Tha Pom NatureTrail in Krabi Thailand

 

Tha Pom Nature Trail in Krabi which is also called Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam is one of the most beautiful trails I have ever been on. This amazing nature walk is also called 'Two Water Canal' or Tha Pom Canal, because of its special feature where crystal clear freshwater meets with seawater from the mangrove forest giving you one of natures natural wonders here in Thailand. Never before have I seen such clear waters in a myriad of aquamarine and green in one place. To enjoy the nature pictures fully, please click to enlarge them.

Mesmerizing scenery

On my arrival at Tha Pom Klong Song Nature Trail, I was fascinated with the natural beauty of the surrounding and this was even before we started our walk. I was also glad that I had brought my DSLR camera with me. Initially I just wanted to bring a small compact as I assumed there would be some swimming activities but I found out that the authorities have disallowed visitors to swim here except for one area. This place is also known as the Krabi Crystal Stream.

Elevated wooden walkway

After paying the entrance fees of 50 Baht, the trail started with a wooden boardwalk over the mangrove rainforest which is about two meters high, even sparing trees that were in the way as they built the walk right through it. The entire walk is not very long as it is a circular walk where you start and finish at the same point. which takes about 45 minutes. The good thing about this nature walk is that every step taken, you are bound to see something interesting along the way. I found this very educational and yet breathtaking.

Pure beautiful nature

Wooden elevated boardwalk

As we walked about ten minutes in, we had arrived at one of my most amazing natural scenes I have come across. It looked so surreal, I was in awe when I saw the colours of the water here. A blue toned aquamarine which was crystal clear had me stunned for a few moments. According to my local guide, this place was regarded as a sacred place so the natural ecology was not affected by modernization of any form. Again, Wow... words in this article do not do justice to actually seeing this place with your own eyes. If a fantasy movie were to be filmed, this would be one of the places.

Enchanting views at the nature walk stream

The waters here were so crystal clear, you could literally see right to the bottom of the stream and I even saw little fishes swimming happily in schools without a care. The best times are when the sunlight hits the water and then you see an explosion of blues and greens from various angles. I would recommend you visit this place late mornings till afternoons.

Incredible water colours

At one section, a jetty-like area is created out of wood for visitors to admire the natural beauty offered here. You are also allowed to swim in this area so expect more people when you visit this part of the nature walk. I wanted to swim but got seriously carried away in taking photographs while here. A friend of mine took off his shoes and had a soak in the stream. His response - really cold water.

Soft Shell Crab seen in the stream

If you looked closely at the roots of the trees at the clear pool here, you may see the soft shelled crabs moving around at the base of the roots. These crabs are about five to six inches in size and are edible. But you are advised not to try to catch them at all. Also when dipping your feet or taking a swim, please be careful .

Emerald Green water at the nature walk

Moving ahead along the trail, I started to notice the change in water colour as it became a little jade in colour but cloudy. Here, plant life thrived with a good mixture of greens throughout. You are not allowed to swim in this area but if you see locals doing it, please do not follow.  

Walking further on along the elevated wooden boardwalk over the mangrove, we see some local children swimming and playing in the waters. A local Thai canoes alongside us pulling an empty canoe back to the start point. You hear sounds of birds and other insects along the way back to the start. Expect to spend at least one hour for this nature trail walk.

Children swimming at the nature walk

Mangrove Crab

Just as we were to finish our nature trail, I noticed something moving on one of the plants in the mangrove. Looking closely, it was a crab. I thought it was a baby soft shell  crab and asked my nature guide if it was. Apparently this was another species of crab called Mangrove Crab which lives off the plants here. 

For those into Canoeing, canoes can be rented for 100 baht an hour or for 700 baht a day and the pick-up point is near the entrance. The canal takes you all the way to the Andaman Sea via the Palee canal (Klong Palee) so only those with experienced are encouraged to do this. If not, stick to the hourly rate and explore the main areas here.

Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam Map

If you are a nature enthusiast and visiting Southern Thailand, I would recommend that you make a visit to Krabi as they have some stunning nature trails and places to explore. Apart from the perception that Krabi is known for the beautiful islands and beaches, there is abundance of Eco Tourism and Nature here waiting to be explored. I am going to make another trip back here to visit some of the other interesting and recently opened nature sights in Krabi next year. A very big thank you to Tourism Authority of Thailand and Krabi Tourism for arranging this Krabi trip and for taking me to some of the new tourism places here. 

Information on Tha Pom Klong Song Nam Natural Trail in Krabi;


Krabi Tourism Coordination Center Tel: 0 7562 2163 or the Tourist Call Center on 1147.
Khao Khram Sub-district Administration Organization  Tel: 0 7569 4165 or 0 7569 4198

Pa Phru Toh Daeng Forest Research Centre (for information on canoeing, bird watching, nature study and peat swamp forest research), Tel. 0 1230 7159 

How to get to Tha Pom Klong Song Nam;

• Tha Pom Klong Song Nam, is located in Moo 2, Baan Nongjit, Khao Khram Sub-district, Muang District, Krabi Province. To get there from Krabi town take the Krabi-Ao Luk road (Highway 4) and turn right at the Pom Khao Khram intersection after five kilometres.There are signages along the way here.
• Alternatively you can rent a motor bike and ride here with a map.
• The easiest way for groups or families would be to book a tour here from one of the local tour agents in Krabi or Ao Nang.

Ticket Prices for Klong Song Nam;

• Car parking is available at 20 baht per car.
• There is a local restaurant and souvenir shop adjacent to the parking area.
• The admission fee for adults is 50 baht and Children 30 baht 

Pictures here were taken by me using a Nikon D60 with a 18-200mm lens.

If you are visiting Krabi, please do take a look at my other Krabi places of interest. One other place you should visit is the Emerald Pool of Krabi. Again, for those seeking something different apart from the beach, this place is absolutely a must visit while in Krabi and I can assure you that you will be in awe when you visit and see the Tha Pom Nature Trail.

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Marina Bay Sands Singapore Sunset Picture of the Week

Marina Bay Sands Singapore Sunset Picture. This stunning shot of the sun setting behind the city skyline at about 7.30pm was taken from the room window at the Integrated Resort during my visit here in June 2010. The sunset picture was also taken with a Nikon D60 with an 18-105mm lens. If you plan to stay here, there are two options for rooms - Sea facing or city facing and currently the city facing rooms have the best views at the hotel here. There is also the Paiza Club for rooms on the higher levels of the hotel. You can read my story on the Marina Bay Sands Room Review.

Providing that the weather is good during your stay, you should be able to get some really nice pictures from your room here. Another place that you can catch really nice sunsets are from the Sands Skypark at the observation deck, Infinity Swimming Pool or from KuDeTa Bar. At 57 floors high, these three places offer some of the most stunning Singapore Sunsets.

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Travel Charger Choiix Power Fort

Travel Chargers, do you carry one? I never did until my recent last trip. I always had the problem of my iPhone running out of battery at the oddest of times during my travels and was quite frustrated with the situation. I finally gave in and started asking around until someone recommended the Choiix Power Fort portable travel charger. My battery life has never been the same since using this. This little gadget is really easy to use as any gadget with a USB can be plugged in and charged on the go giving you instant power. 

These days, almost everyone uses an iPhone, iPad or some smartphone device. You cannot deny that the current gadgets are becoming a part of our daily lives and one of the must have gadgets on your travels may it be backpacking, leisure or even business travels. 7 out of 10 travelers would have any one of these gadgets and the times that you needed that extra battery only turned out in disappointment. Now you need not fear of the 'no-battery' syndrome as this amazing device will sort out all those worries.

