Koh Lanta Delicacies

Some of the mouth-watering food on the island of Koh Lanta, Thailand.

Fresh seafood

Thai curries

Som Tam

Thai Pancake – Roti (or Loti)

Roti originates from India and is extremely popular around Asia. A less sweet bread type Roti is an accompaniment to curries and is an integral part of Indian and Pakistani diets but the sweetened version is a big seller in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. The bread / pancake is also a favorite on many of the West Indies islands in the Caribbean.

The kids had asked for ice cream after dinner. We convinced them to try this dessert on the street. They trusted the wisdom and experience of their parents and thanked us for it.

http://youtu.be/RM5sytwmQzg

Fried Banana Drizzled with Honey

Thai bananas are coated in tapioca and coconut, and deep fried for a lightly sweet treat.

Giant Water Beetles

In Thailand, these beetles are de-shelled and then eaten either fried or roasted. Their taste is described as being similar to scallops. (I’ll take their word for it.)

We met this Thai family that was preparing their beetles to cook for dinner that evening.

http://youtu.be/-Ak2nxaVoGo

Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is an island off the Andaman Coast of Southern Thailand. Like many other destinations in Krabi Province, it is known for its diving and long white beaches.

The main island, Koh Lanta Yai is 6km wide and over 30km long, located approximately 70km from Krabi Town. The geography of the island is typically mangroves, coral rimmed beaches, and rugged tree covered hills.

Ferry arrival at Ban Saladan pier

Relax Bay

Spa treatments

Fire show on the beach

Koh Ngai (Koh Hai)

Koh Ngai (also known as Koh Hai) is located 13 kilometers south of Koh Lanta, Thailand. It is one of the Koh Lanta group of islands that makes up the Koh Lanta National Marine Park. A small, triangular island less than 5 square kilometers in size, Koh Ngai has a forested interior and offers white sandy beaches along clear water with corals which encircles the entire island making it a perfect place for snorkeling. Koh Ngai is a secluded island and accessible only by boat.

Long-tail boat to take us to the island

Arriving at the island

Our huts

Rinsing our feet by scooping water with coconut shells

A swing with perfect views

I think this kayak paddle is a bit too large for Naimah.

Discoveries along the beach and in the water…

…including almost completely transparent jellyfish (that Gabriel was kind enough to collect for us).

Storm clouds rolling in

Looks like Gabriel is building a dam for the storm

Fresh grilled seafood BBQs

Writing in our journals…

…and researching the next location.

Phi Phi Leh

Phi Phi Leh is just offshore from Phi Phi Don in Thailand. It is a beautiful island with very high sheer cliff faces dropping vertically into the water.

The main features of this island are the limestone caves, the most famous being Viking Cave with its bird's nest gatherers, who risk their lives to climb thin stalks of bamboo to reach golden nests made from bird saliva. Cruising around the limestone island monoliths of Krabi, it is common to see thin stalks of bamboo inside caves many hundreds of feet up in the cliff faces.

This particular type of bird's nest is made by the Fork-tailed Swift and is regarded, especially by the Chinese, as the food of kings only eaten on special occasions. It is also regarded as an elixir of life giving the eater strength and vitality.

Bird's nests can fetch over 1,000 dollars per kilogram. In Thailand, you can find many restaurants specializing in cooking this delicacy in the form of bird's nest soup and many drinks sold in local shops contain the famous Fork-tailed Swift's bird nest.

Videos of the gorgeous water around Phi Phi Leh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jgGg85xPvNA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Wo9gkSunv3c