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Beautiful Places

Dolphins

The past month had rushed by so quickly. It’s hard to believe that a month ago we were driving my brother Julien and his girlfriend Sabine to the airport after almost three weeks of festivities on Dali and on shore!

It was great to have Julien visiting a second time, and this time with Sabine! We did remember that when he left us in Phuket after five rainy days on board  in May he told us, “see you in September” but it went by so quickly that when we picked him up at the airport in September it felt he had just left us a few weeks back…

They took a risk in coming to Phuket end of September, usually the most rainy time of the year. Iva and were worried that we could only offer them indoor activities, the four of us cramped in our tiny living space… But the weather turned out to be surprisingly nice ! Even the dolphins greeted us on Julien & Sabine’s second day on the boat!

Dolphin Pod

More dolphins…!

We got to enjoy the sun striking the clear water of Koh Hae and Koh Mai Ton and had a fast sail to Koh PhiPhi that rewarded us with its usual night of partying and jumping through rings of fire.

We got back just in time, seven hours motoring against the wind in a sea that was starting to get rough, in anticipation of the storm that finally soaked Phuket from the West one more time in this year’s heavy monsoon season. Our friends Jose and Anna welcomed us in the beautiful house they are taking care of in the south of Phuket, and for a few days we hid away from the rain, enjoyed delicious food, funny games and soft mattresses…

A first visit to Phuket needs to be celebrated in the colorful nightlife of Patong, and Sabine was not disappointed as we danced away in the clubs and gazed in disbelief at the unusual sights the place has to offer…

The Infamous Tiger Nightclub, Patong

The rain quickly gave way to the sun again and we were able, back on the boat, to enjoy some lovely anchorages we had not seen before.

On their last night we enjoyed one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen in Thailand from a gorgeous platform bar on the top of cape Panwa. Sometimes everything just comes together perfectly…

Baba’s Nest, Sri Panwa

Only one month has passed. Thailand seems so far away… After stopping in Kuala Lumpur to attend the premiere of the TV Show we’re participating in (The Apartment – Style Edition) we started a very long trip around the world, that will take us to three continents to visit our families and friends. Here it goes :

KL – Doha – Paris – Berlin – Nice – Cannes – Paris – London – Paris – Doha – Buenos Aires – Mendoza – Buenos Aires – Doha – KL.

Hope to see you all on the way !

Phil

Your friendly hosts…

Dali 2012 Tracks

As this year slowly approaches its end, we find ourselves reflecting on months gone by.  I have trouble grasping the idea that I have been living on a boat for eight months now. The change in lifestyle is still a very fresh one, almost abstract in my mind when compared to the futures I had previously imagined.  Yet it’s a lovely feeling looking back on this year in quiet surprise while, with time, I become more and more used to the idea.

Below is a map showing the combined journeys we have made since I joined Phil on Dali this year. Together we have travelled roughly 1,250 nautical miles which is 2,012 kilometers (yes, really!).

We have come to be reasonably comfortable along the West Coast of Malaysia and Thailand. We had the amazing luck of discovering new anchorages, beaches, islands each time we made a move. Returning to old favourites made me feel incredibly privileged… I know it is a rare thing to be able to say, “let’s go back to that favourite mooring, where the water is clear and the sun sets between Rok Nok and Nai”. And then a few days later, do so.

In short, these are our travels. As much as these ups and downs have taught us, we will be happy to explore new horizons in the coming year.

Iva

Eleven On Board

There’s nothing like the feeling of leaving a marina after being tied to a pontoon, mixing sweat and grease, for a time that always turns out to be much longer than expected…

So on a sunny day, in fifteen knots of wind blowing through Phang Nga Bay, we finally untied the lines and left Yacht Haven Marina. With on board, Isabelle and Mathieu, two friends visiting from France ! They would be the first of numerous guests coming and going, sleeping on the available bunks and bringing life and laughter to our small living space in the two weeks that followed…

Isabelle and Mathieu

On our way down to the south of Phuket to meet the rest of the crew, we enjoy some really nice sailing in the strong wind on the flat waters of the massive bay. Isa and Mat quickly take their marks on board and love the boat heeling in the gusts…the intense limestone islands, as if suspended above water, surround us as we anchor for our first night far from the rest of the world…

Fresh prawns, straight from the fisherman’s net to our table!

