Koh Lipe Island was a paradise on Earth. I have never imagined I'll
be able to go to such far away Island in the Andaman Sea. Koh Lipe was
one of my favorite places I visited.
Koh Lipe is an island nicknamed, the Maldives of
Southeast Asia. It is a good Island for families and people who want to
relax in a quiet environment. It is not a party Island like Ko Phi Phi,
but it has its ambience at night.
I took a speedboat
with 4 engines from Pak Bara Pier to Koh Lipe Island. The speedboat had
about 40 people. The sea was calm and the weather was warm and breezy.
We rode for about 2 hours, but it only felt like 30 minutes, it was very
enjoyable.
Getting on the speedboat
We got to a wooden platform about quarter of a mile (0.25 mile) away from
the Island. We paid an entry fee (was about $10 I think) since the
Island was part of a national park or something like this, I didn't
totally understood it, and I didn't care to find out since I only wanted
to get to the island. The speedboat does not harbor at the Island, so
we took a long-tail boat to get to the Island for about $1. The water
around the island was aquatic blue in color, every time I recall the
moment I get lost in the beauty of it.
Leaving the long-tail boat for Koh Lipe Island
Koh Lipe from the sands
First Selfie at Koh Lipe
When I landed on the Island, I went straight to find
my hostel. I booked a week before, because it was the high season in
Thailand, and Russian tourists flock Thailand. If I waited until I
arrived, then I would have most likely not been able to find a hostel,
which would be okay since the weather was nice, I could have just slept
on the beach now that I think about it. Koh Lipe is a small Island, it
takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other, so there is
not many accommodations, it is better to book early during the high
season (~December to ~March). I went to the beach and sat for a while
observing the sea and the small aquatic blue waves crashing the sand. I
took a dip and the water was warm and nice. I was able to spot tropical
fish that drifted away from their coral habitat.
Just relaxing
I explored the island right after. Some parts of the island looked
untouched by humans. I was able to see monkeys on the high trees in
the middle of the island, and there were birds of different colors and made sounds I never heard before. There were lot of mosquitoes as well(Thank God for the mosquito repellent).
Exploring the Island
There is a main street called "Walking Street" where
all the restaurants are at. At night, the street comes to life with huge
BBQs and awesome food. Freshly caught fish can be found on the grill
the same day. There are also Halal restaurants serving halal meat. The
nights were incredible at the island, so many people from different
parts of the world come together on a tiny island at the edge of the
map.
Sun is about to rise on Sunrise Beach
I woke up the next day around 6am to catch the sunrise on Sunrise beach.
It was one of the most enjoyable moments I have experienced so far in my
life. So calm and beautiful, the view was surreal. See the above and
below pictures, I still think they don't do justice to the beauty I saw
with my own eyes, so check out the video above.
Waiting for sunrise
Almost there
There is the sunrise
From another angle after few minutes
Chillin' at the beach
That same day, I did snorkeling, and I saw many colorful fish, it was fun. I took some pictures with my phone, the quality was not so good because it was my phone underwater, water camera would have been better but I did not have it. I think if you look closely you will spot the fish. I went to Sunset beach during sunset, it was also nice, but not as nice as the sunrise. Many people miss the sunrise, and many watch the sunset. I think anyone who misses the sunrise has missed half the enjoyment on this tiny island.
Next day, I took a speedboat back to Pak Bara and a van ride up north to the famous Ao Nang.
