Travel: Koh Lipe, Thailand

 Welcome back to another post. We visited Koh Lipe in Feb 2023 and I know I'm like 2 years behind on this,  but if you have not heard or been to this island before, this place is definitely something to add to your list if you're visiting Langkawi, Malaysia. 

It's only a 1 hour 30 minutes ferry ride to the lovely island of Koh Lipe from Langkawi. Although that seems like a long time, these ferries are well equipped with AC and comfy seats. I remember some parts of it was a bit choppy so if you tend to get seasick, I would advise to take seasickness medication to prevent getting nauseous. 

Once you get there, the first thing you see is the clear turquoise water surrounding the island. Koh Lipe is a small island, there's only one main high street where most of the bars/restaurants/shops are - the rest goes off into the villager's homes. 

It's easy to navigate and there are no cars/buses, so you either get around by foot or by motorcycles. It can get busy during weekends but nevertheless, you can always go to either end of the island to explore different beaches for some peace and tranquillity. 

Literally Walking Street, is the main high street. It's a long road that has loads of shops and everything you need for your stay. The currency is paid in Thai Baht. Some shops will be expensive (meant for tourist) and some are decent. It's worth taking your time to explore and seeing what suits you best. 

We spent 3 nights 4 days there which is a good enough time to explore the island, relax on the beach, and to snorkel. The pace of life in this island is very relaxed. We stayed in an airbnb on Walking Street and it was very convenient. 

Only thing I will say for tourists, we were not informed (only found this out later), as the island is small and isolated from the mainland, the sewage system is limited. There's notice of not flushing tissue down the toilet and instead, there's a bin provided for you to discard them. 

I know the idea of it sounds gross but this occurs everywhere, in the Airbnb where we stayed, in hotels and even in restaurants. It seems to be a common practice because their flushing system is considered light so to prevent any blockages, they advise everyone to not flush tissues/toilet roll down the loo. 

In terms of the shops, there's plenty of options available from massages, restaurants, grocery/convenient store, juice bars, souvenir shops and even excursion activities.

We enjoyed snorkelling, having loads of fresh seafood and just drinking cocktails by the sea. At night, there were bars and entertainment available that it's never dull. We were up until midnight but it was still brightly lit and safe to walk around.

I don't want to spoil it too much but at the same time, I want to say if you're looking for an island escape that's 'untouched' and experience Thailand without flying, then I would highly recommend Koh Lipe. 

Things may change over the next few years as the island becomes more popular so take my advice with a pinch of salt. 

Thanks for reading, see you in my next post,

G