Lazy Days on quiet Koh Jum

Collecting sap on the interior of the island.
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We arrived at the ferry terminal in Krabi just in time for our boat.  There were at least 50 other people on the boat, so we were thinking that this island might not be as quiet as it was made out to be by the couple we shared a taxi with back in Georgetown.  However, it was the same boat that goes to Koh Lanta, and about an hour out, we were passing a small island and the ferry shut down it's engine.  A few small boats taxied out to meet us, and about 5-6 of us got on and headed to the island.  Koh Jum, also known as Koh Pu, is only about 13 km long and not too wide.  Yes, this is what we were looking for.  The rest of the people on the ferry were on their way to Koh Lanta.  As we left the terminal in Krabi, the boat coming in from Koh Phi Phi was carrying at least a couple hundred pasengers, definitly the place to go if you are looking to meet lots people.

The sun on it's way down over Koh Phi Phi.
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Landing on the deserted northwest beach on the island was great.   Nothing but ths sound of waves, and the wind in the trees to greet us.  We headed down to the last place on the southern end of the beach and checked into a little beach bungalow.  At this time, there are only 3 little beach shacks here and I don't think the place has a name yet.  I'm sure they will have built a few more by next year, and a few more after that.  I was amazed to find such solitude in the heart of the high season.   We spent the rest of the day beach bumming, eating, and drinking.  The good life.

Chilling out beachside on Koh Jum.
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More broken-off jellyfish tentacles in the water makes swimming a little ruff.  The water is too inviting not to swim anyway, but it definitly leaves you burning a little.  About a 100 feet up the beach from our place was a nice looking little beach bar, but the owners must have been away.  The only inhabitants we ever found there were two happy beach dogs, and a frog-eating snake that quickly slithered under the bar when we came in to check the place out.  When it's open, looks like it would be a really chill place.

One of the beaches near the center of the island.
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From the northern end of our beach, a dirt road cuts into the interior and then around to the eastern side of the island.  We took a nice walk around to the other side of the island.  Loads of Tsunami warning signs and evacuation routes are posted every couple hundred metres.  Koh Jum was hit pretty hard by the tsunami a couple of years ago, but meraciously, nobody lost their lives there.  Most of the bungalows had to be rebuilt, but everything is back in order now.  On our way around the island we came across some farming families and rubber tappers.  And on the northeastern side of Koh Jum, we met a really nice guy who is building some bungalows to open next year.  He invited us to come drink the ocean water and we both looked at him like he's a little crazy.  Then he walked us out knee-deep into the water to where a concrete cement tube was sticking out about 1 foot over the surface of the ocean.  I gave it a try, and sure enough, it was natural spring water, no salty flavor.  He went on to tell us that it goes under during high tide, but when the tide goes back out, wait three hours and it's good for drinking again.  Definitly the first time i've ever had fresh spring water out of the ocean.  When his place open's next year, it will be called La Source.  Friendly people, and real close to a sleepy little muslim fishing village filled with more friendly people.

Our beach bungalow on the northwest shores.
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That evening, we met a Dutch couple, Danish couple, and a guy from Germany that were staying in some of the bungalows at the north end of the beach.  Watched an amazing sunset that evening with the giant fireball finally disappearing behind Koh Phi Phi.  The rest of the night was spent havings some beers and some laughs with our new friends.  Great beach star-gazing, we were two days away from the Black moon.

The next day, we rented a scooter and set out to explore the rest of the island.  There are a few little fishing villages on the island and not much else.  A couple of other beaches on the western side of the island looked really nice also.  Ann was just back there for five more days staying at the Aosi Guesthouse up on the hillside (wish I were there) and says it's pretty good.  The village on the southern end of Koh Jum is its biggest, but still not so many people.  We stopped for some lunch and more beach roaming before heading back up to the notth end of the island.  100 smiles later we were back on our beach swimming in the jellyfish infested Andaman Sea.

The biggest mountain on the island, home to lots of monkeys.
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That night, we had a late night BBQ and clam bake there on the beach.  The Barracuda was superb.  Lit up a bonfire and had some more laughs with our small beach party in swing.  "Aaarrrrrgghhh, shiber me timber matie!"  Dan, it was a pleasure.  Dennis and Janet, hope to see you in Holland somewhere down the road.  The night ended at some early hour in the morning with everyone sprawled out on bamboo beach mats around the dying fire talking like pirates.

Me having some fresh spring water from the ocean at La Source.
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Our last day there we got up early and went kayaking around the island some.  Saw some people catching crabs and some monkeys having breakfast on a very quiet rocky beach.  After having a late lunch, we caught a boat back out to meet the ferry back to Krabi.  On the move again to Phuket.