Go Beach Koh Lipe, Thailand!

All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came. ~John F. Kennedy , Newport dinner speech before America's Cup Races, Sept. 1962

I love this quote so much.

It makes sense and brings reasons to my inexplicable love for the vast oceans, 

and why i yearn to go back to the sand and sea every now and then. 

I can never quite get bored of Mother Nature's daily screenplay 

of morning sunrises & pristine clear waters.

By a stoke of luck, 

and i would imagine due to laws of attraction, 

i got in touch with Wendy, a yoga instructor, who organizes yoga retreats frequently. 
The harmony of sun sand sea and yoga was too big of a temptation to say no to, 
so in a #yolo fashion i booked a trip with her, without really knowing where i would be staying exactly. 

Lo & Behold, Destination Koh Lipe!
Koh Lipe literally means "Paper Island" in Chao ley language.
It is Thailand's Southern-most island & is home to some 600 descendants of Sea Gypsies.
The early settlers hopped from island to island in search of a sustainable fishing village,
and were later given the rights to inhabit Koh Lipe when they finally decided to stay there for good :)
Today, the island has opened up to tourism but still remains one of the Thailand's best kept secret. 

Koh Lipe is still in its infancy stage of commercialism (thankfully), 

but that meant travelling was quite a bitch.

Plane to Langkawi --> Ferry Transfer to Koh Lipe --> Tuk Tuk Ride to Lipe Resort 

Immigration Office on the beach

A short tuk tuk ride to our beach resort!

Lipe Beach Resort - Reception Area :)

A stroll to our beachfront huts..

Presenting, my humble abode for the next 2 nights :D

Peace & Bungalow for Rent :)

Sights and Sounds of the Walking Street at night :)

Seafood feast on Pattaya beach

Sand in our feet, Chang beer in our hands, seafood feast under the full moon, 
live music, fire-eaters, sounds of the crashing waves...
It was a fabulous start to our retreat!!! 

 Morning sunrise suprise :)
The time was 6:10am,
I got woken up by the sister and opened by eyes to this spectacle..

Getting ready for Yoga at the crack of dawn..

The next morning, we woke up exceptionally early to catch the sunrise unfold..

It started with a beautiful reddish pink..

We turned around to find the moon still hanging above our huts, 

while the sun rose on the other end of the horizon 0.o

I think it was the first time i ever saw the sun and moon in the same piece of sky above my head..

We took a stroll down to our yoga deck, 

along the way the sun slowly rose to cast a orange hue..

Castaway Sunrise Yoga Deck 

Chillin' on the deck, waiting for lessons to start..

Sports tights couresy of Hummelsport!

Happy faces at the end of the session! 

Post-yoga & pre-dive brekkie! 

The breakfast selection was perfect at the Castaway resort!

We had eggs, croissant, eggs benny, banana cameralized pancakes, fruit platter, 

museli + yogurt & freshly squeezed orange juice :D

My last dive was in.. 2012!!

Gosh it has been so long!

Castaway Dive Shop 

Nothing is quite exciting as a boatful of divers and snorkelers ready to explore 

the Andaman Underwater Treasures! 

Finally taking the plunge!!

Just look at how clear the water is...

Went island hoping and took to the beaches of ko adang,

where i found a branch perfect for some Vogue poses... 

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Yoga Flying Pose! 

Step 1: Find the right placement of the feet on the hips

Step 2: Up we go! Balance..

Step 3: Lift up the left hand

Step 4: Lift up the left hand

Final step: LET IT GO AND FLY!!!

The Sunset Yoga Entourage

A true cleanse of the body, mind and soul requires us to dig deeper into our minds 

and question what truly makes us happy. 

I always find it a joy to step away from the digital life we live in, 

away from the mundane insignificant distractions we face everyday 

so that we can focus our mind and energy on the things that actually matter.

I forgot when was the last time i ever noticed the sunrise or sunset in Sg,

i forgot what it was like to fully absorb a moment and have nothing else on the mind. 

Even as i was strolling along the white sandy beach i caught myself thinking of to-do lists 

when i'm back in Singapore. 

How and when did that habit start?

I had such a lovely time staying in that little bamboo hut, 

with nothing but a mattress, a mosquito net and some showering facilities. 

It kept our huts cool during the hot afternoons, 

and was able to shield us from the strong winds at night. 

 Back to basics. 

In the words of my Yoga Instructor, Wendy, 

"The beauty of sunrise and sunset is that they are about the moment. 

Life is just like that. Each moment is one that will never be repeated again. 

Stop thinking about the past or worrying about the future. 

Be present. Enjoy each moment, each breath."

Read more about my other beach travels here :D

Go Beach Rawa Island

Go Beach Nikoi Island

Go Beach Bintan, Indonesia

Go Beach Perhentian Island