Diving with the Turtles
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2007
1
84
141
Trip End
Ongoing
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Koh Tao,
Thailand
Monday, August 27, 2007
Ahh another island paradise. Sorry to have to rub it in but we are on yet another beautiful tropical island with warm clear waters, swaying palm trees, cool ocean breezes and white sand beaches. So - how is work going for all of you out there? Sorry, I promise that is the last time I will gloat.
Off the south-eastern coast of Thailand, there are 3 beautiful islands located in the Guld of Thailand. Koh Tao (rhymes with cow) , Koh Pha-Ngan (pronounced Fuh-Nang) and Koh Samui (pronounced Suh-Moo-We). Koh Samui is the largest island and is known for being the most developed, with many shopping malls and mega-resorts. Koh Pha-Ngan is the middle-sized island and is known for pretty beaches and the monthly Full-Moon party. Koh Tao is the smallest, at 21 square kilometers, and is the least developed with no paved roads and known for the abundance of scuba dive operators and a handful of good dive sights close to the island.
Koh is the Thai word for "Island". Tao is the Thai word for "turtle". So we are staying on the "Turtle Island". Named so because of it's shape -- a mountain of jungles rising from the blue waters and perched on a ledge of coral reefs, like a turtle sunbathing.
We arrived on Koh Tao via high speed ferry boat, 1.5 hours, at around 9:30 am and caught a free bus ride to Big Blue Diving resort in Sai Ree beach. We checked out a few other places but decided to stay here because the rooms are half price on the days that you dive.
1 - another great sunset
So our room is only 200 baht a night which is less than 6 bucks US. Yeah it's a good deal. (Normal prices 400 Baht / 1000 Baht - fan / aircon). On the second day, we upgraded to a cool A-framed chalet bungalow, complete with private bathroom, deck and hammock. Same price. After settling into the room, we grabbed an excellent lunch of Masaman Vegetable Curry and Coconut Chicken Curry (total bill 100 Baht - about $3 US) and headed back to the hotel for a nap.
After the sporadic sleeping on the overnight bus we desperately need a nap. It is 1pm so we can sleep a few hours and then relax by the water and wait for the sunset. We hear it is lovely. Unfortunately we missed the sunset because we did not get up until 7pm. That is one heck of a nap. Our sleep cycles have been all messed up since we arrive. We went to a local bar and to our suprise they had Guinness on tap. So of course we had to have a proper pint of the dark stuff. After wandering around a bit we went back to bed because we have to be at the dive shop at 6:45 am to join the morning dive.
The dive boat was unlike any we had been on before. First, you take a longboat (local wooden canoe-like boat) from the shore out to the bay. Then you climb aboard the main dive boat. It looked like some sort of 50 year old fishing boat that had been converted for diving. The paint was chipping, the ceilings low and it was captained by a surly one-legged Thai who lived on the boat. Despite that, it was a smooth ride on the Gulf of Thailand to our first dive site.
2 Beautiful Fish 2
The visibility was okay and we did get to see some interesting coral, anemenies (sp), and lots of colorful fish. The second dive site had better visibility and we saw more varieties of fish.Back on the surface Kay is having some trouble with her ears. We think it is a negative pressurization problem but are not sure. She is in a lot of pain and lost hearing in her left ear. I talk to Ernst our dive master and he says we should go to the clinic around the corner. Once at the clinic they look in her ear and tell her she has an ear infection. So for 960 baht in medicine her diving is done for the next week. . To quote Kay, while staring at the beautiful sea, "I feel like a mountain climber who finallay made it to Everest base camp and then sprained my ankle. I can see the mountain peak, but can't touch it."
Even though tonight is a full moon and Thailand is famous for full moon parties we had a light dinner and were in the room by 8:30pm relaxing.
For the next week, while Kay wandered around the island - I went diving a half dozen more times and saw a few amazing things. The best was my first ever seahorse, I actually have a really good photo of it too. It was really big for a seahorse - about 6 inches tall. Then there were the blue spotted rays, the moray eels, the trigger fish which on this island are aggressive and lots of cool coral. Overall the diving was good but visibility could have been better. Then again I could be diving in the freezing cold Atlantic off the East Coast in the US so who am I to complain.
We spent the rest of the days and nights walking around the town, enjoying good meals while watching the sunset, great breakfasts at the waters edge, some games of Yahtzee and a free showing of the 40 year old virgin movie.
On Saturday just before we are going to leave, and too remind me I am traveling in a developing nation again, I developed a not so lovely stomach ailement. Yes, I am having a flashback of Guatemala and have not eaten solid food in 2 days. So right now I am starving while typing this. I guess this is what I get for gloating.
Cheers
Frank
PS We are just waiting to catch an overnight train to Malaysia and more diving...if my stomach holds up.
Recommendations for other travellers: Blue Wind bakery/restaurant for breakfast (located on the beach). Coffee Boat for good cheap Thai meals (located in SaiRee on the main street across from 7-11). The restaurant at our hotel (Big Blue) for their nightly seafood BBQ. The Heavenly Hut bakery for pasteries and a good cup of coffee.
Diving Prices are package priced. 1 dive = 1000 baht. 2-5 dives = 900 baht per dive. 6-9 dives = 800 baht per dive. 10 or more dives = 700 baht per dive (about 20 US Dollars).
