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KOH LIPEThiland Secret Island

BY AIZAT MUSTAFFA

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Koh Lipe is a small island in the Southern part of the Thai Andaman Sea. It is famous for it’s white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and abundant marine life.

Koh Lipe is located 60 km from the Thai Main-land, the closest pier is in Pak Bara. It is the most Southern island in Thailand and on a clear day you can see Langkawi Island in Malaysia, which is just 30 km away.

The island is part of the Adang Archipelago, a cluster of about 10 uninhabited islands (Koh Lipe being the exception). Day trips to the sur-rounding islands are popular and highly recom-mend as they are the best way to explore the marine park.

This cluster of islands is part of the much larger Tarutao National Marine Park, a nature reserve established in 1974 as Thailand’s second Na-tional Park. It consists of about 50 islands and covers 1500 km².

Everything you need for the perfect holiday!

Koh Lipe’s white sandy beaches are perfect for relaxing and you can snorkel right of all them. Several top dive sites are close by for the more adventurous underwater explorers. There are plenty of other things to do too!

You can sleep in anything from simple bamboo

huts to plush luxury resorts with a swimming pool. There is a great variety of restaurants on the island ranging from tasty Thai street food to delicious international cuisine. Several coffee shops and bars are there to keep you caffein-ated and hydrated.

Getting there

The main transport hub for Koh Lipe is Pak Bara with daily boats running all year. Minibuses and taxi’s are available to the closest airport in Hat Yai, or to other destinations in the south like Kra-bi and Ao Nang.

In high season daily boats connect Koh Lipe to Langkawi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket and other islands in the Andaman Sea.

Getting around

Koh Lipe is a small and relatively flat island, it’s name means “Paper Island” in the local Sea Gypsy (Chao Ley) language.

There are 3 main beaches on Koh Lipe and a handful of smaller, sometimes private beaches. Koh Lipe’s main street is called “Walking Street” and closes down for motorbikes from 18:00 until 24:00 in high season.

Everything is connected by concrete roads, and it usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes to walk between 2 of the main beaches.

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In the night time most roads are lit by streetlights but it’s a good idea to take a torch if you go out and explore in the dark.Since 2013 there are of-ficial motorbike taxi’s (with sidecar) that can take a couple of people for a fixed price per person. You can spot the taxi drivers by their purple jack-et and their colourful motorbikes.

When to go?

Koh Lipe has seen a large increase in visitors in the last decade and has now become an all year destination. The island can be reached year around from Pak Bara. In high season boats also connect to Langkawi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket and several small islands in the Andaman Sea.

Weekends tend to be more busy all year on Koh Lipe as Thai and Malaysian tourists flock to the is-land for a weekend break. Trans-port and hotel reservations are highly recommended on friday, saturday and sunday, especially when there is a national holiday.

High season is from November until early May: reservations for transport and hotels is recom-mended.

Peak season is around 15 De-cember until the end of Febru-ary: most rooms and transport tickets are fully booked months in advance and arriving on Koh Lipe without a reservation can be a very stressful experience.

Low season, or green season as the locals call it, is from May to October. There are a lot less tourists and it isn’t difficult to find a quiet spot on the beach. Al-though the island is now open all year with 2 boats running to and from Pak Bara every day, some of the hotels and other business-es still close down. It’s a great time to go if you enjoy quiet time on the beach and there a great

hotel deals to be had.

Peak season is around 15 December until the end of February: most rooms and transport tick-ets are fully booked months in advance and ar-riving on Koh Lipe without a reservation can be a very stressful experience.

The main transport hub for Koh Lipe is Pak Bara with daily boats running all year. Minibuses and taxi’s are available to the closest airport in Hat Yai, or to other destinations in the south like Kra-bi and Ao Nang.

Sunset Beach is a small bay facing west to the rest of the island group, and, as the name

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Pattaya Beach

Koh Lipe’s main beach is a large sheltered bay with soft powdery sand, crystal-clear blue water and good snorkeling right from the beach. There is a wide range of accommodation on Pattaya Beach, but over the last few years there has been a trend for larger, more upmarket resorts.

In high season all boats arrive on Pattaya Beach, with Immigration and Police located at the South-ern end, to the left if you are looking at the ocean.

