A roti vendor desk

If you have been to Thailand, you will be familiar with the roti bread pancake stalls, as you will find them simply everywhere, especially on the islands and in the beach resorts. I for one am quite familiar with them. The Thai pancakes called roti, and served in an array of versions by the roti carts all over the country, are round flat breads made of a dough that is slapped on a metal counter and fried in margarine or clarified butter until it becomes a sort of a crepe. Roti looks straight forward to make, though it may take some practice to get it right.

Rotis are usually cooked by Muslims; some can make them really nice, dry and tasty, the secret seems to be either using little margarine, or rubbing off the oil when the roti is cooked. The metal counter used to cook roti is a heavy piece of sheet steel 2cm thick, and it has a slight depression in the middle to hold the melted butter that the roti is fried in. There are different versions, and you can find one in steel shops in Bangkok’s China town.

A roti vendor

Mmmm, only talking about rotis makes me crave them. I usually return to a good roti stall and try to stick to it, rather than trying different ones. Some vendors make them rather spongecake, others very oily and greasy, the traditional way. I love the banana version and often rave about it. The vendor cuts the banana in slices, lay them over the half cooked dough and folds it over to make a square. Once the roti is properly cooked, they remove it from the pan, cut it in 9 squares and drizzle sweetened condensed milk over its top.

Other versions include coconut, Nutella, egg, cheese, raisins, chicken curry, you name it, and may come topped with chocolate syrup and other sauces available on the cart. It is, finally, eaten with a wooden skewer. Delicious! next time you are in Thailand make sure you eat plenty. If you ever need a recipe, you should be able to find one on the Internet. Roti vendors sell pancakes in many Asian countries, not only in Thailand, so alternatively get to your local roti vendor and ask him!

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TWIN LOTUS – Koh Lanta

199 Moo 1, Klong Dao Beach, Koh Lanta 81150 Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 7 560 7000, Fax: +66 (0) 7 560 7049
E-Mail: reservation@twinlotusresort.com
url: www.theuniquecollection.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/twinlotusresort

This stunning resort on Koh Lanta, Krabi, is set on a magnificent set of gardens. A total of 81 accommodations ranging from Superior and Deluxe rooms to One and Two-Bedroom Villas boast minimalistic styles with spacious layouts with both indoor and outdoor space that will please both the eye and the convenience thanks to the facilities the resort has on offer and to the natural tones used, consistent with a resort environment. The Twin Lotus Resort has recently undergone a complete renovation including the addition of brand new one and two-bedroom villas and accompanying facilities.

Twin Lotus Resort is located on a 3km white sand beach and is spread across 12 acres of stunning gardens with a picturesque canal running through the grounds. Also new are the Spa & Wellness Centre, offering a variety of relaxation therapies and treatments, in addition to the Beachfront Bar & Restaurant.

Honeymoon swite

Services include: Barracuda Beach Bar / Bua Fah – All Day Dining Restaurant / Bua Luang Spa & Wellness Centre / Indoor Meeting Facilities / Outdoor Venues for Banquets & Events / 2 Swimming Pools / Sports Centre / 24-Hour Reception / Airport Transfers / Complimentary Newspaper / Complimentary Wi-Fi

The Bua Luang Spa & Wellness offers a variety of treatments providing guests with the opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and recharge. Detox programs, exercise and diet consultations and traditional Thai therapies are only some of the treatments in the extensive range.

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Monitor Lizard

Lory is not a squeamish kind of woman. She was raised on a farm, riding horses, milking cows and selling calves to the market for slaughter. She raised cats that were half pet, half ratters. Not squeamish at all, really. So this story may surprise you…

We had been at the Rawi Warin Resort on Koh Lanta, Krabi for about a week. Part of our morning ritual following a two-hour walk, a twenty lap swim and breakfast on the balcony restaurant of the hotel. Lory throws pieces of bread from the balcony into the pond below. Fish of various sizes immediately attack the bread, and we anxiously await the arrival of the arapaima fish, a seven-foot long import from South America, that is the prize fish of the pond. This is Lory’s morning entertainment, consistent with the farm girl described earlier.

The morning ritual following the fish feeding frenzy is the deliciously decadent period of sunbathing and reading by the lap pool. You really know you are on holiday when your biggest decision in a four to six hour period is when to roll over. On the morning of our story, Lory rose from her poolside lounging chair to return to our hotel room, a mere thirty paces. Whether her purpose was to get a cold drink from the minibar, or to tend to some other personal business is now forgotten.

