Mangroves, macaques and monitors...

Limestone cliffs overhanging
see all photos »

Sea kayaking.  Another activity that can be done by the coast without getting one's infected ear wet. Choosing DEET over factor 50 sun lotion was possibly inadvisable as I ended the day with rather red legs (which had previously been a healthy brown colour).  (I've been  more careful since then, the red bites show up nicely on my brown-again legs. I don't seem able to successfully combine insect and sun protection - am hoping that New Zealand next week won't have the insect problem as I've heard the sun is nastily strong - something to do with an Ozone shortage).

see all photos »

Anyway, back to my day of sea kayaking around Ao Thalan, about half an hour north-west of Krabi town.  Our (I was with a nice Czech couple for the day) first monitor (as in Malayan water monitor lizard - see Khao Sok entry) was walking on the land where we collected our kayaks. It was probably around a metre long and just minding its own business in the shade of the trees when we arrived.  We got into our kayaks (two in each, so I was with the guide) and paddled accross the bay to our first limestone cliff.  Paddled around the edge, looked into a couple of small caves and continued on our way.  I can't descibe every turn we took, but the morning was spent gently paddling into canyons, lagoons and mangrove forests, mostly in silence, but for the gentle sound of our paddles in the water.  The mangroves were lovely, some with roots fully exposed, others emerging from the water.  Saw a lovely big bright Kingfisher and two more water monitors.  The first was up a tree and the second (a fairly small one - less than a metre) was swimming beside the bank nearby before hiding when it saw several large plastic things also swimming in the water too close for comfort.  The macaques were also in the mangroves but in case there was any doubt they would show, our guide (and the other guides) had a stock of pineapple to throw, tempting them to the overhanging mangrove branches, into the water (they swim well) and onto our kayaks.  I can't say I was hugely impressed by this action and I made my feelings known to the guide.  After all, we didn't take sides of beef to throw to the lions in the Serengeti..........  I know it's a highly touristy area, but.....

see all photos »

Apart from the mnkey business, I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning as the mangroves and the water were quite beautiful, with the dramatic, tall limestone backdrops ensuring that not all the sunlight can get in, giving interesting shaded areas to the the little inlets we paddled up.

After lunch and paddling back, we were driven home via a(nother) cave.  I know, this is limestone country after all, and actually it was a small but good one.  The guide went in a head and disappeared for over ten minutes.  Only having one torch, he had lit dozens of small candles inside so we could walk through and see the stalagmites and stalactites illuminated in a lovely light.  We also watched the bats flying in and out, and heard their high pitched sounds within the cave and above our heads.  We then stopped at a small lagoon where those with healthy ears could dive and swim.  As we arrived there, we met a group elephant trekking and I had a lovely moment with one of the elephants - she stared into my eyes and I stared into hers.  She was bigger than me but looked so gentle!

Mangroves, with limestone cliffs behind
see all photos »

Mangroves, macaques and monitors.....I think I liked the mangroves best.