Morakot

The unpromising entrance to the sea cave

 In my last post I referred to a beach of dreams at Nui Bay but on my four island Andaman Sea snorkelling trip south of Koh Lanta I was taken to an even dreamier beach - so dreamlike it made me gasp with amazement. Have I been anywhere on this planet more naturally wonderful and beautiful? I very much doubt it.

The longtail boat chugged across a gentle seascape that glistened fabulously in hazy tropical sunshine. There were only six pssengers on board and we had already made two snorkelling stops at looming limestone karst islets. Ahead of us lay the larger island of Koh Mook. We could see a couple of other boats anchored near steep limestone cliffs. Perhaps this was The Emerald Cave I had noticed in the itinerary leaflet.

So I would be swimming into a sea cave. It looked rather dangerous to me and I imagined my skull cracking on the sea cave's roof as the swell lifted us up. We donned fluorescent lifejackets and dived in. One of our longtail sailors guided us into the cave with a torch held aloft. We swam into inky shadows where all you could see was the torchlight bobbing and then I realised there was daylight ahead.

We swam round the corner to see the dark frame of  the inner cave entrance opening up to reveal a most secret and gorgeous white beach. The sun was directly overhead like a theatrical spotlight and it was as if we had reached the bottom of a crater. There were hundred foot cliffs all around us swathed in tropical greenery. The only way in here was through the sea cave - a hundred metre swim.

So this was what Morakot (Emerald) Cave was all about. Not so much the cave but the little piece of Eden you met on the other side. There was a balance to the vegetation. Each tree, each shrub had earned its niche over thousands of years and they met together in a windless equilibrium, safe from storms, entertained by sweet birdsong. Here, legend says, pirates once holed up. I can believe it. Such a secret and magical place. I just wish I'd had my camera with me to record this masterpiece from Mother Nature.

The secret beach at Morakot, Koh Mook

So now I am back in Bangkok. This morning I have spent an hour or two squeezing stuff into my mammoth navy blue suitcase and hoping it doesn't break the weight limit. My flight leaves at 9.20pm - returning to the real world - England my England - where I am sure that from time to time I will recall the jaw-dropping spectacle of Morakot's inner beach. Some things you never forget.