KAYAKING IN THE SEA

You must enjoy this simple ride to be able to appreciate beauty of nature up close. I never thought I could do it though, too afraid of falling into the water but if you have an experienced guide, it can be the most serene experience like I had.

We went to see the hongs in Phang Nga Bay. Hongs are chambers inside the caves, unseen to the outside world, approachable only through the kayaks. A flat inflatable boat wherein we had to sit, our legs outstretched infront, making sure that if need be we could flatten ourselves when we entered the low roofed caves. I felt like a little girl in fantasyland, totally mesmerized and enchanted by the untouched nature’s treasures.

The Hongs, each of these secluded chambers within the mountain crevices have a story to tell. The tropical flora and fauna are completely different from what you would see anywhere else. The animal kingdom too has adapted itself, be it the crab eating Macaques or the fruit eating bats…they are nature’s survivors. When we entered the beautiful but secluded lagoon, my mind was caught up with two emotions, should I be excited or frightened. The creepers and mangroves had grown overtly, converting this into a scene out of “Tarzan” or like my faint hearted friend put it, “Änaconda”. The green murky waters could have actually hidden anything. The creepers winding up and roots of the mangroves rising dramatically out of the water loomed above us dauntingly, almost looking down at our presence. So silent was it that we could hear ourselves breathe, hear the insects call. The fragmented bubbles that rose from the water almost caused us to jump out of our skins, imagining the worst. However, these were Mudskippers (the walking fish), which even climbed the roots of the mangroves to catch their insect prey.

This was an amazing experience I had with the John Gray Canoe tours in Phang Nga Bay, a must do on your trip to Bangkok. Words can never be enough to explain the feeling of being there. I hope you enjoyed the videos. Please write to me if you have experienced something like this. Would love to hear from you.

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