From Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe – a ride by a Hi-speed open water limo There can come a time when you may want to squeeze in a little more to your Southern Thailand Island holiday. Need to get to that next tropical Island fast and in comfort? Speed is the need? Climbing aboard a Hi-speed open water limo may be the answer for you. When planning an Island hopping holiday in the Andaman Sea, time, or lack of it, may be your only restraint. ‘Sooner’ rather than ‘later’ can be a necessity if you hunger for that next Island destination and you are on a limited time schedule. In other words you want to get there fast without sacrificing comfort. I found myself in such a situation when I needed to get from Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe – Thailand’s most southern ‘chilled out’ Island destination – in a hurry. My choice, jump aboard a Hi-speed purpose built power boat, an open-water speed machine. Its departure time at 1.30pm from Saladan Pier meant that I wouldn’t lose a day in transit and I would be in Koh Lipe well in time for sunset cocktails. I wasn’t alone in my quest as I gathered with other speed ‘junkies’ at the Ban Saladan passenger jetty. The ‘Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club’ operates a Koh Lipe – Koh Lanta – Koh Lipe service on a daily basis through high season, November to April. This super efficient service offers fast water transport between distant, romantic, isolated Island getaways. With luggage stowed we settled in and cruised from the jetty out into open water. The popularity of this service was evident, as there were at least 40 other passengers aboard. I found most were of the same opinion as me, that by paying a modest increase in fare can equate to even extra large savings in time. This sizable boat was a thoroughbred. Built for speed and designed to race across the top of any swell with maximum passenger comfort and safety. Powered by three, fuel efficient, emission friendly, four stroke 225h.p outboards, this baby could move. Scooting down the length of Lanta we were soon into open water, and distant specks on the horizon were soon intersected, as we flashed past various smaller southern islands. Our captain guided us, perfectly judging the different directions of minor swell changes, as some passengers snoozed whilst others used their time catching fantastic photo opportunities. Laughing with passengers we compared this journey to something like a high-speed limousine service between Island hideaways. It was for many, as we stopped off at a few pre-arranged isolated Island locations. Here couples or families, disembarked onto waiting long tail boats that had come out to meet them. For them this was ‘instant’ remote Island paradise. For me, Koh Lipe was still over the horizon, but not for much longer. A cluster of Islands ahead indicated that we would soon be docking just off Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe. Stepping off and onto our waiting long tail boat, I pondered on next time staying aboard and doing the extra15 km across the border to Langkawi, Malaysia. Thoughts of cold beer and a few sunset cocktails at any of the beach bars I could spy soon evaporated those ideas. Maybe next time… For boat schedules, fares and more destination details browse www.tarutaolipeisland.com

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CLIMATE Bako National Park enjoys sunny weather much of the year. Temperature is constant throughout the year, ranging in the lowland from a cool 23C in the evening and early morning to 33C under the shade during the day. Fom late November to late January, the monsoon rain may spoil your outing. The hottest months are from June to late August, when the tribal farmers do their slash-and-burn land clearing before planting the rice. GETTING THERE Bako National Park is reachable by a 30 minutes drive from Kuching combined with a 20-minute longboat ride from Kampung Bako. You can take the Red public bus number 1, originating from the Kuching fresh market, leaving to/from Bako about once every hour starting from about 7AM from Kuching and finishing about 6PM from Bako, but the schedule is not firm. The other travel option is by minivan, departing from the same spot as the above bus throughout the day. Minivans depart when full or when waiting passengers offer the driver enough money; they seat 5 to 7 people, are twice as fast as the bus and can be chartered for around RM30. When you arrive at the Bako Village, register at the visitor center near the main jetty, purchase your National Park entrance ticket, and buy your boat ticket (approx RM100 round trip per boat, max. 5 passengers). Depending on tides, you may either be deposited at a small jetty on the northern end of the headquarters’ beach or on the beach opposite them – take your shoes off and prepare to wade if this is the case. Tell your boatman when you plan to return and he’ll wait for you at the dock. Note that the boatmen are a small, close-knit community and so other boatmen are likely to refuse to take your group if you are waiting for a previously agreed pickup, even if he is late. Departure times might depend on the tides – boats do get stuck at low tide – and the weather, as the small speedboats are ill-suited to stormy conditions. ACCOMMODATION A stay of a night or two is highly recommended to experience the full diversity of Bako National Park. The park can accommodate people in wooden chalet and bungalows for rent at the park headquarters.  You need to book early as they are limited and quite popular. There are no cooking facilities within the lodges, but the canteen there is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a designated campsite behind the park headquarters that rents spaces for RM5 per person; bring your own equipment. Tough the area is walled up, beware of macaque monkeys, though, as they have been known to rip into tents to take food and belongings. Accommodation at the Bako National Park includes Hostel Dormitories at RM15.90 per bed or RM 42.40 per room; 2-rooms Lodges, each room 2 single beds, at RM53.00 per room or RM 79.50 per lodge; 2-rooms Chalets, each room 3 single beds, at RM106 per room or RM159.00 per chalet. Contact Bako National Park at +60 (0)82248088, or ENTRANCE FEE Foreigners pay entrance RM20fees, RM7kids and senior citizens. TREKKING ROUTES There are 16 well-marked all the way, color-coded jungle treks divided into two choices of trekking: the wildlife watch and the longer treks leading to rugged jungle-covered hilltops and secluded beaches and providing access to the habitats of the wide range of animal, bird and plant life in the park.. Walks start from the HQ and offer a variety of difficulties. Some of the hikes are over some pretty rugged terrain, with tree roots and vegetation sometimes blocking trails that are less frequented. Ask the park rangers before venturing there. Visitors are advised to stick to the marked trails, and visitors attempting the longer trails are required to register their arrival and itinerary at park headquarters and to read the estimated times the park suggests you allow for each trail and ensure that you allow enough time to return to park headquarters There are no hiking facilities for people suffering from limited mobility, and some of the trails are negotiable only by wooden ladders and rickety bridges and boardwarks. Night-time sightseeing hikes are sometimes led by park staff. For maps and full details of the trails in Bako National Park, browse http://www.trekkingsarawak.com To get more information on Bako National Park, browse   http://www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-bako.html NOTES Visitors to the park should ensure they carry large quantities of water with them; trekking in subtropical rainforest is thirsty work. The small island of Pulau Lakei has a superb white sand beach. The National Parks Department has a small guard house located on the island. Trips to the island can be arranged with your boatman. There are some mysterious rock paintings just a short walk from the beach. READ ASIAN ITINERARY JUNGLE TREKKING TO BAKO AT http://asianitinerary.com/jungle-trekking-at-bako-national-park/ READ ASIAN ITINERARY TOUR TO BAKO AT http://asianitinerary.com/bako-national-park/ 

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