After a couple of days sailing down the west coast of Phuket, we meet up with more friends! Pierre-Henri (PH) and his girlfriend Clothilde. also from France, and Elise with her boyfriend Vikram, a.k.a. Sunny, flying in from India. It’s a couples’ holiday ! I’m delighted to have three of my best friends on board with their better halves, most of which I meet for the first time.  And it’s the first time Iva meets my French friends. It turns out they all randomly came to visit at the same time ! She won’t be disappointed, we’re now eight people on the boat !

The following week, we all sail together from Phuket to Koh Hae, couples taking turns to sleep on the boat (it only sleeps five) while the others book cheap accommodation on land. Cruising around the islands, snorkeling in the good spots, lunch on the beach, sundowners on the boat, dinner on land, what a perfect few days catching up on their lives back home, sharing our own new living conditions… It feels so good to have my old time friends on the boat, actually finally understanding what our lifestyle implies…

Elise and Sunny

A typically French apéritif : rosé wine and saucisson !

Couples’ Holiday !

After a very relaxed beginning of our group holiday, we decide to change the mood and head to Koh Phi Phi, where Jess, Sinead and Diane, three Australian friends of Iva will join us…the more the merrier !

Sailing to Koh Phi Phi

Clo and PH

Dali…the love-boat !

Phi Phi Islands

Iva catching a mooring line, on our arrival in Phi Phi.
That one broke a few minutes after… I prefer my anchor and chain !

Our anchorage in Phi Phi

As mentioned before on this blog, Koh Phi Phi is a group of two islands lying 20 miles east of Phuket. Koh Phi Phi Le, the small one, famous for being the setting of the movie The Beach. Kho Phi Phi Don, the large one is a pretty busy tourist destination, mainly attracting young backpackers looking for gorgeous settings and beach parties… It’s a change for our guests from the more isolated places we’ve taken them so far : streets, people everywhere, long walks with their backpacks to find a place to stay…

Iva, Jess, Sinead and Diane

But at night, the party on the beach starts, with numerous bars blasting heavy bass into the night, firedancers and a lot of drunken tourists… What a perfect spot to celebrate our random reunion, eleven of us drinking and dancing our hearts out till it’s really time to go to bed…

It’s not Phi Phi without fluorescent paint…

After a couple of days recovering from that first night, by diverse means such as sweating it out on a long trek over the mountain or simply sitting on the beach enjoying lots of Thai food (which is NEVER bad), we have to head back to Phuket.

Post Party Trek

The Phi Phi Viewpoint inspires many interesting poses…

Loh Bagao Bay, east coast of Phi Phi

PH and Clo continue their trip to Koh Lanta, Isa and Mat head back to Phuket on an early ferry to extend their visa and we sail back with the rest of the crew.

Early morning stopover in Maya Bay, set of the movie ‘The Beach’, before the daily tourist invasion

Sailing back to Phuket

Cozy girly time on a sleepy afternoon sail…

Unfortunatly we have to say goodbye to Elise and Sunny who head back to Bangkok to catch their flight for Dehli. But Jess, Sinead and Diane stay to enjoy their first night on the boat ! A nice dinner of bangers and mash and a good movie put us all to bed quite early…

The following is not my most glorious moment. The girls booked a hotel room in the infamous Patong for a last night of party in Phuket’s vibrant streets. Isa and Mat were joining us as well. Everything was set up for a crazy farewell night. But the party was cut short rather quickly. As the girls were getting ready to go out, I caught my small toe on a bed corner in a hasty movement. All I could do is look at the sad result : a  toe dangling from the side of the foot. End of the party before it starts. Head for the hospital for an X-Ray that shows the extent of the damage. Well, a broken toe.

Welcoming eleven people on board within two weeks is not an easy task. As the captain of the boat, you are responsible for every person that steps on it. Everyone has different expectations, different plans. Trying to please everybody at the same time, while taking their schedule into consideration, on top of the handling the boat, dealing with the weather, the tides, the dozens of dinghy trips to the beach…not a holiday for Iva and I.

We estimate about a hundred dinghy trips made during the holiday!

But the smile on the faces of your friends, chilling on the boat, enjoying a sunset or awing at the color of the crystal water you brought them to…more than worth it.

We thought after these two weeks we could have our own “holiday”. Finally only responsible for ourselves. Free as little fish in the sea. Well we had to think again. First I have to rest my toe. Let the bone consolidate. Then we need to head back to Langkawi…to meet more friends !

Phil

We would like to thank Isabelle, Mathieu, Elise, Sunny, Pierre-Henri and Clothilde for letting us use some of their photographs for this post.

