WESmile Magazine October 2018

TRAVEL
BLACK SAND ISLAND
IN BEAUTIFUL RANONG
AN OCEAN’S BOUNTY
Koh Sai Dam, or Black Sand Island,
sits in a prime location at the mouth
of a river near the coastline, perfect
for fishing and fresh seafood.
Surrounded by vast shoals with
open sea just beyond, the water
here is a bountiful feeding ground
for pelagic fish and other marine
creatures, including lobsters, mantis
shrimp, crabs, clams, mussels,
squids and many more.
The island lies at the tip of Laem
Makham cape near a mangrove
conservation area with delightful
views of the Andaman. Its beaches
are lined with stretches of smokehued
sand, given their distinctive
color by tiny fragments decaying
bark and leaves from the mangroves,
and layered with seafloor sediment
stirred up by the 2004 tsunami.
The island is also relatively
isolated. It is only accessible via a
20-minute long-tail boat ride from
the mainland’s district of Amphoe
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October 2018
Ngao, and the lack of access has preserved much of
locals’ traditional way of life.
The long-tail boats’ old-fashioned propellers only just
pierce the surface of the sea and they are still driven by
roaring engines. They are nonetheless more efficient than
high-tech propellers, which are submerged in water.
Remarkably, the 97 households on this island have
fixed and built everything by themselves for years. For
this self-sufficient little neighborhood, there is no need
for electric cables, except for solar energy.
They also make a living from the ocean. Ranong
is famed for its eight-month long rainy season, which
creates perfect conditions for catching a cornucopia of
fish and marine invertebrates.
The sale of seafood products is a primary source of
income among Koh Sai Dam communities, and locals
prioritize conservation. Small-scale fishers have seen
steady increases in extra income through the sale of
many marine animals.
Although fishers are earning more with high-value
sales of lobster and crab, for the past six years they have
also begun to cook fresh feasts for seafood lovers as
well, as part of a tourism package.
The community’s four-meal eco-tour package spans
two days and one night. Visitors also learn the art of
fishing on the open sea using nets or
traps, as well as processes involved
in aquaculture, where fish are raised
in floating baskets.
For an authentic local
experience, travelers can also take
a jaunt on one of the area’s wooden
dolmuses (share taxis), which
provide public transport between
Ranong town’s bus terminal and Tha
Ton Son pier.
Your best bet is to buy a full
package, which includes all-youcan-eat
fresh seafood as well as
rides to other islands, like Koh
Payam and Koh Chang, to explore
their wonderfully white sand
beaches.
In addition, Black Sand Island is
a good jumping-off point for other
islands in the Andaman Sea, as well
as for atolls in the territorial waters
of neighboring Myanmar.
Let locals lead the way for an
authentic island adventure!