| Summary | Anual visits Thailand in January and Maldeves for the first time in six
years. I knew that general rules of resort islands was released about ten years before. I choose stays in a local island in Maldives for the first time. I selected Mak island where to go diving in Thailand. After that I took time to explore on the way back to Bangkok. Then stayed one night near the airport, next destination in Maldives for diving. Two days in Bangkok before came back home. |
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| Air Ticket | ANA partner airline flight award ticket operated by TG same as last year, round trip Kansai and Bangkok(use 35,000 miles and a little more than \10,000 as overhead fees ) I prefered UL to LCC as round trip Bangkok and Male, it costed THB12,000. |
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| In Thailand |
Stay one night in Bangkok on arrival day, get on a bus bound for the pier. Then get on a boat for Mak island. 4 days and 3 nights in Mak island for diving. After that stay near the port, Trat town and Chanthaburi each night. |
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| In Maldives |
I searched a diving center and accommodation by internet. I found out the Discovery Package by South Ari Dive. It include 5 nights stay, all meals, 8 dives, speed boat transfer from and to airport.($799) |
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| Ship Change |
When I booked air ticket a half year before, the fleet was B777. Though ship change happened the day. I already reserved seat of **D. But I received **H, so I asked them to change **D or **G. She gave me a seat which need fee actually. It was comfortable to strech my legs, but display was small and different programs. |
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| Ekkamai | I chose a bus boud for Laem Ngop which depart from the Ekkamai bus terminal. So I booked a hotel near the Ekkamai station. After check in, I checked the bus bound for Laem Ngop depart at 7:45 in the terminal. I got the ticket for THB261. |
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| Move by bus and speed boat |
It took about 5 and half hours to Center point pier with onece break on
the way. Ticket said the destination was Laem Ngop, they told me final stop. There were tichet counters selling boat tichets to Chang, Mak and Kood islads. Almost of all people got tichets to Chang island. I got the tichet to Mak island which depart 2PM operated by Leelawadee for THB450. And it need for THB50 to move from the counter to Laem Ngop Pier by taxi. I bought round trip ticket for THB1,000. We reached the pier jsut on time, but the boat departed afer 3PM over 1hour delayed. |
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| Arrival Koh Mak |
Koh Mak has some piers, Ao Nid, Makathanee and Koh Mak Resort Pier. The ticket said the arrival and departure pier were Ao Nid, but both were Makathanee actually. After arraival, I got a taxi which can carry 6 or 8 persons on its bed. The fee was THB50, but THB100 when only one passenser. It seemed same fee as Koh Mak is not so big. |
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| Koh Mak |
I planned 3 nights stay 2 days diving, but No one came while I waited for
pick up from 9 to 10 on first day of diving. So I changed to go around the island. Starting from the Makathanee Resort Pier, next the Koh Mak Cococape Resort Pier, last Koh Mak Resort. It took 5 hours by walk. I had dinner at same restaurant near by for about THB100. I tried to buy some bread for breakfast around there, but I couldn't find few bread. So I took some biscuits and so on. |
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| Divng | Koh Mak Divers | 1 | Koh Rang Koh Mapring | 2 | Koh Rang Hin Bai |
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| I read an expression as "One of the best sea in the world" in
an article pubished by Tourismthailand. I had no objective information. Though just 2 dives, not so great. |
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| Way back to Bangkok |
I planned to stay Laen Ngop, Trat Town and Chanthaburi on the way back
to Bangkok. Then I stayed the Nasa Vegas Hotel near the Ramkhamhaeng station as the departure to Maldives was in the morning |
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| Laen Ngop | I was told that I could use a bicycle for free. So I went around the port and neighborhood. | ||
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| Black Sand Beach | I tryed to go the Black Sand Beach only a rare five in the world. But it was not so good as it might be high tide. |
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| Trat Town |
She brought me to the taxi station, when I replyed the next destination The taxi station was on the pier. The taxi driver told me the departure time was 12:30. A speedboat arrived about ten minutes before departure, a few people got on the taxi from the boat. The taxi was same type as Mak island. The taxi brouth us in front of hotels. The final stop might be the Trat bus terminal. The fee was THB80. I chose a hotel referencing a map, the hotel was located quaint atmosphere called Khlong Bangg Phra Community. |
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| Templs in Trat | Wat Phai Lom, City Pillar Shrine, Wat Yotha Nimit and Day market | ||
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| From Trat to Chanthaburi |
As bus terminal was too far from the hotel, I asked the hotel a taxi. (THB60) I imagined that I got on a big bus boud for Bangkok in Trat and got off in Chanthaburi in the middle. When I asked on the counter they told me to go a man by the entrance. He told me it cost THB70 and I asked the departure time then he told me soon. The bus came a few minutes later, about 10 people in the bus already. The bus stoped several times and peple got on and off, reached Chanthaburi bus terminal. |
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| Chanthaburi | After check in, I headed for the cathedral. I found a stunning shrine on
the way to the cathedral. I found out the shrine called the Taksin Maharat Shrine later. I lost the map in the shrine, so I headed the direction of rough memory. Sure enough, I got lost. I ran into the Robinson's store. I asked a taxi there. I finally made it to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. I was so disappointed to see the signboard that say we can enter inside of the cathedral until 3PM. Though doors were open, fortunately I could enter inside of it. |
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| To Bangkok |
To bus terminal by taxi, I got a ticket to Bangkok(Ekkamai) for THB196. It took 5 and half hours to get there, and got the BTS and the airport link. I got off the Ramkhamhaeng station to check in the Nasa Vegas Hotel. I stayed the huge hotel for the first time in a while, and payed porter a tip. |
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| To Maldives |
