Hong by Starlight June 30 (Eric)

I wanted to write about this experience as soon as it happened, but as mentioned in my update post, things kind of got in the way. This was one of those experiences that I will not be able to find the words to describe, and pictures will not do it justice. But I will do the best I can...

Hong by Starlight is an excursion run by a company called John Gray's Sea Canoes. The trip is designed to get you to experience the beauty and wonder of Phang Nga Bay. It had always been a dream of mine to see this part of Thailand, and the reality surpassed my expectations.

The staff themselves are very friendly and professional. It is another trip where the ratio of staff to customers is 1 to 2 at a minimum. I know this because each sea canoe (really a kayak) holds two passengers, and you have your own personal guide to paddle the canoe and point out the local flora and fauna and beauty that surrounded us at every paddle stroke. The sea canoe is the only way to really explore the limestone karstic islands of the region because it allows you to travel through the sea caves and literally end up in a hidden lagoon inside the island.

The trip through the cave was magical enough. Listening to bats and being immersed in near darkness in the middle of the day while drifting along on a kayak is indescribable. But once you emerge from the darkness of the cave into a lagoon that time has forgotten the serenity and peace of the moment truly overcomes you. A hushed awe surrounds every member of the trip, and you can't help but get caught up in the moment. In our first lagoon, we saw long-tailed macaques and mudskippers and enough beauty to inspire a hundred artists. Simply amazing.

We paddled to another hidden lagoon and listened to the sounds of bird song echoing off the karstic walls. It was surreal. This would have been plenty, but our boat picked up the canoes and took us to another lagoon to explore. Each lagoon is beautifully unique and special.

After dinner, was one of the experiences that I will have the most trouble describing adequately. It is after the sun sets that the tour gets its name because you get to experience the dimming lights over this bay followed by creating your own personal flower arrangement called a "Kratong" (which is a Thai tradition to mark the end of the rainy season). We took these Kratong back inside a sea cave to set afloat in the darkness and solitude. It was a transcendental experience. Anyway, I am trying to wrap this up, so as usual, I will close with woefully inadequate pictures...