S/V Swizzle Sail Swizzle

Paradise Found, Bureaucracy Bound: Our Tails of Sailing and Diving in Thailand (with Furry Friends!)

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Thailand – the Land of Smiles. Crystal clear waters teeming with life, stunning beaches, and a laid-back island vibe. It's a picture postcard come to life, and for us, Daniel and Rita, it was supposed to be the start of our dream life – sailing the turquoise seas with our furry crew: Admiral Mazu the cat, and deckhands Fifa and Binks, the ever-energetic pups.

Fifa

Mazu

Binks

But paradise, it turns out, can come with a hefty dose of reality. Don't get us wrong, the diving is phenomenal. The underwater world explodes with vibrant coral reefs, playful clownfish, and majestic whale sharks. Sharing this with curious tourists, watching their awe as they explore this underwater wonderland, is truly rewarding.

However, the idyllic picture gets a bit ruffled when you factor in the not-so-glamorous realities. Here's a glimpse into our (sometimes hairy) adventures:

The Visa Tango: Thailand's strict work visa regulations mean certified dive instructors like myself (Daniel) are constantly on the move. Every 30 days, it's a mad dash for a "visa run" to a neighboring country – a time-consuming and expensive dance with immigration officials. This constant back-and-forth disrupts our diving schedule and eats into our income. The ideal scenario would be to secure a work visa that allows us to legally instruct in Thailand. However, the process is convoluted and requires sponsorship from a registered dive shop, which can be reluctant to take on the extra paperwork, especially for instructors with a mobile lifestyle like ours. So, for now, the visa tango remains a necessary, if unwelcome, part of our routine.

Leaving Our Furry First Mates Behind:** While we love showing off the underwater world, finding a dive shop that welcomes our canine and feline crew is a whole different story. Leaving them on the boat can be nerve-wracking, especially in bustling bays crowded with hundreds of tourist boats zipping past. The constant worry of someone accidentally leaving a hatch open, or worse, is a constant knot in our stomachs. Finding a safe haven for our pets while we dive adds another layer of complexity to our day. Ideally, we'd prefer to find a quiet anchorage away from the throngs of tourists. But these secluded spots are often far from the dive sites, making it impractical to return multiple times a day to check on them. Marinas, on the other hand, offer security and proximity to dive shops, but many have strict "no pet" policies. This leaves us with the unenviable choice of leaving them on the boat in less than ideal conditions, or finding a pet sitter on short notice, which can be expensive and stressful, especially in unfamiliar territory.

Where we lived for 8 months

Boat Woes on a Budget: Keeping our sailboat shipshape is an ongoing battle. The relentless sun beats down mercilessly, drying out ropes and cracking decks. Saltwater spray carries a corrosive kiss, turning shiny chrome fixtures into pitted eyesores. And then there's the constant battle against wear and tear. Lines fray, winches get cranky, and sails develop strategic rips at the most inopportune moments. Maintaining our vessel in this unforgiving environment requires a combination of vigilance, ingenuity, and a shoe-string budget. We've become experts at spotting bargains in local markets, our eyes peeled for used parts or potential substitutes that can be adapted with a little creativity (and maybe some zip ties). YouTube tutorials have become our trusted guides, patiently walking us through repairs we never thought we'd be capable of tackling. Sure, our solutions might not be the prettiest, but they keep us afloat (literally) and allow us to continue exploring this beautiful part of the world with our furry shipmates.

Sure, the endless repairs and visa runs can test your resolve, but life aboard in Thailand with our furry crew offers unique and heartwarming rewards that go beyond the postcard scenery. Sailing fosters a special kind of camaraderie. Fellow seafarers, united by a love for the ocean, readily share stories under a starlit sky or lend a hand with repairs, creating an unbreakable bond within the seafaring community. Every day becomes a front-row seat to nature's spectacle. Witnessing fiery sunsets paint the sky or spotting playful dolphins dancing alongside the boat creates lasting memories that wouldn't be possible from the confines of land.

Our pets provide unwavering companionship and endless entertainment, even if it comes with the occasional "present" left on deck. Their unconditional love adds a layer of joy to every adventure, reminding us of the simple pleasures in life. Sailing demands constant adaptation and learning. From mastering repairs to navigating unfamiliar waters, every day presents an opportunity to grow and develop new skills. This continuous learning fosters a sense of accomplishment and self-reliance.

Living with limited resources on a boat fosters an unexpected gratitude for the basics – a clean, running engine, a reliable anchor, and a successful fishing trip. These simple things become triumphs in this self-sufficient lifestyle. Living this life isn't for everyone, but the unique rewards make the challenges worthwhile for those who embrace the adventure, the camaraderie, the ever-changing scenery, and the chance to learn and grow with every sunrise.

