This summer, escape to the remote paradise of Koh Lipe for a slow-paced getaway. (Reliving an old review)

Hello everyone! I'm back with another episode of "Interpreter on the Go." For those who are wondering what an interpreter is, let me explain. I work as a Japanese interpreter at a company in Chonburi Province. That's all for the news. Haha! This trip was incredibly long, I was exhausted from all the traveling, but it was also incredibly fun.

Before I begin, I want to let you know that this review of my trip to Koh Lipe is quite long. Although I traveled alone, it was an incredibly fun and memorable trip, and I wanted to document as much as possible about my experiences.

“Lipe Island” is a well-known island that many people dream of visiting at least once in their lifetime. I have heard the nickname "Maldives of Thailand" for quite some time, but I personally don't know what the Maldives are like because I've never been there. I don't think it's fair to compare the two, as Lipe Island has its own unique beauty. This island is truly heartwarming.

*All photos were taken with an iPhone 6S and GoPro Hero 4. *The video recording of the Lipe Island trip is at the very bottom.



In contrast, many people are unfamiliar with Koh Lipe. Some even ask surprising questions such as "Which province is Koh Lipe in?" (Answer: Satun Province), "Which region is Koh Lipe in?" (Answer: Southern Thailand), and "Which country is Koh Lipe in?" (Answer: Thailand, of course). "Is there electricity on the island?" (Answer: Yes, there is). Simply put, the island has restaurants, bars, liquor stores, 7-Eleven, accommodations, and much more. However, there is no shopping mall, and goods on the island are slightly more expensive than usual. This is understandable as goods have to travel a long distance. However, I don't think the prices of food or alcohol are too high.

The fact that these questions are being asked is not surprising, as Koh Lipe is the southernmost island in the Andaman Sea, located near Langkawi Island in Malaysia. I can confirm that Koh Lipe is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand that I have visited (although I have only been to a few islands).

The introduction is quite lengthy, and I'm afraid it might bore the readers. Therefore, I will present the events in chronological order, but I won't go into every detail. Okay, for this trip, I traveled solo for 4 days and 3 nights (April 14-17, 2017). It's not that I didn't invite anyone; I invited several Thai and foreign friends, and I didn't do it last minute either. I asked them before booking my flight, but I couldn't find any travel companions. So, if no one is going, I have to go alone, right? I'm not going to wait for anyone anymore. If I did, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere. I'm personally accustomed to and enjoy traveling alone. Let's go on a trip to "Koh Lipe" together!

Let's explore the size of Koh Lipe:

Koh Lipe is a small island, with a length of approximately 2 kilometers and a width of around 500 meters. It's so small that you could walk across the entire island in about 20 minutes.

Note: The provided figures may not be entirely accurate, but they offer a close approximation of the island's dimensions.

As mentioned, Koh Lipe is incredibly small. This map provides a clear illustration of its diminutive size.

Day 1: April 17th

The journey began with an early morning flight on Thai Smile, departing at 6:15 AM. To avoid the pre-dawn rush, the night of the 13th was spent at Suvarnabhumi Airport, finding a corner with a power outlet for a few hours of sleep. At 4:00 AM, check-in and immigration were completed, followed by a wait at Gate 9 before boarding. Having secured a window seat during booking, the anticipation of stunning sunrise views was high. This was the first flight with Thai Smile, and the service and onboard meals exceeded expectations.

Flight 06:15 TG 2259 HATYAI (Thai Smile, not Thai Airway)

After finishing breakfast on the plane, I fell asleep. When I woke up, the captain announced that we were over Hat Yai. I opened the window and was amazed by the beautiful scenery. The thin fog floated across the sky, creating a breathtaking view. I couldn't resist taking photos and videos with my iPhone.

Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to the designated area to wait for the van that will pick you up. For this trip, I booked a van and speedboat package with Lipe Ferry & Speed Boat, which provides round-trip transportation between Hat Yai Airport and Pak Bara Pier, as well as between Pak Bara Pier and Koh Lipe. The cost for this package during peak season is 1,500 baht, which is quite reasonable. If you find a cheaper option, please let me know!

One of the things I enjoyed during the trip to the port was the natural scenery along the way. It was incredibly lush and green, making for a refreshing sight. I was able to enjoy the view from the front seat, where I could see everything clearly. The journey from the airport to the port took almost two hours, which was quite a long time.

Welcome to Satun.