Cities, Squalls & Caves

We’ve been busy and the blog is slowing down a bit. It’s hard to express how busy our life feels after posting beautiful stories and the corresponding pictures in the past few months.

Everyday there’s something to fix. When we’re not fixing we’re cleaning or gathering supplies. Looking for a spare part, a tool that’s missing. Everyday we also add an item on the list of things to do during the next “workshop” in Phuket, where we will take care of bigger repairs, such as fixing a small leak in the hull/deck junction or cutting a cleaning hatch in the diesel tank. And when we’re on the move, the navigation requires constant efforts and concentration.

We often smile when we hear the feedbacks on our endless holiday in tropical paradise. We do enjoy the moments of bliss that we try to share on our blog. But we really feel we paid the price for them every time they reward us with their appearances…

There’s also the unusual freak incident, such as the tsunami alert that came with the 8.6 quake that struck west of Sumatra early April. With very little time to think, I decided to take the boat as far from shore as possible. In more than 10 meters of water, there’s little chance that the wave will break, it’s actually the safest place to be during a tsunami. We sailed 5 miles out to sea and drifted for a few hours until we heard the news that the quake hadn’t generated a tsunami. Excellent drill.

Anyways, we were tired. We felt we needed a change, a rest. So we decided to go to KL for 10 days. I lived in KL for 6 years. Iva for 12. We both love and cherish the city. It’s a small capital for Asia, only 1,5M people.  It’s green, a lot of the ancient jungle has been preserved, except for the construction. Kuala Lumpur enjoys a slow paced, relaxed mood that no resident can escape.

However, going back to any major city after a couple of month sailing the islands is always a challenge. The cars, the people, the noise, the smells, the fumes, the busy roads, the malls, the signs, the construction can be overwhelming. The first day I got there, sitting in a mamak sipping on my teh tarik on the side of the road at peak hour, I really missed my boat.

Shopping for fabric in Little India

You quickly forget the fumes and the pace of the city with all the friends and the parties. Thanks to all of you guys.

Our time there turned out to be as busy as our life on the boat. Besides embracing a social life we had forgotten about in the past months, we did a lot of shopping…stuff for the boat !

We came back more tired than we left.

We were ready for our next trip to Phuket, where my brother was going to visit us early May. Julien already visited me last year in Phuket. Unfortunately, at that time, the boat was out of the water for an osmosis treatment that turned out to last 6 months. This time I really wanted to have the boat in the water and ready for sailing in Phuket, in time for my brother’s arrival.

We didn’t lose anytime and as soon as Iva joined me in Langkawi we were off again. What a delight to be out of the marina ! The first anchorage in the Butang group felt like we were right were we belonged again… But the 3 days sailing up to Phuket were exhausting. Constant 20 knots of wind in the nose, motoring against the wind with the help of the main sail. Not my cup of tea.

But we went through with it, and on the last day, after an overnight stop in our beloved Koh Rok, just after rounding a little island, 5 miles from our destination, the engine stopped. Thank God we have a sailboat. We were quickly able to get out of the heavy swell pushing us towards the reef and tacked our way towards Ao Yon Bay in Phuket, which we reached at sunset. Dropped the anchor and 50m of chain. We made it.

The following days were spent doing our administrative check in, gathering groceries for the 6 days Julien would be on board and of course, fixing the engine. When you barely know anything about a diesel engine it can be a bit stressful to work on. But every time something breaks down you know you will learn how to fix that problem. The experience accumulated makes up for the stress…I always try to think “Nice, another thing I know how to fix on the engine”. This time we quickly realized there was a problem with the fuel intake. We had gotten to the bottom of the diesel tank, where a lot of residue gathers over the years, and the tank was simply clogged up. Not that simple. After changing the fuel filters, still nothing. Turns out the tank is too clogged up to pump anything out of it, and I have no hatch to open it and clean it. How to go around the problem until fixing it permanently (remember, I really want to take my brother sailing this year) ? Just use a diesel jerrican and pump directly out of it. Oh, don’t forget to also connect the return hose to the container, if not your engine’s gonna stop again in a few days when your tank is full…

So we got the airport in time to pick up Julien and bring to a fully supplied, operational boat. We had five days in front of us. Enough to share our lifestyle with him. He quickly felt at ease on the boat and slept like a baby in his front cabin. Julien is the first real guest we had living and sailing on the boat with us. A lot of fun. Even though the weather wasn’t at its best, we were able to sail everyday to the next welcoming island.

