Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

So where am i going now ?
I am leaving from Ko Kradan which is not on this map, but lies just below Ko Lanta which is on the left in the middle.

My next goal is to reach Ko Pha Ngan, which is an island at the top on the right, in the Gulf of Thailand.   It is going to involve boats, buses, transfers, more buses, more transfers and another boat.    Here i go again on the part of this ‘adventure' that i do not enjoy … the traveling/moving part.    I spent many hours on line again to try to understand how i was going to get to Ko PhaNgan; so i did not get bombarded each step of the way by people trying to take advantage of the ‘tourist’.

I purchased my boat ticket AND a bus transfer from the port to the bus terminal from the lady at Paradise Lost.    That was at least one transfer i didn’t have to think about.

I started at 8:30 with a LongTail Boat.   The weather was perfect, seas were calm.     It was beautiful

Going across all that water and all those huge boulder-cliff islands that just sprouted up out of the water.    And i starting thinking about the people who live here, have lived here forever, and this is what they see every-single-day of their lives.    And, i thought about how critical i’ve been about most of the ‘island people’ who don’t seem to plan or care about ‘tomorrow’, nor take care of what they have.   But i looked around me and tried to put myself in their shoes.   All this water, all these islands, … i can see where they might think, ‘what could possibly go wrong, this will be here forever, just like it is’.    i am sure it’s looked the same since the day they were born.   Very few of them ever get under the surface of the water, so they have no idea of the deterioration that is going on right under their noses, so why would they change anything.     It certainly gave me something to think about the rest of the trip

After an hour boat ride, we slowed and pulled into what i thought was a ‘fishing village’ …

wrong .. it was the ‘port’ ….. we were there already and getting out and getting into our MiniVan.    They say the boat tokes you to Trang, (about in the middle of the map) but it really takes you to the 'port'.     Then you get in the MiniVan and travel to the town of Trang, another 1.5 hours.    The MiniVan was packed, but it did have A/C.    It was a nice drive through the country-side.    I noticed a lot of trees had been planted in straight rows all along the roads.   It was obvious they were ‘farming’ them, but what were they.   One of the men on the MiniVan explained to me that they were Rubber Trees … WoW    … how many things in this world that i just don’t think about …… like where does rubber come from ?    Rubber Trees.    So i had to learn more

A milky latex is extracted from the Rubber Tree and is the primary source of natural rubber.    The latex occurs in the bark, and spirals up the tree at a 30 degree angle.  Harvesters make incisions across the latex vessels, and the latex is collected in small buckets. This process is known as rubber tapping.    It sounds like our Maple Sugar trees.    Tapping is normally is done at night, when cooler temperatures are optimal.   They are tapped about once every two days, each time yielding about 50g of latex.   I found this photo on line.

Since 2011, prices for natural rubber have been falling, and the government was supposed to help subsidize the farmers, but that has not been enough.   Farmers complain that they do not have enough money, so they have been cutting down their trees and selling them.    They are now being encouraged to chop down 350,000 rubber trees a year; and use the land to produce Palm Oil instead.    I saw a LOT of newly planted Palms along the way.  The man in the MiniVan reminded me about the RainForests that are being destroyed in order to produce Palm Oil  … for US   :(

That’s your lesson for the day.   Back to my saga


Once in the town of Trang, we had to transfer to the bus terminal to continue to Surat Thani, on the map at the top right on the mainland.    They took us to the town and dropped us off at a ‘tourist office’.   A very nice pleasant woman helped me sort out how i was going to complete this journey.     I had some options.   i could
-A- spend a lot of money and hire a taxi to deliver me like a ‘queen’.  
-B- buy a ‘package’ and have her agency ‘deliver me each step of the way’
-C- go it alone, and figure out which bus to take to the City, which of the 3 bus terminals to go to, and how to get a bus or taxi to the right port (there are more than one) to hopefully make the last Ferry.

With my research, I did not think that i could reach the port before the last ‘normal’ ferry left for Ko Pha Nang.   So, i planned on taking an 11pm OverNight Very Slow Ferry, sleeping on mats on the floor and arriving at 6am.   After much research, some people said it would be ok for a single woman, some discourage it.   I was undecided.