Upon arrival at the pier, I exchanged my ferry ticket with the company I had booked with. Then, I went to wait at the boarding gate. Initially, my booked ticket was for the 10:30 AM departure. However, during that time, there were a lot of people traveling to Koh Lipe, so the ferry was delayed. I was assigned to the 11:30 AM departure instead. But still, it wasn't until 12:30 PM that we actually set sail. Haha!

The journey to Koh Lipe has begun. I fell asleep as soon as I boarded the boat because I was riding a speedboat and couldn't see the scenery. I just slept until the boat stopped at Tarutao National Park. However, there were many people, so I didn't feel like taking pictures. We stopped for 15 minutes.

We then set sail for the next island, Khai Nok Island. Before arriving, I imagined setting up my camera and standing under the rock arch of Khai Nok Island to take photos. However, when we arrived, OMG, there were so many people! So I couldn't take photos from that angle. Instead, I walked to the other side of the island where there was no one. I was crazy to walk there alone, haha.

The journey to the real Lipe Island began, and it took 1.30 hours to reach Lipe Island by speedboat. If you take the ferry, it will take a long time. When I arrived at Lipe Island, I went straight to my accommodation. The luggage was too heavy. What did I bring so much? After checking in at the hotel, I took a nap.

At 5 pm, I went for a walk and swim at Sunrise Beach. Today, I went swimming at the sunset viewpoint. In the late afternoon, a small island emerges in the middle of the water, allowing people to walk across and swim. Seeing this, I didn't hesitate. I left my belongings on the shore (I used sand to fill my wallet and phone, then placed my bag on top - better safe than sorry! If someone stole it, they would only get the bag, haha). Now, let's continue to the island in the middle of the water. I enjoyed snorkeling and watching the small and large fish until I was exhausted.

After 6 pm, the sun gradually set. In my opinion, the sunset view from Sunrise Beach is even more beautiful than the beach called Sunset Beach. If there was beer, it would be amazing. Haha. Then I went back to the accommodation, took a shower, and went for a walk on the walking street of Koh Lipe. I was very tired today, so I didn't stay up late. I found some food, drank two cocktails, and went back to rest to save energy for tomorrow's diving trip. Every sunset is different.

Dinner was simple today. Unsure of what to eat, I ordered a pizza slice for 100 baht and a coconut ice cream. It was incredibly delicious.

It's so frustrating when I forget to focus before taking a picture. 555+ I realize later, "Oh, I forgot to focus?"

Day 2: April 17

This morning, I woke up too late to see the sunrise. Oops! I had arranged to meet Chai, the long-tail boat driver, at 9:00 AM, but I woke up to his call asking me to meet him at the beach. I checked the time and realized it was already 8:30 AM! I quickly finished my morning routine and grabbed my bags. Luckily, I had packed my bags the night before. I bought a lunch box and water for two, and arrived at the boat a little after 9:00 AM. Chai's daughter, Mook, was also there. I wished I had known earlier that Mook would be joining us so I could have bought her some food, but Chai assured me it was okay because he had brought enough food for everyone. And so, our journey began!

I forgot to mention that I chartered a private long-tail boat, finding the phone number on the internet. The price for diving in both the outer and inner zones was 2,000 baht, which I think is reasonable. I had previously spoken with the admin of the Koh Lipe page, and the price for diving in both the outer and inner zones was 2,700 baht, which I thought was too expensive, so I contacted the boat owner directly. I believe that booking directly with the boat owner helps distribute income to the local community, as they do not have to pay a commission to a middleman.

It was time to go diving for real. If I remember correctly, the first place we went diving outside the zone was Hin Sorn Island. As for the other islands we visited, I can't remember their names or the order in which we went. I was so engrossed in the diving that I just followed Chai wherever he took me. There was no list of where to go next. We just kept diving.

At noon, we stopped for lunch at Koh Ravi. I remember the name because it's an island where divers come to eat. However, there's a beach where most people park their boats, and I thought to myself, "Why do we have to crowd together here? There are too many people." At first, Chai was going to take me there, but I told him, "Let's go to the beach on this side, brother. There are fewer people, and it looks like a nice place to relax." Then, two more boats came and parked in the same spot. And here's my simple lunch, eating alone because Chai and Mud were on the boat. I thought they would come down to eat with me, haha. (I only have this one picture of the food, oops.)

We continued diving, diving, and diving. At the beginning, we could hold our breath for 35-40 seconds. But as we continued diving, we could only hold our breath for 15 seconds at most. We were exhausted! We then went to look at the diving photos. There were so many photos! We didn't wear life jackets because they were bulky and inconvenient for diving. However, people who can't swim should wear life jackets. All of these photos were taken from a GoPro camera. We recorded videos and then extracted the photos. It was really convenient.

