If you have missed my Koh Adang travelogue series, you can find them here:
As we decided to spend more days in Koh Adang than we initially planned, we set off to Pirate Waterfall for a picnic. There is no tour or guide available for offer to bring us picnic. We heard of the Pirate Waterfall from travellers we had met and the sign near the resort centre. Other travellers had done the trip to Pirate Waterfall on their own. So why not go on our own as well?
We took off at 8.00a.m. together with a bag full of coco crunch and junk food. It was an easy trekking for the first 45 minutes. There was a beaten trail from which we just followed. Crossing the fallen timbers, choosing the right track at jungle junction and perseverance to walk despite our exhaustion were among the things we did in search of the Pirate Waterfall.
We were thrilled to climb big rocks which we believed, would lead us to the waterfall. Weird as it was, there were plenty evidence to show that it was indeed a route not taken by many – mossy steps, spider webbed, no tracks. My biggest fear was getting lost in the jungle without knowledge. Alternatively, we tried a different path but to no avail.
The only thing we found was a small water container to which the river water flowed, with a set of big boulders and crossing timbers. That was all. It was too small for us to bath. The water was pristine, cold and clear. We listened to the cricket sound and the river water as we munched on our junk food and coco crunch. Oh yes, I love to be in the jungle to listen to just this. Peaceful.
We headed back to the beach not without any difficulty. Our major task was to climb a boulder. There was no tree branch or tree root that we could hold on to climb. There was no step which could assist us climbing. It was literally bouldering, grab the boulder by bare hands, control weight and gather inner strength to push the body forward. That alone took us 10 minutes each.
So, the next time someone wants to go to Pirate Waterfall, consider hiring a local as guide.
It’s pay-back time after the frustration. Like they say, life’s a beach. With a beach to your own self, you can even go skin-dipping without having the risks of potential threat of pictures published somewhere. The beach is empty. Boats passed by the shore as a fleeting glance.
We climbed a huge rock and proclaimed a small beach behind the rock ours.
We floated. We jumped high in the air into the sea. Such a carefree life. Like a free bird.
The rest was only repetition of what we had done the previous day. Lying by the beach, going back to Koh Li Pe for food and exchanging travel tales with other travellers.
All in all, camping by the beach is an awesome experience, especially in a spontaneous trip like this one. I have been to many islands; this has the least number of human populations in the island. I’d recommend Koh Adang, instead of Koh Li Pe for lesser crowd and beautiful beaches.