My TravelAgent Lady said i could make the last Ferry if i chose ‘A' or ‘B' … but if i chose C it was unlikely i would be able to make it.            I would waste too much time trying to decide how and where  And i agreed.   However, i had not planned on arriving today, so i did not have a place to stay.   She offered to call my hotel and ask if i could arrive tonight; they said ok.    The decision was made.    I put my fate in her hands and off i went in another packed MiniVan to the bus terminal, where after an hour, was loaded into another packed MiniVan for 3 hours.    Then another MiniVan for 1 more hour to the port.

When i arrived i realized i had a ticket on the Ferry company with the worst ‘reviews’ of all the Ferrys that i had researched.   How did that happen?      Certainly not the most glamorous of transports

But it floated, and i met a woman, yoga/snorkeler, and i enjoyed the trip visiting with her and watching the sunset on another long day.  We agreed to try to get together on the island.

Upon arrival at Ko Pha Ngan, i got a ‘taxi’ from the port to my hotel, Haad Tian Beach Resort.    A taxi here is a truck, with a covered bed with bench seats.    They load as many people as they can and take off.    It was dark, so i could see nothing, but i could tell this was a very hilly island.   And as we turned off the main road, and started twisting and turning down a rutted dirt road, that had been washed out by the rains, i was happy i wasn’t the only one in the back of the truck, or i would have thought they were going to dump me somewhere  :) 

They stopped, i saw the sign, and got out.    It was now after 9pm, because the Ferry was late getting in.   But a guy was waiting up for me.  He was very pleasant, got me a bottle of water, and showed me to my bungalow …. an Air Conditioned bungalow !

In the morning i awoke to my beautiful resort, and this really was like a ‘resort'  !

Right on the water, and i could see where i was going to start my snorkeling .... from those rocks over there.

My bungalow

and the view

This is not known as a ‘snorkeling island’; it’s not even on my "snorkel source’s list".   But at some point during this journey i found out that Justine, from France, who i met 5 years ago on Roatan was living here.     (and that is another crazy story… she actually lived in Kzoo for awhile teaching French at WMU).  I wanted to be on Ko Samui in a couple of days to met my dear friends, the Dawson’s, who were going to be vacationing there.   I needed to go somewhere and decided this would be perfect.    Do a little snorkeling, see Justine, then go to Ko Samui.

When researching where i was going to stay, i saw a Marine Park at the North end of the island.   But it looked so secluded up there.    i had just spent 5 days on a secluded island with no stores/shops/people, so i was ready for a little more ‘activity’.   So i chose Haad Tian.   Haad means ‘beach’, and Haad Tian was listed as a good place to snorkel also.   It was down the west coast a bit, but still close enough where i thought i could go to the Marine Park and spend the day snorkeling.    

So you can imagine how i felt last night when i realized i was WaY out in the ‘boonies’ and i obviously was not going to be walking to the store or finding any ’activities’ here.    And it was going to be a long taxi ride anywhere.     In the morning, Dang confirmed that it would be a 20 min walk on that rutted dirt road up to the main road….. in 98F humidity.   I knew that wasn’t going to happen.    Note to self:    when researching places to stay, get on Google Satellite maps and see where you are really going to be !

My physical location could not have been worse; but the resort was really nice and so were the family that ran it.   Let's make the best of it.

Around noon i got in the water, the tide was going out, so it was shallow snorkeling for awhile.     I saw a patch of anemones and paused to see if any Nemos were living there.    No Nemos … but what is THAT?           SO tiny, about 1/2” long … a lobster?   … a shrimp?

The surge was pushing me back and forth and my eyes aren't that good and i had a hard time keeping steady enough to even focus on it, trying to figure out what it was.       I looked it up and as far as i can determine.   It is a Peacock Tail Anemone Shrimp

It was so tiny and it's little 'partner' was even harder to see, almost transparent.

As i went out further, there was more coral, but it just got deeper and deeper, no good for me.    So i headed south.    It was good snorkeling with some larger corals rising to the surface in places.   I came across these NEW ButterFly Fishes… a pair of course.    They are called Weilbel's ButterFly Fish   :(

I've also seen it called a Black Capped ButterFly Fish ... this 'name thing'  .... is a scam  :)

Always always ...  lots of Clams ... this one very ornate and detailed

and this one a beautiful turquoise

and this one, in muted tones

Here is a photo of that Black Tip Grouper, with the black tips showing.

i've shown photos of this Indian Cushion Sea Star before, explaining that it starts off it's life looking like a regular Sea Star ... it's evident in this photo  !    COOL !