There are a dozens of bars and restaurants on the beach or around the corner in Walking Street. In high season it can get quite busy, but the other beaches are only a short 15-minute walk away, so it is still relatively easy to escape the crowds.

Sunrise Beach (Hat Chao Ley)

Sunrise Beach stretches out along the entire Eastern side of Koh Lipe. On clear days it’s pos-sible to see Koh Tarutao and Langkawi Island (Malaysia). It features great snorkeling around the 2 tiny islands Koh Kra and Koh Usen, located right of the beach.

The Northern tip of the beach, facing Koh Ad-ang features a seasonal sand spit. It faces Koh Tarutao in low season, and in high season the change of wind and current make it face the op-posite way. It’s a beautiful spot all year around.

Sunrise Beach is protected from the monsoon

weather in low season, and has a pleasant breeze on most days in high season. The school, hospital and a small Chao Ley village are also located here.

Accommodation is more spread out than on Pattaya Beach, and there are still a few cheap places around. Several upmarket resorts have opened over the last few years. There are a few small restaurants and shops nearby at the begin-ning of Walking Street.

Sunset Beach (Hat Pramong)

Sunset Beach is a small bay facing west to the

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ipe island was first discovered by the Chao Ley (or Sea Gypsies) who would travel from island to island in search of the best fishing in the areas to feed themselves and their tribes. The Chao Ley eventually found a permanent home on Koh Lipe and were given a grant to settle on the is-land’s eastern beach (Koh Lipe Sunrise Beach) and have since remained there.

Pattaya BeachThere are many new Koh Lipe Hotels to choose from for your holiday. It really depends on what you want and need from your accommodation choice.Use the handy form on the left side of all of our pages to check availability.

Pattaya Beach is by far the most populated area on the island so it’s more of a busy vibe. The east coast or Sunrise Beach, which stretches from the south to the north of the island, and as the name suggests, faces the sunrise and the northern end of Sunrise Beach, Karma Beach, faces Koh Adang, offers a mix of both so if you want to experience everything be sure to find some accommodation on Sunrise Beach. The west or Sunset Beach offers a relaxed, laid-back vibe to get away from the stresses of daily life. There is also a Koh Lipe Walking Street that is in the middle of the island and connects Pattaya and Sunrise Beach. Walking Street is filled with great accommodation and shops!

Koh LipeThe island itself is not so difficult to reach, but it’s still quite a secret. From the mid-dle of November until late May (high season) you can get to Lipe from several places.

Koh Lipe is an excellent choice for your first or last stop in Thailand as its located in close prox-imity to Pak Bara, Phuket, Phi Phi Island, Krabi, Hat Yai, and Langkawi, Malaysia. It’s also only a hop away to Samui and Koh Tao. These are all of course in the very south of Thailand.

Lipe also has an immigration office and is only about 1 hour away from Langkawi in Malaysia, so it’s a great place to do a visa run, or exit Thai-land from an island. If you’re visiting anytime not in between November and May then the only place that can transport you to Lipe is from Pak Bara.

We’ve also provided you with an up-to-date

Ferry And Speedboat Schedule for Koh Lipe. If you want any help with your travels be sure to Contact Us and we can arrange any travel from flights, boats, buses, trains, mini-buses, etc. to and from anywhere in Thailand and Malaysia. Be sure to visit our Travel Information Page to se-cure the information you need to make sure you get where you’re trying to go, and cheaply too!

Koh LipeTranslated into the local Chao Ley lan-guage, Koh Lipe literally means “Island Paper, or Paper Island.” It is still considered by many an undiscovered secret in Thailand, one of the few remaining as Thailand tourism booms at record levels.

The beaches are pearly white and unscathed, the views will leave you breathless (don’t wor-ry, there is a local hospital nearby!) The waters are crystal clear and the marine life is absolutely amazing, the locals will treat you like family, the food will leave your taste buds begging for more,

and your body won’t need anymore relaxation af-ter a short holiday here.

You might be wondering what exactly there is to do on this island, well... there’s something for ev-erybody. In fact, there’s so much to do you might seriously consider extending your trip a week or two just to get everything done. Check out our Activities Page for some great things to do. These waters are many visitors number 1 choice for diving, snorkeling, and fishing. It’s no wonder why many world class divers visit every year.