Everyday had its surprise squalls carrying their fare share of wind and rain. We used the wind for sailing and the rain for endless games of shithead and Monopoly inside. For once we were not sweating too intensively. A welcomed change for Iva and I. Julien was so happy to be on the boat that he just didn’t care…

Rang Yai Island

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Making the most of all the rain to shower!

Jungle Trekking in Na Ka Island

Our last stop brought us to the north of Phang Nga Bay. Thailand is gorgeous and Phang Nga is one of it’s jewels…especially for a boat…the shallow and protected anchorages make it is very easy to anchor and spend quiet nights with absolutely no rocking nor rolling. The downside is muddy water but the scenery makes up for it… We anchored close to the beautiful Koh Phanak, a gorgeous limestone island with epic cliffs dropping straight into the water. We spent an adventurous afternoon exploring its little beaches and huge caves. Back on the boat, we celebrated the full moon with a party none of us will forget…

Phang Nga Bay

Dali next to Koh Phanak

Limestone cliffs dripping with vegetation

Enjoying the mud at low tide !

Exploring the caves of Koh Phanak

Julien’s trip was too short. The next day we left the boat in a marina and dropped him off at the airport. It was clear he didn’t want to leave and we wanted him to stay… But Julien had to fly back to Paris and work… The good news is he will be back with his girlfriend Sabine in September !

So in the meantime we finally had our first real rest since Iva joined me on the boat in February. We anchored in a very quiet bay in Phang Nga and relaxed for 4 days. What a great feeling. Now it’s time to head to a marina in the north of Phuket for 2 weeks of repairs. As work on boats go, these 2 weeks will probably turn into 4. After that job, we plan to head south and around Singapore for new adventures on the east coast of Malaysia and Thailand ! Until then…

Philippe

The Way Back Down

It’s been a while. Finally a new post. A month has gone by since we left Surin.

It was hard to leave. We were able to spend 6 days around and in between the two massive lush islands of the Surin archipelago. But we had to start heading back to Langkawi, where we were going to welcome friends and family at the end of March. On the way down we would be rewarded with a few more perfect anchorages before reaching murkier waters…

Koh Tachai, halfway between Surin and Similans, blessed us with one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever laid foot on… As usual, crystal clear water and a new shade of blue. And the sand. White as snow, soft and smooth as clean linens. What a lovely playground…

At the end of the beach, between the rocks, we spot a few baby reef sharks playing in the little waves.

We know we won’t be back in these waters for a while. It’s hard to leave. We have to constantly motivate each other to make a move the next day. We will sometime soon find another perfect spot and hopefully be able to spend a month or two there, getting into a routine, fishing, cooking, making small repairs on the boat, enjoying the time passing by too fast… But this time, we need to head down south. We have a deadline.

The Similans and Surins are home to crazy looking jellyfish

We can’t help ourselves and stop for a few hours in the Similans. We lose ourselves in it’s surreal waters again, enjoy the sunset on the beach one last time, and go to bed early.

Phil cleaning Iva’s wounds

We wake up at 2 AM. We want to make it to Phuket the next day, and it’s 70 miles away. With the little wind we usually get at this time a year, we will probably motor most of the way and reach Phuket before sunset. It’s Iva’s first night sail. I’m excited to share this unique feeling with her. The fisherman’s lights on the horizon, a marlin that greets us in the darkness, a strong coffee and nice music to carry us until the light appears out of a morning storm. We turn off the engine for a little while and enjoy the fresh, soothing wind…

Iva was amazed by the radar, “Just like in the movies!”

Phil raising the main sail at Sunrise

We make good progress and as we round the southern tip of Phuket, after 14 hours of motoring, a western sea breeze finally picks and pushes the boat in between the familiar islands of Chalong Bay. There’s no better feeling… We reach Ao Yon bay shortly before sunset, just in time to meet our friends at the beach bar. Our fridge had been leaking gas and not working properly for a week. The first cold beer is a delight.

We only spend two days in the crowds, just enough time to gather some fresh supplies, do our administrative exit, fix the fridge and pick up my friend Ben who will join us on the trip to Langkawi.

A picture for the curious few who asked what we eat on board

Ben is a good friend that had been sailing with me in the past year and helped me a lot to get the boat in shape again. It’s a real pleasure to have him on the boat for what will be his last sail before heading back to France after more than a year of traveling.