Sailing in Thailand with our pets and navigating the visa maze has been a wild ride, a constant dance between breathtaking beauty and bureaucratic headaches. It's not for the faint of heart – the relentless sun beating down on the boat, the constant need for repairs, and the ever-present worry about leaving our furry crew behind all test your resolve. But for those seeking adventure and a life less ordinary, it's an experience unlike any other.

This journey has been a crash course in resilience. Every visa run, every unexpected engine failure, every storm that tossed our boat like a toy has forced us to dig deep and find solutions. We've become resourceful beyond measure, learning to fix leaky hoses with duct tape and ingenuity, barter for spare parts in bustling markets, and decipher cryptic boat manuals by the flickering light of a headlamp. Yet, amidst the challenges, there's a magic to this life. We've learned to appreciate the simple joys – the way the sun warms your skin after a refreshing swim, the shared laughter with fellow sailors under a starlit sky, the unconditional love (and maybe a few well-timed wet kisses) from our furry companions. These moments, fleeting as they may be, make it all worthwhile.

So, if you're considering a similar path, be prepared for the unexpected. Patience will be your greatest asset, along with a healthy dose of ingenuity and maybe a can (or two) of Febreze for those inevitable pet-related mishaps. Pack your sense of adventure, your thirst for exploration, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. The bureaucratic hurdles will undoubtedly test your resolve, but who knows, you might just find your own version of paradise, tucked away in a secluded cove, with the turquoise water lapping against your hull and the promise of a new adventure shimmering on the horizon. Remember, it's not about the destination, but the journey itself, a journey that will transform you in ways you never imagined.

Navigating the Unexpected: A Sailing Journey of Mechanical Surprises

Swizzle — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Alright, crew. Time for another Swizzle saga..

Setting sail, I knew the open ocean held surprises. This trip, though, was turning into an epic test – a grueling saga of greasy wrenches, endless tinkering, and a deadline to spend Christmas with Rita. It all began with a sickening clunk – the unmistakable demise of the transmission. A common occurrence for sailors, perhaps, but on this idyllic stretch of the Malaysian coast, it felt like a cruel punchline. The breathtaking turquoise waters and lush islands mocked my predicament.

The crucial parts needed for repairs? Ghosts. Nowhere in Malaysia or Thailand seemed to stock them.

Frustration gnawed at me as I contacted mechanics in every port. Each promised a fix, only to deliver furrowed brows and helpless shrugs. Days bled into weeks. The once-relaxing sail became a desperate hunt for the phantom parts. Finally, a glimmer of hope – a source located the parts in Singapore. Relief washed over me, quickly replaced by a sinking feeling as I learned the exorbitant shipping cost. But giving up wasn't an option. With gritted teeth, I emptied my savings account and arranged for the parts to be flown in. The wait was agonizing. Every creak of the boat, every groan of the wind seemed to magnify the problem.

Then came the real challenge – the repair itself. Replacing a transmission is no small feat, even on land. Here, on the swaying deck of my boat, with limited tools and scorching tropical heat, it was an ordeal. Hours bled into days as I wrestled with stubborn bolts, deciphered cryptic manuals, and contorted myself into impossible positions to reach hidden components.

Grease smeared my hands, sweat stung my eyes, and the ever-present hum of the ocean mocked my struggles. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the replacement was in place. Exhausted but triumphant, I cranked the engine. The familiar purr brought tears to my eyes. But this wasn't over. Testing the repaired transmission revealed a leak – a consequence of the cramped workspace and fumbling repairs. Back to square one.

More tinkering, more frustration. Yet, with each setback, a stubborn determination grew within me. I wouldn't let the sea, or a lousy transmission.

Days later, with a finally leak-free transmission, I set sail, the open ocean a vast expanse of both beauty and challenge. The journey to Phuket wasn't smooth sailing. Storms tossed the boat, testing the newly repaired engine and my own resilience. But the memory of those greasy, frustrating days fueled my determination. Reaching Phuket, battered but unbroken, filled me with a sense of accomplishment. It was a victory not just over the sea, but over the soul-sucking tedium of a seemingly insurmountable repair. The open ocean may be unpredictable, but it also teaches you the strength to navigate life's unexpected currents, and the immense satisfaction that comes from fixing things yourself, especially when covered in grease and fueled by determination.

Swizzle Haul-out & 10 days of hell

Swizzle — Sun, 28 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Our first haul out on Swizzle was a daunting yet exciting experience. We took the bot out of the water at B&V Marine, in Langkawi, Malaysia.

We chose to use B&V Marine due to its convenient location to our land accommodation, and best of all PRICE! Now some things we had to consider for haul out and a few tips for anyone looking to do the same

1. Facilities - B&V Marine had everything we could have hoped for, metal working, wood working, power and electricity at every hardstand, bathrooms, a shower and more importantly, FREE COLD WATER to drink throughout the day. The marina was located within a few minutes ride of nearby hardware stores, plumbing shops and paint stores which saved our butts more than once.

