Go south It has neither white sandy beaches nor colourful coral reef, however, Ko Sukorn, a small but cute island off mainland Trang is more charming than many other touristy places. On a motorcycle, I traversed the empty road that runs side by side the beach. Rice paddies were on one side and a calm beach on the other. Under the shade of coconut trees, water buffaloes grazed leisurely, occasionally passing curious glances at the passing vehicles. Not many places in Thailand offer such a mixed atmosphere of farms next to beaches. Ko Sukorn lies off the coast of Trang Province in south Thailand. Its name literally translates into the "island of pigs" which is rather unusual because 95 percent of the population here is Muslim. At the end of the island tour, allow me to say, I didn't spot a single pig. "There is a legend about a junk that sunk here and the cargo it carried floated around for a while before turning into islands. The junk became Ko Petrea (shaped like a boat), the lamp became Ko Takiang (Lamp Island), the crew became Ko Jangkap, and a stick the crew used to roast pig became Ko Sukorn," a waiter at a beach-side resort told me as he explained to me the origin of the island's name. Actually asking the locals about the origin of its name is a good way to break the ice, and the nice thing is that they don't take offence. On the other hand, they love to chat with tourists. The funny part is that everybody has his own version of the story. One evening, dining at a restaurant that regales patrons with music from the '60s and '70s, I heard another version. "A prince fell in love with a princess from an enemy kingdom. On the day of wedding, the prince sailed to meet his lover but he was under a curse and his ship capsized on high seas. All the cargo on board, among them a roasted pig, subsequently became Ko Sukorn," the waiter told me. But the most plausible explanation behind its name was given to me one morning at a roadside coffee stall by an old man. "Once there were lots of wild hogs on this island," said Mard Tednok. "They were quite dangerous. Apart from attacking people, they destroyed our crops. During harvest season, I had to sleep in rice fields, guarding my crop from the marauding animals." "The island's Muslim residents then enlisted the services of Buddhists living on mainland Trang to hunt down the animals and remove them out of harm's way," he explained. Whatever the reason, I found it easy to fall in love with the simple lifestyle of the island's residents. The island comprises four villages linked by a network of narrow roads best suited for bicycles and motorcycles, but a tad cramped for cars. The most crowded place on the island is the area around the main pier. Beyond that lie hills covered with rubber trees. A handful of resorts sit on the western coast, while the eastern coast boasts a mangrove forest. Although the beaches may not be as attractive as those found at more famous tourist destinations in Thailand, its residents are generous and friendly, waiting to make an impression on visitors. The easy lifestyle of people is a far cry from the rush-hour chaos on urban roads. Each day starts with prayers at the local mosque, after which residents go about their daily chores, travelling by motorcycles. Housewives hit the market to buy vegetables and fresh seafood, while men head to coffee shops for breakfast and some banter. The coffee culture on Ko Sukorn is different too. One morning I sat in one with bamboo walls. Its owner, shirtless, was brewing coffee and sharing a smoke with his customers. "Do you want some sticky rice to go with your coffee?" he asked. I was stunned. Coffee and sticky rice? Unheard of! As it turned, sticky rice is seen as a kind of dessert in southern Thailand. It was served grilled, wrapped in banana leaf. The atmosphere was warm and cordial, perfect for a visitor like me to make friends with local people. "Are you a tourist ? Where are you staying? What places have you visited?" I was bombarded with one question after another. Finishing my first cup of coffee, I was invited to explore the island by one of the patrons, an elderly man by the name of Sanan Charoenrit. "I have a mango tree which bears fruit like a sapodilla," he said. I followed him to his house and he let me taste the fruit. It had a strange taste, neither mango nor sapodilla, somewhere in between. "I am not quite sure what kind of mango it is. My friend brought it from Malaysia where it is called 'Muni'." Sanan, I later learned, was a former kamnan or the headman of a tambon which comprises several villages. In the past when tourist accommodation on the island was still inadequate, he was among the first to open his house to tourists. "I did it for fun. My little house has welcomed tourists from Japan and Scandinavia. Some have spent months here," he said. Besides the warm people, another charm of Ko Sukorn is the picturesque landscape in its southeast. Just steps from the main pier, the lifestyle is different. I saw rubber farmers busy collecting latex from the trees, while fishermen sorted out their catch from the previous night. One of the most scenic routes is the road leading to Ban Laem, a village in the island's southeast. I rode leisurely on the metre-wide road flanked by paddies, occasionally interrupted by vegetable and corn fields, while cattle grazed freely in the fields and the sounds of birds chirping filled the air, just as you would find in Suphan Buri or Ayuthaya. But when I looked east coconut trees, the sound of waves and sea breeze made me think of Bang Saen in Chon Buri, except that the beach was vast, completely quiet with not a single beach umbrella, chair, or somtam vendor in sight. The only thing available on the beach was watermelon, but only if you were lucky. Ko Sukorn is famous for the fruit. In the evening, I was lucky enough to run into a vendor and her push-cart full of watermelons heading to the central market, assisted by her kids. Showing me a medium-size sample she said, "This one costs five baht." So cheap, I couldn't believe, and then she surprised me more by not charging me for the fruit. "That's alright, keep it" she said. She was really generous and I couldn't thank her enough. I was touched by her generosity and started wondering how long the people of this island will be able to retain this charm that had so much endeared them to me. The reason was that a wider road is being built around the island. Once completed it is bound to spur change, for the better or worse it remains to be seen, but there can be no denying that it will phase out the traditional way in which residents commute on the island. But Dick Te Brake of Sukorn Beach Bungalows, who was among the first investors to open a resort on the island a decade ago, disagrees, and chooses to dwell on the positive side of the road. "Rather than disrupt, the road will complement existing mode of travel. Motorcycles will continue to remain a convenient choice. The road will come in handy for moving heavy loads or large groups of people from one point to another. Island residents will still continue to lead a modest lifestyle,"he said with a confidence that was bit flattering. But I still liked it. MORE INFO Trains leave Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok nightly for Trang. For more information, call 1690. From downtown Trang, tourists to Ko Sukorn can share a taxi (25 baht/person) to Yan Takhao district and there take the local bus (30 baht each) to Ta-se pier. Boats leave regularly for Ko Sukorn and the fare is 25 baht/person. Rooms at Sukorn Beach Bungalows are priced 750 to 1,950 baht/night. For more information, call 075-211-457. Rooms at Sukorn Andaman Beach Resort are priced 1,000 to 1,800 baht/night. For more information, call 075-218-990. Ko Sukorn Resort: Rooms priced 500-1,500 baht/night. For more information, call 086-953-8413. Sukorn Cabana Resort: Rooms priced 800-1,600 baht/night. For more information, call 089-724-2326. Trang Island Resort sits in a rubber plantation. Rooms are priced 700-1,500 baht/night. For more information, call 086-812-7558, 083-390-7991. Bangkok Post |