By now I have sailed between Langkawi and Phuket a number of times and have come to know the area quite well. It feels great to stop in beautiful anchorages we know, to enjoy our favorite spring rolls on a chill beach in Koh Lanta, and to sail a few hours to Koh Rok the next day. Koh Rok is probably my favorite spot in the region. It always welcomes us with epic colors, and a feeling of being at home. We enjoy a lovely sunset with cocktails and guitar…

The next day it’s a 10 hour sail to Koh Lipe, where Iva and Ben met for the first time a year ago. We love the place and have a lot of cherished memories here. We celebrate the reunion with a bit of dancing in the night.

And we are finally back in Langkawi. What a round trip.

Ben enjoying a great graphic novel : “Habibi” Thanks Julien !

Everything went well. Iva loved it and that’s a precious relief. She is really suited for this life, something we couldn’t have known without trying it. I feel so lucky. I think she does too.

Now with have 20 very full days in front of us. We have friends visiting from Hong Kong and KL. Both our parents are coming for their first time on the boat. What a change in rhythm it will be! We look forward to it.

Philippe

Surin Islands

Our first night in Surin was just as bumpy as our arrival. The wind and rain that sped us to our destination had some considerable consequences on the swell and despite our best efforts, we didn’t get much rest. As it was my first experience with such brusque movements, I quickly found the humour in clumsily climbing my way around the boat and feeling my stomach rise and fall with the water. Phil, not so much.

Captain Philippe et son ciré

The next day we moved from the West side, went around the Northern islands and anchored on the East. Though unfortunately we don’t have a lens that can do it justice, you can see parts of the large bay that encompasses the beautiful clear water. At the end of the bay and around small inlets on the sides, the low tide reveals some gorgeous beaches.

Our days on that side of Surin were spent relaxing, enjoying each other and some rest after the busy journey North, both of us very happy to have reached our destination. It’s a great feeling to wake up early naturally – no alarm clocks or hassling pressing matters – just the heat of the sun on the deck and a glimmer of it through the hatch is enough to wake you, rested, and invite you out. We spent the mornings snorkelling and spearfishing, had lunch while the sun was highest and wandered the beaches in the afternoon for new spots to enjoy our sundowners.

Varicose Wart Slug – yucky name but beautiful colours

On Monday we decided to take a day trip to the nearby Richelieu Rock. The description in the cruising guides spoke of whale sharks so it was hard not to be disappointed when we didn’t find any. Luckily though, we weren’t too let down as the spot provided the best snorkelling we’ve had on the trip. After a trying morning getting there (no wind and difficulty actually finding the rock under a few meters of water!) our frustrations quickly dissipated in the stunning blue. Richelieu Rock, as we saw it in high tide, was a few meters under the water and teeming with all sorts of marine life.

Lovely Pufferfish

The coral was bright and healthy and patches of bright green made it look like a beautiful underwater hillside. We saw a school of barracuda, which needless to say was more than slightly intimidating. While I left Phil to swim back and grab my camera – a group of them followed me and although I realise the ridiculous nature of my train of thought: I was convinced that they were only pretending to swim parallel to me while they carefully planned their collective attack! Naturally I was mistaken and made it back alive and with a few good pictures.

OoooOOooh,Barracuuuudaaa

J’ai l’appétit d’un barracuda !

Blue Sea Star

After our day at Richelieu Rock, we came back to Surin and decided to explore what is deemed the main beach of the National Park. Like Koh Rok and Koh Miang, the beach plays host to a campsite for tourists and in this case also includes some small bungalows in the jungle and a canteen of sorts. The atmosphere on the beach was peculiar to say the least, from the minute we pulled the dinghy up; we felt the blank and not altogether friendly stares following us. Odd-looking foreign tent-dwellers seemed displeased with our presence and even asked, “What are you going to do with the water?” when we inquired if there was a fresh water spring nearby. In short, we were much relieved to return to the boat after our quick dinner at the Dharma Initiative-inspired campground.*

Beach Bound

Iva’s new favourite activity – reading old French magazines before sunset..

We made the most of our days in Surin, knowing that as well as reaching our destination we have also come to the ‘end’ of our first trip together. As our families are visiting us soon, we need to make a speedy return to Phuket and finally Langkawi. Although we could have easily stayed around these islands for weeks, we know how lucky we are just to have caught such a beautiful glimpse.

Still in awe of the water…

*We gave the beach a second try on our last evening in Surin and as some boats carried away the white Others, we were greeted with a much friendlier atmosphere and had a lovely afternoon!

