Traveling in the South of Thailand (28-day trip)
led by Kasma Loha-unchit
Next trip scheduled for January 20 to February 17, 2011.
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This special trip of the South explores rainforest preserves, hidden caves, ancient sites of the Srivijaya Buddhist empire and countless idyllic islands in the enchanting Andaman Sea. Includes visits to two remote marine national parks with exceptional and biologically diverse coral reefs. An excellent opportunity to explore many wonderful beaches and to see firsthand the culture of southern Thailand.
Kasma's trip to Southern Thailand is a truly "off-the-beaten-track" adventure. Although the people of the south share many of the characteristics of the Thai people, the south has a very different flavor reflecting its higher concentration of Muslim people and its proximity to the ocean.
Let's start with the beaches. You'll spend much of your time either on beautiful, white sand beaches or on boats getting there. Kasma is an avid snorkeler and takes you to the best snorkeling spots in Thailand. You will have several full days where all you do is eat, snorkel and then eat and snorkel some more. (If you do not have experience snorkeling this trip is not for you. To go on this particular trip you need to know how to swim well, know how to snorkel and love the ocean.) (Check out Kasma's underwater pictures and her snorkel Krabi photos.)
In addition to the lovely beaches, much of the rest of the trip is spent in nature. The picture just below and to the left is from one of the best-kept secrets in Thailand, a lovely, mysterious lake with jutting limestone karsts. You will also take rain-forest walks, visit waterfalls and do a bit of cave exploration. This is a trip for physically fit and active people who don't mind climbing in and out of boats when the occasion calls for it – and it will!
This trip is perfect for nature lovers who enjoy camping. Because so many of our spots are chosen for their beauty, either above or below the water, the accommodations can be rustic. On one national park island we may need to camp (it's happened once before). Even if we don't camp, we'll stay in cabins without air conditioning or hot water and with electricity available only for certain hours in the evening, night or morning. There won't be amenities such as room service – the consolation is that we're staying in paradise, at least by Kasma's definition!
And then there's the food. Whenever possible, we'll explore Thai markets, with their delectable offerings ready to eat or cook. Street food is some of the most delicious food in Thailand and we'll do our share of grazing. If you like seafood, be prepared for many delicious meals with seafood as fresh as you can wish. Most dinners we'll eat 5 or 6 dishes, family-style. In Krabi we'll have at least 4 meals at Kasma's favorite restaurant in all Thailand. Just be warned, on the islands the food may not be quite as good as on other occasions as we are dependent on the national park service while there.
Food is an important part of the trip and participants must love spicy Thai food ‐ at least 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. We cannot accept anyone who has special dietary needs – including food allergies, strong food preferences or not eating a specific food be it animal (pork, chicken, fish, shellfish), vegetable (such as onions or peanuts) or grain (wheat, for example). Check out Kasma's Trip Food Photos as well as a former trip member's food photos from the South (offsite, opens in new window).
When we're not swimming, lying on the beach or eating, we'll get a varied and interesting introduction to Southern culture. In Nakhon Si Thammarat we'll visit one of the most revered temples in all of Thailand, with its 100s of Buddha images – there's one for everyone. We'll visit interesting sites, such as a museum in Songkla that showcases the traditional, southern way of life. The south is full of coconut plantations, and we'll make a visit to a school where they train monkeys to pick coconuts.
One of our most fun days is when we visit a school where we get to see a manora dance exhibition by some of the students. It is one of the highlights of the year for the students there and we are definitely made to feel welcome as we enjoy the demonstration.
We'll travel around Thailand in two mini-vans with drivers who became part of the family. Our other main mode of transportation will be boats, both larger boats and the famous long-tail boats (see first picture at the top). At some point we can almost guarantee a beautiful sunset that will be one of the other memories you take home with you.