Tiger Tales

A Hidden Heaven

Experience the rainforest from the water`s edge on Cheow Lan Lake, just two hours from Krabi. The primordial cries of hornbills and gibbons provide the soundtrack for adventure outings, reports Julie Seibt

PHOTOGRAPHY BRENT MADISON

The traditional longtail boat skims across the lake on a journey to our floating rafthouse accommodation. The long nose of the wooden vessel cuts through the still waters of Cheow Lan Lake – home to Ratchaprapa Dam – stirring the humid, 32° C air into an intoxicating brew of jungle and lake scents. Limestone outcroppings – formed from the coral seabed over 220 million years – extend upwards from the water, majestically crowning the horizon in all directions. Rich forests in all shades of green stubbornly cling to hillsides. The water colour ranges from azure to emerald to shocking burnt orange where the lake dances with the red earth. Beyond the drone of the car engine that powers the boat, primal cries from the jungle fill the air. For the moment, the eerie sight of dead trees rising out of the lake draws my thoughts to the depths below.

Leafless, lifeless trees stand like tombstones in a watery grave marking the final resting place of lowland wilderness, farmland and communities that were lost 22 years ago. The area, roughly one-quarter the size of Singapore, was flooded to serve as a reservoir for the Ratchaprapa hydroelectric dam. Built by the Electricity Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the dam harnessed the energy from southern Thailand's longest free-flowing river to provide close to two percent of the country's electricity demand at that time.

A wildlife evacuation effort was led by the late Thai conservationist Seub Nakhasathien, who eventually took his life in a desperate cry for the wellbeing of the kingdom's natural world. The operation rescued 1,300 animals but many failed to survive the stresses of relocation. The casualties outside of the rescue were vast: fish died from changes in water depth and temperature, gibbons were trapped on small islands without the minimum 200,000sqm needed to support a family, elephants and deer lost their foraging grounds, caves and ancient trees – home to many creatures – were submerged, and people lost their homes, farms and businesses.

However, there is an upside to the story. The displaced villagers accepted monetary compensation and nearby farmland offered to them by EGAT, and the lake offered them the chance to start over. Today, some of those affected operate simple, floating raft houses for tourists. Others are fishermen, guides or boatmen working 100m above the submerged ghost towns they once called home. Health clinics, schools, temples and orchards still stand on the lake floor as life sails on above.

Cave guide Vuit grew up in a farming family that lived in the lowlands. That was before the flood. Adventure-seeking scuba divers now explore caves that were once a playground for Vuit. Preferring to keep his feet on the ground, he guides us through Coral Cave, or Tum Bagaarang as it is known in Thai. The lake waters carry tourists on

simple bamboo rafts right up to the cave mouth, which was once too high for easy access. With a fluorescent light powered by a battery pack strapped to his back, Vuit leads us into the darkness.

Sommai Somoson, nicknamed “Na”, escorts guests looking for easy access and a fifteen-minute caving experience to Coral Cave. For the more adventurous, he recommends a hike to 500m-long Namtaloo Cave. Four hours is required to hike through the lush jungle, past “communist” bunkers and through the extensive river-fed cave.

In the ‘70s, the area was a stronghold for anti-government activists, labelled as communists, who inadvertently served as conservationists while keeping logging companies and development at bay. Na warns, “It’s a good cave but when big rains come it is dangerous, sometimes with flooding.”

But it’s not just local residents and tourists who have been drawn to this sweet spot over the years. Beth and Dick Balsamo were among the first farang (foreigners) to visit. Beth recalls their first encounter with the area almost 20 years ago: “During a holiday in Khao Sok National Park, we trekked 10km to the lake and got covered in leeches along the way. It was all worthwhile and we vowed to return to enjoy the birds and the wildlife. We did return, and this time we used the fishermen’s pier and brought kayaks atop a songthaew (the two rows of benches in the back of the pickup trucks that are used for public transportation).”