Pas facile de quitter un endroit aussi magique…après 6 jours aux Iles Surin, nous devons reprendre la mer, direction Phuket, puis Langkawi. La tête toute bleue et pleine de poissons, on repart vers le sud…quelques belles surprises devraient nous attendre sur la route. Nous prévoyons un arrêt a Koh Tachai, petite ile qu’il nous reste a explorer, puis a nouveau les Similans, avant de retrouver un mode plus urbain a Phuket… On rêve déjà d’un bon steak, d’une bonne douche a débit illimite et de soirées mémorables entre amis… A bientôt pour de nouvelles aventures…

Phuket to Similan Islands

Second Entry.

So we’re on our way.

It feels great to finally have the boat ready and Iva on board. We’ve made plans to go to the Similan and Surin islands off the west coast of Thailand, close to the Burmese border. We have about a month in front of us, long enough to anchor every night, sail during the day, and spend a few days in the places we enjoy the most. But only a few days because we have to be back in Langkawi end of March…it will turn out to be a bit frustrating not to be able to stay for a few weeks in the best spots, but then again, it’s important to remember we’re in no position to complain…

Stopover in Bang Tao

So we leave Phuket, after a few days of gathering supplies – fresh food ! A waterproof camera; a lot of water – fixing a few things on the boat, and spending some nice evenings with our friends. And we’re off. We leave behind the crowds of tourists; the bike rides on busy roads, the malls and the hookers. Feels nice.

We slowly make our way up along the coast, and after a couple of days we head northwest and finally reach the Similans.

The water. It’s Blue. But a kind of blue we had never seen before. We thought we were spoiled with the turquoise water of southern Thailand. But the water here is crystal clear. An Indigo blue. You could look at it for hours. And once you’re inside it…it’s still the same color. And then you see the fish. They are not envious of the color around them. They proudly show off their assets, shine in the sun, suddenly turn around, and speed off into the Blue.

Fish chilling on the Reef

A Handsome Member of the Jackfish Family

Iva Testing her new Snorkel

Beautiful Reef

This is the most famous diving spot in Thailand. There are a lot of diving boats around, running their compressors at night to fill up the air tanks, but after a night in a gorgeous but busy spot we find our own little paradise on the east coast of Koh Similan. A perfect beach, huge, white, empty, with a new shade of blue in the water, a bit more green, milky…almost artificial. At the end of the beach a huge rock that we climb. It’s the end of the day. We share a beer and a perfect moment in a wise place…

Similan Island

The next day the boat is happy. On the way to Surin, after a few hours of motorsailing, we’re hit by a nice little storm. It first brings rain and 25 knots of wind, but then the clouds part and it’s only the waves in the sun and the strong wind pushing the boat at 8 knots towards our destination. Iva quickly feels comfortable and learns how to steer the boat in these conditions. She seems to love it. I feel relieved. And so lucky. We have two reefs in the main sail, a few turns on the front sail, we’re powering through the water…Dali is singing in the swell, life is good.

Phil

Después de un par de días subiendo, llegamos a las islas Similan. Es difícil de explicar lo que se siente al ver agua tan clara en un ambiente natural. Yo diría que ni la mayoría de las piletas llegan cerca en cuanto a visibilidad y nitidez. En vez de usar el ancla, conseguimos un mooring, y desde arriba del barco veíamos claramente el final de la soga, unos 33 metros abajo del agua.

From one beach to another on Koh Miang

Las dos playas de Koh Miang (parte del grupo) compiten entre ellas por la atención de las manadas de turistas rusos. Desde las 11 hasta las 3 de la tarde, las dos playitas – relativamente chicas – explotan de gente que atontada por los azules del mar camina de una playa a la otra sin poder decidir cual es más linda. A estas horas, con Phil esperamos a la sombra hasta que se van las últimas lanchas.

Approaching Koh Similan – looks like a giant sleeping turtle!

La isla principal, Koh Similan es mucho más grande en tamaño y mucho menos poblada. Aunque no tuvimos tiempo de explorar todas sus playas, las que vimos nos dejaron con muchas ganas de ver más. Como Phil ya las describió, los dejo solamente con las fotos para que se den una idea.

Iva

Phil collecting some footage – videos coming soon to our blog!

Una pose para las chicas! – Two of my best friends from Argentina started a swimwear line called Hide & Seek. Here is my best attempt at doing their designs justice!