March 2, 2008
Phang Nga: The bay
Today we take a boat trip with Mr. Kean. The only way to see the bay is by boat tour organized for tourists. Mr. Kean's company has a good reputation and we sign up for a half-day tour. It turns out we are the only passengers for the half-day excursion and we have the longtail boat to ourselves. The brochure promises mangrove forests, limestone islands, caves, a Muslim fishing village, James Bond Island, prehistoric cave paintings. Yes, it's all for tourists and hard to explore on your own, but nonetheless impressive.
The Ao Phang Nga National Park boasts over 40 islands, vertical cliffs and the largest remaining primary mangrove forests in Thailand. The karst scenery was created by fault movements on the mainland that pushed massive limestone blocks into the sea.
The fishing village is too small to take so much tourism. Here the foreigner no longer encounters shining open faces, there is no eye contact, no friendly hellos. The villagers avert their eyes discretely when they pass you.
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The so-called James Bond Island was used as location for "The Man with the Golden Gun".
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The last attraction of the morning are these prehistoric cave paintings.
Back at the guest house, what do we see in the entrance? A familiar bike, yes, Charles is here, one day behind us.
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