South Thailand Explorer 2016

[helbob]

If you need a gpx track or gps coordinates to a place please send a pm to me.

This year I been very surprised about my thaifriends, because they did a mountain
trek with me when the temperature was about 35C, more about this later. Most of
this trip I drove with a Honda Wave 110i.

In the map you can see the destinations, Khao Sok, Koh Kho Khao, Phuket, Koh Yao
Noi, Krabi, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Trang, Koh Muk, Koh Lipe, Koh Kradan,
Khanom. Map with destinations, please click the image for a bigger one

I don’t know why, but this year near everywhere much trash in the nature. Thailand is
a tourist country but don’t care about a clean nature and country. Here Pattaya east,
Soi Siam Country and Jomtien

This is a very good promotion for the new luxury building in Jomtien

This year I start my motorbike-trip in khao sok. I took a vip bus from pattaya to khao
sok (Phuket) for 1100 baht. Then look around with the motorbike

A carpender sell this bungalows for “only” 200.000 baht

A laketrip is a “must do” in khao sok, for me too. Now it is also very popular for
thai-tourist, clear water and a fantastic water-landscape

Guilin of Thailand, every thai-tourist want to see this place

This is Kee Ree Tara raft house

Brand new, Phu Pha Wari Resort

This is a peace of a 5 star resort, they just make the resort bigger with this buildings

But this one of my friends is my favorit, the Smiley Lake House, it feels like my home

More will follow
helbob

 

[Goran Phuket]

helbob, love your pics! What kind of camera you using?

 

[Rod Page]

Hellbob - happy to see you back reporting; clearly the best photographic reports on-line.
You've undertaken a MEGA trip & I'm greatly looking forward to following you along the way. I'm sure that your trip undertaken on a small Honda & therefore open to all will be totally inspiring.
Cheers - R

 

[helbob]

Thanks
Now i using a Sony A77 II and most of the pics was made with the sony. A few pics was made with a cheap consumer and my Samsung mobile phone.
Sony A77II, price was 960 euro for the body.
First i bought a A38 but this one had no remote control so I have sold it and bought his baby

The pics in this thread was also made with the Sony A77II
Beautiful Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Famous!

 

[helbob]

One of my favorit near Ta Khun is this cave with some limestones and the buddha (about 20km of the lake)

Please,please, please... never touch limestones. When you touch them they stop growing for 15!! years and look ugly.

Fantastic limestones because nobody touch them.

Amazing what the nature can do

A daytrip to Koh Kho Khao, ferryboat oneway 20 baht/person and 20baht/motorbike (big motorbike about 100 baht), only 10min.

A new seafood restaurant

We did a nice 200km daytrip to Thai Mueang (near the Phuket Sarasin Bridge) to look the big turtle festival (and big market) there. It is every year and you can see many young turtles wich will be freedom in the afternoon and some big old ones for look.

More will follow

helbob

 

[helbob]

After some days I drove from Khao Sok to Phuket, about 200km. I passing the checkpoint and in Phuket Town I saw the first accident, many more follow them. At day and night you can listen the emercency-car. The next day I drove around the coast to look beach and landscape. Something was nice, near same in the 90s, but most only bad. Now some beach have entry (Freedom Beach 200 baht, Paradise Beach 500 baht and Nui Beach 500 baht), not my style…

Many tourist pay entry and some of them in the late afternoon....

Nui beach

Around the nice freedom beach much trash, so bad...

Better enjoy this one, it is (still) FREE

The Nai Harn area is good to drive and near same as 10 years ago, only more tourist.

When I saw Karon I been shocked, so many tourist and Karon is a busy expensive small town now.
Some clever chinese come with camping cars now, but the thaigouverment already thinking how to take money from them for using the streets.

A famous place is the beach near the airport, do you know why….

But be careful when the airplane come behind you, maybe kick you with the tires, ha ha

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The big buddha in the mountains between Karon and Chalong is near finished a really nice place

One of the best things was a speedboat tour with some friends. We charter the boat for one day (10.000 baht) at Chalong pier and make a funny trip to the small islands.

This island have only a restaurant on the rocks and 5 meters sandy beach, nothing more.

More will follow

helbob

 

[helbob]

Maybe you see, of course, a fake ;-)

 

[Goran Phuket]

Yup that is Phuket helbob, pay for air you breath in. Local mafia took over those two small beaches years ago and even Army can't do thing about it. The worst part, it is not Phuket people who do this but criminal elements from Nakhon, Surat and Phatthalung...

 

[helbob]

After a few days in phuket my hals and nose was burning from the dirty air there and i need nature. I drove 35km to the Bang Rong pier (north-east on phuket) and took a ferry-longtailboat to Koh Yao Noi, it costs 120 for me and 200 for the bike =320 baht.
Not far from the pier in phuket is this big Buddha

and this mosque

Bang Rong Pier: The engines of this longtailboats are big and powerful, one of them is a Hino 8-zylinder twin turbo with about 500ps.

