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Greetings from Koh Kham
!
Quote for
the day:
Hard work
pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
G'day to all my fans around the world, instead of sending
you a postcard I thought I'd spend my day putting a bit
of a webpage together to show you this bit of paradise I
found three years ago and keep coming back to every year.
View of Koh Kham from neighbouring Koh Maak
( check out all the coconuts, Hugh Spencer would hate it
here ! )
Sometimes when it's not too windy I go for
a swim to Koh Maak, about 35 minutes each way. I don't think
there's any sharks here or they would have got me by now.
And no crocs, box jellyfish and stonefish ! Koh Maak has
a huge long beach and just like Cape Trib, there's hardly
ever more than a dozen people on it.
Koh Kham
To give you an idea of the size of Koh Kham;
I went snorkeling and went around it in 40 minutes ! And
the majority of the island is National Park, leaving room
for only about twenty bungalows and one restaurant/bar.
Another view, big pic but it looks good and I think all
you guys got broadband now anyway, Cape Tribbers go and
get a coffee while you're waiting....
Pic of my A$10.- a night bungalow
(in 2005, now they have a bathroom and cost $A20.-)
This is where you'll find me every morning with my laptop
checking my emails,
on wireless internet connection, light years ahead of Cape
Trib !
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Here's a bit of info if you want to go
there;
As you can see on the map it is miles away
from the main tourist spots like Bangkok, Ko Samui, Phuket
etc. and that's why it is still quiet and relatively undeveloped.
They did finish a domestic airport in Trat in 2003 so you
can fly there now from Bangkok (otherwise it is a five hour
busride from Bangkok.
Near Trat is the boat pier at Laem Ngob, go
there to catch the boat to Koh Kham, most afternoons at
15.00, three hours at sea. There are several piers, tell
the driver you need to go to Komluangchoumporn pier. If
you get on the speedboat you will have to buy a ticket,
about 450 baht, but if you get on the slow Koh Kham boat,
much more relaxed enjoyable trip on a nice sunny day, especially
if you get a sixpack of beer from the little eating place
on the pier, just pay on the island, the bitch in the bus
station will tell you you need to buy a ticket from her
but she has a habit of not paying the island after that
so ignore her.
WARNING!
Last time we went to
Koh Kham we booked a mini bus from Pattaya to the Koh Kham
pier, but the bastards of Malibu Travel took us to the Koh
Chang ferry despite our repeated requests, and then refused
to take us to the Koh Kham ferry, only one of their assholes
was willing to do it for a big sum of money. Finally after
a lot of hassling we found a truck to take us there but
the Malibu Travel assholes could not give a shit that we
had been assured that we would be taken to the Koh Kham
ferry and just abandoned us.
So when you book your minibus tell the travel agent that
you do not want to go with the MALIBU MORONS but instead
go with Thida Tours, their office is right at the pier for
Koh Kham. Thida Tours phone numbers are 039-538084 and 084-1073050
There are several piers where boats depart from, tell the
driver you need to go to Komluangchoumporn pier.
On my most recent visit I travelled with Kiattipol Tours,
who have an office 100 metre from the Koh Kham pier. It
took three phone calls until they agreed to take me to the
Koh Kham ferry instead of the Koh Chang ferry, and I had
to pay extra, but I thought they have to get out of their
way for me so fair enough, petrol is not cheap. I also had
several discussions with the driver about where I had to
be dropped off, as if none of these people had ever heard
of Koh Kham. Then at some point through the journey I see
familiar territory and counted myself lucky that I was gonna
end up at the right pier this time. But then, would you
Fuckin' believe it, we stop at their office which was located
right by the Koh Kham pier , and everyone had to get off
to change busses, so what was the big deal with me wanting
to go here which appeared so difficult at the time of booking,
them pretending that I made a difficultt request and then
charging me extra while I actually travelled less distance
on their bus as I did not do the last leg with them?
The KohKham boat does not run every day, so
phone ahead to check; 08-13031229 , otherwise take the speedboat
to Koh Maak and they'll pick you up from there. Since my
last visit there is a big increase in the number of boats
that go back and forth, so there should be a speedboat going
every few hours. I must say I did like the old slow boat,
especially on a sunny day when you could buy a sixpack of
beer before departure, way more relaxed than the speedboat.
Koh Kham used to close down from May to October due to shit
weather in the wet season ( probably more windy than rainy)
but now they stay open, though the boat may not run and
you have to go through Koh Maak.
They have their own website kohkhamisland.com
and Mr. Kriengsak Vuthicharuvong, also known as Mr. Lor,
has the newest internet communicator gadget and you can
email him at kohkhamisland@yahoo.com
for any enquiries.
Bungalow prices range from 600 baht up to
somehwere around the 2000 baht.
Food starts at 40 baht a plate and Heineken
is 55 baht, a bottle of Thai rum 100 baht.
(There is about 33 baht in an Aussie dollar
or a bit over 50 in a Euro.)
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