And my PRIZE of the Day .... a Nudibranch ... a Polka Dot Nudibranch.     "Nudibranch, pronounced [Nudee-Brank] but often shortened to 'nudi', comes from the Latin words nudus and branchia which mean naked gill."

So excited to have seen this ... and ... there were actually 2 of them, within 4 feet of each other.   These Dorid Nudibranchs breathe with the branchial plume, which projects from around their anus

i think this one looks like the Easter Bunny

I made a video.   You can see it here, and also on YouTube:   https://youtu.be/J5WAZ2aPXww

This was a Nudibranch Day ...... i saw another Polka Dot Nudibranch ... and then this black one with purple bumps, and that is a technical term.

and, then a half hour later ... this one.    This is another common type of nudibranch, aeolids, has a series of soft spikes known as cerata along their backs.  The cerata are not gills exactly, but as the aeolids absorb oxygen through their skin, the cerata increase the surface area of the nudi, helping them absorb more oxygen.

It's ok not to understand all of the above... i don't understand it .... but i love finding and seeing them   :)


i went back in front of Haad Tian before i went in and saw a fleeting glimpse of a Six Banded AngelFish …. way too fast for any photos.   i waited around for awhile, but it never reappeared  :(      I think that still counts as seeing a new fish though.


That evening i asked to be taken to Srithanu, a village south of me.   I needed to go to the 7-11, ... yes, you read that right.   There are a LOT of 7-11 stores here.    I had to get a reload on my phone and i was hoping to meet up with Justine, but we missed our signals.

The next morning i asked the resort to take me up to Mae Ha ... the Marine Park, to do some snorkeling.   It is an rocky uninhabited island that is partially connected to the mainland at low tide by a sand shoal.

 

The Snorkel Tours come out here ... i was not impressed.    I did see this nice healthy 'green' coral of some type

and this Scorpion Fish that had attached himself to the side of the rock wall

look closely ... you can see his eyes in the middle of the photo and ... .especially his chin with those ornate spires protruding from it.

I decided to swim around the entire island.   It was larger than i realized.    3/4 of it was being crushed by waves from the open sea.   It was a lot of work, with little reward .... actually ... NO reward   :(

Thankfully, as i was heading into shore in the shallows, i spotted these Freckled GoatFish or BarTailed GoatFish.   Goatfish work together to catch their dinner and when an individual chases its prey around a coral formation, others gather around to block escape routes.  Notice on the fish on the bottom, you can his 'beard' which is why they are called 'goat' fish.    They were quite pretty and saved me from being 'skunked' for the day !   

My last day i went up to the northern tip of the island to a village called Chaloklum, to snorkel with Lezlie that i met on the Ferry from Surat Thani.    There aren't any real designated snorkel areas here, but we decided to explore.    Due to our poor timing of low tide, we had to do a lot of walking and snorkeling in knee-deep water.  The sea can be fairly choppy in high winds as the weather comes across the Gulf of Siam and breaks over the surrounding mountains; so we got a good workout.   Most of the coral reef in the main part of the bay is now dead due to the extensive fishing that has gone on in the area; but we enjoyed ourselves.

I was even able to see 2 new fishes.    This one is a Sub Adult of the Many Spotted SweetLips fish that i just saw in Ko Kraden, with the Juvenile frilly one from Pamalican.   He was fast as lightening and not interested in hanging out, so this is the best i got.

If you compare, you can see it is definitely between that frilly Juvenile and the Adult.    I've seen photos and they are the most attractive at this stage of life.

The other new fish is this Black Blotched Porcupine Fish.   Obviously a cousin of the Porcupine Fish that i am accustomed to seeing; but much more interesting.

It was a great afternoon and i appreciated the invitation from Lezlie.
After begging for a taxi to get back home, i got cleaned up and met Justine at a nice French restaurant, l’Alcove.  We sat on the beach, watched the sunset, and i met several of her friends who joined us.    It was a great evening and super to catch up with her again

Haad Tian Resort is a great place to stay, but it is very secluded.    The family that runs it is close knit and very nice.   They have a tree here with this pretty blossom

and this fruit, which i was told they do not eat, nor use for anything ...  shame, it's so interesting

Tomorrow off to another island ... Ko Samui

Ko Kradan, Thailand

The boat from Ko Lipe to Ko Kraden was like a large speed boat, covered on top.  It was fast and good.    Koh Lipe is at the bottom and Koh Kradan is in the middle.

It was a nice beautiful ride with lots and lots of huge cliff-islands jutting out of the water everywhere.