2. Price - We were pleasantly surprised to see that the marina we chose was at least one-third the price of other marinas nearby. Why? Because B&V caters to pleasure vessels, not big yachts and superyachts. Their price point was set for the average sailor who planned on doing at least some of the work on their own. If you decide that you don't want to do the work, fret not, their daily labor rate is 400 ringgit per day, about 100USD for an 8 hour day. Be aware though, Langkawi has more public holidays than any other place in the world, so if you come during, let's say, Ramadan... good luck. We hauled out and realized that there were 5 public holidays shortly thereafter within an 8 day span. Lucky we were already planning to do all the work on our own, however, this means all hardware shops and supply stores are closed as well.

3. Staff - Unlike some marinas, B&V has a full in-house staff to accommodate anything needed. In the case of outside contractors, there is a nominal fee, but as I mentioned, it's not necessary considering all the expertise they have under their roof. The entire process went very smoothly with everyone well versed in slipping in and out of water.

Now for the nitty gritty:

Obviously the #1 reason for haul out is bottom paint. For us, this was a BEAR of a job. The boat had sat long enough to the point that barnacles had to be sanded off. Not just any sanding would do. 60 grit sandpaper and the least to get the beds of the barnacles off, The sanding in itself was 2 days of work and that's not counting the scraping and powerwashing done on the intial lift out.

There are lots of options for antifoul paint once you're ready to paint. We used a local brand to the area, CMP, and ended up doing 4 full coats of antifoul. Add in the epoxy primer and that SIX coats in total. Maybe a bit much but we'll be thankful in the end.

The mess of a bottom

Painting process - 1st antifoul over primer

Side view final

Final result!

Our second priority for coming out of the water was for a full cut and polish of the hull. This process consists of using am agent with tiny abrasive particles to "cut" any scuffs, scratches and imerfections then you use a polish to fill in the abrasions for a nice, shiny and water resistant coating. This was a rough one mostly due to having to hold the polisher above your head for several minutes at a time. All in all, this process took one full day to complete and the outcome was AMAZING. Almost mirror-like.

Before and after

Fully polished

Another piece of work we needed to knock out while on the hard was repairing our rudder AND our propeller. Both we pretty well beat up and the propeller was showing SERIOUS signs of aging, pits and rust holes through the entire thing. For this, an easy, fast and reliable fix was to use a fairing compound (Epoxy resin & hardner plus some hardening additive to make it like a peanut buttery consistency) and smear over everything. This process can be tricky as the epoxy was to set up and "flash" (harden too quickly in the mixing pale) expecially in the heat and humidity. After a few coats and lots of smoothing, a light sand scuff of the epoxied areas and bot prop and rudder are sturdy, smooth surfaces ready to go sailing.

Lastly, our biggest one was fixing our rudder. We had noticed that we were losing steering, especially in following seas of heavy winds and our helm would always roll to one direction. Luckily we found the culprit to be a metal bracket that had come loose and nearly fallen off completely. I was prepared to take the rudder off in its entirety which would have taken a lot more time than what we had to spend to fix it, but nonetheless, it was fixed and now works like a dream.

Royal Langkawi Yacht Club - Langkawi, West Malaysia

Swizzle — Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Dates: November 2022 - May 2023

Location: 6.3031° N, 99.8512° E

VHS channel: 69 (very responsive)

Website: https://www.langkawiyachtclub.com/berths

Price: $$ (102 MYR/day for our 35ft monohull excluding water - inexpensive daily fee - or power - charged per kW)

Check in/out: 5* (simple and fast, the ladies at reception are very friendly, the jetty point adjacent to the marina - 5min walk - allows you to check in and out of the country very easily and free of charge, the staff there is very helpful and deal with this on a daily basis)

Security: 5* (24h security, regular checks at the docks by night guards, biometric access to docks, security cameras)

Accessibility: 4* (short distance by car to main shops, easy to get Grabs as close to jetty point, scooter and car rental just 5min walk, walking distance to shopping centre - about 10min)

Facilities: 4* (very well maintained docks, swimming pool shared with hotel guests but well kept, several restaurants and bars available at decent prices, gym and spa, tricky entrance by sea as there is another “entry” point near the South entrance that is only for dinghies - dangerous shallow and rocky area! It can be a bit loud at the end of the day with all the local charters coming back from sunset cruises)

WiFi: 3* (can work well but not very stable)

Services: 4* (easy to find traders of all kinds, some more expensive than others, staff are not the best at helping to dock but will help you to set up shore power etc)

Diesel: no fuel dock, must use gas station to fill jerrycans or pay extra for the staff at the marina to do it (we rented a car, took all our jerrycans to Petronas and were able to fill all of them as they have a card reader at the pump, however by law you are not allowed to get more than 20-25L at a time so it will depend on each individual gas station and the staff working there)

Marina carts: available but very difficult to find as there are multiple charter companies that snatch them and keep them hidden, can be a pain to get hold of one!

