Phang Nga Bay canoeing is a tourist draw

Phang Nga Bay canoeing is a tourist draw

PHUKET, Thailand (JP): Swiss Ana Maria and her companion
Phillip Marti had weighed the options on where to vacation in
Southeast Asia.

"We talked about vacationing in Thailand or Bali, and we chose
Thailand, because Phillip had been to Bali before," Ana, a first-
time visitor to Thailand, explained while resting on the ferry
after a half day's canoeing in Phang Nga Bay.

But Marti, a businessman, had been to Thailand before.

It was interesting to find out why he had wanted to show Ana
the Thai sights over famed ones in Bali.

The natural surroundings in Phuket Island, a popular tourist
resort destination in southern Thailand, could not be considered
much better than Bali, and it lacks the rich cultural activities
of the latter.

"I like to see the happiness of the people here. They always
smile. And, this is a great sport," Marti said about the canoeing
and the hospitality of the ferry crew and the guides.

In Thailand, more than 50 percent of tourists are repeat
visitors like Marti. The canoeing experience in Phang Nga Bay, a
must for visitors to Thailand with a spirit of adventure, goes a
long way in explaining why many people make the trip to Phuket.

After a 75-kilometer road journey from Phuket, visitors arrive
at the bay, which is said to face 161 islands.

A long wooden bridge at a traditional and conventional canal
helps them reach the ferry.

A guide then explains procedures to guests over refreshments.

A fascinating seascape is the first thing that draws
visitors' attention. Of the ring of islands with unusual, if not
weird, shapes rising steeply from the sea, only four islands have
caves accessible to people.

They allow canoes to enter through small crevices at low tide.

Canoeing is not recommended at high tide except for die-hard
adventure lovers prepared to get soaked.

Even when tides are low, people must lie as flat as possible
on their backs in the canoe to avoid being cut by the deep,
jagged ends of rock cliffs. These hang as close as one or two
centimeters from canoe occupants' noses, but the risk of a nick
is worth it for the great adventure.

Past the danger zone, canoeists arrive at a big, beautiful
world of calm and clear water, white, powdery sand, exotics
plants, monkeys and rare species of birds.

Each canoe has a guide and maximum of two passengers, and the
tour allows for 30 minutes at most in each cave, even though one
would probably want to stay longer.

After exploring the four islands, the smiling crew waits at
the ferry. Fresh water is available for bathing.

Then comes lunch. Yes, the ferry has its own chef. The menu:
shrimps, fish, rice, chicken, vegetable, and the famous Tom Kra
Kai, a delicious chicken soup with coconut milk.

All ingredients are fresh, and visitors can see fishermen
catching fish and shrimp from the sea and supplying it to the
ferry.

Hungry visitors exhausted from canoeing should finish the food
at the table, or risk the chef's displeasure.

The adventure doesn't stop after lunch.

Then comes time for your own tour, unguided. You could paddle
the canoe yourself with a companion, exploring more spots, swim
in the warm and clear water around the ferry, or just relax on
the deck enjoying the breeze and the warm rays of the sun.

There is an endless supply of coffee, tea and soft drinks.
About two hours after lunch, a snack of fried bananas with red
sugar syrup is served.

A crew member said there were about 200 visitors per day from
the six tour companies which own the ferries. For this dose of
adventure and relaxation, a person pays about 4,000 baht (about
US$100 at the current exchange rate), including the meals. The
tour ends at about 3 p.m. or 4 p.m., when the ferry transports
guests back to the canal.

It is a great experience all-around -- the beauty of nature,
the adventure of canoeing under sharp cliffs, relaxation and good
food.

Thankfully, there are no souvenirs hawkers chasing after
guests and badgering them into buying their wares.

No less impressive was the hospitality of the crew. They were
so efficient that they seemed to be socializing, not working,
blending well with visitors, chatting and teaching them different
tricks.

Their bright, smiling faces are the assurance that if they are
happy, so are their visitors. (Sirikit Syah)