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. . . make the most of your
holiday.
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'Sritara', our speedboat |
** We stopped running speedboat trips
as of May 2007 as we're getting a new, smaller boat just for private use.
I've kept this page here as some of the info may be useful if you decide to
rent an boat when you are here. We usually rent from KB Hut, Kai Bae
if we need a boat. **
As you may have already read, a friend
of ours has a boatyard in the south of Thailand and he built us a very nice
speedboat. (Full story)
As I'm not a high-flying International
Playboy, I can't afford to have a nice speedboat sitting unused outside my
house. Therefore, our speedboat is available for hire to visitors
who are coming to Koh Chang and want to see some of the nearby islands.
There are several resorts and one large
speedboat company on Koh Chang which also offer
speedboat hire and you'll see that virtually all tour agencies, hotels & resorts can arrange
trips by speedboat for you.
However, I've noticed that all these
have a couple of things in common . . . a) they're expensive and b)
customers don't have much say in where they are taken.
Before you read on, take a look at some
photos I took in mid-November 2006 when we took a couple snorkelling.
Photos here.
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Koh Kham, with Koh Chang in the
distance. |
Routes.
As a visitor to Koh Chang, you probably
won't know the seas in the area well. But, I'm sure you have a few ideas
about they type of thing you want to do and see. Spend a day snorkeling -
around the small islands off Koh Rang or the beach on Koh Wai?
See a few islands? Spend a few hours
exploring Koh Mak? There are half a dozen frequently visited
small islands, the benefit to having your own boat is that you can avoid the
crowds and have the islands to yourself, rather than sharing the waters with
a couple of hundred day trippers all of whom arrive simultaneously on large
tour boats.
Food.
We'll have a cooler full of bottled drinking
water and soft drinks (Coke, Sprite, Fanta) onboard and fresh fruit free of charge.
You're welcome to bring your own beer with you. We also have loads of
snacks on board - potato chips, biscuits etc in case you get hungry. And
they'll also be some bread . . . for use as fish food, not for you
to eat.
On day trips, we'll provide a Thai food lunch which you can eat on one of
the islands. Koh Rang is a nice island to stop on for lunch on a
snorkelling trip as there's a small bay with an office and some housing for
National Park staff - they also have freshwater showers and toilets here.
Other info . . .
Safety.
The boat is double hulled fiberglass, which
basically means that if we do hit anything and the outer hull is holed, the
boat won't sink. (You'll find that virtually all other speedboats on
Koh Chang are single hulled plywood speedboats If you get a hole
you'll know as you'll see your driver rushing to find clothes, old towels
etc with which to plug the hole as quickly as possible.) We also carry lifejackets
onboard, a medical kit, a mobile phone and portable GPS system - which isn't
really needed as it's hard to get lost and we never use the boat after
sunset.
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A nice place to stop for lunch :-) |
Boat specifications.
Length: 7.2 metres
Beam (width): 2.3 metres
Engine: 200HP Yamaha
Fuel tank: 200 litres plus 30 litres
reserve
Top speed: The fastest we've had
it so far is 60km/h - measured using GPS system, but that was with 8 people
onboard and not at maximum rpm.
Licensed & insured to carry 12
passengers (Although we'd recommend a maximum of 8 for comfort.)
Good quality (silicone) face masks and
snorkels are available to use free of charge. Plus the boat has a
CD/MP3 player, so if you're resting on the boat you can enjoy some music
whilst others swim.
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Santa & friend watching the fish |
Your Captain.
'Lueng Chai' (Uncle Chai) will be in
the driver's seat. We've known him for a couple of years and he's also
had several years experience driving speedboats in Koh Samet. Plus he
can fix anything with an engine, so he's a handy guy to have out at sea if
there are any mechanical problems. In addition, he's one of the
very few teetotal, honest & reliable guys we've come across on Koh Chang.
Your Guide.
That would be Mam or possibly me :-).
One of us will go along with you to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Catching the boat.
If you're staying at a beachfront resort, we can bring the boat
you and you can get on it outside your resort. (In areas with stony
shorelines, we can pick you up and bring you to the boat in Klong Prao.)
Charter Rates and Suggested
Trips
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