When I explore different facets of nature I find myself exude nothing other than unalloyed joy. These experiences are unparalleled to any. Today I will write about one such experience in Phang Nga Bay which is a Ramasar site, located in the Andaman sea between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Malay peninsula of southern Thailand. An extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park, famous for its classic karst (landscape underlain by limestone) scenery and is a network of 42 islands and islets.
When I explore different facets of nature I find myself exude nothing other than unalloyed joy. Click To Tweet
How we boarded a ship to go to Phang Nga Bay
When the vibrant summer rays had just begun to warm up the day, we were picked from our hotels to reach Ao Por Center which was an hour’s drive away. As soon as we arrived, the number of tourists standing there to board a ship like us reminded me that Phuket is by no means an unchartered territory. But if you want to explore further then book a ferry from Phuket to Krabi.
Ao Por Center, PhuketWe were given blue stickers which we were supposed to stick on our clothes/hands throughout the day.
The blue sticker on my right hand is still with me. A memento!
We waited for another half an hour before we met one of our guides, who guided us through a long bridge, to board the ship.
It was a long bridge, but a beautiful one!
I was all excited and ready for the upcoming adventures
Cruising to Phang Nga Bay
When our ship left the shore, I kept on looking at it till it was blurred. Leaving a safe harbor comes with a thrill of the unknown, nostalgia of the known as well as a possibility of a shipwreck.
Leaving a safe harbor comes with a thrill of the unknown, nostalgia of the known as well as a possibility of a shipwreck. Click To Tweet
I left this beautiful harbor and set to sail to celebrate the sparkling sea throughout the day.
As our ship sailed through the sea, the soft cold sea breeze was melting the hot and humid day into a pleasant one. When I spread my vision afar, I saw two fishermen sailing through the untamed sea; perhaps they do it everyday. The mornings are as assured as the tides, but their return is not, and yet they set to sail. They don’t chase certainty which is limiting, they choose possibilities instead.
The mornings are as assured as the tides, but their return is not, and yet they set to sail. Click To Tweet
They face uncertainty every morning!
Ahead I saw a group of islands rising from the sea, shrouded in mist. It was a dramatic interplay of land and sea. After cruising for a few more minutes, we found myriad, huge, vertical limestone cliffs.
Phang Nga Bay
Limestone cliffs
Now comes the most adventurous and exciting part of this trip – sea canoeing!
Sea Canoeing
Canoeing in Phang Nga Bay
When our little pink canoe on the emerald-green water was weaving its way through the microcosms of limestone cliffs to enter a sea cave, I felt I was entering into a hidden world. We were a group of four people divided in two canoes. In one of them were my mother and brother and in another me and Siddhartha. All of us were super excited to get inside a sea cave.
On that trip, many things were for the first time. First Canoeing experience; first chance to get inside a sea cave and a lagoon, and especially the first trip with my family outside India.
As expected caves were dark inside. We could see inside only with the search light fitted with a round band on the forehead of our guide. At the entrance of the cave we found stalactites and stalagmites. After entering the cave, the roof suddenly lowers and the passage gets narrower. It leaves room only for one canoe to pass somehow. We had to lie flat to get out of the cave. I felt a frisson of excitement which spread from head to toe.
This photo was taken a few minutes before entering the sea cave.
An unknown world is awaiting to discover in the sea cave
Walls of the sea cave and colonies of bats
Narrow exit of the sea cave in Phang Nga Bay
Travel Realizations
And then after, we came out of the cave and weaved our way to a lagoon – another beautiful and hidden world of its own. They are also known as hong in thai which means room. I will write about this hidden world in another post. This buzz about something new, the discomfort of unfamiliarity, the fear of the unknown and the seeking of new answers, push my limits. On these juxtapositions of known and unknown, life lingers and I emerge triumphant.
On these juxtapositions of known and unknown, life lingers and I emerge triumphant. #Wanderer Click To TweetShare with me your experience of one such adventure. I always look forward to reading your experiences as that is what matters in life.
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Jan
Phuket is a lovely getaway from Bangkok and a beautiful destination. I have visited this place two decades ago. Those limestone cliffs look stunning! Would love to visit this pristine land with turquoise and blue waters once again! 🙂