Today, it’s not only the birds that call them back. Dick and Beth offer yoga courses in cooperation with visiting teachers on a floating platform at Cheow Lan Lake. When they’re not on yoga mats, Dick leads participants on jungle treks, but recommends “safaris” by kayak for a less sweaty experience.

Choosing the low-sweat, leechless option, I hop in a kayak well before dawn and sleepily paddle along the shoreline to witness the rainforest awakening. The show begins with the sultry emergence of daylight. Treetops find definition in the fading darkness as the croaking of frogs plays second fiddle to the music of birds and the sound of wingbeats rustling the bamboo. A shape, barely discernible, appears at the water’s edge. Then, as if raising a flagpole to stake its claim, the wild boar hightails it into the bush, leaving behind a gamey, animal scent.

Birdsong gives way to sudden squawks and a crescendo of crashing branches as hornbills plough through the forest canopy. Out of sight, but not out of earshot, a female lar gibbon – an ape with white tufted fur ringing its face – belts out a whooping cry, laying claim to her territory and likely her mate. Later, a troop of gibbons puts on a circus performance, swinging in the treetops. The safari is more about sounds than sights, as the wildlife enjoys the protection of the dense jungle – as it should.

Tales of tiger sightings deepen the intrigue. These fierce predators – along with leopards, sunbear snakes, tapir and wild elephants – remain in small numbers in the forest, but are rarely seen. I am content to enjoy close encounters with dusky langur monkeys as they visit the water's edge for a drink, and with the hornbills' cousins, the woodpeckers, as they busily tap holes in the standing dead trees.

In a tiny bamboo floating bungalow with rattan walls and a thatched roof, I sleep like a baby – baby Moses to be exact, safe in his basket, bobbing on the water. A mosquito net – comforting but largely unnecessary – surrounds my mattress on the floor. I crawl out before first light, flip open my backpack and hear a gentle splash as my mobile phone slides through the bamboo slats into the depths of Cheow Lan Lake. Normally, such a loss would send me into a panic. But here among the peaceful, invigorating energy of water, rocks and rainforest, I simply mumble an apology to the fish that have been invaded by a bit of technology and head out for a starlit swim.

THE FINE PRINT

When To Go:
The wettest months are May through November, when temperatures are consistent with year-round daytime highs of around 30° C. Most guidebooks suggest dry-season visits, but don’t dismiss the rainforest in the rainy season. To enjoy the area at its most tranquil, avoid weekends and national holidays. There’s plenty of peace and quiet on the lake at these times, but hotel rooms that typically accommodate two guests will house eight to 10 Thais.

Getting There:
Cheow Lan Lake in the Thai province of Surat Thani is accessible via the town of Baan Ta Khun, which is about an hour’s drive from Surat Thani town, two hours from Krabi International Airport and just over two hours from Phuket.

Where To Stay:
Book a package through one of Thailand’s many travel agencies or through Thailand’s National Parks Information Centre, tel: +66 (0)7 739 5139, www.dnp.go.th/index_eng.asp Ploenprai Rafthouse is one of the few raft houses with a web page. tel: +66 (0)81 892 6321 or +66 (0)81 893 9583, www.krabidir.com/ploenprairafthouse. A basic stay including three meals starts from THB800/S$35/A$29 per person per night.

What To Do:
Guided Tours: Sommai “Na” Somoson, tel: +66 (0)80 718 2284

Sea Canoe: Thailand’s oldest and most respected kayaking tour business offers excursions to Cheow Lan Lake and beyond, tel: +66 (0)76 528 839~40, www.seacanoe.net

Jungle Yoga: Check the online calendar for yoga retreats and workshops on the lake. Guide Beth Balsamo conducts classes, www.jungleyoga.com

For Further Reading:
Waterfalls & Gibbon Calls – Exploring Khao Sok National Park, by Thom Henley. Visit www.thomhenley.com for other notable books on Thailand’s natural world.