Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 08 9867 5288;
www.kohraecolodge.com
; bungalows 1400-2800B)
Nestled in the trees on a small
private beach, this older place offers everything from meditation retreats to spectacular
wildlife hikes. Diving and snorkelling tours - including to the relatively nearby Surin Is-
lands - are available.
Golden Buddha
Beach Resort
( 08 1892 2208;
www.goldenbuddharesort.com
; bungalows 3200-14,000B)
The area's poshest resort at-
tracts a stream of yoga aficionados keen for a spiritual getaway. Accommodation is in
naturalistic-chic privately owned wooden houses rented out short- or long-term. There's
also a dive centre.
BUNGALOWS
$$$
Getting There & Away
There are no regular boats to Ko Phra Thong or Ko Ra, but you could theoretically charter
a long-tail from the Kuraburi pier for around 1500B each way - though boatmen are hard
to find. It's far better and cheaper to contact your resort in advance to arrange transport.
COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN KO PHRA TONG
Andaman Discoveries
( 08 7917 7165;
www.andamandiscoveries.com
;
Khuraburi) runs highly recommen-
ded three-day, four-night community-based tours that visit homestays in remote villages on Ko Phra Tong. Trips
include learning local fishing techniques, mangrove tours and fresh seafood dinners served by your Moken hosts.
Andaman Discoveries also manages three community-service projects: a learning centre for children of
Burmese migrant workers, an orphanage outside of Khao Lak and a school for children with learning disabilities
in Ranong.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Khao Sok National Park
If your leg muscles have atrophied after one too many days of beach-bumming, consider
venturing inland to the wondrous
Khao Sok National Park
( 0 7739 5025;
www.khaosok.com
;
park ad-
mission adult/child 200/100B)
. Many believe this lowland jungle - the wettest spot in Thailand -
to be over 160 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests on the globe. It
features dramatic limestone formations and waterfalls that cascade through juicy thickets