The boat from Koh Yao Noi bring some delicious seafood, they told me 1kg is 2500-3000baht - Big business

About 9.00 o clock we start. The boat need only 30min to Koh Yao Noi.

My first friend at Koh Yao Noi

Map of Koh Yao Noi, I arrived at Manoh Pier

I choose the Pasai Cottage for 800 baht per night, because it is a nice place and i think just for a few days

My bungalow (no AC)

A cheaper one at the end on the same beach is the Coconut Resort.

More will follow
helbob

 

[DavidFL]

More beauty - bring it on.
An inspiration to tour the south.

 

[helbob]

This island is a little bite same phuket 20 years ago. Everybody is friendly, you can drive around without traffic and no police check you all the time. It is a wonderful place for naturelovers and photographers (like me ;-).

North-west end

This is in the north-east of the island, near the climbing area

North-west at the end of the street

This is in the north-east of the island, near the climbing area

Koh Yao Noi is a muslim island, they have one 7/11 but without pork and alcohol. The restaurants selling beer.

More will follow
helbob

 

[Ian Bungy]

Beautiful Photos. Well Done!

 

[helbob]

Thanks for nice coments

 

[helbob]

After some days at Koh Yao Noi I took a regular Longtailboat from Thakao Pier to
Krabi, it cost 150 for me and 200 for the bike, about 40min. A wonderful trip in the early morning

First I thought I will stay in Krabi but when I arrived in Ao Nang it looks very busy. So I drove the Krabi 44
Highway to Surathani and then to Don Sak, about 220km. The ferryticket include a small bike is 260 baht
from Don Sak to Koh Phangan and the ferry need 2,5 hour.

Raja Ferry Time Table 2016
The ferry need 2,5 hours (Don Sak is ~60km south of Surathani)
Don Sak - Phangan
7.00 , 10.00 , 12.00 , 13.00 , 16.00 , 18.00
Phangan - Don Sak
5.00 , 7.00 , 10.00 , 13.00 , 15.00 , 17.00

The businesspeople at Koh Phangan build and built and built. Maybe in 10 years it looks same Koh Samui.
Now many nice places there. A new place, the Three Sixty Bar at Mae Haad

Or the Ritual Bar near Ban Tai

The Amsterdam Bar in Plailaem is for Ganja Smokers

Some beach are very nice when the weather is good

A old style bungalow, but the new quality and party tourist want ac rooms with swimming pool

The first tent resort of Koh Phangan

Fullmoonparty, crazy funny

When I sleep on the beach this duckgae fall on my stomach and hiss to me, o la la, don’t bite me please ;-)

Many dirt roads here for a lot of fun with enduros, a easy sandy road

This one is heavy for my Wave, it is the dirt road to Haad Yuan, this road can be VERY bad

More will follow
helbob

 

[Goran Phuket]

I know I sound like broken record but your photos are amazing.

 

[helbob]

The next trip goes to Trang, a nice city in the south, about 250km south of Don Sak. I go there with my
thaifriends because one daughter fighting taekwondo.

In the afternoon we decide to look a cave. The Khao Kop Cave is a amazing because
you go in there with a small boat and sometimes walk, per person 100 baht.

My thai-friends

Near the end it will be smaller and smaller and you must be carefull not get scratches on you nose…

Oh my god....

A good hotel there is the Baan Pak Chai Tung for 900 baht, near Robinson, but it is
difficult to find!

More will follow
helbob

 

[brian_bkk]

Some brilliant shots.. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Brian

 

[helbob]

From Trang back to Don Sak and take the Seatran ferry to Koh Samui, small motorbike include driver is 170baht, the ferry need 1,5 hr. Samui is a good stop for 1 week.

A new mountain bar/restaurant with a nice pool (100 baht fee) and a small dinopark (20 baht fee)

Samui still have a few nice quiet places but how long?

Many nice restaurants with food from all over the world but this is my favorit place and food (view to Lamai)

A good place in the evening

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

After a week my thaifriends told me now school closed for some weeks and we can go holiday again. So this time we met at Haad Chao Mai (near Trang). It was a hard ride when the temperature is 35C. From Haad Chao Mai we rent a longtailboat to Koh Muk for 1200 baht. Now Koh Muk has many different resorts, start about 800 baht. You can also rent a motorbike, but not real streets here. Koh Muk is a small muslim island but you can get beer in every restaurant. The map with the 3 islands:

We choose Lucky Bungalow.

another one not far

this looks cheap

The neighbour is Team Restaurant, a cheap but VERY good restaurant.

