Phuket Gazette 31.07.04

Somewhere down the hazy river

By Gategaeo Phetsawang

On the eastern side of Phuket City is the Tha Chin Canal, separating Koh Sireh from Phuket, with its much overlooked and undisturbed mangroves, and its banks dotted with small fishing villages.

Many eco-tour operators tout sights of unspoilt nature around Phuket, and offer to take you roaring over there by speedboat, bur River Rovers are the first to offer tours of this forgotten waterway.

"It's just five minutes to Phuket City by car but it seems so far away because it's so peaceful," said Godon Williams, Managing Director of River Rovers. "There are villages along the banks and when we travel along the canal, the villagers are surprised to see us."

"The route is narrow and shallow but our boat, Pitta , can go where other boats can't,"he explained.

"Longtails can make it, but most luxury boats are too big for water less than a meter deep,"he said.

"Pitta is not small but, she has a shallow draft and we have an outboard motor that we can lift out of the water. She can also turn in a very small space. "

Along the way, tourists can stop off to chat with local villagers, as well as see a wide range of wildlife, including otters, monitor lizards, kingfishers, brahminy kites, white-bellied sea eagles, great egrets, Pacific gray egrets, herons and hornbills living among the mangroves.

Mr Williams explained that Pitta, which was launched eight months ago, can carry nine guests, enough to enjoy small parties on board. "There are two kayaks that guests can use to paddle down the canal," he said.

The tour starts from Rassada Port and is about four nautical miles (about 7.4 kilometers) long, stopping off at Koh Maphrao and Koh Sireh, though the route varies, depending on the tide.

"If it's low tide in the morning, we go to the floating seafood restaurant at Koh Maphrao first, and then back across the bay into the river from the other side in the evening," he explained.

On Koh Maphrao, tour parties can trek along nature trails, stopping off at villages and rubber plantations. "We also go to little shops near the beach owned by local Thai Muslims, They have a small community there. We spend about two hours on Koh Maphrao and 1½ hours at the floating restaurant," Mr Williams said.

He added that the floating restaurant was the attraction that most impressed tourists.

"They can choose the fish they want to eat from the fish pens and catch them with a net. And behind the floating restaurant there are beautiful mangroves that extend back into the island and are home to wild monkeys and birds" said Mr Williams.

The tour, which takes a relaxed eight hours, also includes a visit to the temple on top of the hill on Koh Sireh, and to the sea gypsy village down below. "We can stop anywhere during the tour. It's up to the guests," he said.

River Rovers might also launch a sunset cruise to Koh Taphao Noi, in Ao Makham, which is part of a marine preserve.

"The trip will begin at 5 pm and it takes only 20 minutes to Koh Taphao, where we can have a beach barbecue and see the lighthouse on the island."

"There are a lot of butterflies and birds to see. And the local people who look after the lighthouse there are Royal Thai Navy servicemen and their families. There are about only six houses there," he said. "We return from the tour by 9 pm."

Mr Williams said that the Tha Chin Canal tour costs 2,500 baht a head and the Koh Taphao trip will cost 1,500 baht. Individual bookings are accepted, but at least four people must join the group before a tour will be considered.

For more information call River Rovers at Tel: 076-280-420 or Gordon Williams at Tel:089-875-8691.