This is www.tonytollitt.com
TONY T's 4th THAILAND TRAVELS
KOH TAO (cont'd)
Page 7
Wednesday 22nd March:
Breakfast OK served by the small pool.
Went for a stroll down and along the roads to take in the general feel of the place; very hot even at 10am.
Climbing up the very steep hill and steps up to our room really did me in. It's so hot I had to keep stopping for a breather (must get my fitness up again when I get back to UK). We decided on renting a bike for a few days to get around the island; the usual 125cc.
A lot of the roads into the interior of the island are so steep I had to get off and walk while Aom drove the bike to the top. I always prefer she drives for two reasons.
1. I can sit at the back and take pictures and movie footage.
2. I have a 600cc Honda back home and find riding these tiny 125's a pain, also Aom is very experienced on these little bikes.
Very very hot today, probably low 40's. Eventually plonked on a beach near the villa and chilled out for an hour. Sea water temp is ridiculous at over 30˚C; not that good to cool off. Even our resort pool is like jumping into a hot bath.
Thursday 23rd:
Waking up to this superb view of Chalok Baan Kao Bay from our bedroom window is somewhat special:
The panoramic above is the shoreline just down from Chintakiri.
Breakfast at 08:30 and on the bike and away an hour later. Headed north through the main villages of Mae Haad and Sairee and on up to the northern tip with Nanguan Island just off the it.
Not quite so hot today with some cloud about, but stll 39˚C.
Quite a spectacular spot up on this tip of the island. Most had been developed into resorts and the colossal boulders and rocks had had wooden access walkways added with a bar and restaurant up on concrete stilts. 100Baht each allowed access (this includes a drink each) to the complex and access to the sea too down a steel set of steps. This we used to go snorkelling.
The water wasn't quite as clear as I'd hoped but it wasn't at all bad. Lots of fish and big corals about and even a trigger fish meandering about. I'm not keen on those bloody things as I've been attacked by them on several occasions when on deep water dives. This one was solitary so not much of a threat, it's when they're breeding and have eggs to protect that they're a menace; just stay clear and remember their territory is vertical, so don't swim above them; skirt around at a reasonable distance.
Friday 24th March:
After breakfast we travelled to Sai Daeing which has Shark Island just off from it. The snorkelling looked pretty good here so we got down to the beach and plonked or stuff onto a couple of beach chairs under some leafy trees.
Out came the snorkelling gear and off out to sea. Initially, the underwater scenery was drab with tons of broken dead coral littering the sea bed. Things picked up a fair bit as we swam further out with enormous flat corals and a host of different coloured fish. As we got to the point a bit of a current was noted so we headed back into the bay again.
Not fantastic snorkelling but pretty good with visibility easily up to 30 metres away from shore.
In the afternoon we went to explore the roads up in the north of the island. The concrete surface soon gave way to crumbling concrete with incredibly steep slopes of at least 30º in parts. Too much for the little bike so I got off at the start of a particularly steep and hazardous section whilst Aom carried on solo for a while. When she returned she related how bad the roads, or rather tracks, were,
ABOVE LEFT: Beach at Sai Daeing. Shark Island in the far distance.
ABOVE RIGHT: Example of Koh Tao's recently created concrete roads.
One picture I wanted was a decent sunset one and I reckoned a good sight would be of Nangyuan Island from Nangyuan Terrace.
Got there way too early so headed back into Sairee Village for a snack and mused at the police running a road check on all male bikers; looking for drugs or weapons we reckoned.
Back to Nangyuan Terrace to await the sunset and decided on eating here too, but Sod's Law came to play and the sun dipped into thick cloud on the horizon... DAMN!
TOP: The beach at Chalok Baan Kao Bay. In the left hand pic, the dog on the sand spit in the foreground swims out there most days and seems to sit and sunbathe.
CENTRE LEFT: Another view of Chalok Baan Kao Bay taken from our bunga(high).
CENTRE RIGHT: Shark Island just off the point.
BOTTOM: Shark Island again and a typical Koh Tao road.
Saturday 25th:
Drove just down the road from Chintikiri as close as possible to a spot where we could start a hike up to John Suwan viewpoint on the Cape Tuo Toh peninsular. Two lots of 50Baht each gained us access to the extremely rugged track up to the viewpoint. Huge bus-size boulders were everywhere which had to be either climbed over or circumnavigated, at time ropes were needed to help with the climb. But after reaching the top knackered and drenched in sweat the vista was well worth it. Climbing back down was even hairier than the way up, this is where the ropes cam into their own.
- ABOVE: Part of the track through the huge boulders. One of the ropes necessary can be seen bottom right of the left hand photo.
A spectacular panoramic view from John Suwan Rock of both Chalok Baan Kao and Thian Oy Bays.
Saturday (cont'd):
Back to the 'bungahigh' to wash away the sweat incurred from the hike up to John Suwan and back, we were off on our bike again in search of some decent snorkelling.
Ended up parking up and climbing down a rough track to a small cove near Hin Niguan Bay with Shark Island off to the south-west. Snorkelling here was, in my opinion, dire. Very shallow and murky even when having snorkelled well out away from shore; very disappointing.