Bathrooms: 4* (a bit out of the way but decent size showers, extremely hot water, you may find monkeys or monitor lizards on the way there, usually harmless if not bothered)

Laundry: available at 5 MYR/kg (to be dropped off at reception in the morning and returned later that day or next morning), we usually get a Grab to a 24h self-service laundry facility that takes only about 8min on the car and is way cheaper

Membership: available (discounts for members and yachties at certain restaurants, bars, gym and even spa)

Marine shop: available on site (good selection of high quality products at very high prices, there are several other marine shops on the island where you may get new or second hand products)

Pet friendly: yes (dogs are welcome but should be walked on leash only, there are some local permanent yacthies that own dogs, there is a decent sized park just 5min walk)

Useful contacts and places:

- Jack

- Gans Warehouse

- H&E Trading

- Mr DIY

- Master Octopus Laundry

- Lavish Grocery Store

- Billion Duty Free Supermarket

- Scooter & Car Rental

- Blue Shelter Marine Shop

- Rebak Marine Shop

- Fredrerik ?

Pangkor Marina - Pangkor, West Malaysia

Swizzle — Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Dates: November 2022

Location: 4.2106° N, 100.6038° E

VHS channel: 69

Website: https://www.pangkormarina.com/home

Price: $ (approximately ?? for our 35ft monohull with power and water)

Check in/out: 5* (simple and fast)

Security: 2* (there is a guard 24h a day but you will find them away from their post at times and not really checking who comes in or out, very easy access to docks, we lost a backpack that has never been recovered unfortunately)

Accessibility: 3* (isolated from main city or shops, it sits on a small resort island, not many options for transport, mainly just Grab)

Facilities: 4* (small marina with docks in decent condition, large hardstand area, one nice and fairly priced restaurant/bar, small convenience shop nearby but must take 15 Grab ride to get to large supermarket)

WiFi: 2* (not really usable)

Services: 5* (knowledgable and professional traders available, very quick and hardworking, James runs the place and is extremely helpful - contact +60 16550488)

Diesel: there used to be a fuel dock but it is no longer working, you must ask the staff to fill jerrycans from gas station, again quite more expensive than if you were able to get it yourself

Marina carts: not available

Bathrooms: 3* (small container type structure on the dry dock, a bit out of the way, hot water if sunny day)

Laundry: not available on site (must take 15min ride on Grab to get to closest laundry facility)

Membership: not available

Marine shop: available on site (decent selection of second hand items, reasonable prices)

Pet friendly: yes (dogs are welcome and there are resident dogs walking freely, which means you should be careful when walking your dogs as they may not be so friendly)

Admiral Marina - Port Dickson, West Malaysia

Swizzle — Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Dates: November 2022

Location: 1N 02° 28.76’, E 101° 50.68’

VHS channel: 14

Website: https://www.admiralmarina.com.my

Price: $ (approximately ?? for our 35ft monohull with power and water)

Check in/out: 5* (we only had to check into the marina, it was a quick and easy job)

Security: 3* (there is supposed to be 24h security but you don’t see the guards all night, everyone that walks by would be able to enter the docks however we never had any issues or felt unsafe)

Accessibility: 3* (not really close to anything of interest or need but again Grabs are cheap and not so difficult to get, there are a couple of local cheap restaurants about 10min walk)

Facilities: 2* (several docks are falling apart and not safe, there are cracks all over, there is a swimming pool but seems to be used by anyone that walks in, there is only one restaurant/bar and it is terrible)

WiFi: 2* (not really usable)

Services: 2* (there are no traders available anywhere close by)

Diesel: easy to obtain from local gas station, we did not have any issues filling up all jerrycans, best to rent a car for this day as taxi drivers will not take you

Marina carts: occasionally (it can be difficult to get hold of them)

Bathrooms: 2* (terrible showers, cold water, broken, not clean at all)

Laundry: not available on site (there is a coin operated laundry facility about 10min walk from the marina)

Membership: not available

Marine shop: not available

Pet friendly: yes (dogs are welcome as long as well behaved and on leash, Muslims do not like having contact with dogs)

Puteri Harbor - Puteri, South Malaysia

Swizzle — Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Dates: October - November 2022

Location: 1.4171° N, 103.6583° E

VHS channel: 18 (not responsive, contact +60 72871888 on arrival)

Website: https://www.one15marina.com/puteriharbour/marina/

Price: Approximately 135MYR ($32 USD) for our 35ft monohull with power and water

Check in/out: 5* (the staff are super helpful and get all your paperwork done for you, free of charge, they will then take you to immigration - 5min ride - where you will have your passport checked and you’re ready to go! They will clear you out to whatever last port in Malaysia you would like, which means you do not have to check in every time you dock)

Security: 5* (card access, 24h security)