We arrived around 11am on the beach at Ko Kraden and luggage was ‘dumped’.    After asking which way to Paradise Lost Bungalows i had to beg and pay a guy to carry my bag down the beach, he said he would take me half way and took off, me following.  Those wheels on luggage aren’t much good in sand  :(    …  At the half-way point the Bungalow's motorbike-wagon took me and my bags to Paradise Lost Bungalows.

Ko Kradan is listed as the most beautiful island of Trang’s sea.   600 acres, and most of the island, 5/6, is under the jurisdiction of Had Chaomai National Park.   No one lives there, so it is not a ‘fishing community’ which would mean that it’s not been overfished; which probably accounts for the great snorkeling reputation.

The only people living on Ko Kraden, are the people running the ‘resorts’.     There are 4-5 high-end places to stay and 2 budget.   Of course i choose budget to have my own room, but reluctantly resigned to share bath/shower; the difference in price would pay for my food.    You are a captive audience here, so nothing is cheap.   It’s an island, everything has to be brought in and there isn’t much competition.    The only places to eat are at the ‘resorts’.    There was one VERY minimally stocked ‘mini-mart’; but they did have rum  :)

The woman at Paradise Lost was nice and explained 24hr electric (there are only generators on the island) and no water from 11pm to 6am.   no problem, just have to manually flush toilet during those hours. 

I saw in the photos that the ‘shared bath’ rooms were in a line, all in one building.    So when i booked, as a ‘singer older woman’, i requested a ‘corner’ room…hopefully one more window and no one at least one side :)     They replied that a customer was already in that room; but when i got there, i asked again and she said she had it for me   :)    It was a very large room, with windows on 2 sides, and was also at the opposite end from the noisy generator ...double :)  :)

Although the brochure said 3min walk to the beach; she said to walk 15min on the path over there, through the forest, to the beach that would have the least boat traffic this time of day.    

I got settled in my room and decided to take ‘the path’ and just go for a swim and check things out.  And it was a SMALL path, through a really thick forest; and as the path got smaller and narrower, with the tree branches closing in on the path, i wondered if i had missed a turn somewhere.   Oh, and i forgot to mention that ‘the path’ went up and over the rather large hill; my knee not appreciating the journey.       On the other side was another place to stay, Ao Niang Resort, that was not on-line; (the owner doesn’t have a computer, so no way to advertise); but he did have a phone if you wanted to call for a room, if somehow you knew that.    It was RIGHT on the beach and cheaper WITH your own toilet.   There were people staying there, so somehow someone knows.    Maybe next visit.

I cooled off a bit in the warm calm water, and wondered why i was ‘swimming’ when i could be ‘snorkeling’ ?????

Back over the mountain and out to the beach where the boat landed to snorkel.    After a bit of a detour out to the deep looking for the reef, wasting precious time, i realized it was right on shore.    Pleasantly surprised i met my first new fish; a Masked BannerFish.

Again a member of the ButterFly Fish family, so they mate and you always see a pair.   Check out those RED lips !

The coral here isn’t all dead, but a lot of it is, so i was happy to see these vibrantly colored soft corals.

And then i saw my first Nudibranch since the Spanish Dancer.    Much smaller and no dancing, but i was really excited.

i spotted this massive fish sprawled out over some coral, in the wide open.   Since it didn’t move, i thought maybe it was a StoneFish.   i’ve never seen a StoneFish, but i know they don’t move much.   i watched as it opened it’s gills so that tiny blue cleaner fish could do it’s job.    Eventually it tired of my photos and swam off.   I realized it was a Grouper, i believe a Malabar Grouper.

As i was heading back in i saw a new Eel.   He was not interested in showing his face, so i took a photo of his back for ID purposes.   I believe it is a Giant Moray Eel.

A good first snorkeling experience on Ko Kradan.

In the morning, I was anxious to get back in the water.   i checked my ‘snorkel source’ map and asked some questions and realized i was all turned around and the best snorkeling was back over the ‘mountain’ at ‘B’ and around to where the boat dropped us off at ‘C’.     I took off on the mountain path to see where things were, taking only my gear, no bag, water, towels, etc.    i am practicing traveling light !

Out over the reef, as promised, there were thousands of small reef fishes.

To my surprise and delight, i spotted another Nudibranch !     This was far away from the one i saw yesterday, so i am assuming it is a different one, although they do look the same, except this one looks like it has an injury.

