Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [599]
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COFFEE TALK
Imagine going to London expecting to have a cup of tea with Tony Blair’s mother. Sounds a li’l crazy right? Well in Trang, coffee with the mother of a former prime minister is nothing out of the ordinary. After serving two terms, Chuan Leekpai, Thailand’s PM from 1992 to 1995 and 1997 to 2001, returned home to humble Trang, where he found Mae Chuan Leekpai (or ‘Mama Chuan’) sipping her coffee with friends like she did when he was a young boy. When Chuan Leekpai was little, he’d often invite friends over for a drink; after holding office, he invited over the entire country.
And the invitation still holds. Anyone can drop by for a cup of joe with Mama – don’t forget to wish her a happy birthday, she’s nearly 100 years old. Her address is 183 Th Wisek-kul in Trang Town.
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There are several daily boats from Pak Meng to Ko Ngai at 10am, returning from Ko Ngai between 8am and 9am. You have a choice of a 30-minute ride by speedboat (400B) or a slower ride by ‘big boat’ (150B, one hour).
There are very regular air-con minivans from Th Kha Klang in Trang to Hat Pak Meng (100B, 45 minutes). You may have to take a motorcycle taxi from the Rte 4162 junction to the pier. Heading south from Pak Meng, the coast road passes Hat Chang Lang, Hat Yao and Hat Chao Mai National Park.
Hat Chang Lang
Hat Chang Lang is the next beach down from Hat Pak Meng, and it continues the casuarina-lined dunes motif. At the southern end of Hat Chang Lang, where the beachfront road turns inland, travellers will find the headquarters of Hat Chao Mai National Park (0 7521 3260; adult/child 400/200B; 6am-6pm).
The 231-sq-km park covers the shoreline from Hat Pak Meng to Laem Chao Mai, and encompasses the islands of Ku Muk, Ko Kadran and Ko Cheuk (plus a host of small islets). In various parts of the park you may see endangered dugong and rare black-necked storks, as well as more common species such as sea otters, macaques, langurs, wild pigs, pangolins, little herons, Pacific reef egrets, white-bellied sea eagles and monitor lizards.
You usually only need to pay the national- park fees if you visit the park headquarters, Ko Kadran, Hat San or Hat Yong Ling (the next two beaches south of Hat Chang Lang).
The national park headquarters (0 7521 3260, in Bangkok 0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th/index_eng.asp; camping free, tent hire 150B, r 800B, cabins 800-1500B) is the best place to stay. There are simple cabins that can be rented by the room – they sleep six to eight people and have fans. You can also camp under the casuarinas on the foreshore. There’s a restaurant and a small shop near the accommodation.
Frequent minivans run from Th Kha Klang in Trang to Chao Mai (60B, one hour), or you can charter a taxi from Trang for 650B. The park headquarters is about 1km off the road, down a clearly signposted track.
Hat Yao
A shabby fishing hamlet just south of Hat Yong Ling, Hat Yao (meaning Long Beach) is sandwiched between the sea and imposing limestone cliffs. A rocky headland at the southern end of Hat Yao is pockmarked with caves and there’s good snorkelling around the island immediately offshore. The best beach in the area is the tiny Hat Apo, hidden away among the cliffs; you can get here by long-tail or wade around from the sandy spit in front of Sinchai’s Chaomai Resort.
Apparently, pirates used to hoard their treasure south of Hat Yao at Tham Chao Mai, a vast cave full of crystal cascades and impressive stalactites and stalagmites, which can be explored by boat. To visit Tham Chao Mai, you can charter a long-tail for 400B per hour from Yao pier. Haad Yao Nature Resort offers sea-kayaking trips to the cave, including lunch, for around 700B to 1100B per person, including guide. You can also rent a kayak and self-explore the cave for 550B (map included).
Haad Yao Nature Resort (0 1894 6936; www.trangsea.com; r 400-600B, bungalows 800B; ) is run by enthusiastic naturalists