Accessibility: 3* (there is not much in this area but Grab is cheap so you can use this app to get around, it may take quite a long time to get one to take you though depending on the time of day)

Facilities: 3* (berths and docks are in good shape, huge restaurant area, several options but there is a lot of activity at night which means it can be very loud)

WiFi: 3* (on and off, not reliable but cafes and restaurants usually have WiFi)

Services: 4* (they have on site traders who will help you with most basic needs but may not be so helpful when it comes to more specific problems - we arrived with serious engine problems and 20min later had a mechanic onboard, very cheap labor)

Diesel: fuel dock available outside the marina (dodgy quality, leaking nozzle), extremely difficult to get from gas station (limit of one jerrycan per person and taxis will not carry diesel, may ask the staff at the marina to get some fuel but it will be approximately double the price)

Marina carts: easily available (staff may carry you on the golf cart to get to your berth if available)

Bathrooms: 3* (card access needed, decent showers but no hot water, not always the cleanest)

Laundry: not available on site (there is a free transfer twice a week to take you to a laundry facility)

Membership: not available

Marine shop: not available

Pet friendly: yes (dogs are welcome as long as well behaved and on leash, Muslims do not like having contact with dogs, there are some stray dogs nearby the marina)

Raffles Marina - Singapore

Swizzle — Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This is the first review we will be writing on the different marinas we have come across during our sails through SE Asia. We hope you find this useful!

We bought the boat in this marina and ended up being stuck here for a lot longer than expected. We will keep it simple and easy for you to have a quick read through but please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!

Dates: August - October 2022

Location: 1.3429° N, 103.6352° E

VHS channel: 77

Website: https://www.rafflesmarina.com.sg/marina/group-1/berthing-facilities.html

Price: $$$ (approximately S$1600/mo for our 35ft monohull with power and water but you can check the prices online)

Check in/out: 2* (mandatory to hire agent to clear in and out $$$, quite complicated and not so straight forward, we had changed ownership and flag which caused a huge hassle for us to be able to leave the country as they were not willing to accept our provisional license)

Security: 5* (card access, 24h security)

Accessibility: 3* (very close to the train station Tuas Link but quite far from main area of Singapore, 30-45min away from most relevant shops, train stops running around midnight, taxis are quite expensive and difficult to get to this area at night)

Facilities: 4* (good condition docks and berths, swimming pool, gym access, bar and restaurants, nice quiet marina)

WiFi: 3* (will not reach the berth, not great speed)

Services: 2* (extremely difficult to get any traders willing to work on private sailboats, very expensive to get any work done in Singapore)

Diesel: fuel dock available at the marina (good quality diesel)

Marina carts: easily available (mail and packages will be brought to your berth by the staff)

Bathrooms: 4* (large showers, hot water, clean but is shared with members who have swimming lessons so can sometimes be crowded)

Laundry: washer and drier - coin operated $$ (the security guard has coins in case you need it, bring your own detergent)

Membership: discounts at restaurant and bar

Marine shop: yes (expensive, not great variety)

Pet friendly: yes (dogs are welcome and you will see some resident ones)

Koh Lipe - The sailing hiatus

Daniel B. — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

After spending nearly 3 months on Koh Lipe, Thailand, we are now planning our departure and preparing for the massive undertaking of hauling out the Swizzle in preparation for our next LONG voyage.

Our time here has been much more than expected and though we've met a few setbacks since our arrival, we have taken them in stride. The diving, the food, the beaches and views are all exactly what we had hoped for. Even for a tiny little island, there is a lot to do and see. Believe it or not, even in 3 months we haven't seen everything yet.

So a little about this quaint island, Koh Lipe:

Pattaya Beach, probably the most popular of the many beaches, is situated on the southern side of the island, where the Swizzle has been moored since our arrival. This side of the island offers shelter and protection from the North-Northwest wind and swell (which is normal for this time of year) and makes for a picturesque place to chill at one of the many beach bars and watch the sunset. If looking from the ocean to land, situated right in the middle of Pattaya Beach is the main "street" of the island, "Walking Street" as it's so (un)cleverly named. This blue road connects one side of the island to the other and is only a short 1 kilometer (.65 miles) long. Here you can find just about ANYTHING the island has too offer. Bars, resturants, shops, massage parlors, and lots of street food vendors. Probably the most famous is Mr. Coconut Doughnut guy, singng his culinary creations every day for hours on end... and yes, he sings "coconut doughnut ten baht, ten baht"

On the North side of the island is Sunset & Sunrise beach. Both very nice, not as hustle-and-bustle as Pattaya but these also take the most weather due to wind direction and swell generally come from the North/Northwest (seasonal) Both beaches offer some pretty killer snorkeling as well as diving, but seeing that they're both high traffic areas with ferry boats and longtail boats, it's recommended to swim with some sort of marker buoy so they can see you.

