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)