The sea around Koh Rok Loy is incredibly clear. You could easily spend the whole day just swimming and playing in the water before even reaching the island itself.

The final dive site was "Jabang Channel," located in the middle of the sea rather than near an island. The currents were strong, so life jackets were recommended for those who couldn't resist them. However, I prefer a challenge, so I didn't wear one. Additionally, wearing a life jacket would have prevented me from diving down to see the "seven-color coral." The seven-color coral was incredibly beautiful, but the water was not very clear due to the large number of people present. Despite this, I was still able to see the coral.

On the way back, I asked Chai to stop in the middle of the sea where the water was crystal clear. I wanted to go swimming, but Chai warned me that the current was strong. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to swim in such clear water, so I asked him to stop and jumped in. The current was indeed strong, and when I tried to swim back to the boat, it drifted away due to the strong current. I kept swimming closer, but the boat kept drifting further away. I was starting to run out of energy, but I finally managed to speed up and catch up to the boat.

Before returning to the mainland, we had to pass by Koh Kra, a small island in front of the beach inhabited by the Chao Lay people. Since we were already there, I asked the captain to stop for a bit. After all, we had already made several stops. Captain Chai agreed and stopped the boat. I got off to walk around and take pictures, while Captain Chai and Nong Mud washed the boat and played in the water. I climbed up to enjoy the 360-degree view from the top, which offered a stunning vista of the surrounding islands, including Koh Lipe, Koh Usen, and Koh Adang.

The trip back to Koh Lipe cost 2,250 baht. The original price was 2,000 baht, but I gave an extra 250 baht for Nong Mud to buy snacks. That evening at 6 pm, P'Chai called and invited me to dinner at his house. At first, I was hesitant, but he insisted that I join them since I was alone. I ended up having dinner with them, but I didn't take any pictures because I was feeling shy. After that, I went back to my accommodation to rest. Here is a picture of P'Chai and Nong Mud, who took me on the diving trip today. There were three of us in total. Thank you to both father and son for diving with me and for taking pictures. I will definitely use your services again in the future.

Here is the phone number of Chai Nat, the owner of the long-tail boat I used: 080-546-4076. However, I would like to request that those who call to book a long-tail boat do not try to bargain too much. The people on the island live as if they were in a city with a high cost of living, similar to Switzerland or Japan. This is because goods are relatively expensive. Instead of bargaining, it is better to give a tip, especially if you are impressed with the service, as I was.

Day 3: April 16, 2017

The third day of the trip arrived in no time. Time flies when you're having fun. Today, I woke up early to watch the sunrise. I got up at 5:30 AM and walked to Sunrise Beach. There were very few people there at that time. After I prepared my camera and everything else, I sat and waited until 6:00 AM. The sun slowly rose above the sea and the long-tail boats of the islanders were parked in a beautiful, orderly row.

At that time, I used two cameras to capture the memories: iPhone 6S and GoPro Hero 4. However, I personally prefer using the GoPro camera because it captures more details and wider shots. The iPhone camera, which was placed on the ground, was recording a time-lapse. The result was stunning, capturing the sunrise from the moment it began to rise until it was fully visible.

After that, I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 11 am. I don't know why I was so tired. I did some personal errands, had lunch, and then went for a walk. I realized that Koh Lipe is very quiet during the day, probably because most tourists are out on diving trips. This makes the island feel very empty and peaceful.

The plan for this afternoon was to visit "Koh Kra" again. I intended to stay on the island for half a day. Initially, I planned to rent a kayak to paddle across, but the rental fee was too expensive at 150 baht per hour. For 5 hours, it would cost 750 baht. Plan 1 was abandoned. Plan 2 was still undecided. After sitting for a while, an uncle driving a long-tailed boat came back to the island after dropping off some divers. I ran to ask him how much it would cost to take me to Koh Kra. He said 150 baht, so I agreed. Then I quickly ran to get my belongings and boarded the long-tailed boat.

The boat ride to Koh Kra took less than two minutes. There were a few people swimming, but not many. Most were kayaking. I told the boatman to pick me up at 5 pm, but he said I could walk back to the mainland then because the water level would be lower. I confirmed with him if this was true, and he assured me that I could indeed walk back. Okay, I thought, I'll walk back then. The boatman left, giving me a bottle of water. Little did I know what fate had in store for me in the next few hours.