So what to do in Koh Lipe you ask? Well... I'll make it easy and map it out for you :)

Go Diving!!!
Koh Lipe is a fantastic place for diving, and there are many reputable companies on the island to choose from. Since Koh Lipe is located in the middle of the Tarutao Marine National Park, there are a variety of dive sites to explore. You can participate in fun dives or take your Open Water Certification at one of the local dive stores. We're biased since we worked there, but Forra diving has some of the nicer boats, good equipment and best staff on island. Not only do they do diving but they have a slew of bungalows around the island.
If you are looking for a TRULY unique experience, you should book a liveaboard in Thailand (Forra does as well, the only one in Koh Lipe). You'll sleep aboard a boat and dive up to four times a day. Sign us up!

Bioluminescent Plankton
If you've seen the movie "The Beach," you probably remember the scene where Leo and his lover are in the ocean at night and the water glows with blue, sparkling lights. This is bioluminescent plankton, and as unreal as it may seem, it's not just a Hollywood special effect! That's right - you can actually see this magical phenomenon with your own eyes!
We were able to witness the bio on many of our trips back to the boat at night.

Do it yourself: You don't have to join a tour to see the bioluminescent plankton! If you'd rather save some money, go to the beach at night, away from the fluorescent lights of the beach restaurants, and look for the sparkling blue dots that wash up on the sand. They'll look like little glowing pearls in the sand.

Day trip to Koh Adang
Leave Koh Lipe for a day and take a longtail boat to Koh Adang, the large island north of Koh Lipe.
The boat taxi stand is at the north end of Sunrise Beach, where longtail boat drivers will be waiting for you. The one-way fare is 100 baht ($3.20 USD) per person. Just tell the driver when you want to be picked up from Koh Adang.
Once you arrive on Koh Adang, you should visit the visitor center and pay the entrance fee of 200 baht per person as it is a national park.
There are some great things to do on Koh Adang:
Relaxing on the beach of Koh Adang

Koh Adang is really nice because it is so open and much less busy than Koh Lipe. You can go to the beach and be the only one in sight. We rented snorkeling equipment on Koh Lipe (50 baht per person for a day) and swam around the coral near the shore.
Note: Be careful when snorkeling at low tide as you will be extremely close to the seabed and could come into contact with the reef.

Hike to the viewpoint Koh Lipe
Another popular excursion on Koh Adang is the hike to the viewpoint on Chado Cliff, which overlooks Koh Lipe. There is a simple map at the visitor center that says the hike takes 45 minutes one way. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes as it is quite steep up the mountain. There are ropes to hold onto in some places, so do not do this hike in flip flops.
There are 3 viewpoints on the Chado Cliff hike. Viewpoint #1 is only about 10 minutes away and offers a good view, but you can only see half of Koh Lipe because part of the mountain is in the way. Viewpoint #2 offers a much better view and is only another 15 minute hike uphill.
However, the best view is from viewpoint #3, which is only 10 minutes further away. Once you see the blue ropes, you are almost there. It only took us 35 minutes to get from the ranger station to lookout #3 (with tennis shoes)

Hike to Pirate Waterfall
If you have plenty of time on Koh Adang, you can take a hike to Pirate Waterfall. The walk from the ranger station to the Pirate Waterfall takes about 90 minutes (3 km) and looks very nice in photos, but unfortunately we didn't have enough time on the island. Be sure to get directions from the visitor center, as we heard the trail can be quite complicated.

Set up camp
If you really want to relax and enjoy the island atmosphere, you can rent a tent on the beach. There is only one restaurant, so bring your own food and snacks.
And if a tent isn't your style, you can stay in one of the few comfortable bungalows instead.

Visit the Temple
While it’s not necessarily worth going out of your way for, this temple is located in the center of the Koh Lipe and makes a nice little stop if you’re walking from one side of the island to the other.
This tranquil temple is surrounded by jungle and makes a nice escape from the sun and people for a bit. You might see the monks doing their daily chores or hear their chants in the morning or afternoon.

Go Sea Kayaking to a Tiny Island
From the north end of Sunrise Beach, you can see the small rocky island of Koh Kra not too far from shore.
Rent a kayak (about 200 baht per hour) and paddle across turquoise waters to a little secluded beach on the north side of the island for swimming and sunbathing.

Go Snorkeling
While there are many day trips from Koh Lipe that include snorkeling (between 550 baht and 950 baht), you can do it yourself and save a lot of money!
At the southern end of Sunrise Beach, there is a beautiful coral reef that is perfect for snorkeling. There are lots of sea anemones, cute little clown fish, colorful parrot fish, and puffer fish!
Masks and snorkels can be rented at one of the many stores on Walking Street or at Sunrise Beach.

Explore Walking Street
Walking Street is actually impossible to miss on Koh Lipe. Honestly, it's much more developed than we imagined, but it's still worth a walk. This street comes to life at night when the seafood restaurants are bustling and the fresh catch of the day is grilled right next to you.
Most of the restaurants on the main street have fairly high prices for the fresh fish (some of the restaurants we inquired with stated that the fish starts at 500 baht each).

