chiang mai province

GPS Location
Hat Yao Pier
N7° 18.666’
E99° 24.091’
South
Nature/Culture
Kayak and diving equipment rental English spoken Suitable for family
Laem Chuhoi is an annual refuge for migratory birds
fleeing the cold of the northern hemisphere.
H o w T o G e t T h e r e
Take a van to Hat Yao Pier
from Tha Klang Road in
Trang Town (N07º 33.536’,
E099º 36.174’), leaving
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inform
the ticket seller of your
destination. The boats at
the pier run until about 4 p.m.
Inner Top: The main
pier of Libong
receives both visitors
and Libong dwellers
who travel from
mainland Trang.
Drawing: Dugong
haven is an evidence
of the island’s
ecological richness.
Ko Libong
Swimming with the Dugongs
TRANG PROVINCE. Everywhere you cast your glance in
Trang town, you are likely to see a depiction of a dugong.
This gentle marine mammal, also known endearingly as a seacow
and mistaken as a mermaid, is the symbol of the province. To spot
a living one, you need to cross to Ko Libong, one of the very few
islands still endowed with sea grass, the staple diet of dugongs.
Not that there are a lot left. The latest survey gave a 129 head
count. Dugong flesh is considered a delicacy to many seamen,
its teeth are believed to bring good luck, and its ‘tear’ is sought
after as a love potion. Sightings depend much on luck, but
fortunately for dugong enthusiasts and researchers, the animals
tend to cluster around the area, between Ao Pan Yang and Na Ban,
where sea grass is most abundant. Every resort on Libong offers
a dugong spotting boat rides. The vessel stops the engine, anchors
in the aforementioned area, and hopeful passengers sweep
their glance over the water for the creatures to surface for air.
Sometimes sea turtles and dolphins make surprise appearances,
too. Another more environmentally-friendly way to observe
dugongs is by climbing the 150 m Batu Pute Hill.
Ko Libong is also renowned as a hub for migratory birds from
Siberia. The non-hunting area of Laem Chuhoi is where the birds
socialise. A boat trip there often makes a short stopover at Hin Tok,
a small compound of half-submerged trees where you may see
branches covered with perching birds.
A Glimpse of Local Colour
The island is home to a vibrant
Muslim community, which
makes Libong a special holiday
destination. While you are on your
9 km ride from the main pier to the resorts
on the west side of the island, you will see a lively
community centred around mosques and a school alternating
with orderly rows of rubber trees. The best way to explore the
community and also get deep into the nature is by bike. Libong
Nature Beach Resort offers a variety of eco-friendly activities and
is the only place where a biking tour is organized. You can also
mingle with the locals and see where that marvellously fresh squid
you had for lunch came from at Libong Homestay.
If you are not content with just sunbathing peacefully on the
beach (the only shortcoming is that you might have seen cleaner
beaches), you can always join a snorkelling trip to nearby
Ko Lao Liang, and Ko Takiang, islands where swallow nests are
unfortunately collected in their caves and hard coral reefs are
found underwater. Scuba diving trips can also be arranged at
Libong Beach Resort. The resorts are closed during the monsoon
season starting mid-May. •
Discover N This
is the only place
in Thailand where
you will have a
chance to spot the
endangered dugong
(Dugong dugon),
the mammal that has
become the mascot
of Trang Province.
Here is also a good
spot to observe
migratory birds
from Siberia.
Feel Y What is
refreshing about
Ko Libong is that
its dwellers do not
live on tourism.
There is a big Muslim
community whose
main revenue comes
from fishery and rubber
plantations. Don’t
hesitate to opt for
a local homestay.
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