I chose Srilankan Airlines as about 30kg luggage, though it took long time. Departure time was 9AM, arrival time was around 2:30. Cabin crews of Srilankan went around a few times in the plane. There were many seats which were not upright position during landing. |
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| Arrival in Maldives |
I had to write additional papers which I needed to fill in flight number,
seat number and visit in China or not. After immigration I looked for a person who pick me up. He told me two ways to the boading point. It needed to walk about 10 minutes by Dhoni for $2, and $5 by taxi. Taxi? I didn't get it. Taxi on the sea? He told me the bridge was completde last year. The bridge conct the Male, Hulhule and Hulhumale islands. We departed 4PM, and one and half hour later arrived the Dhangethi island in South Ari Atoll. About 70% local people and 30% tourists in the boat. |
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| Banyan Villa |
A young man who weared printed mala uniform greeted and brought me to a
restaurant when I arrived the island. Then I was served a welcome dring and checked in. After that I was brought to the Banyan Villa. When I selected a hotel, I saw photos of simple room and shared bathroom like clubhouse. I compromised to save money. Though the room had the private bathroom, TV and Fridge . There are several small hotels managed by same owner. People who stayed these hotels gathered the restaurant. The number of people reached over 50 at the most. Though meals were a buffet, several pattern. |
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| Dangethi Island |
The Dangethi island is located in east part the South Ari Atoll, next to
Vilamendhoo, Ranveli and Dhigurah. The island is small as about 30 minutes on foot. It has the main port which came from Male and so on with stuff and people, and the jetty opposite side. There are several small hotels and souvenir shops. |
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| Diving | South Ari Dive | 1st day | 1 | Maamigili Out | 2 | Ohigurah Arches | ||
| 2nd day | 1 | Rangali Madivaru | 2 | Kudhimaa Wrech | 3 | Kaharu Thila | ||
| 3rd day | 1 | Al Karim | 2 | Vilamendoo Thila | ||||
| 4th day | 1 | Five Rocks | 2 | Kuda Kah Thila | 3 | Banna Reef |
| Diving Style |
Useually 2 dives in AM, 1 dive in PM. The South Ari Dive has one more base
in Drift Thelu Veligaa. We stoped by that island as the Dhoni of the island was out of order. So we didn't returned for lunch on the first and second day. |
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| １st day | Searching Whale Shark in 1st dive and the surface interval. No Whale Shark
same as 13 years ago. Just Manta Ray at snorkeling in the surfave interval. Only two dive on the day, since to drop them in the Drift Thelu Veligaa. |
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| ２nd day | 1st dive was Rangali Madivaru famous for Manta Ray. First huge manta just turned onece, after that several small mantas came around. |
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| Whale Shark Snorkeling |
They told me to do whale shark snorkeling when we were heading for second
dive site. I guessed that they recieved information of appearance from other boats. There were some boats and over ten people when we reached there. It was hard to find out a whale shark, so I headed for where crowded with people. At last, I found it out and kept the forward position with quick swim. I was exhausted from quick swim, so I passed second swim and saw on the roof deck. |
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| ３rd day | First dive, Wreck with Lemon Shark. Second dive, stunning blue water with school of eagle ray, though the current. | ||
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| Though I met up at PM 2:30 for 3ir dive, afternoon dive was cancelde by the engine trouble. I went around the island. |
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| ４th day | 1st dive, so many brilliant sea fans. 2nd dive, huge number of bluestripe
snappers I've never seen, though no big ball. 3rd dive, last dive of this time. I forgot to put on the weights, the reason why it might be last dive. I barely sinked to breathe out with all my might. I got 1kg weight from the divemaster at 10meters depth. I fineshed the dive with just 1kg weight. |
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| 5 nights and 8 dives package, I payde 2 additional dives by credit card. Tha package has BBQ in the beach, Dolthin Safari Trip and Sandbank Tour besides those. I didn't mind those sine I prioritised diving. Though I 'd like to go just Sandbank Tour aside from the others. |
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| Last day | As the boat departed at 7AM, breakfast was surved at 6:15. And they took
my luggage to the port. The boat was bigger than on the way to the island. I almost got off the boat in the Male island, but they told me the boat also went to the Hulhule island. The departure time of airplane was afternoon, so I was killing some time around the airport. |
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| The Costa Victoria was anchored around the Make island. There was the big
private Costa terminal. I have seen red and yellow seaplanes many times in Maldives before. I have seen white seaplanes several times in this stay. There was the counter of the Trans Maldivian Airways, this might replace the past. |
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| To Bangkok |
About 7 hours to transfer in the Colombo airport. There were the detection machines of boy temperature in every airports. I arrived in Bangkok at eary morning, then headed to the hotel by airportlink and taxi I needed to pay for THB300 to check in eary at 8AM, because I was so tired and want to lie down. |
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| Bangkok | After taking a nap, I went around west side of the hotel and visited temples and so no. | ||
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| ２nd day | I went to the temples whici I couldn't visit previous day. The Pratu Nam Market and Big C by the Saen Saep canal boat. |
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| Last Day |
I went around the temples in Pam Prap Sattru Phai in the morning. Checked out at noon, and left my luggage at the hotel. Then wandering around the Siam area and to get a massage. I got back to the hotel to pick up the luggage. After that heading for the airport. |
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| Happenig in Thiland |
I have experienced a few times when I purchased liquor. If we go through a register before 5PM with liquor, liquor is confiscated at a register. I couldn't remember the experience like this, though I know we can't buy liquor on particular days and after 12PM. |
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