Sunset with cocktails
If you are on Koh Lipe, make it a point to see the sunset every night - it's breathtaking.
We present 2 great places from where you can enjoy the view:
Lipe Cafe, Pattaya Beach
Kioskino, Pattaya Beach

Enjoy the nightlife in Koh Lipe
As soon as the sun reaches the horizon, everyone seems to leave Sunset Beach, go home to shower, and then slowly make their way to Pattaya Beach, where the party is. (And when we say "party," it's pretty tame compared to other islands)
There are plenty of fancy bars on the island like the Maya Bar right on Walking Street or the Art Beach Club right on Pattaya Beach. But if you're looking for a more relaxed bar, head to Reggae Bar for a candlelit night. If you are like me and like a nice bar with a “home” vibe, Hallidej bar (it’s Swedish) is in my list of top favorites. Good people, decent prices and its always nice and clean :)

See a fire show
When the sky gets dark, the fires come out. Pattaya Beach is the ideal place to see a fire show. They may not be as wild and interactive as the shows in Koh Phi Phi, but you can sit back with a cocktail and relax while the performer nearly sears your eyebrows.

How to get to Koh Lipe
Because Koh Lipe is a bit farther from the mainland than some of Thailand's better-known islands, some travelers are put off. But honestly, it's not that hard to get there. We flew from Chiang Mai to Koh Lipe on Air Asia's island transfer. We flew from Chiang Mai to Hat Yai, got a van transfer to the port, and the two-hour ferry to Koh Lipe - all for around $100 USD per person in March.
If you are already on the southern islands, you can easily take a ferry from one island to the next.
Ferry from Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe
Ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lipe
Ferry from Phuket to Koh Lipe
Ferry from Krabi to Koh Lipe
Ferry from Langkawi (Malaysia) to Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe is so small that you can walk almost everywhere, and there are many "cabs" on the island. These unique vehicles are a bench seat connected to a motorcycle, and they are a great way to get your luggage to your hotel instead of carrying it in the heat.
Plus, they are handy if you want to get to the beach in time for sunset! They usually cost 100 baht ($3.20 USD) to get anywhere on the island.

Lets talk food:
Western food and good coffee: Elephant Coffee House and Bar

This place is signposted all over the island and is one of the more popular places to eat on the island (plus, it's open year-round, while some restaurants close in the off- season). We had breakfast at Elephant Coffee House once, and it was quite good.

The coffee was good, the western options were nice, and the decor was charming. The food was good - nothing special and you pay high island prices - but you really can not complain.
Bonus points for the free water filling station (if you have a Trash Hero water bottle, which you can buy for 200 baht).

Breakfast with amazing atmosphere: Bloom cafe

One of my all time favorite places to sit and write blogs, do video editing and just chill.. You have to order the bloom on toast, its really something special and only 200 baht

Overall best dinner pick: Box

Odd name but these guys do food right. It's a spanish style tapas restaurant with a great selection of large and small plates and a great wine selection. It's definitely not cheap, but if you have a reason to celebrate or just want a dinner away from typical Thai cuisine, this is your place.

Traveling with the doggies - Bermuda to Singapore

Swizzle — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Alright so we all know how hard it can be to travel with our beloved pets and this article is meant to give you an idea of what it took to bring our two medium sized dogs to Singapore. The rules are mostly similar to cats but since we have dogs I will focus on that. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have and I will be happy to answer them.

First of all let's introduce them (this will be important further ahead).

Fifa is a 5 year old spayed female pup that I rescued in Fiji, while working there for a charity called Animals Fiji (https://www.animalsfiji.org). She was a small puppy at the time but was lucky enough to find me and has been traveling all over the world with me. On her passport she is signalled as a Red Heeler mix (also important later on).

Binks is a 3 year old neutered male doggo rescued in St. Maarten, an island in the Caribbean. He is our goofy little man and I have him down as a Retriever mix.

Let's start with the obvious: if you want to travel with your dogs they need all their vaccines up to date. This includes Rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus - these are usually the vaccines your dog will get yearly if they visit their vets at least once a year. Some countries will require Kennel Cough as well, which is usually given orally or sprayed in their nose once a year.

The next step is worming treatment - they require a tablet that is effective against most internal parasites which has to be given within a certain timeframe of traveling to said country.

The other indispensable item is a microchip - these are placed under the skin and have a unique number that can be read using a scanner. Unfortunately they do not provide GPS tracking, so if your dog gets lost this will have to be scanned and you will need to have your contact information updated on certain databases for any vet or charity to be able to find you. The microchips have to follow certain standards to be accepted internationally but most modern ones do anyway.