This luxury resort, named Sivalai, has a very soft and singing sand

In the evening everybody drive to Charlies Place, the sunset beach

On the next day a snorkeling-trip with morakot cave (200 baht for falangs). We swim about 100m trough a cave a came to a lagune.

inside the lagoon

From Koh Muk you can visit some small islands like Koh Kradan, Koh Hai (Ngai), when you visit the area of Koh Hai (Ngai) you must pay 200 baht. I think Koh Kradan and snorkeling around Koh Muk is better than Koh Hai (Ngai). On the way this small mountain island

This is Koh Kradan:

Koh Hai (Ngai)

Koh Hai, expensive bungalows

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

The map with the islands around Koh Lipe

After a few days we go 100km more south to Koh Lipe. First to the Pak Bara pier and from
here with a speedboat for 650 baht in 1,5hr to Koh Lipe. This powerboats have 3x250ps up tp
4x250ps and run 50-60km/h.

30min stop at Koh Khai

Koh Lipe: The speedboat stop on a raft 50m in frond of the island. On the raft you must pay 200baht
entrance fee and then you must take a longtailboat for 50 baht to the island ;-( a ripp off
We stayed at OMG Sports Bar and restaurant. They some small nice bungalows with
ac and without ac. The restaurant looks like a small museum.

In the evening you have many nice bars on this island, but this one looks very nice

One of the last hidden beaches

The next day we did a longtailboat tour, but: I told my friends I will walk to the viewpoint at Koh Adang and
they can go snorkeling. My friends say no we go together to the Chado Cliff viewpoint.
But we are late and it was already hot. O.k. lets go, a hard walk when the temperature is 35C. There a 3
viewpoints, nr. 3 is 1hr to walk. It was rally hard but we did it, a great view and much fun. When you like to
stay there you can rent a tent or a bungalow

I am on the top and my shirt is wet. Behind is Koh Lipe

My thaifriends, everybody is wet

A nice beachat Koh Adang

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

Next day we check out, take the speedboat to Pak Bara and I drive about 350km to Khanom,
Map of Khanom

a nice nature beach near Don Sak.

Khanom is very very popular for the dolphins, but most for thai-tourist

Boat rent prices

I choose the Siriburi Resort for 700 baht, very nice and in the middle of the nature .

Here you can cruising with you motorbike and look the landscape.

The old pier at Kwang Pao Beach, it is a „little bite“ broken

Kwang Pao Beach

It is unbelievably, but this is a very big hotel-ruine. Nowbody stay or work there and something not finish.

Khanom maroc resort, nice style.

Khanom is a good place to see beautiful “coconut-sunsets”.

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

The best thing for me are the 2 caves here. The first one is the popular, but not easy to find. A guide will
open a light and show you the cave. First walk up some stairs until this hole, the entrance. Inside you walk
down in a big pipe.

After the big pipe some small parts follow.

This girls are from germany, but flip flops are not recommend to visit this cave

After the small parts the big surprize in the big hall. A wonderful cave with many limestones. PLEASE don’t
touch them!!!! When you touch them they not grow for about 10-15 years!!

No entrance fee, you make only a donation, a amazing cave.
The other one is smaller, no guide here. Entrance:

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

Pattaya: Baan Sukhawadee or Saha Farm (the chicken king) is a big building with garden near pattaya. Drive the big road to Bangkok and after 6km you will see the building on the left side. 500 baht entrance fee include food and show (i not eat because to many chinese in the restaurant)

The building with garden

inside

Nonstop show

Important: If you want visit, you must come early!!! After 10 o clock many chinese.

Mike shopping swimming pool (Pattaya Beachroad) on the rooftop, 90 baht, you can order thai-food, pizza or western food, a pad gapao chicken is 90 baht.

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

A public rape in Thailand, many people watched, none helped

Warning: I had in Thailand a squid poisoning! Although I had the boiled squid only 1 hour in
the stomach but I was 24 hours completely incapacitated with severe body aches and chills. The local
people know about this problem. Sometimes the seafood is treated with formalin and spoiled. I saw another
tourist-girl with the same, but she went to the Surathani hospital. So be careful with squit, shells and shrimp,
it can be your death.

Now more then the last 10 years and nearly everywhere in thailand. If the thais not wake up they will end
same as some africans where a lot of trash ist on every street.

Here Koh Kradan (Trang) , a beautiful island but….

Koh Lipe (nationalpark!!!) come up very fast and has now a VERY BIG problem

Koh Lipe, looks like “Thaistyle”

Pattaya, Jomtien

Pattaya, Soi Siam Country

Pattaya, Pratumnak Hill

Koh Larn, the trash island near pattaya

Koh Phangan, near Pirates Bar (they also make this trash-mountain)

Koh Samui, daily about 150 metric tons trash. The trash-mountain near Nathon has 200
000 metric tons because the incinerator not work, a very big problem there. Here Lamai in the jungle

Khanom, Ao Ching beach (but some other places look similar)

Phuket, around freedom beach

On freedom beach, maybe some tourist like it

Small nice Koh Poda in front of Ao Nang (Krabi).

Sometimes they burn the trash, sometimes the wind blow the trash everywhere around

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

But we will end this thread with some nice pics of thailand

I hope you enjoy

END