had to find another shipyard ASAP. After ringing all the shipyards in Langkawi we decided that the best and cheapest option was the service at Pangkor Island Marina, three days sail to the south away. So after a two day stay all up, we checked out with the Langkawi Port Authority.

We stayed a very uncomfortable night at Palau Bidan before arriving and anchoring off the NW coast of Palau Penang. This time it was not a tourist visit as it seemed so familiar, we felt close to being locals. We went to the Dentist and then most importantly got all the western specialities we could carry from a great supermarket called, Cold Storage.

We could not stay a minute longer and the next morning we left for Palau Pangkor. The downfall of this marina/shipyard is that it only has access during Spring tides, and we only had two days left of the Spring cycle to get into the marina and be lifted out. Luckily they could accommodate us with such short notice and our weight, length and being steel was not a concern.

 

HELPFUL HINTS:

As of 1st January 2016 your vessel must have a transmitting and receiving AIS to enter Phuket waters. This may be extended to all of Thailand.

Procedures: 1) Thailand: Checking out at Ao Chalong, SE Ko Phuket is just as easy. Check with the checking in office first. We found that their server was down and that we had to enter all our details again, luckily it only takes about 5 minutes. You can also check out with Immigration in Ko Lipe, but for Customs and the Port Authority you have to do elsewhere. 2) Malaysia: Definitely recommend Telaga Harbour to do the paperwork rather than Kuah Town. Ease of access is the reason. You can anchor outside or inside the little breakwater or get a berth at the marina. You can leave your dinghy at the marina dock for free and wander a few metres to Immigration, Customs and Port Authority. Check in/out for Malaysia is free.

Shipyards: There are several marinas/shipyards with these services in Thailand but it is still cheaper to haul out and get work done in Malaysia. Langkawi offers many: Rebak is probably the cheapest but being 18m and 20 ton we were on the border for their lifting capabilities. They also prefer non-steel boats. Boustead Shipyards will not allow live-a-board and DYI boat repairs, B&V Shipyards do but are currently relocating. Northern Shipyards offer what seem like some great services but it was a lot more expensive than the quote we had for Rebak and Pangkor Marina/Shipyards. 

Fuel and Water: The various marinas around Ko Phuket offer these services.

Provisioning: 1) Airport Bay NW Ko Phuket. There is a great fruit, vegetable and meat market open by about 4pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Not too far to walk from the beach. Ask the locals for directions. You can also hire a car for the day from the general store in town to go to the fuel station and or further afield for a Tesco supermarket. 2) The mainland town off Ko Phayam has most the provisions one needs.