Adventures in Eco-Tourism

This weekend's big adventure was a trip to Klong Klone Mangrove Forest, on the coast about an hour southwest of Bangkok. Some coworkers had gone on this excursion before and had a great time, that, coupled with a great deal on the cost of the trip, encouraged us to try it out.

The trip began with a short boat ride to a "field" of mangroves. We jumped out of the boat and into thick, knee-deep mud. They handed us bundles of mangrove shoots and we plodded out into the fields, planting mangrove shoots where we found empty stakes. Our guides really didn't speak enough English to explain to us why planting mangroves is important, but this website explains a bit. Apparently one of the main sources of income in this area is cockle farming (according to wikipedia a cockle is a "small, edible, saltwater clam"). At one point, the rush on cockles caused over farming and the degradation of their natural mangrove forest habitat. Mangrove planting and conservation efforts have gradually nursed the area back into good health.


The next part of our trip was mud-boarding! We jumped into the waist-deep murky water and got pulled behind the back of our boat on a long board traditionally used in the process of harvesting cockles. This was more or less like wakeboarding on a giant wakeboard. The size of the thing and the slow speed of the boat meant that staying up involved little skill. I still managed to fall in once.


Our main destination was a bamboo house on stilts out in the middle of the bay. These structures are built for fishermen to stay on while on fishing trips. It appears as though you can actually pay to sleep on one of these and have all of your meals cooked for you. Not a bad idea if you are looking for some seclusion! We were fed a delicious meal of fresh seafood-- grilled fish, mussels, and seafood soup along with rice and some fruit (rambutan). After feasting, we all stretched out on the bamboo to enjoy our unique location. It was actually perfect for sunbathing, as our soaking wet clothes prevented us from getting baked in the sun.



The final part of our trip was monkey feeding! We went back into the mangrove forests and threw fruit at wild monkeys! These monkeys are obviously used to tourists bringing them fruit, there were tons of them gathered in this one area, but it was still really fun and a good way to end our trip.


We had rented a car for the day and still had some hours to kill, so we ended up stopping by Amphawa floating market on the way home. This floating market in particular is really busy and touristy since it is so close to Bangkok. I'm not really sure how many "authentic" floating markets actually exist these days. At any rate, the market was flourishing and filled with crowded stalls and boats. The boats on the water serve food. You order your food from a boat and they pass it up to you to eat on the docks. The food looked delicious-- I think it would be worth a visit if you were looking for a unique lunch experience.


Back in Bangkok now, mentally preparing myself for another week with my little munchkins. Last week went well, fewer tears with each day! I'm feeling more and more relaxed teaching... though I have a long way to go before I can feel truly comfortable.