I was practicing using my flash and macro lens.   This Map Puffer provided a great opportunity since he was hiding in a crevice, with no natural light

This was a Barrel Sponge with a disgustingly large number of small Sea Cucumbers attacking it.   I don’t know if this is good or bad, but it was creepy !

This is so much fun.   Thailand is known for it’s many different Nudibranchs.   They are small and hard to find, even though they are quite obvious in the photos; it’s like finding a needle in a haystack… so much surface to search for such a small creature.   It’s always exciting to spot one !    Even if he isn’t as pretty as some of the others  :)

It’s a rare occasion to see a Grouper in Roatan, but there are many many here; lots of smaller ones.   This would indicate that they are healthy and reproducing.   And pretty.    This is a Lined Grouper.

And some not so pretty ones, like this Malabar Grouper, who also was not small … and rather grumpy.   i followed this one around for a long time, i think he finally posed for me hoping i would just leave him alone, which i did.

The Orange Lined TriggerFish was one of the fishes i met the first day i was in the water in the Philippines, and they have appeared everywhere since.   But i had never seen one this large.    The red lines around his face and lips were very noticeable and they are not ‘red’ on the younger/smaller versions.

Day 3 on Ko Kradan produced more Groupers …  a lot of HoneyComb Groupers, of all sizes

Cloudy Grouper

and this really pretty one ... i think it's  Black Tip Grouper, even though you don't see any black tips, i've seen others like it where i could see the black ... so ... a pretty sure 'maybe'  :)

and pretty tolerant of me too  :)

Groupers info:    They can be found on top or under rocks and corals. They lie and wait for small fish or invertebrates to come close and then use their draw-bridge like mouth to suck the prey in. Their lower jaw is spring loaded and open and closes in a fraction of a second, but in doing so increases in volume several fold, creating a current that few prey species can escape.



On several occasions there were schools of these yellow triangular-shaped fishes swimming over the reef.   But they were just out of reach and each time i dove down, they scattered.    This is the best i was able to do.    I think it is a Silver BatFish, but i can’t be certain.   I need to get a ‘book’ ..

And my first Scorpion Fish.   They usually just lay there also, but the second i saw him, he zipped under that rock.

I have seen that Sling Jaw Wrasse everywhere since i met the first one.   And, many times i’ve witnessed it ‘slinging’ it’s jaw out.    Impossible as it may seem, i happened to take this shot and catch it in a photo… blurry, but there’s proof !

Another new fish.   This Cheek Lined Wrasse was not bothered in the least by my constant presence.   It’s so much fun when they make it so easy  :)      So many colors on this fish.

This is a Mushroom Coral, usually a bland tan.   So this reddish one really caught my eye.     It seems surrounded by the tan version.

Although this Long Beaked Coral Fish is not new; i have not seen it since i left Alona Beach in the Philippines.    Nice to see it again, kind of like an old friend  :)     They are a type of ButterFly Fish, so where you see one, it’s mate is not far away (just below)

Another new fish….. but i don’t know what it is … my guess is a kind of Squirrel Fish

But the prize of the day goes to THIS new fish.   It is a Blue Ringed AngelFish.   Just yesterday i saw a photo of it and hoped i would see one.     

I barely saw this one scoot around some coral in the shallows and head for the deep.   I couldn’t let it get away.    Diving down down, and down again, and again, it didn’t swim off, but made me work for it.

On the way back in, i was in a hurry, it was getting late, and i saw this Leopard Moray Eel in very shallow water.

I have to say that the food here was not all that special.   I had some Cashew Chicken tonight and it tasted just like the Pad Thai i had last night, except they added cashews.   Disappointed.   I spent this evening looking at the calendar again and deciding when i needed to leave, where to go, where to stay, and how to get there  :)    I made some decisions and reservations   :)

The people that run Paradise Lost LOVE animals.    There is a momma dog that had 4 puppies.   They are all pretty shy, but they are feeding them and trying to gain their trust.    Here are 2 of them.     Awwwww

And then there is this old girl ... she has a kind of cute wrinkled face, has cataracts in one eye, and is 14 years old ... That is incredible for an island dog.   She was so SWEET !

 and she has a HUGE cowlick on her back   :)      What a special fur baby !

