Return to Ko Lanta Yai
Three years ago I wrote in this column about a biking route in the northern part of Ko Lanta Yai, the elongated island of Krabi province that lends its name to Mu Ko Lanta National Park. That was the only one of my visits to Ko Lanta Yai when I failed to make it to Laem Tanot, the beautiful cape at the southern tip where the park’s headquarters and the island’s iconic lighthouse are located.
Recently, I got a chance to return to Ko Lanta Yai. This time, I made sure I didn’t miss Laem Tanot again. It had been a decade or so since the last time I was there. That bumpy dirt road to the cape must be fun for biking, I figured.
Pimalai, the resort I stayed in this time, has several Trek mountain bikes for guests to borrow. I picked one that fit my size and had well-functioning brakes. The road has a few long descents; I didn’t want a bike that wouldn’t slow down when I needed it to.
As soon as I set off from the resort, the road challenged me with a climb. With no warm-up, despite the help of the lowest gear, it was pretty tough for me. Normally, I would have just hopped off the saddle and walked the bike up the slope, but I felt somebody was watching, waiting to see if I would make it and I didn’t want to lose face.
I survived the first climb. And thankfully, at the top of the ascent, I found a couple of restaurants with a panoramic view of the sea and the Bakantiang Beach where my resort is located. According to a gentleman at one of the restaurants, the road ahead was no longer what I used to see. It’s now well paved, all the way to the national park. “But the scenery along the way is still nice,” he assured me.
After enjoying a big cup of mango smoothie, I was ready to resume the ride. Not far from Bakantiang is Nui Bay where there’s a beach with no road access. I saw a few motorcycles parked on the roadside. The riders left them there and walked down the hill to the hidden beach. I didn’t have a bike lock with me, so I rode on.
Before long I reached Klong Chak, another beach, with a side road to a waterfall of the same name. I stuck to my plan and continued towards Laem Tanot. While zooming down a slope after a climb, I noticed that something was not right with the rear wheel, so I slowed down and stopped to check, only to find that the tyre was flat, for no obvious reason. I didn’t recall anything on the road that could have caused a puncture. Anyway, things happen. I was more than halfway to my destination, so I decided to continue. From that point, it was a series of ascents, very steep at certain points. It turned out the flat tyre did not make any difference. The climbs were too much for me. So with or without a functioning wheel, I would still be walking the bike.
To cut a long story short, I finally made it to the cape. The beaches at the park headquarters were still charming, and the lighthouse on the rocky cape was as handsome as it had always been.
In case you’re curious, my return leg was a breeze. It took just one phone call for the resort to send a van to pick me up.
Well, see you here again soon. Until then, if you have questions, news or biking insights you wish to share, please feel free to send an email to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th or visit the Freewheel Bangkok community page on Facebook.
Pongpet Mekloy is the BangkokPost’s travel editor and a mountain-bike freak.