Koh Lipe, Thailand

I know. No one has ever heard of it. At least, none of those that I know. 'Where?" was the common question when I told people that I would be away for a vacation to Koh Lipe. It's pronounced as koh lee-pae by the way.

Here's where it is.

And those are the routes to get there. The easiest? From Langkawi. Just take a flight to Langkawi. Make your way to the Telaga Harbour. Board the speedboat and you'll reach the island in an hour. But beware that the speedboat service from Langkawi is only available during their peak season, which is from November to April. Other than that, you got to fly to Thailand, make your way to any of those islands on the map and board the speedboat from there.


It is a relatively small island. One hour to complete touring the entire island, on foot.

We had chosen to stay on Pattaya beach. Cause that's the area which is the most happening. The chosen accomodation : Sita Beach Resort and Spa. Just newly built earlier this year and considered as one of the most expensive resorts on the island, by the locals. But in fact, to us tourists, it's considered affordable, with only RM100 per person per night. Not only that, they've got top notch service. Imagine feeling like a royalty the moment you step into the lobby.

 

 

 

They've got buggy services to bring you around the resort. They have porters to carry your luggages. They respond to your requests very promptly.  They make cute little animals out of bath towels to welcome you. They provide showers and hoses at the entrance for you to clean up. They are all smiles every hour everyday. And you could grab as many bath towels when ever you go out to sea. Now this is how a holiday should be.

 
As you can see, there aren't any jetties on the island. You've got to constantly jump in and out of the tailboats to and from the island. The tailboats are what they use to ferry people around as speedboats can't make their way to the beach. That's another fun thing to do. The jumping in and out.


Unlike most islands, this is one which hasn't been polluted. The water is clear. The sand is white and soft. Corals and  fishes are abundant. If you are lucky, you'll get to see sea snakes and eels. It was a regret that none of us had an underwater camera. I would love to keep those pictures. We spent 2 days snorkeling under the scorching heat of the sun. You'll find tonnes of snorkeling packages on the island itself. Costing approximately RM150 to RM200 per tailboat. No worries if you can't swim, just let the boatman know and he'll use the float to bring you around. Nice chap.

 

Other than snorkelings, divings, kayakings, island hoppings and other water activities, there are other things to do on the island. There is this street within walking distance, called the Walking Street, where you'll find stalls offering tonnes of Thai food, seafood, snacks and bars. Massage parlours are aplenty, with prices as low as RM30 per hour. You'll find minimarts, a pharmacy, tatoo parlours, cafes, underwater accessories stalls, souveniers as well as bikinis stalls all along the street.

 

 

Beware of stray dogs and cats on the island. They don't bite and they don't attack. All they do is linger between your feet and sitting next to your tables in cafes and restaurants, waiting to be fed. The locals pay no heed to them. They are free to roam all over the island. That dog in the picture above is a rare breed. Or is it a wolf?

And finally, this is something that has not been posted up on Facebook, due to certain reasons.

 

Yes, I had been in a bikini. I figured that I got to try it at least once in a lifetime. Might as well do it when I'm still young and Koh Lipe is the perfect place to wear one. It is full of mat salleh in bikinis and no weirdo is gonna stare at you like they are gonna eat you. And besides, I went with an all female group. All the more the courage.

I do love the beach. Calm, peaceful and serene. Nothing but the waves and the stars.