Choiix Travel Charger - Back of casing

As I am an iPhone user since day one, this travel charger has brought life to my phone and now gives me up to two and a half times of extra battery life. An to be very honest, I used this three times on my last travels to Langkawi Island in Malaysia. Those days, phones only served as sending text and calls only while these days, with the smart phones taking over the conventional ones, most smart phone users will agree that when you are surfing the Internet, checking your emails, using Facebook, Twitter or even Foursquare, the battery life tends to drop drastically by lunch time. Ever faced this problem? Well, fear no more as with the Choiix Travel Charger, you need not worry about a dead battery. Simply plug in your device and let it charge while you are on the go.

Complete with a stylish fabric casing and extra wires

The sleek designed casing fits perfectly well into any pocket, bag or compartment. For me, I connect the travel charger to my iPhone and simply put the unit in one of my cargo pants pockets or nap sack while I am moving around. The device also comes with a built in LED Flashlight for those times you are left in the dark. Great for power outages as the flashlight can last you a good 10 hours fully charged. Note that this is a close range flashlight great for finding things in the dark or for some night reading.

Note to those with kids who are constantly occupied with their PSP or Nintendo DX games, this is one of the gadgets you must have as when the battery runs dead, this will save you tons!

Below are estimate extra hours for devices;

iPad - 2.5 extra hours

PDA or GPS unit - 10 extra hours 

PSP or other Portalbe Gaming Devices - 18 extra hours

Smart Phones (Blackberry, iPhone, HTC, Samsung, Android, etc) - 18 extra hours

MP3, MP4, iPod or other portable music devices - 82 extra hours

Bluetooth devices - 95 extra hours

Features and Specifications of Choiix Power Fort Travel Charger

• Slim curve design and light weight.
• Special bypass circuit design prevents the battery from the damage.
• Powerful 1A charges 30% faster than normal USB power.
• Built-in LED flashlight for emergency.
• Battery life LED indicators.
• Up to 500 recharge times with 85% capacity remaining.
• Quick recharge less than 3.5 hours.
• Full protections built-in to avoid battery damage.
• Ultra low self-discharge battery cell function. 

iPad compatible

• Power Capacity: 2700 mAh / 10Whrs
• Input Voltage: 5V / 1A
• Output Voltage: 5V / 1A
• Battery Type: Lithium-polymer
• Recharging Time: 3~4 hours
• Dimension: 110 X 64 X 12 mm - 4.3 x 2.5 x 0.5 inch
• Weight: 102 g (3.6 oz)
• Over Charging Protection
  
• Over Discharging Protection
  
• Over Current Protection
  
• Over Temperature Protection
  
• Short Circuit Protection

I recommend getting your travel charger and accessories from Smartphone Enhancement Specialist (SPES) who specialize in all kinds of gadget covers and products for all new smart phones. They ship locally (Malaysia and Southeast Asia) and Worldwide too. The item is priced at RM165 (US$52) and is worth every penny invested.

My conclusion to the Choiix travel charger - All travelers should have one of these! You never know when you would need that extra battery power especially when your phone goes dead on your travels. Don't forget that with the current iPhone 4 which can shoot in HD video and high resolution digital pictures, most savvy travelers or Flashpackers would be carrying them around their trips. Cons - So far after using it for a month now, I cannot find any faults with the Choiix Power Fort Travel Charger.

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10 Things to do in Sandakan Sabah Borneo

10 Things to do in Sandakan, Sabah is a must for those seeking a nature and fun experience on the East side of Borneo. While Sabah has so much to offer in terms of tourism, many come to Sandakan mainly for the Eco Tourism offered here. In this list, I have narrowed down the things one can do while visiting Sandakan and this list is in no order. Everything listed here is located around Sandakan and you can easily visit all of these places in under 5 Days. Best would be to spend about 6D/5N in Sandakan to fully experience all of the places listed here.

1. Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary

Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center in Sandakan is one of the must-visit places when you are here. There are no two ways about this while it is known as the star attraction of Sandakan. See orangutans in the wild as they are being rehabilitated to go back to nature. Excellent for all ages, kids especially. Walking level is - Easy

Watching the wildlife along the Kinabatangan River

2. Visiting the Kinabatangan River

Kinabatangan River is one of the most interesting nature safaris available in Sandakan. Located just two hours out of Sandakan town, the Kinabatangan River stretches over 560 kilometers and is the second longest river in Malaysia and the longest in Sabah. Kinabatangan is also well known for its remarkable wildlife and fascinating habitats found throughout the sanctuary. See the rare Borneo Pygmy Elephant in its natural surrounding while bird watchers will have a field day here. 

 

3. Gomantong Caves

One of the world renown caves for birds nest harvesting and located at Gomantong Hill in the lower Kinabatangan area or Gomantong Rainforest Reserve. Consisting of two cave complexes which are Black Cave (Simud Hitam) and White Cave (Simud Putih), these caves have been harvested for the prized birds nest for many years even till today. There is also wildlife to be seen here as you may spot several red lip monkeys around the Gomantong Caves. Walking level is - Easy

4. The Canopy Walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)

This is one of the most unique canopy walks or sky walks I have ever been on. This mega steel structure is located along the Rainforest Discovery Trail at the RDC in Sepilok, Sabah and if you are a nature lover or bird watcher, this is the place to experience it. The Borneo Bird Festival is also held here anually. If you want to try a different kind of Canopy Walk, then head over here. Walking level is - Easy

5. Agnes Keith House in Sandakan

One of the popular places to visit as it is located in town area. This famous landmark house called Newlands was a former British colonial quarters and was once lived in by Agnes Newton Keith, a well known American writer who penned the famous 'Land Below The Wind' in 1939. You can easily walk to the Agnes Keith House from town.

6. English Tea House and Restaurant

This stunning place is located on a little hill overlooking the majestic Sandakan Bay. This unique place is also housed in a meticulously renovated colonial English house and is surrounded by 1.5 acres of perfectly manicured lawns complete with a Croquet Pitch and outdoor seating. Anyone visiting Sandakan should at least visit this place for some good old traditional English cooking.

7. Sandakan War Memorial 

The Sandakan Memorial Park is located in the outskirts of Sandakan town. The site is just next to the actual POW (Prisoners of War) camp which was set up during the World War Two Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945 which witnessed the death of 2400 Australian and British POW held by the Japanese here.

8. Seeing rare Orchids,  Flowers and Plants

Known also as the Plants Discovery Trail, this is one of the highlights at the Rainforest Discovery Centre RDC in Sepilok. This unique 800 meter long trail is filled with all kinds of rainforest flora and is a very educational walk. If you love all things flora (flowers and plants) this should be one of your stops as you will see rare Borneo Orchids and other interesting flowers here.

 
9. Staying at one of the lodges in Kinabatangan

The Bukit Melapi Lodge is located along the Sukau Kinabatangan River and these are the kind of lodgings available for those who wish to stay a few days to observe the incredible wildlife around here. Most packages to the Kinabatangan are 3D/2N and river cruises or trekking are included here. The best possible way to enjoy the natural wildlife of Borneo is staying at one of these lodges.

Baby crocodile at Kinabatangan River

10. Experiencing a Night River Safari along the Kinabatangan River

A Kinabatangan River Night Cruise is one of the most exciting and adventurous trips you will take while you stay at the Lower Kinabatangan River Lodges. This unique night cruise is an optional package at each of the lodges so you need to book with your lodge or tour guide if you want to experience this cruise along the Kinabatangan River in Sandakan to see the nocturnal wldlife. Crocodiles are a guaranteed sighting here.

The links in each of the 10 Things to do in Sandakan are linked back to each of my original articles which I personally have visited and experienced. So this is not one of those plucked-from-the-air lists but more of a personal experience shared with everyone interested in things to do in Sandakan Sabah Borneo. 

