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KOH LIPE
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The Secret Beauty of Thailand
By Vijay Pratap Singh Chauhan
There are 3 main beaches on Koh Lipe, all with different feelings and views. Pattaya beach being the busiest, this horseshoe shaped bay with views out in to the Andaman sea is full of restrobars  and resorts. Sunrise is still
much quitter but with much better views of smaller islands, it also has its advantages as it receives a cool breeze most of the year.
A tiny island in the Andaman Sea in the very southwest corner of Thailand is where you find this little paradise. Located in Thailand's oldest National Marine park housing about 70 islands, Koh Lipe (about 70 kms from mainland) is the only one that has been allow ed private development. Getting there these days can't be easier, as there are now boats from all directions, allowing visitors accesses both directly from Thailand's west coast and its internal airport Hat Yai or from the north from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Trang. Also there are now daily boat crossing the board from Malaysia and its famous Island destination Langkawi.
There are 3 main beaches on Koh Lipe, all with different feelings and views. Pattaya beach being the busiest, this horseshoe shaped bay with views out in to the Andaman sea is full of restrobars and resorts. Sunrise is still much quitter but with much better views of smaller islands, it also has its advantages as it receives a cool breeze most of the year. Sunrise also boast s the best snorkeling strait off the beach with kilometers of reef and several small islands to explore.
Lipe turns at night in to the ultimate chill out scene with the restaurants and bars setting up chairs and bamboo mats right on the beach, lit by candle light and Bob Marley tunes wafting down the beach. Some of the must see place at night include Phoo's Bar, in the centre of the island. One of its
long standing institutions, Karma Bar well renowned on the back packer scene and the relatively new Castaway restaurant and bar with its raised decks and stunning views.
Taurutau Natio nal Marine Park also has some of the best dive sites in all of Thailand, renowned for its amazingly good visibility, huge hard and soft corals and numerous marine life species, thousands of colourful fish, poisonous scorpion, lion fish and even large 2m wide sting rays and its passing visitors such as whale sharks. But even if you aren't a diver just drifting along with a mask and snorkel is an amassing experience and just so much to choose from. Reefs not to miss: the easily excisablereef off sunrise beach on Koh Lipe and the reef in front of the ranger station on Koh Ravi.
Koh Lipe offers an impressive variety of accommodation, ranging from the inexpensive back packer Bamboo Huts (Varin 2) to the chic and stunningly designed Castaway resort with amazing views that will fulfill any traveller’s dream.
Travel Tips
* Arrive at Pak Bara before 11.30 if you are coming via
Hat Yai.
* Taking the boat straight from Langkawi is a little expensive but the time it saves and the hassle free immigration it provides is worth considering.
* Castaway resorts offer the cheapist accommodation.
* There are no ATMs on the island so make sure you bring enough money for the time you anticipate to stay and then double it as you'll end up staying longer!
* Varin 2 on Sunrise beach has the newest and cheapest bamboo bungalow's huts. |
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