Sea kayaking in Ang Thong Marine Park

Posted by admin on October 22nd, 2009 filed in Action, sightseeing

My first experience of sea kayaking involved being marooned on rocks off the Malaysian Island of Pulau Kapas during one of the calmest days of the year. It is little wonder, therefore, that I was more than a little nervous about setting out again. For if sinking one boat once may appear a little unfortunate, sinking twice would carry noises of gross ineptitude. And I’d had enough ribbing from my mates already without being known as a serial ship scuttler.

But the guys at Blue Stars Kayaking put us all at ease. And the striking scenery of Ang Thong national park will stay with me forever. Tours start with pickup at around 7am at your hotel, then it’s about one-and-a-half hours on the boat to the park proper.

A light breakfast is enjoyed on board while experiencing the magnificent seascapes on the horizon. At the park’s tranquil waters our guide went through a brief itinerary and safety check. Then a full day’s snorkelling, kayaking and sightseeing await. Luckily these “ocean kayaks” were encased plastic and utterly unsinkable, despite my natural inclination towards oblivion.

The tour guide led us along the coast to the sandy white beach of “Ko Mae Ko”. Next is the gorgeous Green Lagoon” and “Emerald Lake” plus the hidden saltwater lagoon inside “Ko Mae Ko”.

After this a sumptuous Thai feast was served. And outside the scheduled sites there is ample time for heading beneath the surface to see the marine life or simply relaxing and absorbing the picturesque scenery.