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Hanoi Old Quarter at Night

Hanoi Old Quarter at night is a collection of travel photographs taken during my trip to Hanoi in May 2010. All pictures were taken using my little Nikon D60 DSLR camera with a 18-105mm lens. I have to admit that the Old Quarter is one of the very interesting places of Vietnam worth exploring on foot as there is so much to see and do there. As night photography is quite challenging, I did not bring my tripod on this trip so I made do with anything I could use as support in taking these pictures. To sum it up, I had a field day snapping photographs and here is a picture post of the Old Quarter in Hanoi at night.

Night photography around Hanoi's Old Quarter

 One of the buildings at a cross junction

 Taken from City View in Hanoi's town center

 Walking along the Old Quarter in Hanoi

One of the alleys at the Old Quarter 

 KFC Building at Old Quarter, Hanoi

 Traffic from all directions at night

 Shop at Old Quarter selling masks

 A favourite of mine, old lady selling fruits

 Get yourself weighed and measured by the roadside

During my Hanoi trip, I stayed at Impressive Hotel at Old Quarter and it was one of the interesting boutique hotels that I have experienced in my hotel stays. Read my article to find out more about this hotel. You can also find more of my Hanoi and Halong Bay articles below;

HTC HD2 Smartphone pictures of Halong Bay (Some pictures I took using this smart phone)

Holiday Villa Tuan Chau Halong Bay (Stayed here during my visit to UNESCO Halong Bay)

Thien Cung Cave at Halong Bay (One of the interesting caves at Halong Bay)

If you plan to visit Vietnam or Hanoi, make sure you have some extra time to explore the Old Quarter  of town in the day and in the night. One night would not be enough so I would recommend you spend at least 2 nights around here. If you love travel photography, this is one of the places where you would have a great time shooting Hanoi's Old Quarter at Night.  

Similar articles on Hanoi;

Crumpler Bags in Hanoi

Ipa Nima Bags in Hanoi

Weasel Coffee in Hanoi

Impressive Hotel at Hanoi Old Quarter

Hanoi Beer Junction Picture

Hanoi Street Life Picture 

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Rebak Island Resort in Langkawi

Rebak Island Resort in Langkawi is one of the best romantic vacations I have had in a very long time and this beautiful place is also located on one of the 99 islands that make up Langkawi. The resort is also managed by the famous TAJ Hotel group on this 390 acre privately owned island here in Langkawi Island, Malaysia. I had the pleasure of visiting this amazing place over one weekend in August 2010 and here is my story.

Firstly, we traveled to Langkawi via AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur and on arrival at the Langkawi International Airport, the staff were there to greet us and usher us to the resort. I had no clue to what was ahead as I only knew of the Rebak not too long ago. Our friendly driver sent us to the Rebak jetty which was a five minute drive from the airport. There, a speedboat which could seat 20-30 people was ready for departure. After a 15 minute boat ride to Pulau Rebak, we arrived at the Rebak Marina jetty.

Arrival monument

The arrival was perfectly timed as one of the duty managers was there to greet us. After welcoming us and being served a couple of cold towels, I quickly asked her if there was any other resort on this island her instant reply was that this was the only one here. A electric golf buggy was our transport to the main reception which took about 5 minutes from the Rebak Marina.These environmental friendly buggies are used throughout the island and is the only mode of transport. There are no cars or bikes here.

Rebak Island Resort main lobby area

Swimming pool view from the beach

From the main reception building, you could see the sea and also the beautifully landscaped swimming pool. A lovely welcome drink was served together with some cold towels while we went through the check in procedure. Immediately after that, it was lunch ready for us at the resort restaurant. For the record, we had such great food that I would have to do an article just on the food. Watch out for this later. 

Rebak island main beach

Right after our lunch, I could not hesitate but venture off to the beach for a quick look around and let me just tell you, it did not disappoint at all.  The blue skies dominated the scene while deck chairs were laid out along the main beach of the island here with a lush green backdrop of tropical trees. As I started to photograph this natural beauty, everything began to look even better through my lens view and in my mind, I told myself that I would be spending a lot of time on the beach during my stay here.