When she arrived at the room, Lory noted that the door stood open, a sign that the hotel housekeeping staff was on the job. However, she also noted that on the step outside the room, a monitor lizard was on his way into the room. Lory stood her ground and called out for the attention of the housekeeping woman, Khun Ming, whom we know on the casual basis of her tending to our room every day. No answer came from inside the room, but Lory’s calling out inspired the lizard to slither into the room at lightning speed, cross the length of the room and climb two and a half feet up the curtain of the patio doors. Lory entered the room tentatively, keeping the lizard at a safe distance, once again calling out to our friend Khun Ming.

Khun Ming did indeed respond and appear from outside the room at our doorway. Lory informed Khun Ming in English that the monitor lizard had entered the room, pointing at the beast, where it hung from the curtain. Khun Ming, who speaks little to no English, fully comprehended madam’s concern and responded to this cry for help by wisely keeping Lory between herself and the lizard. As the two women communicated their strategy, Lory in English and Khun Ming in Thai, I remained somewhat oblivious to the event, lounging poolside, deeply ensconced in a novel. However, I can attest to the fact that the communication referred to above emanated from room to poolside in the form of women screeching with what I interpreted as hilarity. Perhaps not.

Back to the scene of the intrepid intruder. Lory had cleverly climbed onto the countertop, which houses the television and some shelving space. Khun Ming was still poised on the floor holding her mop. Lory requisitioned the mop and leapt from the countertop onto the bed, positioning herself nearer to the lizard’s curtain. As Lory stealthily moved the mop toward the curtain, the lizard turned its scaly head, darting out its slithery tongue and undulating its bulbous throat as with breath and cunning. Lory winced as the mop handle made contact with the lizards tail. In a flash the lizard was down the curtain and across the floor! Khun Ming shrieked in alarm and leapt onto the bed for protection. The lizard moved toward the open door of the closet and Lory feared it would make its home in one of the drawers containing our unmentionables. Again the lizard reared its ugly head, exposing a long lick of a tongue, and stretched its bulbous throat in defiance. The tail, as if with life of its own, slithered back and forth on the hardwood floor.

Suddenly, a man to the rescue! Thank God! One of the groundskeepers, hearing the cries of damsels in distress entered the room valiantly and chastised poor Khun Ming with the Thai equivalent of “These lizards don’t bite. What are you afraid of?” Then in a disappointingly anti-climactic gesture, the unnamed hero ushered the lizard out of the room. And so ends the story of Lory and the monitor lizard. Except of course for the moral of the story, which is: in the event of an encounter with a reptilian arch-villain… send for the groundskeeper.

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Heading to the mangroves

Mangrove trees live in salty water, like ocean water. Mangrove forests are found along tropical and subtropical coastlines in both the western and the eastern hemisphere. The mangroves have massive root systems that protect the shoreline from soil erosion, even from hurricanes and tsunamis. They also protect a special ecosystem of living species – including mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. In recent times the mangrove forests have become endangered. Since 1980 we have lost twenty per cent of the world’s mangroves. They have been removed for both urban development and for agricultural purposes. Some of the loss is the result of powerful tsunamis and other natural disasters that wash away the soil that sustains the plants. We are very fortunate to have an extensive mangrove forest on the east side of Koh Lanta.

Adventure on Koh Lanta

We have been vacationing on Koh Lanta for several years, four or five times a year. People often ask, “What is there to do on Koh Lanta?” Now I admit that it takes very little to entertain Lory and I on holidays. We are the quintessential beach people. We like to read and suntan by the hotel pool, occasionally swim laps, go for walks on the beach – “Do you like pina coladas?” you may well ask.

