30 January Crocodile Cave, Koh Tarutao

Following our brief stay in Telaga, Langkawi; a case of in and out of Malaysia in five days, we returned to Thailand. Our mission on this, our third journey from Langkawi to Phuket, was to visit places new to us.

Our first evening was spent at Ao Sane beach, south Koh Tarutao. In the late afternoon sun we kayaked up the river, a slow lazy river meandering through the mangroves. It was unusual not to hear many bird calls; eerily quiet apart from the buzz of flies.

Park jetty

Next day we moved five miles north and picked up one of the four National Park mooring balls at Ao Pante where another river empties in to the sea, site of the park rangers HQ and visitor centre. This time we saw more wildlife on our kayak tour; a wild pig swimming taking an afternoon swim.  It happened as we were approaching the river mouth; there was a log in the water ahead. As we got closer it turned out not to be a log but a hog. A small, dark, hairy pig swimming 100m offshore coming from the direction of the north shore and heading towards the sandy beach and visitor centre. As soon as we realised it was a pig we manouvered ARK (Animal Rescue Kayak) behind the animal to encourage it to continue swimming towards the beach and not out to sea. Once little pig reached shallow water trotters were lowered and it galloped up the beach and disappeared into the trees.

swimming pig

It was a hard paddle up river against the outgoing tide.  We'd read about a cave, 2kms up river, which is noted for it's stalactites and stalagmites, but it was going to be too far to paddle against the current today so we drifted, explored side streams and called at the visitor centre on the way back to Jackster.  
From morning to late afternoon the jetty is busy with day tourists arriving by speed boat, but by 5 o'clock it is much quieter with only park staff and the few guests staying in the park bungalows or in tents on the beach. 
Koh Tarutao is more low key, less developed then many of the islands in Thailand. The facilities are simple but good, visitors stroll along a network of paths or hire bikes and kayaks to explore further. We visited the library and a display of the history of the island; it was a penal colony until just after WW2 and an important place for turtles to come and lay their eggs. The prisoners have gone, the turtles too because we didn't see protected nesting areas or a hatchery. There is a display of Crocodile Cave (Tham Jorakae) which includes the skeletal head of a crocodile said to have been found in the cave and hence the name. The suggested reason is when there were many crocodiles living on the island  they would crawl in to the cave to access the fresh water river which flows through it, but like the prisoners and turtles they have left, or been killed.  Intrigued by Crocodile Cave we concluded we had to have another go to find it.

walkway into entrance to Crocodile Cave

Next morning, on a rising tide, we took the dinghy up the river.  After one wrong turn and retracing our path we found it. The simple rule we didn't know was if you come to a choice of left or right, turn right. There were two right hand branches; one where the river forked and the second a clear right hand turn into a smaller tributary with the mangrove pressing closer. By lucky chance a guided tour in a long tail boat arrived at the wooden jetty at the same time as we did so we could follow them over a rocky path and to the entrance. An elevated walkway has been built into the mouth, which gives an indication of the size, of the cave where a stream flows out. This walkway leads to a platform from where you can climb down a steep ladder and on to a plastic floating raft. By good chance, and the generosity of the tour guide, we were invited to join the party of three; two French girls and and Englishman, on their tour.   

Calm river

It was the start of an unexpected and amazing journey.  Sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them. Sitting and crouching on the raft our guide picked up a rope beside the raft; one end was tied to the steps we'd climbed down and the other end disappeared into the back of the cave. This turned out to be a narrow, ceiling height tunnel which we were to travel through for 500m to reach the cavern inside. Hanging from the roof were small bats. There's no natural or artificial light here. We'd brought torches. The tunnel opens out into a cathedral size cavern with huge stalactites and stalagmites. It is incredible. Along one side between a steep drop and a vertical wall of rock a fresh water stream flows. It is big enough to kayak through and (other people) have done it. Inside the cathedral we were able to walk 400m in to the extent of the pedestrian accessible area and could see the cave continuing further into the hill.  We read the tunnel extends several kilometres back, possibly to Ao Bak (?) and that  professional cavers have ventured further though for the regular visitor it was a no go.    Crocodile cave is hot and muggy inside.

longtail tour heading back to jetty

Coming back on the raft through the tunnel and out in to the sunshine David and I agreed this was probably the best cave / hong experience we've had, or likely to have, in Thailand.   Motoring back down river we were passed by our new friends waving to us from the long tail.   It had been a great way to spend a morning.