The small cove to one side of Hin Niguan Bay. A rickety set of wooden steps leads down to this small cove.
Next or Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 9 10 11 12 13
KOH TAO (cont'd)
Page 7
Wednesday 22nd March:
Thursday 23rd:
The panoramic above is the shoreline just down from Chintakiri.
Breakfast at 08:30 and on the bike and away an hour later. Headed north through the main villages of Mae Haad and Sairee and on up to the northern tip with Nanguan Island just off the it.
Friday 24th March: ABOVE LEFT: Beach at Sai Daeing. Shark Island in the far distance. ABOVE RIGHT: Example of Koh Tao's recently created concrete roads.
One picture I wanted was a decent sunset one and I reckoned a good sight would be of Nangyuan Island from Nangyuan Terrace.
TOP: The beach at Chalok Baan Kao Bay. In the left hand pic, the dog on the sand spit in the foreground swims out there most days and seems to sit and sunbathe. CENTRE LEFT: Another view of Chalok Baan Kao Bay taken from our bunga(high). CENTRE RIGHT: Shark Island just off the point. BOTTOM: Shark Island again and a typical Koh Tao road.
Saturday 25th:
A spectacular panoramic view from John Suwan Rock of both Chalok Baan Kao and Thian Oy Bays.
Saturday (cont'd):
The small cove to one side of Hin Niguan Bay. A rickety set of wooden steps leads down to this small cove.
Breakfast OK served by the small pool.
Went for a stroll down and along the roads to take in the general feel of the place; very hot even at 10am.
Climbing up the very steep hill and steps up to our room really did me in. It's so hot I had to keep stopping for a breather (must get my fitness up again when I get back to UK). We decided on renting a bike for a few days to get around the island; the usual 125cc.
A lot of the roads into the interior of the island are so steep I had to get off and walk while Aom drove the bike to the top. I always prefer she drives for two reasons.
1. I can sit at the back and take pictures and movie footage.
2. I have a 600cc Honda back home and find riding these tiny 125's a pain, also Aom is very experienced on these little bikes.
Very very hot today, probably low 40's. Eventually plonked on a beach near the villa and chilled out for an hour. Sea water temp is ridiculous at over 30˚C; not that good to cool off. Even our resort pool is like jumping into a hot bath.
Waking up to this superb view of Chalok Baan Kao Bay from our bedroom window is somewhat special:
Not quite so hot today with some cloud about, but stll 39˚C.
Quite a spectacular spot up on this tip of the island. Most had been developed into resorts and the colossal boulders and rocks had had wooden access walkways added with a bar and restaurant up on concrete stilts. 100Baht each allowed access (this includes a drink each) to the complex and access to the sea too down a steel set of steps. This we used to go snorkelling.
The water wasn't quite as clear as I'd hoped but it wasn't at all bad. Lots of fish and big corals about and even a trigger fish meandering about. I'm not keen on those bloody things as I've been attacked by them on several occasions when on deep water dives. This one was solitary so not much of a threat, it's when they're breeding and have eggs to protect that they're a menace; just stay clear and remember their territory is vertical, so don't swim above them; skirt around at a reasonable distance.
After breakfast we travelled to Sai Daeing which has Shark Island just off from it. The snorkelling looked pretty good here so we got down to the beach and plonked or stuff onto a couple of beach chairs under some leafy trees.
Out came the snorkelling gear and off out to sea. Initially, the underwater scenery was drab with tons of broken dead coral littering the sea bed. Things picked up a fair bit as we swam further out with enormous flat corals and a host of different coloured fish. As we got to the point a bit of a current was noted so we headed back into the bay again.
Not fantastic snorkelling but pretty good with visibility easily up to 30 metres away from shore.
In the afternoon we went to explore the roads up in the north of the island. The concrete surface soon gave way to crumbling concrete with incredibly steep slopes of at least 30º in parts. Too much for the little bike so I got off at the start of a particularly steep and hazardous section whilst Aom carried on solo for a while. When she returned she related how bad the roads, or rather tracks, were,
Got there way too early so headed back into Sairee Village for a snack and mused at the police running a road check on all male bikers; looking for drugs or weapons we reckoned.
Back to Nangyuan Terrace to await the sunset and decided on eating here too, but Sod's Law came to play and the sun dipped into thick cloud on the horizon... DAMN!
Drove just down the road from Chintikiri as close as possible to a spot where we could start a hike up to John Suwan viewpoint on the Cape Tuo Toh peninsular. Two lots of 50Baht each gained us access to the extremely rugged track up to the viewpoint. Huge bus-size boulders were everywhere which had to be either climbed over or circumnavigated, at time ropes were needed to help with the climb. But after reaching the top knackered and drenched in sweat the vista was well worth it. Climbing back down was even hairier than the way up, this is where the ropes cam into their own.
Back to the 'bungahigh' to wash away the sweat incurred from the hike up to John Suwan and back, we were off on our bike again in search of some decent snorkelling.
Ended up parking up and climbing down a rough track to a small cove near Hin Niguan Bay with Shark Island off to the south-west. Snorkelling here was, in my opinion, dire. Very shallow and murky even when having snorkelled well out away from shore; very disappointing.
Next or Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 9 10 11 12 13