The mangroves in Thailand’s Koh Klang region are nestled in nature’s bounty. This is an ecosystem of biodiversity that the Muslim communities in the area preserve and conserve with lessons from nature.
Sitting silently amidst the welcome ebb and flow of the River Krabi, hidden from the mainland like a secret meant to be preserved, Koh Klang is a hub of biodiversity and a peek into a life off the beaten path.
The welcoming Muslim fishing communities live in a time untouched (thankfully) by today’s mayhem and own small shacks attached to their homestead on wooden stilts, with their own live fishing farms, fresh with marine life.
It’s a part of Thailand that explores untouched coves, wildlife and adventure activities along the grooves of the Andaman Sea.
There’s fruit de la mer that is sumptuous and was by far the best meal we have had in Thailand: The family-run shack we stopped after taking a boat ride that passed silently lush mangroves Baan Ma Ying, was named after the “mother” of the house who dishes out the best — all prepared in the clean home kitchen by her daughter-in-law, who even gave us a recipe, their version of Tom Yum that was spice and tang personified with the welcome crunch of bamboo shoots. Pepper crabs, butter garlic octopus, steamed Thai fish, clams, squid, prawns, salad, fried rice in Thai style, and the thirst quenching drink of sugarcane juice.
The tastebuds satiated, the family, most of whom also run kayaking activities along the mangroves took us on a journey to the mouth of the river, where we perched precariously on kayaks, huffed and puffed on the gentle waters, doing a pretty impressive job of getting to the mouth... till we realised that with all our energies spent, we still had to get back! Luckily our kayaks also had an expert oarsman who jumped right in when our paddle resolve wanned.
We did close to a kilometer, and it was adventure at its best, our muscles say so too. One can spot Pacific Reef Egrets, Chinese Pond Herons, Common Sandpipers, White-breasted Waterhens, Common Redshanks and Rufus-necked Stints. It’s also a breeding ground for marine life, especially the mud crabs. A lazy water buffalo basks in the waters. Preservation is key and the government, we learnt, does regular drives to teach the community to preserve this area.
The friendly families open up their hearts and homes. We even threw large fish to the hungry snapping sharks. Many of these families have migrated from Malaysia and live in such harmony, a lesson the world can learn from.
This fishing community help conserve marine life and the extensive mangrove forest. Living by the ocean in tandem with it, they also grow Sangyod (or Sang Yot) rice. And if you recognise those long tail boats or the traditional Hua Tong, this is where they originated and are now a symbol of Southern Thailand and Krabi.
The Batik best
The Batik industry in Thailand is indigenous by nature, and can be seen on the bright, printed shirts and wraparounds that many Thais brandish proudly. And stepping into a workshop to see how this Indian craft came to Thailand is in itself a surprise.
There is evidence of such prints found in the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia and India over 2,000 years ago. What’s most interesting is that these may have developed independently, without influence from trade though a more likely explanation is that Batik came from Asia through the caravan route.
Batik is also seen in China as early as the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618). India’s Ajanta caves have engravings resembling the batiks prints. It makes one marvel at how history and craft spread far and wide.
Indonesia’s island of Java is where batik has reached the greatest peak of accomplishment. The word itself comes from the Javanese word Batik, that comes from the word amba (to write) and titik (dot). Or it may have been derived from a hypothetical Proto-Austronesian beCík or to tattoo.
We took a peek at the workshop as the master craftsman went on to print a silk scarf… we even got lessons, though quite predictably, our print was a blurb of no proportions.
The tea mixer
Many tourists miss this particular legendary tea man who serves the famous Thai tea, iced or piping hot, making it with a flourish of a dervish, going round and round, pouring it from high up, it’s an experience of splash and splutter, so step away as you observe.
This is a Thailand that goes away from the beaten track, bringing you close to the heart of the community, its a way of life, giving you a peek of the rich culture. It is a Thailand that you must experience. A cup of iced tea in hand.
The writer was invited to Thailand’s hinterlands of Koh Klang by Tourism Authority of Thailand and Air Asia.