 Rebak island beach

 

Deck chairs laid in a row

My favorite postcard picture for this trip

 

Pool bar at the main swimming pool

The swimming pool here is one of those popular places where most of the guest love to hang out. A pool bar is located at one end while the entire pool is of one depth at only five feet deep. A circular child pool connects the main pool while deck chairs are lined up towards the garden area.

View of the swimming pool

Kayak activities

As for activities, there are quite a number to participate in. There is Kayaking, Cycling, Archery, Volleyball, Gym, Nature Walks, Birdwatching, Fishing and Monitor Lizard Feeding. These activities are around the main resort while there are other activities that can be arranged to be done outside the resort like water sports, town visit and the general Langkawi tourist site visits. Personally I took part in most of the local activities available at the resort during my stay here. Personally I would recommend you try the Nature Walks and if you are a bird lover, go for some Bird Watching. There are a number of hornbills to be sighted around the resort grounds.

Archery, wasn't too easy if you ask me

Gym

Lunch setting in the outdoor area of the restaurant

As there is currently one main restaurant called the Senari Restaurant, they cater to all your meals from breakfast till supper. Eating here was one really great experience as the head chef was very creative and talented in the local fusion dishes. Apart from the main menu, we were also treated to some of the up and coming dishes which will be introduced to the existing menu.

Senari Restaurant

The Senari Restaurant is tastefully designed with seating located inside and also on the patio. Table settings were very neat while the service from the staff here was exceptional during out meals. Throughout our stay here, we would regularly dine on the patio and watch the beautiful lush surroundings. I could not help notice that most of the guest also choose to dine here for the stunning views of the Senari Straits that divide the main Langkawi island with Rebak Island. 

Minum Minum Bar 

A bar called Minum Munim Bar (Drink in Malay) is also located in the main lobby area with a fantastic collection of spirits which are beautifully decorated. A live duo band performs evergreen numbers nightly too. The Rebak Lepak Bar located on the beach side in front of the main lobby area. This beach bar is only opened from 12 noon to 8 pm daily.

One of the beautiful moments at Rebak Island Resort

During my stay here, I did manage to speak to some of the guest here and to my surprise one couple had been here for 8 days. One of the main reasons cited was the fact that this resort was isolated away from the commercial side of Langkawi and it was peaceful and serene here. They also intended to stay for at least two weeks just absorbing in the nature and beauty offered. I could see why some of them choose to stay here for such long periods. I would if given the chance.

Rebak seaview rooms at night

Staying here was a wonderful experience for us as it was complete with a spa, nature walks and one can just do absolutely nothing but relax without the distraction of other beach-goers like at the usual commercial resorts and hotels. There are no children screaming and running berserk or families shouting at the top of their voices. This is a private island and a private resort that caters to honeymooners, couples, families or the single traveler. If you are looking for a very lively place to stay, then this is not for you. I would consider this place a perfect quiet retreat especially for those who work in the city and deal with crowds, traffic and the works as you will get none of that here.

Address of Rebak Island Resort - A Taj Hotel
P.O. Box 125,
Kuah Langkawi,
Kedah Darul Aman,
Malaysia.

Rebak Telephone Number: 604-966 5566
Fax : 604-966 9973
Email: rmresv.malaysia@tajhotels.com
Website for Rebak Island Resort - A TAJ Hotel Langkawi

GPS Coordinates for Rebak Island:
Latitude 06 deg 17.6 min N
Longitude 99 deg 41.7 min E

More pictures from the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page

I have to admit, this was indeed one of the better experiences staying on a resort as it was absolutely private and away from the main island. Lilian and myself would like to thank the management and staff for this wonderful experience here. Watch out for my supporting articles about the Sea View Rooms, Ulik Mayang Spa, Nature Walks and Romantic Dinners at Rebak Island Resort in Langkawi.

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