We have never felt any need for ‘adventure’ on Koh Lanta. Yeah, with peer pressure we have done the one-day snorkeling trip to Phi Phi Island, and in a weak moment we hiked down to the south end of Koh Lanta Yai to the Marine Park – a much more rigorous and exhausting hike than we had anticipated – but those were aberrations in our vacationing lifestyle. We have never done the four-island tour, we are not divers, and we don’t care if we ever get up on another elephant.

all aboard

So imagine our surprise when, on a recent Koh Lanta holiday, we had not one but two new adventures. At our urging, our friends Jeff and Susan had agreed to join us on for a week on Koh Lanta. It was a thrill for us to share ‘our island’ with them. But Jeff and Susan are not beach people. How we ever became friends boggles the mind. Our first adventure was a hike up to the waterfall at Klong Jark just three kilometers north of the Marine Park. It was an easy ‘family hike’ and in the green season the waterfall is quite spectacular. We had sent Lory’s mom Doris and her aunt Fran to Klong Jark for an elephant ride and hike to the waterfall in the past, but there was no water to fall in the dry season, so we were delighted with our wet reward.

Our second adventure came about as the result of a drive across the island to show Jeff and Susan the construction site of our retirement home. We were cruising past a sign ‘Mangrove Way’ on the east side of the island. Jeff and Susan are ‘earth people’ as opposed to ‘beach people’. They eat healthy food and live a healthy lifestyle. They are concerned about environmental issues, even if the issue may be in their back yard. They run, rather than walk, and they go on adventure holidays to remote corners of the world that have no beaches. “What do they do for fun?” you may well ask.

sail alongside mangroves

The thing is that ‘fun’ seems to be defined differently by different people. Aristotle claimed that man’s purpose is to be happy. Heidegger argued that Aristotle was a smiling idiot. He said the purpose of the human condition is to contemplate death. From my perspective, Lory and I are definitely Aristotelian, and Jeff and Susan are closer to the Heidegging side of things.

Khun Luen’s Mangrove Tour

Hence it came to pass that the four of us drove down Mangrove Way to discover what wonders would be revealed. The road ends at Tung Yee Peng pier, on the edge of the mangrove forest. A small kiosk advertises eco tourism opportunities. Our first instinct was to jump into kayaks and paddle leisurely up the narrow inlet into mangrove land. We were immediately informed that we would not be allowed to kayak without a guide to ensure we found our way out. So we decided that if we need a guide we might as well save our energy and take the longboat tour.

We crossed a wooden bridge to access a long narrow pier that winds through the mangrove to a boat launch and restaurant on stilts. Here we were greeted by Khun Luen, who would be our boatman and guide. A longtail boat is a small fishing boat. The propeller is at the end of a long pipe extending from the motor at the back of the boat. Longtail boats are also used for low cost tourism ventures in Thailand.

Boarding the longboat, we settled in for our adventure. Khun Luen spoke no English, but this did not stop him from shouting out information to the tourists about the islands we were passing and other information that will remain a mystery. He was charming. The boat followed narrow channels between the mangrove islands, and it reminded me very much of boating on the Bayou in Louisiana. It soon became clear why we would not kayak without a guide. Only experienced guides could navigate these waterways.

We passed a fish farm in the form of houseboat sitting in a wide stretch of seawater, and we spotted Lanta Old Town in the distance to our right. Then we turned back into narrow channels again and enjoyed the magical atmosphere of life in the mangrove forest. We passed local fishermen in other longtail boats. Their relaxed body language suggested that they enjoy an idyllic life on the water. We were unable to identify the two species of water birds that proliferated the area; they flew in great numbers out of the mangrove trees and over our boat. We also enjoyed the flying fish that skimmed along the water close to the boat.

traditional longtail boats, best for navigating the canals

The highlight of the adventure for Khun Luen was his specialty of ‘feeding the friendly monkeys’ (as advertised in the brochure). The monkeys were long-tail macaques that live in the mangrove forest. They are quite accustomed to Khun Luen bringing tourists and fruit for them to enjoy. Khun Luen maneuvered the boat up to the mangrove trees so that a dozen monkeys could jump onto the boat. It quite startled us initially! We know wild macaques from our home in Sumatra and they can be quite vicious.

Surprisingly, these monkeys were almost domesticated in that as Khun Luen moved to the front of the boat, they climbed up his legs, almost pulling his pants down. Khun Luen’s smile was as wide as the macaque’s tail is long! The monkeys were all over him, clambering to get their share of the fruit. It was hilarious!

When the fruit was gone, Khun Luen returned to the helm and backed the boat away from the mangroves. The monkeys instinctively leaped from the boat, flying through the air to latch onto a mangrove branch and scamper to shore. Another successful monkey feeding expedition!

