Wednesday, January 2, 2008

In Amphawa, canals are the fastest way to get around


This is a story I wrote after a trip for work in 2002.

With more than 300 canals criss-crossing Samut Songkhram Province and the Mae Klong River, there are plenty of opportunities for boating.

Now, Baan Tai Had Resort promotes kayaking as a way of seeing the province.

"The way of life of the people of province depends on the river," says Patcharodom Unsuwan, the resort's managing director.

But rather than loading tour groups up in noisy, diesel-powered long-tail boats, Patcharodom wants visitors to get into a small boat and use a paddle to get around in the vast network of canals, known in Thai language as klongs (or khlongs).

A map of the klongs is in the works, he says. Until then, about the only hazard kayakers might face will be getting lost.

For those who know the way around, a trip from the resort to the centre of Amphawa takes only 15 minutes by non-motorised boat, via the canals. It's a distance of about 3.5 kilometres, compared to 5km by the river, or 10km by the narrow, winding, bumpy system of roads.

The type of kayaking that is being promoted is different from whitewater sport being undertaken by daredevils in Nakhon Nayok and other extreme places. About the only thing the two activities have in common is the two-bladed paddle.

In Samut Songkhram, it's an easy-going, leisurely activity. The kayaks themselves are easy to use and require no special techniques, such as the eskimo roll. In fact, the boats are quite stable and there's likely no chance of them tipping over. The current in the Mae Klong River and the klongs of Amphawa is negligible and easy to navigate. There are no rocks or rapids.

About the only obstruction would be the palm nuts bobbing on the water's surface. Tourism may not be a major revenue source in Samut Songkhram, but palm tree plantations and catching fish and giant, succulent shrimp from the Mae Klong River are livelihoods for many residents.

Baan Tai Had Resort is on the outskirts of Amphawa town. As of 2002, rates were Bt800 Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the rate is Bt940, a price that includes breakfast.

The resort has five kayaks available. Rental prices have yet to be set. Boat tours, a firefly-viewing dinner cruise and van trips to historical sites can be arranged. There are authentic floating markets in the province. The days they are held depend on the lunar cycle.
Comment: Do a Google search for "Baan Tai Had Resort" and you'll likely get any number of hotel-booking websites. Take your pick. Or, try to contact the resort direct.