A fun way of moving was developped at the entrance of the Abel Tasman national park. In order to reach different areas in the park, there are the aqua-taxis. We hop on one of them, the drive changes into a tractor's user for some minutes et leads us to the water access. He unties the boat and meet us again on board.
The journey is punctuated with explanations on the park and its animals. Dolphins and blue penguins swim around the boat while seals lounge about on wet rocks. How could it be better to start ? Our looks run along the numerous deserted beaches which dot the coast and promise some great hours of walk.
2 hours by boat and here we are at Totaranui where we load our bags and begin the trek. The path is perfectly marked-out and offers incredible vistas on these ochre-sanded beaches swept by an endemic-blue sea.
We leave the path to walk on a beach before dipping again into the maze of the welcoming nature. The scrubby ferns overlook us while the crescent-shaped beaches wander within the depths of the coastal path. A lot of visitors prefered the kayak as a way of discovery. As for us, we must wait for the low tide to carry on our trip. Everyone takes off his shoes, and carrying them in the hand, we cross this bit of wet sand the ocean offers us for a few hours before taking back possession of its land. The path isn't difficult, however we take a large number of breaks - mainly when the path fades into a pristine, beautiful beach.
We put up the tent in a reserved campsite. The tide begins to rise and changes our resting area into an isolated peninsula that only a few birds and the faraway waves surround with a soft melody.
The next day in the morning, the rucksacks packed up, we start again rubbing our soles into these idyllic scenery. The time slides and the pictures impregnate our mind. A genuine kindness. Maybe, we'll never come back here and we enjoy these moments as if they were unique. And, if we had to live them again, we'd tell us the same things but this time we'd swap our shoes for a pair of paddles and a kayak.
Keyword - paradisiac beaches -
Thursday 8 November 2007
The forgotten beaches of Abel Tasman park
By dorian on Thursday 8 November 2007, 19:10 - RTW-New Zealand
Friday 26 October 2007
On the Phang Nga bay by long-tail boat
By dorian on Friday 26 October 2007, 21:33 - RTW-Thailand
Krabi is a small laid-back pier by the andaman sea which turns into a frenetic night market at dusk. We can spend a couple of days here to relax and move about to the different islands and beaches in the vicinity. We book an all-included trip to the Phang Nga bay within one of the travel agencies that stretch out along the main street. The Phang Nga bay is the Thai answer in miniature to the superb Vietnamese Ha long bay.
The next morning, the minivan drives from guesthouses to guesthouses to pick up a motley blend of tourists. We briefly stop at a temple carved in a grottoe. Hordes of monkeys leap from a branch to another one and come to swiftly snatch bananas and peanuts tourists offer. With a full stomach, the four-handed animals grab the veines and dash uphill.
A few kilometers further, we swap the minivan fo a long-tail boat. The low tide unveils the knotty roots of the mangroves. Intertwined roots that change the banks into an impenetrable mangrove. We stop at the floating village of Pianyee where we have lunch.
In the beginning of the afternoon, the digestion starts on a small inflatable kayak. We go through caves the low tide made accessible to come out into a kind of well. Open-air cavities at the center of a stone peak. In the middle of these long rocky chimneys carved by the time, we don't hear the loud engines and the shouts any more. We live some unique moments of serenity in a secret place with the weird sensation these secluded spots give. The feeling to be a pioneer, the first one who discovered this mysterious and restful place. Forgotten the throng of tourists that come here to visit around ; the openings are so many everyone can enjoy his "own" lake with a private access.
We hop on the boat to sail to the island called the James Bond Island since a scene of the movie Goldfinger was shot there. A giant and unique nail punches the bay. An impressive picture but the island is overloaded with tourists who damage the calmness of this bit of isolated land.
A day full of attractions and gorgeous landscapes even if the heavy touristy concentration ruin the pleasure a little bit.
We go back to Bangkok by bus to spend a last night in the capital. 15 days passed among tuks-tuks, paradisiac beaches and tropical fish. The time went by too fast. It's always what we say when we liked what we've just lived.
Thursday 25 October 2007
Paradisiac beaches on the Koh Phi Phi island
By dorian on Thursday 25 October 2007, 22:35 - RTW-Thailand
Steep rocky walls that a green and lush nature trickles over. Strips of sand gnaw the rock to form superb bays. The island of Koh Phi phi is actully composed of 2 islands : Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh.
Phi Phi Don is characterized by 2 crescents of sand linking the two headlands of the island which shape a big "X" within the blue immensity. As for Phi Phi Leh, it's a protected area and it's impossible to stay and sleep on. It harbours some grottoes swallows get in to build their nest, a nest they make with their saliva. Climbing bamboo ladders, a few life-risking villagers go to pick them. These nests are famous for their aphrodisiac powers and are an ingredient of Chinese soups. At 2500 euros a kilo, these nests are considered as national treasure and the grottoes entrances are guarded. Phi Phi Leh is also famous to be the scenery of the movie "the beach" and full of scuba diving and snorkelling spots dot the coastline.
The sea bed gives the gorgeous beaches their cue. Funnel-shaped corals and red gorgones spread out and extend the rock while anemones and giant clams attempt to cling to. Seaweeds and mosses struggle to occupy the last free parcels of rock. Soft corals dance according to the currents and hide throngs of angel- and butterfly-fish. Close to the surface, the trumpet-fish wanders about alone while near the bottom, the struggle is fierce for some crumbs of corals.
The parrot-fish shatters the coral and the clown-fish frantically swims among the anemones. Within the chinks of the rock, porcupine- and box-fish clumsily move about. Turtles, black-tip sharks and lion-fish complete this submarine watercolour.
Everyday, the same ritual which turns into a deep pleasure : fixing the mask and going underwater to discover the submarine kingdom. An intoxicating kingdom we fall in love a little bit more after each dive.
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