On the way back to the pier, we passed a group of kayakers and we felt quite relieved that we had not opted for that option. They were working very hard and would not cover anywhere close to the area we were able to see and enjoy. A beautiful thing about the Mangrove Way experience is that you really feel you are supporting the local economy. Your money goes directly into the hands of the locals who run this little eco tourism enterprise.

Epilogue

In a small way, the Tung Yee Peng community is preserving the world’s mangrove forests. You cannot do this tour without increasing your awareness and appreciation of the special ecosystem of the mangrove forests.

TO READ MORE ABOUT MANGROVES:

The Krabi Bay and Estuary

Santubong Mangroves Swamps River Cruise – Kuching

Mangroves replanting ceremony 2016

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The Island of Koh Lanta is home to the ancient people called Sea Gypsies – or Chao Ley in Thai. A few hundred Thai-mai, as they are officially called, have their homes and their heritage here. These people are the oldest inhabitants of Lanta, a unique feature of Koh Lanta parentage. Nomadic seafarers of Indo-Malay origins, they arrived on the island more than 500 years ago with their unique language, matriarchal social system and animist beliefs. Today they are struggling to preserve their traditional culture in the face of growing tourism and the influence of western culture.

No written or other testimonies exist to verify the real origin of the Sea Gypsies as their culture developed without writing tools. Their only historic records are legends and fables about man’s connection with nature. The Sea Gypsies of former centuries were said to be feared as pirates. One theory holds that they are descendants of the Malaysian colonies that evaded the Muslim invasion of Burma. Some Chao Ley in the extreme south of Thailand are from a tribe called Urak Lawoi, who according to local legends are relatives of Morgan, another group of Sea Gypsies on Surin Island in Phang Nga. Both groups migrated along the coast of Saiburi, now Malaysia ‘s Kedah state, around Gunung Jerai Mountain. They later separated and established separate settlements on various islands in the Andaman Sea.

Today the Sea Gypsies are a mixed people with their own unique language and brand of animism. Their belief in supernatural and traditional spiritual worship is still influential in the Lanta community. Dead bodies are deposed of on cemetery islands where the spirits of the dead live on. Two of the most important animistic rites still celebrated are the worshipping of spirits by raising two high poles as a door or threshold, and the twice a year launching of the wooden spirit-ships during the Loy-Rua festival.

The Sea Gypsies are traditionally nomads who roam the sea. However, their colony of Koh Lanta is an exception from the usual nomadic life-style. They have established themselves in Baan Sang Ka U, a village on the southeast coast of the island. Many of them have been granted land, surnames, and citizenship in Thailand. These unique people blend into the local population but they retain their own language, culture and close ties with the sea. They hold a subsistence-based fishing livelihood, like they have done for ages.

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Amazing miracles of nature

For travelers wishing to explore the wonders of nature in Southern Thailand, National Parks provide the best resources to achieve this goal. High-end, middle-range or a budget holiday, Koh Lanta embraces all kinds of travelers, at any time, any season. If you are in Koh Lanta, paradise is where you are now.

Blessed with an amazing wealth of flora, fauna, reefs and pristine beaches, the Krabi region makes appreciation of its natural beauty easy via the showcasing of its National Parks. These designated national parks offer the perfect opportunity to see nature as it was intended; they were established to conserve natural resources for future generationKoh Lanta National Parks and for educational and recreational purposes. After World War II, the population of Thailand increased rapidly and this boom led to an increase in the demand for natural resources. The purpose of Thailand’s National parks is to preserve natural resources for the education and recreation of the public. National Parks are a living showcase of natural treasures, and managing a National Park is a balancing act between conservation and the economy. Put simply, it is eco tourism.

A cliff within Mu Koh Lanta National Park

At the southern part of Koh Lanta Yai sits Mu Koh Lanta National Park, Thailand’s 62^nd National Park. Established in 1990, according to the order of Mr. Chuan Leekpai, Prime Minister and supporter of the Wild Animal and Plant Foundation of Thailand (www.warthai.org), it covers an area of 134 square kilometres, or 83,750 Rais. Unprecedented views, white sandy beaches and boat trips are three main reasons to drop by Mu Koh Lanta National Park. It is great destination for trekking and animal spotting, for a picnic, day-trip swimming, a one-hour jungle trek, or just to sit and chill out. Maybe even just to breathe.

