Phuket, Thailand

Thursday, December 17th
Route of the Ancient Traders
Day 37
M/S Nautica
Phuket, Thailand
Mostly Sunny - 86 Degrees

We began the final leg of our cruise journey through Southeast Asia today in Thailand. I have been here before, on the Insurance Tour of 1987, courtesy of Crown Life. Phuket is an island paradise in the South of Thailand. White sand beaches line the bathwater-warm shores of the Andaman Sea, with towering resorts rising above.

We headed off the island today, to one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Phang Nga Bay.

From the pier, we drove to the island's north end and then crossed to the Thai mainland via the Thep Krasettree Causeway. Our first stop was at a rubber tree plantation, where we learned how rubber is harvested and made into products from tires to condoms. We would not have chosen this destination, but it was interesting to see the rubber tapped like syrup from maple trees, coagulated, rolled flat, and left to dry in the sun. This plantation also offered animal tricks featuring elephant rides and monkey shows.

We drove on to Phang Nga National Park, where we boarded motorboats for a cruise through lush mangrove swamps and cliffs.

The boats here are really cool. Long and lean, they are powered by recycled truck engines, open to the inside of the boat. The captain moves the engine up and down on a fulcrum, lowering and raising the propeller into and out of the water on a long drive shaft. The engines roar like the piston boats from the glory days of the hydros.

The pale, milky-green waters give rise to more than 80 islands. These unique karst formations were created when a collision of great magnitude occurred over 300 million years ago, between the Indian subcontinent and mainland Asia. The force of the tectonic plates pushed and rotated what is now Thailand and Malaysia, forcing the limestone above the surface. Vegetation on the karsts has evolved to withstand long periods of dryness and an almost complete lack of soil. We floated in and around and through the islands, passing under the rock through natural caves.

We stopped for pictures at Kao Ping-Gan Island, where part of the James Bond adventure, "The Man with the Golden Gun," was filmed. To locals and tourists alike, the island is referred to as "James Bond Island."

We stopped at Koh Panyee, a small island with a picturesque village extending out across the water, resting precariously on small pilings. It is inhabited chiefly by Muslim fishermen who originally migrated from Indonesia. Cut off from the mainland and most modern amenities, this unique culture has existed for more than a hundred years. This should have been a great opportunity to experience local culture, but it was just another shop stop as we navigated a warren of narrow floating alleys lined by stalls hawking a variety of stuff.

We were looking forward to lunch at one of the resorts on Phang Nga Bay. We love Thai food!!! Unfortunately, our one meal in Thailand wasn't Thai at all. Bad American-Chinese sweet and sour, a couple flavorless stir fries, and deep-fried fish. The only note of authenticity was the Singha beer.

Back to the ship.

Next Stop: Penang, Malaysia