Ko Lipe - Ko Lipe

Ko Lipe (also Koh Lipe or Ko Li Pe written; Thai: เกาะ หลี เป๊ะ Pronunciation: gkɔ lǐi-bpé, IPA: [kɔʔ lǐː péʔ]) is a small island in the extreme south of Thailand in the province Satun in the Tarutao National Park. When this national park was founded, the people who lived there became their home Chao Leh (also known as "sea gypsies") relocated here. From approx. 2001 onwards there has been an enormous tourist development on the island, in the course of which many new resorts have been created. Many departments are now connected to the central power station. The island has become a popular holiday destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Many Thais come from Bangkok for a short vacation, especially on weekends. The island has three sandy beaches, Pattaya Beach in the south, Pramong (?) Beach in the east and the small Sunset Beach in the north. But don't let the name of the first put you off!

Sunset on Pattaya Beach, Ko Lipe

getting there

To Has yai or Trang by night train or plane. From there the local travel agencies offer a minibus transfer to the port city of Pakbara (approx. 200 THB). Alternatively, you can also take a taxi into town. There are shared taxis (

Usually you will be dropped off at a travel agency, where you can purchase a voucher for a bus ticket and the ferry. If you manage to be driven directly to the bus station, you can save yourself a few baths. The minibus drives to Pak Bara, and you may be reloaded on a Songathew over the last few kilometers. There are several ferries to Koh Lipe in Pak Bara. The specified departure times are to be understood as a rough guide.

The two low-cost airlines NokAir and Thai AirAsia offer offer combined flight and ferry offers from Bangkok-Don Mueang to Sunrise Beach on Ko Lipe. After selected flights to Trang (NokAir) or Hat Yai (AirAsia) you will be taken by bus to the pier and from there by ferry to Ko Lipe. Including transfer times, the journey takes about 5 (NokAir) or 6½ hours. For one way the package at NokAir costs 4050 Baht as standard (around New Year's Eve max. 4750 Baht), saver prices from 1940 Baht; at Air Asia between 1615 and 2710 Baht (New Year's Eve up to 4150 Baht).

Important! A regular ferry service several times a day is only available from the beginning of November to mid-May. Most of the resorts will then also close.

mobility

The island is only 3 x 1.5 km in size. There are no roads. The few mopeds use the beach.

activities

Diving

The reefs around Ko Lipe are still largely intact, and the 2004 tsunami did not cause any major damage.

There are several diving centers on the island:

  • one in the middle
  • Ocean Pro. Under Australian management. In contrast to the other dive centers, which take the relatively small long-tail boats to the dive sites, this one has a large boat.
  • Forra Dive, on the east coast of the island. Diving, beach bar, bamboo bungalows on stilts.
Internet cafe on Pattaya Beach

canoe

  • At every beach you can rent canoes cheaply and use them to explore the beaches and a few smaller neighboring islands.

Internet

Most of the internet cafes are located in the middle of the island on the Walking Way. Various resorts also offer Internet access. Partly also via WLAN.

shop

In the middle of the island there are several small supermarkets with a wide range of products, as well as shops in the village of Chao Ley near the school where you can buy everything you need for your daily needs.

Boy from Friends Tour sells postcards and books across from the banana tree on Pooh's Highway.

kitchen

Center of the island

  • Jack's Jungle Bar
  • Banana tree
  • Pooh's Bar
  • Panecake Lady

Pattaya Beach

  • There are several resorts here that set up their tables on the beach from around 5 p.m. You can then have fish and other seafood freshly grilled.

Sunset Beach

  • At the eastern end of the beach there is a restaurant with absolutely brilliant banana cakes (in small aluminum box shapes). The seating is a bit hidden behind the house.

nightlife

"Night life" is perhaps too big a term. There are several bars where you can hang out in the evening. E.g. on Pattaya Beach the "time-to-chill" bar, "Love & Peace" bar, monkey bar, etc. A film is regularly shown in the evenings on Pooh's Highway in the Banana Leaf. Not to forget "Pooh" and "JJB" = "Jacks Jungle Bar".

accommodation

Lipe Beach Resort, Sunrise Beach
Lipe Beach Resort, Sunrise Beach

There is a wide variety of resorts spread across three beaches. If you have already decided on something specific, you should say so when you arrive before switching to the longtail boat, you will then be taken straight to the right beach.

Pattaya Beach

  • Daya Resort. Beach huts made of bamboo mats (approx. THB 300 per day) and brick bungalows, each with its own shower and toilet. Electricity from around 6 p.m. until after midnight. Restaurant with hot meals throughout and a barbecue on the beach from around 5 p.m.
  • Varin Resort

Sunset Beach

  • Porn Resort. Bamboo huts. Supposedly nice, but in early 2006 with garbage incineration in the immediate vicinity.

Sunrise Beach

  • Forra Bamboo Resort. Bamboo huts on stilts on the east coast of the island.
  • Coco bungalows
  • Viewpoint bungalows

trips

Announce your departure to the resort the evening before. Best early morning to get in late afternoon Has yai to be. You will be picked up by a logtail boat and put on a ferry. Departure times are just as chaotic as arrival. Prior booking / payment is not necessary, cash is collected on the boat, often cheaper than if you had bought a ticket beforehand.

literature

Web links

http://www.kohlipethailand.com/

Article draftThe main parts of this article are still very short and many parts are still in the drafting phase. If you know anything on the subject be brave and edit and expand it to make a good article. If the article is currently being written to a large extent by other authors, don't be put off and just help.