Holiday to Koh Lipe, Thailand

Holla..ohlalaa... i’m so excited. This is my first trip abroad. I’m going to Thailand. No! Not to Bangkok but to an island called Koh Lipe. Why? Well Bangkok is famous for shopping & food, I can get all in Jakarta so I decided to try new destination.

WHERE IS KOH LIPE??..

Koh Lipe is a small island in the Southern part of the Thai Andaman Sea. It is famous for it's white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and abundant marine life. ~ http://www.kohlipethailand.com/

Ko Lipe (Thai: เกาะหลีเป๊ะ) is a small island in the Adang-Rawi Archipelago of theAndaman Sea, in the Satun Province of southwest Thailand, close to Malaysian border. The Thai name is transliterated in many different ways into English. The most common names are Koh Lipe, Koh Lipeh, Ko Lipey and Ko Lipe. Ko Lipe is on the border of the Tarutao National Marine Park and is directly south of the larger islandsKo Adang and Ko Rawi, and about 50 km from the island of Ko Tarutao. ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Lipe


source scott.stevensononthe.net

HOW TO GET THERE??..
I booked two AirAsia round trip tickets for two destination

█ First, Jakarta (CGK) to Don Mueang (BKK)

█ 
Second, Don Mueang (BKK) to Koh Lipe. It’s a connecting flight with island & city transfer. We’re landing at Hat Yai airport, took a taxi to Pakbara Pier, last one is took a speed boat to Lipe.


at Hat Yai airport
More information about connecting flight AirAsia ;
http://www.airasia.com/np/en/our-connections/connecting-flights.page

More information about island & city transfer AirAsia :
http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/our-connections/island-and-city-transfers.page



Arrived at Hat Yai airport, there’s a man (the driver) standing waiting the passengers with AirAsia sign. We’ve to checklist our name. It’s about 2 hours driving and we did a one stopped at supermarket for 10 minutes to buy some supply like snacks, suncreen, shampoo or using toilet. Hat Yai view is mostly trees, so much of green in this island and the road is very smooth and not too crowded.

We’re reached Pakbara Pier. Go to Adang Sea Tour to check your name on the list , she’ll give us a ticket to exchange inside for other ticket and go back to her for some passenger & luggage sticker and ticket.

Pakbara Pier
Adang Sea Tour - AirAsia TAXI - PakbaraPier
waiting our turn
on the speedboat : windy & jolts

Before we reached Koh Lipe, the speedboat will stop by at Curve Stone Door of Tarutao Satun so passengers can take a pictures and a little bit of fresh water for our feet, The speedboat stops to open-water Sunrise Beach pier [in here, the AirAsia service is done]. Right here, we’ve to pay 70 Baht to take a long-tail boat to reach the island. After you reach the coast, You just have to mention your resort if you had booked it before and there’s a local guy with motorcycle taxis, I think he’s a pickup service man from the resort. He picked up us and straight to the resort.

How about the way back?
My resort have a long-tail boat service to transfer us to Sunrise Beach pier. Look for AirAsia or Adang Sea Tour table, check your name from the list, the pretend-so-cool staff will give you a line number. 
Open water pier - Sunrise Beach Pier
It’s raining in the middle of the sea. I’m not lucky because I sit on the side so me and others have to standing for awhile after the raining stop. Yeah rain just a water anyway >_<'

After you reach the PakBara Pier, walk to Adang Sea Tour to check your name again. Also if you already inside the van, don’t be shy to ask is the van destination to airport or city.

WHERE TO STAY IN KOH LIPE??..
After reading lots of recommendation in TripAdvisor. I insist to booked a Sea Breezy Bungalow in Castaway Resort with the view of Sunrise Beach. The price is worth it for low season also for the room and services. It’s better for you to booked it online.

source : google ^_^ forgot the link, so sorry
The bungalow, mine is number SV3 it’s two floors wood wall and hut rooftop type of bungalow. Forgot to take the original pic. 

First floor, outside there’re two hammock small and a long one. Inside is an open bathroom. There’s a shower, sink and sit toilet [warning : there’s only tissue. If you feel uncomfortable, you can use a toilet in the lobby, there’s a water right there. Yeah I know ;) you’re welcome]. Also I fill the water in the bottle for shampooing, the water from the shower is not enough for rinsing the shampoo very well hehehe just a little bit of tips :)

Second floor is double bed with direct view to outside. There’re few racks for putting your stuff, a table near bed, safety wood box with lock to keep your important stuff, two towels, double bed size with white mosquito net, fan on the roof, a stair to hang dry your clothes and a small balcony for chilling.