You can be sure that with this site you will find the best informa

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ACCOMMODATION ON KOH LIPE

Koh Lipe review – Sunrise Beach & Gipsy ResortJanuary 5, 2013 • 4 Comments The cool kids on the Internet rate Koh Lipe’s Western beach Pat-taya higher than Sunrise, but not me – head East people. Where Sunrise really scores over Pat-taya is the lack of Longtail noise-pollution – it’s just a nicer strip of sand to lounge about on than the bustle of the busier bay. For my visit in mid-November Sunrise was flotsam-free, though dotted with the odd piece of glass – by all means stare lovingly into her/his eyes as you wander along this romantic idyll, but do re-member to look down occasion-ally.

Sunrise, Sunrise Beach Koh LipeFor an established resort island, Snorkelling is also surprisingly good on Sunrise. I’d expected the combination of longtail diesel leaks, pollution and anchor damage to have turned the bay into a marine desert, so it was great to see that almost every boulder had something of interest in residence – those with kids will be happy to learn that lo-cating camera-tart “Nemo” anemonefish is super easy – just look for anything soft and wavy on a rock and they won’t be far away.

Look just a little deeper and the snorkelling gets even better – just a hundred metres or so off the Southern end of Sunrise sits the islet of Koh Usen, with a bunch of cool stuff to see – lobster and small boxfish, plus a bunch of pretty ban-nerfish swimming over healthy mountain coral, anenomes and spiky urchins. My swim across to Koh Usen was current-free, but keep a look-out for the longtail taxis continually crossing the

channel, even though their awareness of swim-mers in the water was excellent – I put my head up each time one approached and the boatmen

all indicated they’d seen me.

Gipsy Resort, Sunrise Beach Accommodation on Koh Lipe – my choice

Arriving in mid-November as Koh Lipe resort owners start to catch the first scent of high sea-son, 750 baht a night gets you a smart concrete bungalow at Travelfish standout Gipsy Resort, one of 10 or so in two facing rows set back from Sunrise Beach. Bucket flush only, but spotlessly clean with airy bathrooms and bright LED lighting available 24hrs (remember that not everywhere on Lipe does round-the-clock power). Gipsy also has a phalanx of classic bamboo budget beds if you don’t mind a slightly murkier maison.

In my home-for-120-hours several classy details

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sealed the satisfaction deal – foot-level tap at the front of your porch to wash the sand off; brush to keep the tiles clean; comfy hammock; solid mosquito net sans bug invasion routes; entirely redundant toilet tissue (what with there being a perfectly serviceable bum gun) and surprisingly non-threadbare towels.

There’s Higgs-Boson WiFi in the beachfront res-taurant – the signal has been proven to exist on a theoretical level, even if practical applications are limited – you’ll be able to taunt your friends back home with the odd status update, but forget 1080p HD Skype fun.

Gipsy is Spanish-owned, with Nespresso on tap for the caffeine cognoscenti, plus excellent 30 baht filter coffee served in funky mid-90s chic Friends-style shallow earthenware. The restau-rant is beachside at the front of the resort and all the basics are on the menu – from pad thai through tuna on wholewheat to the ubiquitous traveller favourite – banana pancake, Euro-blinged here with the classy touch of both vanilla creme and honey on the side. Roberto, the own-er, is friendly and helpful, as are his staff. Just normal chairs and tables in front of the restau-rant sadly – a couple of lounging platforms with cushions on the beach and the place would be pushing perfect.

Koh Lipe review – Sunrise Beach & Gipsy ResortJanuary 5, 2013 • 4 Comments The cool kids on the Internet rate Koh Lipe’s Western beach Pattaya higher than Sunrise, but not me – head East people. Where Sunrise really scores over Pattaya is the lack of Longtail noise-pollution – it’s just a nicer strip of sand to lounge about on than the bustle of the busier bay. For my visit in mid-November Sunrise was flotsam-free, though dotted with the odd piece of glass – by all means stare lovingly into her/his eyes as you wan-der along this romantic idyll, but do re-member to look down occasionally.