Finally, they will require a health certificate to be issued by either an official government veterinarian or a certified vet who is allow to sign these documents (in most countries your local vet can do this but there are a few exceptions so make sure to check before traveling). This document also has an expiration date so all these things have to be very well timed.

The most important lesson to remember is that if you plan on traveling with your pet you MUST visit your local vet at least 3 MONTHS before departure date. Your vet will be able to help you plan all the dates your pet needs to pay them a visit to comply with all the deadlines.

So here is what you need to enter Singapore with dogs from the country list B (which includes Bermuda and Portugal):

Microchip - To be implanted according to international regulations

Rabies vaccination - Depending on the brand, must be valid according to manufactures specifications. Usually your dog will need the first vaccine and a booster at least 30 days later to make sure they comply with the next step

Rabies titer test - To be done at least 30 days after Rabies vaccination, the animal must have an antibody count high enough to be apt to travel. This is a very expensive blood test that has to be sent to specific laboratories and the results take 6 to 8 weeks!

Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus vaccination - To be done at least 2 weeks before traveling according to manufactures specifications.

Internal and external parasite control - Must be done 2 to 7 days prior to traveling and with products specified and approved by the government of Singapore (check links below)

Health Certificate - There is a specific form online for this one that has to be signed by your local vet and then by the official government vet. Your vet fills out the form after examining your pet and the official vet will have to sign and stamp it afterwards, so make sure you have an appointment with the government vet. This certificate is only valid for 7 days.

Dog license in Singapore - This is done online and it is a lot more tricky than you would think. Mainly because you need a local Singaporean phone number to be able to create an account on the website and every-time you login it will send and SMS code that must be entered to access your account. Depending on your timezone this can be quite challenging - I was 11h behind Singapore which meant I had to constantly annoy my friend who had a local phone number at terrible times of the day. You have 60 seconds to enter the code which meant several attempts until I could finally access the account. When you think you have everything you need to apply for this, something goes wrong and you need to start all over... Very frustrating! It is important to understand that Singapore holds restrictions on the number and breed of dogs to be imported. Certain breeds of dogs are banned from the country and if your dog is not neutered/spayed you will have to pay a higher fee and there are restrictions in place. For this license you must have: proof of vaccination, rabies titre test, microchip, certificate of spay/neuter, pictures of your dogs (full body). If you have a dog on the restricted list you must also comply with additional requirements. You must CHOOSE a breed from a drop-down list, so if you have a little rescue mutt like I do you need to pick whatever "breed" they look more like. Bear in mind this information must be present on all their documents and if you choose something like Pittbull or Rotweiller your dog will most likely not be able to travel to most countries in the world... In Fifa's specific case they did not have Red Heeler so I chose another Heeler and it was fine. Once you request this license it takes somewhere between 2 to 5 working days for it to be reviewed and when approved you will receive an email. You will then need to login to the website again and follow the instructions to pay. Once payed it takes about 24h to get the license.

Import permit (live animal import) - This is the official government permit that you need to bring your dog into Singapore. To apply for this one you must have all of the above, which can be a giant pain in terms of timing, especially with the health certificate and parasite treatments. Make sure you keep all your documents in a folder on your computer ready to be uploaded to this website. As above, you require a local phone number and you may have the same problems mentioned before. Once you have uploaded all the documents and information, just as on the previous step you will receive an email stating if there are any rectifications needed. In my case they told me my dog licenses had to be under the same name as the person requesting the permit which meant I had to transfer them from Daniel's name to mine - another headache to have this done online. It is not possible to contact these departments via phone (Daniel tried multiple times and ended up having to physically go there - luckily he was already in the country at this point). Their email reply takes more than a week which is not helpful at all... Anyway, if it is approved you need to make payment online and it will be sent to your email. This permit is valid for 30 days.

Declaration by the captain/authorised airline staff - Again this is a form that you must get online and print to hand over to the staff on the airplane so the captain can sign this document. To be fair nobody asked me for this document but I had it signed just in case. If you hired a pet transport company they should do this step for you. In my case on the first flight the crew was super friendly and helpful (thank you KLM!) and filled it out for me. On the second flight the captain wasn't as friendly, signed the document on the wrong page and refused to sign it where he was supposed to since he "knew" exactly what he was doing. Luckily nobody asked me for this and it turned into a non-issue.

Notification of arrival and booking pet inspection in Singapore - So you are supposed to book this online but the website does not work... Again we tried calling just to be told it has to be done online. Meaning we never did this and I was not charged once arrived in Singapore unlike what they state on their information.

If you comply with a these steps they do not need to quarantine. If you are travelling from a country that requires quarantine you must book it in advance (as in at least 3 months in advance).

And here you go, this is all the paperwork and extremely complicated steps you must follow if you are thinking of bringing your dog to Singapore. I hope this information is helpful, I know I wish someone would have told me this at the time... :) Keep an eye out for the next post where I will tell you about the actual journey from Bermuda to Singapore.

Cheers, Rita