Back across the ‘mountain’ for Day 4.    This Moon Wrasse is pretty easy to identify with it’s bright pink and blue pectoral fins !

i saw another Giant Moray Eel yesterday that was not interested in showing his face.    Then finally this guy was happy to pose for me.    I thought he was thinking about going on a ‘walk about’; but i gave him plenty of space and time and he never moved.   He kinda looks like he’s smiling; i think that’s the ‘smile-iest’ eel you’ll ever see.

I've seen this delicate pretty fish several times, but am unable to identify it.     Seems to be a common theme lately  :(

 


Cruising through the shallows, i see all this ‘golden dust’ in the water.    There are a lot of fishes that root around in the shallows and stir up the sand and make it cloudy.   I thought maybe they were into some ‘dirty’ sand.    But as i looked across the coral i could see it was everywhere.   Clouds of ‘golden smoke’ just lingering over the coral.    What is that? 

After pondering the spectacle for awhile, i decided it was the Coral Spawning.   After i got back i looked it up, and i am pretty sure that’s what was going on.    I also noted that this happened on 21 March, the first day of Spring; if that's of any significance.    Now THAT was cool !   

 

This is what i found:   Some species of coral reproduce by ejecting large quantities of eggs and sperm into the surrounding water. When this happens, the eggs and sperm fertilize in the water. This process is called coral spawning. In some areas, mass coral spawning events occur on one particular night per year and scientists can predict exactly when this will happen. Trillions of eggs and sperm are simultaneously released into the water in one of the most astounding acts of synchronicity in the natural world!
Once in the sea, larvae are naturally attracted to the light. They swim to the surface of the ocean, where they remain for days or even weeks. If predators do not eat the larvae during this time, they fall back to the ocean floor and attach themselves to a hard surface. Once attached it begins to grow—dividing itself in half and making exact genetic copies of itself. As more and more polyps are added, a coral colony develops. Eventually the coral colony becomes mature, begins reproducing, and the cycle of life continues.

More beautiful Clams brightly colored

My last day of snorkeling on Ko Kradan has arrived, and it was slow going.   I started way out at the furthest point, and went out pretty far into the deeper water.    I saw these.... they are called Sea Whips.

This is one of the few fishes that are the same as in the Caribbean-Belize-Honduras.    It is a Porcupine Fish, although not 'new', it was the first one i've seen here.   And he was really big and i love their big soulful eyes

Then headed towards 'home'.    I saw this unidentifiable crab … he scampered into a crevace and this was all i got of him, by using my flash again, and just sticking my hand inside the crevace.      Not bad, considering  :)    Looks like he was real pretty

I was nearing the end of the snorkel and was getting close to shore, but not really wanting to call it quits.    So i was just meandering in the sandy shallows, where you don’t usually see much.  

A lot of people here get really excited when they see a LionFish … ho-hummmm … i’ve seen hundreds of them in Belize and Honduras where they are a non-native invasive species.    But this is where they belong and you hardly ever see them.    This is the only one i’ve seen on this trip.   They are pretty, and here they belong.

i wandered out over a deeper really sand patch with no coral.    Visibility was really bad, but down at the bottom i spotted …. a StingRay, laying quietly in the sand.    These are few and far between here.   i’ve not seen one since i arrived.   Visibility was so bad my camera couldn’t find anything to focus on.   But as it sped away, i was able to get this shot.    It is a Blue Spotted StingRay.   You can barely see some blue spots..    Not found in  the Caribbean   :)

ok, so i can go in now, i saw my ‘something new’   :)

but, i wanted more, i was talking to the ‘fish gods', and saying, ‘ok give me a little something else special for my last day, a going away present’.    … Never satisfied, am i ?

Swimming through a some coral in very shallow water, i see this flash of spots on a large fish.    Ah, i’ve only seen it in the books, but i recognize it as a Many Spotted SweetLips !

It’s the adult ….    We played the game of  ‘cat and mouse’ for 15min … Mostly with it winning.

Such a pretty fish, with very large fins, and tail.

Remember this frilly little fish that i saw on Pamilican Island … that just wiggled while it swam.    No wonder the little Juvenile had such a big tail and fins … it had a big job to fill when it grew up

I’ve seen several Oriental Sweet Lips and Striped Sweet Lips fishes and have always wondered why they were called ‘Sweet Lips’   … finally, i can see in this photo, they have very big lips … :)

That was a great ending to my Ko Kradan snorkeling experience.   I was very happy   :)   ...and i thanked the 'fish gods' for a wonderful experience here.


I packed my bags AGAIN and the next morning headed for the East coast of Thailand, which i knew would be another very long journey.