Continued from Koh Mook Adventures Part I – Island Hopping
The next morning at breakfast, I bumped into the two Hungarians, Tebor and Joseph. They mentioned that they were going to hike to the viewpoint and then check out Sabai Beach. I had seen the viewpoint on the map, but had not been able to find any information on how to get there. Plus I wasn’t about to hike through a jungle that no one ever went into on my own. So I put myself out there, which anyone will tell you is something I am absolute rubbish at, and asked if I could join them. I would go rent a bike so that I could get to the trailhead with them.
Back at the bungalows, one of the guests who had been coming here for ten years or so and knew the trail, offered to show us where it started. So he brought us down the road to town, all the way to the end. The concrete eventually turned to dirt, and the smooth dirt path eventually became steep and full of ruts, until we were forced to park and hike the rest of the way. Upon seeing that we were all wearing flip flops, he hesitated, and then assured us that flip flops would be fine.
Spoiler alert: if you are reading this in search of information on the trail to Koh Mook’s viewpoint, do not wear flip flops. I repeat, do not wear flip flops.
The start of the trail brought us through groves of rubber trees, each with a spile and a small black container to catch the rubber as it dripped down from the tree. Several half spheres of hardened rubber laid on the ground next to each bucket, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the rubber somehow expelled itself from the bucket when the bucket was full, or if whoever was keeping the groves just left them by the trees instead of collecting them somewhere. Neither scenario seemed right. I smelled the rubber out of curiosity, wondering if the scent of the raw product would be similar to that of a tire shop. It stank, like something fermented.
The trail was so steep in some areas that there were ropes to pull ourselves up. I was glad for that, because the ground was covered in a fine layer of dry, loose dirt, which was slippery. Going up was fine, but on the downward portions, my poor flip flops had zero traction. I eventually took them off and hiked barefoot.
I couldn’t say how long it took us to reach the summit. It could have been one hour, or several. After the steep upwards climb though, emerging at the top couldn’t have been a more welcoming experience. And the air, ahh, the air up here was refreshingly cool.
Someone’s house at the top was set up as a little rest stop, but no one was home. Instead, the owner had left out a guestbook to sign, and a box to collect the 20 baht fee to pass through his property. I didn’t have any small bills on me, and unfortunately there were none already in the box to give myself change. Maybe I’ll make it back there someday to pay the fee.
On his porch, an assortment of crisps and instant noodles was set out on top of a cooler full of cold drinks. A board next to it was handwritten with all the prices, and there was another box to collect the fee. I appreciated the honor system, and the thought to leave out refreshments for passers-by.
After we had rested and enjoyed the view of the cliffs down below, we began the trek down the other side. Usually the summit marks the end on the hikes I frequent. Not today though. Today the summit was only the halfway point.
The hike down the other side was not as steep, but the jungle was much thicker. It was obvious that this side of the path wasn’t used much, not just because there wasn’t much of a path, but because there was no rubbish littering the ground after the view point.
Eventually we emerged, and wow. Just wow. Does Thailand have no end of epic beaches? You think you’ve seen them all, and then there’s another one, with sand even whiter and cliffs even more daunting than the last.
A few people had taken longtail boats over. It was so much more satisfying having hiked all the way in though.
We spent some hours chilling in the bay. Tebor and Joseph rented masks and snorkels from one of the longtail boats, but I waved them on without me. The water was blue, that crystal clear, brilliantly translucent blue that only comes from having nothing but sand underneath. If there was anything to be seen, it would be outside the bay along the rocks. I pointed them in that direction. Sure enough, they returned before too long and said there hand’t been anything worth seeing. Koh Mook for all its natural wonders, was not a place for marine life.
I had seen already the amount of trash littered on Koh Mook, carried in by the tides, and so had thought to ask the bungalow for a trash bag to bring with me. I pulled this out and set about picking up the small fraction of plastic that the bag would hold. It didn’t take long. The tide line was littered with bottle caps, cigarette lighters, cutlery, toothpaste caps, lipstick tubes, razor blades, toothbrushes, flip flops, kids toys, bottles, straws, clusters of fishing line, undistinguishable odds and ends…
The bag was full in no time.
Not wanting to hike all the way back with the bag, I approached one of the longtail drivers and asked if he’d make sure that it was disposed of properly. “Please don’t throw it in the ocean.” He assured me that he would make sure it was on the trash boat to Koh Lanta.
I’m not writing this to ask for praise or to tell you how to live your lives, but rather, in hopes that you’ll think, where does that plastic fork go when you’re done with it? How about that plastic bottle? You’re probably already making excuses in your head for why you still need disposable plastic products. That’s fine. But maybe somewhere down the line, you’ll remember a picture of trash covering an otherwise pristine beach, and realize that it’s ok to hand the plastic cutlery back that came with your takeout meal. You don’t need it this time. Maybe you’ll request no straw next time you dine out, or no plastic bag next time you go grocery shopping. Every little bit helps.
The Hungarians were staring at me with dumbfounded expressions when I walked back from the longtail. I’m pretty sure I saw lightbulbs go off as they realized that humans are capable of more than just traveling for our own self-interest, never mind what destruction we leave in our wake. As a wise man once told me, “Leave a place a little bit better than it was when you found it.”
Again, I didn’t do it for the praise, and brushed off their compliments, embarrassed. A week after parting ways though, they messaged me a photo of the trash they had cleaned up off the beach that day. That was more praise and thanks than I ever could have asked for.
There was actually a sign on a tree with a plastic bottle nailed to it that said, “If we all take just one, imagine…” I watched that sign from the comfort of the cool water for nearly an hour. So many people took pictures of it. So many people left without ever bending over to pick up “just one.”
On the hike back to the bikes, we got caught in a torrential downpour. It actually felt nice climbing up to the view point. The way back down the final stretch was a muddy, slippery mess though. We practically rappelled down the entire way, clinging on to the rope as our only source of stability. My flip flops were useless, worse than useless. The leather was stretching as they soaked through, offering no secure foothold. I think everyone fell at least once. We made it though! Another successful day.
Still to come, the third and final part of my Koh Mook adventures: kayaking around the island.