They have a ‘receptionist lobby’ connected with bar, lounge, library, it’s a hangout place for guests. You can see a massage place nearby. Oh..not all employee able to speak English well but there’s one guy, I forgot to ask his name duh! He can speak English well among others.
R E C E P T I O N I S T
'LOBBY' after rainy morning
Lobby at day ~ chilling time ~
library behind me
on the right side of library, there's a small Bar
Breakfast at Castaway Resort
Ice Thai Milk tea 
Girl magazine from guests
Mojito while enjoying sunset

WHAT I DO IN KOH LIPE?? & MY EXPERIENCE
♥ Snoozing on the hammock. Each bungalow in Castaway Resort have it. I love spending my morning laying on it and watching sunrise from Sunrise Beach.

Hello Sunrise
enjoying the view from hammock
♥ Kayaking to a little island. Castaway rent a blue kayak boat for 100 baht/hour or 500 baht/day. There’re two little island Koh Kra [left side] & Koh Usen [right side]. We went to Koh Kra and did a bit snorkeling. There’s a little beach right there, it’s like you're having your own little private island. 
me at Koh Kra
♥ Walking to Koh Usen. On the right side, there’s a little island that you can reach just by walking. Please avoid the coral veryyy calm.. as I got a little injured due jumping from sand to sand >_<'. Why am I have to jump anyway? Stupid me.

♥ Snorkeling. Don’t forget to bring your gears. The water is so clear :). Sunrise beach is more calm, on the other side Pattaya Beach is more windy and waves.
naughty fish
Pattaya Beach
Pattaya Beach
♥ Bikini time. Hahahaha.. yepp bring your colorful bikini collection and took a pictures with long tail boat or island as the background. Here's me at Koh Kra.

♥ Eat and drinks in Walking Street. It’s the street for what you need in the island. There’re seafood and local restaurants, massage places, local market, local gift shop, bikini shop, bars, drugstore etc. There’s AirAsia counter in here. I tried Fino Restaurant, RainForest Bar, Thai PanCake Shop, King Crab, Roti Mina, few street snacks.
I introduce you the prawn :p
Local Beer - Chang
Walking Street
Massage place
there're 7-11 &  2 ATM in Walking Street
FINO Restaurant
Som Tam & I forgot the shells name @ Fino Restaurant
Lady Maa @ Rainforest Bar & Resto
Eating Tom Yum Goong & Ice Thai Milk Tea at Lady Pancake-Thai Pancake
Hey you,mister.. I'm trying to take a pic >_<  ~~ Lady Pancake Restaurant
♥ Local always mistaken me as a local Thai. I know.. i know.. we’re SouthEast Asian have same look like. Everytime they’re trying to speak Thai to me, I’ll nodding ‘Noo..’ or make a confuse expression. Or if someone asked ‘not Thailand?.. Philiphine?.. Malaysia?..’ I’ll answer Indonesia hehehe eventhough sometimes I answered them a random SouthEast Asia country :p

♥ The bungalow is shaking if you step really hard on the stairs or if you’re trying to run hahaha..

♥ The food. Oohh I fell in love with Ice Thai milk tea and green curry. I even ordered Thai tea online after I arrived in Jakarta hahaha.. (I tried ‘Number One Tea Brand’ not Nestea).

♥ When I look around inside the gift shop near Brahma Statue, I step onto cat poop :( The owner didn’t warning us. Ahhh sucks..
Salam 

WHAT'S IN MY BACKPACK??

♥ My goddamn PASSPORT & Travel Itinerary in A5 size

♥ My digicam 'Jethro'  and I bring my selfie stick :p

♥ Sunglasses & Hat

♥ Supercute BIKINI

♥ Few light clothes [I bring 2 tanktop, 3 summer dress, 2 shorts, bra & panties, 1 pair of socks]

♥ Travel size toiletries [all in less than 100ml bottle. I bring my facial wash, travel toothbrush & toothpaste, face spray, vaseline petroleum jelly, VS Night body wash]

♥ A little bit of makeup :p

♥ Goggle


WHAT TO BUY THERE??
♥ Local SIM Card at Don Mueang airport. I buy the cheapest one, 290 Baht. Even though I stayed in the island, far from main city, the signal is really good.

♥ Sunblock. Avoid skin cancer :)

♥ Aloe vera gel if you get sunburn

♥ Water bottle & snacks

♥ Small bottle of shampoo & conditioner

♥ Gift for family. I like my Koh Lipe magnetic fridge

♥ Some skincare product that I can't get in Jakarta :p

♥ That Thai elephant fabric *as my Mom request it

I have light meal and ice Thai milk tea at Sillom Village restaurant Don Muang airport before my night flight back to Jakarta and then also I tried AirAsia food. Don't like starving while having 3 hours flight, don't you?

Have you ever visit Koh Lipe? Tell me your experience, dear. :)

Sawasdee kap
M.K

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