And throughout the half-day on Koh Kra, I walked around the island, exploring the jungle, climbing mountains, swimming, diving, and the highlight of Koh Kra must be the viewpoint on this large rock. Because you can see the full 360-degree view, as I mentioned earlier, the small island over there is Koh Usen. I don't know how it is. I didn't go.

This is a beautiful viewpoint, but it requires a short walk through the forest. In reality, not many people come here. I was crazy enough to explore the different points on the island alone. There are hidden gems in the forest, but you wouldn't know if you didn't go. The island is very, very small, you can walk around it in 5 minutes, but the paths can be a bit difficult.

I was slightly injured today by a piece of shell stuck to a rock. It didn't hurt when I got cut, it was cool and comfortable. When I went back to my accommodation and took a shower, oh my god, it hurt so much! But the pain didn't last long. 555+ P.S. I apologize for this picture, haha.

Spotted a cute little gecko on Koh Kradan. It even posed for the camera! So adorable! 555+

We played in the water and took photos while waiting for 5 pm. The water level had receded, and we could see the water marks on the rocks. It was time to return to Koh Lipe, so we packed our things and started walking back. But then, the water level hadn't receded enough for us to walk back! We waited for another half hour, until 5:30 pm, hoping to catch the sunset before leaving the next day. But the water level still hadn't receded enough for us to walk back. We were worried and didn't know what to do. We felt like we were being tricked or abandoned.

As the sun began to set, I noticed the water receding, leaving marks on the rocks. Realizing that the tide was going out, I decided to swim back to shore, a distance of about 200 meters. I quickly gathered my belongings, placing the smaller items in my bag, as shown in the picture.

At that moment, wading through the water, I couldn't help but think, "Damn, the water is still deep." I couldn't walk because of the coral, but I wasn't too stressed because I figured it was an experience. However, time wouldn't wait for me, so I had to slowly swim across. I could only stand where there was no coral. I swam and swam, but the water didn't recede much.

Upon reaching the shore, I was exhausted. Looking back at Koh Kra, I realized how far I had swum. Checking the time, it was already 6 pm and the sun was about to set. I had to speed up my walk and run to catch my last sunset in Lipe. Thankfully, I made it just in time.

Today is the last day to watch the sunset at Koh Lipe, so I stayed at Sunset Beach until the sun dipped below the horizon. I watched it to my heart's content. While I was watching the sunset, a girl who was sitting next to me asked me some questions. She was a Swedish girl who was also traveling alone. We didn't talk for very long because it was getting dark. I really wanted to invite her to have a drink, but I didn't. Haha. Then we went back to our respective accommodations.

Upon returning to the hostel, I encountered a foreign man exiting the women's restroom. I informed him that he had entered the incorrect restroom, as the men's restroom was located on the opposite side. He chuckled and apologized, stating that he had not noticed the signage and had simply entered the closest restroom to his room. After showering and getting dressed, I prepared to go out for dinner. The foreign man, who introduced himself as Daniel, a 34-year-old from Denmark, inquired about my evening plans. As he was also alone and unsure of where to go, we decided to have dinner together and then visit a beer bar on Pattaya Beach.

That night at Art Beach Club, which is a club with awesome music. Oh, Daniel and I like the same style of music, the Tropical House style of KYGO, Avicii, Alan Walker, Arizona, and Remix No Original version 555+. The whole club was just the two of us drinking and dancing. Were we drunk? Yes, we were. We didn't get back to our accommodation until 2 am. We stayed until the club closed. Then we walked back to our accommodation. But there were still many other shops open. That's why I said that you can have fun even if you go alone. Just make friends there. Also, having English is a big advantage. Keep practicing and you'll be able to travel the world with English. And don't be shy about speaking incorrectly. It's not our native language. As long as you can communicate and understand each other, that's enough. Nowadays, I enjoy speaking English more than speaking Japanese, which I use to earn money. 555+

April 17, 2017

Today is the last day on Koh Lipe. I couldn't wake up, but I had to. I had to wake up to catch the 11:00 am boat. But I misread the time and thought it was 11:30 am, so I didn't rush. By the time I packed my bags and checked out, it was already past 10:30 am.

Checking the ferry ticket again, I realized with a jolt that I needed to board the 11 am ferry. With only 10 minutes to spare, I rushed to check in at the Ploy Siam ferry. In the end, I made it just in time, almost the last one. There were still people slower than me!

Farewell, beloved Koh Lipe. Thank you for the bright weather and the daily sunshine, which allowed us to witness the stunning beauty of the crystal-clear turquoise sea. The abundance of marine life in the Andaman Sea at Koh Lipe is truly remarkable.

#koh lipe#sea#scuba diving
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