Ko Lipe
Initially we did not plan to go to Ko Lipe but decided to spend a few days on this island that all the travellers we met described as very nice and quiet. We were happy we had changed our mind as we really liked this very small island (it can be crossed in 20min) surrounded by beautiful turquoise water. There is no port in Ko Lipe so from the ferry or speed boat you have to get a long tail boat (Bh50 each to all destination on the island) and ask the fisherman to drop you at the hotel of your choice. It is better to book accommodation when going to Ko Lipe as the island is very popular. Everything was full when we arrived and after walking around the island with our backpacks we had to take a bungalow half finished at Jack Jungle Bar in the middle of the island ....we had a little fight with the owner about the bathroom as we tried to explain to him that he should have advised us that the shower was not working. The next day early in the morning we went to other places on the beach to snap the first bungalow that will be free. We found one at the Mountain Resort and we really liked it, a very nice and quiet place with clean bungalows for Bh600. The resort is on a hill and from the restaurant you have a beautiful view on the sea and the island of Ko Adang. The beach is really quiet and nice and it offers beautiful sunset views. The restaurant serves good food except for the breakfast the only good item being the pancakes. You can also get pots of hot water for free if you have your own tea....the tea they serve is not so good. There is also Internet for Bh180 an hour (the standard price on the island), they give you a laptop so you can check your emails sitting anywhere in the restaurant with a beautiful view! Well we had a lovely stay in Ko Lipe, very relaxing. We had a few meals at the Porn Resort which has got a good restaurant and a nice view on the sea, but the beach is not as nice as the one next to the Mountain Resort. At first it was a bit confusing to walk across the island but quickly we got to know the main tracks. In the centre of the island there is the authentic village with a few shops but going towards Pattaya Beach (the busiest and most touristic beach) it becomes a village for tourists, full of cafes, restaurants, Internet cafes, shops......we did not like this part of the island where we had to go to buy our ferry tickets. Except for Pattaya Beach Ko Lipe is a beautiful island that managed to keep a very relaxed, authentic and peaceful atmosphere. A good place to relax!
Costs:
- National Park entry fee (for Ko Tarutao, Ko Adang but not for Ko Lipe) RM200 per person. To be paid on the the ferry quay in Pakbara or on arrival in Ko Tarutao/Ko Adang.
- Ferry/Speed Boat return Pakbara-Ko Tarutao = Bh500 (Andrew Tour in Hat Yai)
- Ferry Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe = Bh350 (National Park Rangers in Ko Tarutao), the speed boat was BH50 more expensive.
- Speed Boat Ko Lipe - Ko Taruato = Bh300 (Friends Tour in Ko Lipe)
Ferry travelling time:
Pakbara - Ko Tarutao: 1h30
Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe: 2h30
Speed boat travelling time:
Pakbara - Ko Tarutao: 30min
Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe: 1h
Even if the ferry is much slower we chose it as we had a very bad souvenir of the speed boat in the Galapagos Islands. However we took the speed boat on our way back to be able to get to Krabi on the same day and we found it quite comfortable, more noisy and bumpy but the gain in time is really worth the very little loss of comfort compare to the ferry.
Initially we did not plan to go to Ko Lipe but decided to spend a few days on this island that all the travellers we met described as very nice and quiet. We were happy we had changed our mind as we really liked this very small island (it can be crossed in 20min) surrounded by beautiful turquoise water. There is no port in Ko Lipe so from the ferry or speed boat you have to get a long tail boat (Bh50 each to all destination on the island) and ask the fisherman to drop you at the hotel of your choice. It is better to book accommodation when going to Ko Lipe as the island is very popular. Everything was full when we arrived and after walking around the island with our backpacks we had to take a bungalow half finished at Jack Jungle Bar in the middle of the island ....we had a little fight with the owner about the bathroom as we tried to explain to him that he should have advised us that the shower was not working. The next day early in the morning we went to other places on the beach to snap the first bungalow that will be free. We found one at the Mountain Resort and we really liked it, a very nice and quiet place with clean bungalows for Bh600. The resort is on a hill and from the restaurant you have a beautiful view on the sea and the island of Ko Adang. The beach is really quiet and nice and it offers beautiful sunset views. The restaurant serves good food except for the breakfast the only good item being the pancakes. You can also get pots of hot water for free if you have your own tea....the tea they serve is not so good. There is also Internet for Bh180 an hour (the standard price on the island), they give you a laptop so you can check your emails sitting anywhere in the restaurant with a beautiful view! Well we had a lovely stay in Ko Lipe, very relaxing. We had a few meals at the Porn Resort which has got a good restaurant and a nice view on the sea, but the beach is not as nice as the one next to the Mountain Resort. At first it was a bit confusing to walk across the island but quickly we got to know the main tracks. In the centre of the island there is the authentic village with a few shops but going towards Pattaya Beach (the busiest and most touristic beach) it becomes a village for tourists, full of cafes, restaurants, Internet cafes, shops......we did not like this part of the island where we had to go to buy our ferry tickets. Except for Pattaya Beach Ko Lipe is a beautiful island that managed to keep a very relaxed, authentic and peaceful atmosphere. A good place to relax!
Costs:
- National Park entry fee (for Ko Tarutao, Ko Adang but not for Ko Lipe) RM200 per person. To be paid on the the ferry quay in Pakbara or on arrival in Ko Tarutao/Ko Adang.
- Ferry/Speed Boat return Pakbara-Ko Tarutao = Bh500 (Andrew Tour in Hat Yai)
- Ferry Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe = Bh350 (National Park Rangers in Ko Tarutao), the speed boat was BH50 more expensive.
- Speed Boat Ko Lipe - Ko Taruato = Bh300 (Friends Tour in Ko Lipe)
Ferry travelling time:
Pakbara - Ko Tarutao: 1h30
Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe: 2h30
Speed boat travelling time:
Pakbara - Ko Tarutao: 30min
Ko Tarutao - Ko Lipe: 1h
Even if the ferry is much slower we chose it as we had a very bad souvenir of the speed boat in the Galapagos Islands. However we took the speed boat on our way back to be able to get to Krabi on the same day and we found it quite comfortable, more noisy and bumpy but the gain in time is really worth the very little loss of comfort compare to the ferry.