The route to the National Park is a tad dusty and bumpy to say the least. A normal city-car will have a hard time climbing up and down the mountainous dirt passage, but more recently the last three kilometres have been paved. Many still choose to visit on motorbike, but it does take a little experience, especially in the wetter months. With an immense variety of tropical evergreen to mixed deciduous forests, the trip is enhanced by a richness of flowering trees and plants all providing endless botanical discoveries. Arriving at the designated parking area you are greeted by an imposing rock formation that is guarded by its overseeing lighthouse. The headquarters of the National Park are located here. This lighthouse itself overlooks two small bays, with the southernmost one Ta Nod Beach, being one of Lanta’s prettiest gems.

Mu Koh Lanta National Park beach

Ta Nod Beach is said to be the last piece of paradise on Koh Lanta Yai, and is actually a cape. Thais call it ‘Laem Tanod’ – ‘laem’ being cape in Thai. This wonderful beach is delightful and tranquil, protected as it was on our day there from the nor-westerly winds, by the lighthouse cape. Ta Nod Beach is usually un-crowded as not many people have the time or the enthusiasm to come to this place and when they do, they don’t stay all day. As picturesque as Ta Nod beach is, you should take some time to climb up to the Lighthouse via the designated track, to see the views from the top that can prove to be far more striking, exquisite and dramatic. From the high cliffs you will see turquoise water from a birds-eye view, the neighbouring Koh Ngai, Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai. Once up, you’ll get a better panoramic view of the park. Here you will realize that Koh Lanta offers the best of both worlds with exotic beaches and tropical forest.

The spacious open parkland comes complete with an array of shaded picnic tables, large Thai salas and some of the cleanest toilets you will ever find in Thailand. It is of a triangular shape, with one tip protruding into the sea and has prominent sugar palms on it, while the other side has high cliffs covered with the monsoon forest. The contrast to the beach at your left and right is also evident, with many rocky tidal pools on the northern side for observing numerous marine-lives at low tide. For the more energetic bush walking trails also criss-cross the park.

For our group it was a day of fun and relaxation and one that is highly recommended for inclusion in your discovery of the island of Koh Lanta, one of Thailand’s best-kept secrets. Whether it is chilling out at a quiet retreat or full-throttle action that visitors are looking for, Koh Lanta has something for everyone.

FACT-FILE

Activities: Beach, Camping, Nature trail study. Bungalow accommodation is available. Camping in the Mu Koh Lanta National Park is allowed but you must notify the park in advance at N. 5, Tambon Koh Lanta Yai, Amphoe Koh Lanta, Krabi, 81150, Tel. 075 629018-9. Alternatively, contact the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Flora, Tel. 02 5620760 or visit www.dnp.go.th

The page on Koh Lanta is the following: www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/forprint.asp?npid=49&lg=2

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Koh Lanta old town of is a traditional fishing village located on the eastern side waterfront of Koh Lanta Yai, and is certainly not to be missed. Take the west road south then cut across the island and continue heading south. There, you will find the traditional wooden homes of the local fishing community, as well as local handicrafts for sale. The best idea is to rent a motorcycle, as you can then take your time and enjoy the scenery along the way.

Lanta Old Town is one of the region’s most culturally diverse villages with Chinese merchants, original Thai fishing families and an ancient Sea Gypsy community. Many years ago, Koh Lanta’s Old Town acted as the port and commercial center for the island and provided a safe harbor for Arabic and Chinese trading vessels sailing between the larger ports of Phuket, Penang and Singapore.  This thanks to the island’s east coast that is sheltered all year round.

There is so much to see in this place full of character and atmosphere – mangrove forests, rice fields, pink shrimp farms, and exceptional views of the southern islands of the archipelago. Flora and Fauna are abundant; it is not uncommon to come across an iguana or two, sunbathing in the middle of the road.

Koh Lanta Old Town has stayed pretty much the same that is was so many years ago, an extended fishing village where Thai life goes on the way it has done for years and years. A visit of this part of the island will give you a taste of ‘real’ life within a local Thai community. Be careful of course to respect the privacy of the locals, and ask permission before taking any photos. These people will welcome you to their village, but are often very shy when faced with strangers. All the same, you will definitely learn a lot about their culture during your visit.

For more information about Lanta Old Town, visit http://www.lantaoldtown.com/

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