Koh Yao Noi island offers magic discoveries

They warned us in Bangkok not to go to southern Thailand during the rainy season, and the downpour that greeted us in Phuket seemed our lesson for not heeding the advice. We head to Bangrong pier, from where the ferries to Koh Yao Noi, our actual destination, leave. A so-called speedboat -- actually a longboat with a souped-up engine -- waited for us. Our mood was lifted when we found a fresh pineapple and stunningly scenting jasmine wreaths under deck. As the sun suddenly broke through the soup of clouds, while we roared across the sea, the aloha feeling was restored. We should not have buried the sunblock so deep in our baggage after all. During the one hour boat ride, the whole fantastic panorama of legendary Phang Nga Bay showed in front of us: Bizarre limestone rocks rising out of turquoise water like the back of a sunken giant dragon. Wherever plants can take root, the stone was overgrown in deep green. Ao Phang Nga is probably Thailand's most famous national park, since 007 searched here for The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974. Tiny Koh Tapu, known as James Bond island ever since, is probably the most photographed sight in the vicinity. More astonishing still is that the islands Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai (Little Long Island and Big Long Island) have yet to be swamped by mass tourism. They are situated in the middle of four main tourist destinations: Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Koh PhiPhi (yes, where they shot Leonardo di Caprio's The Beach). And still everybody seems just to pass on by the islands. We drove to the sheltered eastern coast of Koh Yao Noi. From the waterside, we almost did not recognize the mainly alang-alang (thatch) covered bungalows of the few resorts behind the coconut trees. After splashing from the boat to the white sandy beach, our eyes meet the beautiful view to the rocky formations of Krabi. The same panorama greeted us with glittering sunbeams the next morning. Apart from the meditative roaring of the sea and some bickering birds, there was nothing much to hear. People in our resort told us there were many ghosts. In the morning, though, we did not encounter anything out of the ordinary. Probably our motorbikes were too loud and we would have done better to rent some mountain bikes. The only cars and public transportation were some pick-ups. A winding little street goes around the whole island, passing traditional stilt houses, rice paddy fields with wallowing water buffaloes and rubber plantations. About 60 percent of Koh Yao Noi is covered with the slim trees that get carved every night to collect their sticky juice. There are also fruit plantations: pineapple, banana, jackfruit, rambutan and coconuts. Of about 4,000 people who live on the island, 99 percent are Muslims. But questions about growing violence in the south are brushed aside by the locals as a problem of the mainland. The islanders are as moderate and nationalistic as their compatriots in other parts of the country, and every household proudly presents the portrait of the Thai king. The religion is mainly to be felt by the lack of availability of alcohol: Even the newly opened 7-Eleven does not sell one drop of beer. The resorts have to pay an extra tip to the boatmen when they refill their bars. Behind the main village of Ban Koh Yao Noi with its food stalls, we reach the west end of the island. There are no beaches and at low tide the sea hides behind the mangrove roots. Here, we finally meet our first magic place, when suddenly there is a tropical downpour. We flee under the corrugated iron roof of a fisherman's hut, where the owner immediately has some plastic chairs ready for us. Sitting down, we see the sign ""The Pond Sacred"". ""People come from far to drink or bathe in this holy water,"" explained Konang, who calls himself the guard of the well. The 69-year-old farmer lives with his wife in a wooden shelter. He proudly tells how he once discovered the freshwater spring which is only accessible at low tide. His bad knees recovered thanks to the water, he said. A man in a wheelchair could walk again after bathing there, and hundreds more have come for the ""cure"". We cannot test it, however, because we came at high tide. As evening approaches, we reach the fishing village Tha Tondo, where we supposedly will find the best sunset view. Despite some clouds we are not disappointed: At 6 p.m., the sky and the sea dive into the red light as if a painter had swung a giant brush. It is the time of maghrib (Muslim evening prayer) and the muezzin calls out. The next morning, we want to go crabbing, and we find ourselves slightly sleepy as we step into the boat. Dozens of prawns swim inside the hull, snatching after our toes. Suddenly, there is a satisfied cry and the boatman holds a giant black tiger prawn, that might double the value of today's catch. Meanwhile, other fishermen patiently remove each crab out of the 500-meter-long net. Really big fishing fleets or steamers are not allowed to enter the bay because of laws protecting the national parks. Once at sea, we enter deeper into the bizarre world of limestone. The strange formations try our fantasies; rugged overhangs and secret lagoons might once have offered ideal hiding places for the infamous pirates of the Andaman Sea. Today they represent perfect challenges for climbers and lonely reefs for snorkelers. At the back of the beautiful lagoon island Koh Hong, we find a small arched bay with a beaming white sandy beach that smoothly merges into a coral reef, full of colorful underwater life. Here, our boatman offers us a great lunch of Thai curry and fried fish prepared by his wife. With full bellies, we cannot resist having a nap in the shadow of some tamarind trees. Our next stop is Koh Loi, at first glance offering nothing apart from some stranded Yakult and Fanta bottles. But then we see the small tunnel. We wade through glittering swarms of tiny fish and suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a hidden lagoon. Air and time seem to have stopped. A powerful chorus of cicadas swells and weakens in following a secret conductor. ""The pythons only come out at night,"" our captain says. I pray the pythons know the rules, too. In the evening, Koh Yao Noi becomes very quiet again. Whoever wants to party had better stay at Phuket. Nevertheless, there is one meeting point for night owls: The Reggae Bar, on the way from Long to Pasai Beach. Islander Mat runs the bar together with his Scottish wife Seonai. ""In the main season we sometimes have parties of up to 80 people,"" he said, grinning almost as broadly as Bob Marley on the Jamaican flag behind him. In the off season, the couple has other problems. ""Every night, coconuts fall down on the roof. In future, our guests should wear helmets when using the bathroom,"" Seonai complained. ""You shouldn't go there anyway at night because of the house ghost,"" Mat added. Spirits or not, in the very dark, we are quite lucky to find our bumpy way back to the hotel. And the only ghost I meet in the morning is a little frog waiting in front of the shower. I can assure you I did not kiss it.