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Level:
fairly easy to moderate
(depending on the weather)
Season: We are only offering trips from May through October
as mass tourism is adversely impacting the quality of the
kayaking experience in this region and the bungalows
are charging too much money during the busy tourist season.
In the low season, the crowds aren't there and the bungalows
are charging about what they're really worth. This is still
a lovely area. The water is clear, the rock formations are
incredible and there are plenty of secluded beaches. We just
don't like going there when there are loads of other tourists.
Note: This
is a trip for fit adventurers. You don't necessarily have
to be an expert paddler, but you must be capable of
paddling for at least three hours at a time. We stop
to take breaks. This is not meant to be painfully challenging,
just active. We don't use an escort boat on this trip. You
will carry everything in your kayak... so pack lightly.
Trang
adventure travel kayak tour
This
area is under heavy pressure from mass tourism operators during
the tourist high season. The reefs are slowly being ruined
and there is heavy fishing pressure on the reef too. Every
day during the high season (November through April), literally
hundreds of budget-minded tourists flock to Ko Muk, Ko Kradan,
Ko Ngai and Rok Nok.
The
paddling is aesthetically pleasing as well and offering a
bit of a light challenge, but one of best things about this
area is the accommodation. The bungalows we use are set in
a beautiful tropical garden environment with a superb restaurant!
In the early morning, you can see a variety of colorful birds
visiting the flowers, including some pretty strange birds
like the Hoopoe. This bird has one of the wildest ‘crests’
in the bird world. We often see them in the area.
Once
out on the islands, we have plenty to explore. The water is
clear and the backdrop is dramatic
limestone karst topography.
There are a few different
bungalows we utilize. The bungalows on Ko Muk are situated
in a garden setting, with lots of flowers and lush tropical
vegetation. As usual, the restaurant here is outstanding.
We sometimes wonder if we’re on a paddling trip or an
eating tour!
Ko Muk features cliffs
around half of the island and hills for the other half. White-bellied
Sea eagles, Brahminy kites, Pacific Reef egrets, and a variety
of kingfishers are seen regularly while paddling around the
island. There is one cave we can paddle through which leads
to a hidden lagoon. This, alas, is a popular tourist attraction
for day-trippers. We time our visit so as not to be there
at the same time as the occasional large tour group goes there.
It’s normally easy to see it without the crowd. It’s
well worth the wait. In the late afternoon, the sun is lighting
the upper regions only. The temperature is much cooler inside
than outside the lagoon. The sand is some of the finest around
and very white. The back of the lagoon (opposite the beach
side), features a good variety of epiphytes including some
orchids.
After
we visit Ko Muk, we normally go out to the next island, Ko
Kradan, which is further away from the mainland. It’s
a short paddle that usually takes a little over an hour paddling
slowly.
The snorkeling is pretty
good on the outer islands, though pressure from fishermen
and tourists has degraded the coral and diminished the former
abundance of fish.
Still, there's a very
wide variety of marine life all over the area. We've seen
massive schools of flying fish rocketing out of the water
in front of us. We've had a huge manta ray glide between our
kayaks in the middle of a one hour island crossing. Yes, it's
true... and it was only about 3 to 4 feet under very clear
water! No matter what you see or don’t see, it’s
a very pleasant paddle.
We've seen other rays
jumping as well as other fish. This area is not exactly remote,
but it's not a touristy destination by any stretch of the
imagination. Massive limestone cliffs, monkeys calling, White-bellied
sea eagles, and night paddles make this trip one you'll remember
for a long time. Even though you'll be here during the peak
of the tourist 'high season', we'll be on our own while on
the water.
Ko Kradan is a beautiful
island with stunning long beaches, clear water, and a good
amount of bird life. Kites and eagles soar high overhead,
while brightly-colored Collared kingfishers stand guard over
the schooling smaller fishes. The snorkeling is very pleasurable.
Much of the coral has been damages, just like everywhere else
in Thailand, but there’s still a lot of fish, starfish,
anemones, and so on. It’s certainly worth seeing.
Further out to sea,
we visit Ko Ngai. This island is different from both Ko Kradan
and Ko Muk. The east-side of the island is rugged, with cliffs
and rock gardens. There is still some good coral in this area
too.
Other
islands we can visit include Ko Lanta Yai, Ko Rok Nok and
Ko
Libong. Ko Lanta
Yai has been a backpacker destination for quite some time.
However, they don't visit the east-side of the island. Old
Lanta Town is one of the most charming islands in the South.
The streets are clean and the old wooden houses are very visually
appealing.
Ko Rok Nok
[there are two islands] used to be one of the most
beautiful islands in the area. Heavy fishing and tourist pressure
has resulted in massive destruction of the reefs. Most of
the fish that are left are small. Still, the water is very
clear and the islands have some wonderful rock formations.
This
area is subject to waves in the low season. We can run a limited
trip (not going out to the outermost islands) in low season
with inexperienced paddlers, but we won’t risk going
out to the islands if a particular day looks questionable.
It is recommended for experienced paddlers during this period.
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We
always strive to get away from popular tourist destinations.
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We
offer a four-day and six-day trips
to Trang for small groups. We can customize a Trang trip too.
Let us know what interests you the most and we'll tailor a
trip to suit.
If you'd like to read more about Trang, check out our
previous trip reports:
The
relaxed paddling style
The
Trang & Tarutao combo tour
The
joy of tropical island crossings
Trang
photo galleries:
General
Trang gallery
Trang
by Rand
No
experience is needed for any of our trips, though you need
to be reasonably fit for this trip as you will do islands
crossings. We'll teach you proper paddling technique along
the way so you can maximize your efficiency.
Our
trips are all-inclusive. This price includes: all
transfers from nearest hotel or airport (airfare not included),
all equipment, accommodations once on the trip, all meals,
all snacks, all non-alcoholic drinks, a complimentary PaddleAsia
shirt and insurance.
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