Koh Lipe misadventure Part 1 : Sadao-Hatyai

My destination for the last leg on September, before I start my new job- is Koh Lipe (Lipe Island), well, since my family dad rejected the idea, I proceeded to go there myself on 20th September because I found a cheap ticket to Langkawi on the 19th. :D 

I actually wrote this earlier but it was damn lengthy, (yes, this is considered short hee) so I have to cut the story short and just keep the excruciating misadventure details to myself.:D

Why I said it was a misadventure is because my original plan was like this,
KL-Langkawi-Satun (Tammalang Port)-Satun (Pak Bara Pier)-Koh Lipe

Instead it became,
KL-Langkawi-Kuala Perlis-Changlun-Sadao-Hatyai-Satun (Pak Bara Pier)-Koh Lipe

Friday, 19th Sept. 

After I bid farewell to the colleagues(well some of them) I shoot straight right to Putrajaya Central. Catch the ERL to KLIA2 and running like I have no kidneys towards the gate numbered 20. Which was literally at the end of the airport departure gate.

So I arrived at Langkawi around 9pm. And the room I booked sent their taxi service to pick me up.

My room there was ok. I just need the most basic necessities for only that night so the most important part - aircond and hot shower - are covered then its already ok for me.

Saturday, 20th Sept.

I missed the 9am ferry to Satun. The next trip will be at 1pm.
After panicking for half a minute, I asked the taxi drivers any other route to Satun. They told meI could take a ferry to Kuala Perlis and a taxi from there to Satun. So I did.
At this time I was still hopeful that I can make it to Lipe today.
Kuala Perlis ferry was at 10am. Cost RM30. I arrived around 1130am and asked the cab fare there. It was a whopping RM150 for a 2hours ++ drive. By this point I knew I'm not gonna make it to Pak Bara on time for the Lipe ferry but I'm trying to be positive that there will be some 2pm and 3pm ferry departing according to the internet.

So I went to the bus station. Hop on one of the KL bus and the driver dropped me at Changlun, Kedah. Cost me RM15 for the ride. So following the advice the bus driver gave me during the ride, I took a motor ride service to the border. They have this service bringing people through custom checkpoints to a van place in Sadao, Thailand. Was like only 10 minutes ride. It cost RM10. The pakcik who give me a ride(who can speak Siamese) help me talked to the van guy on my destination. I asked if both the lady and the guy who sell van tickets know how to speak English but they say no. They didn't seem to know any Malay either. Fucking liar. Changlun was like, right there, next to them. If the pakcik who live in Changlun can speak Siamese why the hell these people who live in Sadao can't speak Malaysian?

Long story short I asked this American lady buying tickets there. Since nobody there seems to understand English or Malaysian, or pretend not to, This lady, Jackie turned out had been staying in Thai for few years. So she suggest instead of going to Satun, I just stay in Hatyai for one night. And buy a ticket from Cathay Travel and Tours who provide a van trip to Pakbara+ferry to Lipe for 600THB tomorrow morning, so I agreed. The pakcik just now, after making sure I got my tickets, went back to Changlun.

Jackie even gave me a ride using her scooter from the bus station to the city center where she dropped me to a guesthouse and the Cathay Travel and Tour booth. Cost per night was 240THB. Damn cheap. No aircond but I dont really care about aircond. There's also Tune Hotel around the corner which cost 780THB. With wifi! But then I think I should not spent unnecessary money in Hatyai since it wasn't in my plan and since I already loss a day NOT in Lipe, I might need to extend my stay there. So I stayed at the 240THB room.

It was super spacious like triple the size of the one in Langkawi and I got the queenbed all to myself. I slept until 5pm then I went out to look for something to eat. 

Kind of remind me of Jakarta a little.

People can speak English here so its way better than in Sadao. They have this fashion show event in the middle of the city. But I don't really like cities so nothing caught my attention. Interesting thing was, I look like locals, everywhere I go they'll speak Siamese with me until I opened my mouth and they realized I'm not.
I am so south east Asian, I could pass as a Thais, Indonesians, Filipino, Cambodia or any other south east Asian country. Easy breezy. (^_^)

It was getting dark and I still couldn't find any place I could have dinner.
Then I met a group of Malaysians outside the bazaar and asked them any place where I can get halal food. they mentioned a place called Hamid restaurant. And a street of stalls selling Muslim food, nasi lemak and teh tarik there. Then he said, 'alah sini dorang banyak boleh cakap Melayu. Tanye je. Haha.'

Then I realize it, Hatyai is basically Malaysia. A lot of Muslims there and I look like one of them.  So I shouldn't really feel worried. Its just Hatyai dya come on. Haha.

So after having my nasi goreng pattaya at Hamid restaurant, I went back to my room, read a novel and sleep again.

Sunday, 21st Sept
The next morning, I came down at 75am and went for a roti canai atthis place called Maliam Restaurant. Van to Pak Bara Pier only depart at 9am, so I just walk around nearby area to kill the time.

Roti canai tastes a little different here, but still ok.

Lipe story continues in the next post.

P/S:Sorry for the not so pretty and unchronological photos.
I really don't like cities. And didn't even bother to snap pictures properly.:D