Sunrise, Sunrise Beach Koh LipeFor an established resort island, Snor-kelling is also surprisingly good on Sunrise. I’d expected the combina-

tion of longtail diesel leaks, pollution and anchor damage to have turned the bay into a marine desert, so it was great to see that almost every boulder had something of interest in residence – those with kids will be happy to learn that lo-cating camera-tart “Nemo” anemonefish is super easy – just look for anything soft and wavy on a rock and they won’t be far away.

Look just a little deeper and the snorkelling gets even better – just a hundred metres or so off the Southern end of Sunrise sits the islet of Koh Usen, with a bunch of cool stuff to see – lobster and small boxfish, plus a bunch of pretty ban-nerfish swimming over healthy mountain coral, anenomes and spiky urchins. My swim across to Koh Usen was current-free, but keep a look-out for the longtail taxis continually crossing the channel, even though their awareness of swim-mers in the water was excellent – I put my head up each time one approached and the boatmen all indicated they’d seen me.Gipsy Resort, Sunrise Beach Accommodation on Koh Lipe – my choice

Arriving in mid-November as Koh Lipe resort owners start to catch the first scent of high sea-son, 750 baht a night gets you a smart concrete bungalow at Travelfish standout Gipsy Resort, one of 10 or so in two facing rows set back from Sunrise Beach. Bucket flush only, but spotlessly clean with airy bathrooms and bright LED lighting available 24hrs (remember that not everywhere on Lipe does round-the-clock power). Gipsy also has a phalanx of classic bamboo budget beds if you don’t mind a slightly murkier maison.

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FACILITIES

Immigration

The Immigration Office is located on the Eastern side of Pattaya Beach, next to Bundhaya Resort. Currently the office is only open from the end of October until the end of May, when the boats to Langkawi are running.

You can only enter Thailand here if you country is allowed for a Tourist Visa Exemption. Please check the visa regulations for your country. Note that if you enter Thailand of land or sea you will only receive a 15 day Visa, unlike when you fly into Thailand, when you receive 30 days. (Appli-cable for some countries).

Police & Tourist Police

The Police Office is located behind Immigration on Pattaya Beach. There are several Tourist Po-lice Volunteers on Koh Lipe, they are your first help in case of any emergency. They are friendly and generally speak English, you can recognize them by their black Tourist Police T-shirt. Koh Lipe is a small island and most people know each other, so in case you need help, everybody can

point you to the nearest Tourist Police Volunteer.

Hospitals

The local hospital is located next to the school on Sunrise Beach. There is a doctor that speaks English and a nurse. The hospital has a basic stock off medical supplies, and can provide first aid. In case of an emergency transport to the mainland can be organised. (085 - 454 3814)

There is a small clinic next to Pooh Restaurant that has a doctor that speaks great english and accept all major travel insurance.

A large private hospital is currently being built in walking street, about 200 meters from Pattaya Beach, it is estimated to open at the end of 2014.

Pharmacy

A well-stocked pharmacy is located at the begin-ning (opposite Phi Phi bakery) and in the middle (next to 7/11) of Walking Street, both owners speak very good English and are knowledge-able. They can be a good source for help if your

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problem is not too serious. Another pharmacy is located near the intersection (near Sunrise Beach), next to Harmony Bed and Bakery.

Money

There are currently 2 ATM or cash machines on Koh Lipe: one is located at 7-Eleven, in de middle of walking street. Another one is located near the intersection near Sunset Beach. More are on the way.

The other way to get money is a cash advance on your credit card at most big resorts and at the Koh Lipe Thailand Travel Shop in Walking Street. Most places charge 5% for this service. It’s also possible to exchange foreign currency at the same places.

Internet

Wifi is available at some resorts, bars and restaurants, there are internet cafes and shops too. The service can be slow due to the fact that everything has to go via sate lite, Lipe Island is to far from the island to be connected to cable internet. If you want quick internet it is best to buy a local sim card and use their 3G service.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phone and data is available trough DTAC and AIS (True Move is not yet available on Koh Lipe). 3G service is available. Local prepaid sim cards are available at at some of the minimarts and several shops around the island, and offer a cheap alternative for local and international calls, but also for accessing the internet.

Electricity

Electricity is 24/7 on Koh Lipe, as most places are now served by a central power station.