A Day In The Jungle

[H2oDunc]

Well the electric people were kind enough to come and tell me no electric for a few days whilst they fixed something somewhere so decided to have a day exploring the island. You tend to get blaise after a while so packed a bag, grabbed the camera and filled the bike up with gas. I thought I would head inland for a change rather than heading to the coast to find nice beaches. Headed towards Taling Nam and turned left instead of right and headed up the hill towards the army camp. Just after the camp the road has simply dropped down the mountain, as they do, Meaning a bit of off-roading already

The road up towards the peak view restaurant was littered with rocks and fallen trees but was passable with care. At the top the restaurant didn't look open so headed inland following the signs for Tartain waterfall. The road soon became a track and the going for my little Gagiva 150 was tough.

Pretty soon had to give up getting to the waterfall due to the condition of the track so doubled back and took another turning that looked promising. After some very demanding riding to get up the mountain I ended up at the top of what must be the highest point on the island. They have erected a large standing Buddha here which is stunning. You have panoramic views all around and when they remove the scaffolding it will be a must see place like Big Buddha in Bangrak is. Only the access will need to be sorted out first

Looking on a map it looks like the place was Yao Khao viewpoint ?

Wobbled back down the mountain with a grin on my face and decided I needed a bigger more suitable bike.

A quick trip into Nathon and I picked up a Honda XR 250 and the missus. Back we went and though the missus was a little hesitant at times once there she was glad she had come.

The bigger bike made things a lot better and put a big grin on my face. The missus wasn't ready for real off-roading so went the next morning by myself to see if I could make the waterfall on the XR.

Getting there was challenging but well worth it. I really was in the middle of nowhere just surrounded by jungle. STUNNING.

I saw a part of Samui that I didn't know existed.

I used to do a little trail riding back in the UK as I didn't live far from the moors but this was in a different league all together.

I am looking to make it a regular thing so if anybody has an inkling to join me or can point me in the direction of some similar tracks just let me know.

A few pictures of the trip and the ride.

[BusterMinal]

I can only speak from a mountain biking point of view but if I want to get to the top on my side of the island I go up Maenam Soi 5 or the turn off next to Autoboy in Nathon. Both are concrete most of the way up but when you get to the top you can have a roam around off road.

If you go up Soi 5 and turn left at the top you'll end up in Lamai eventually unless you can find a track down to the right which would take you back over towards Taling Ngam.

When I'm motivated I'll get a few GPS routes together.......

Cheers

[Birdman]

Have been inland too last week with my pick up, but was stopped on the new road by that hole. U-turned and parked besides the river to relax a bit with my wife on our mat. Not too long and with an enormous noise a group of motor crossers came out of the wild through a steep earth path in the back. They were 100% properly equipped for such tough rides. The wild bunch crossed the river and speeded away on the other side.

Times changed, I have to say, since locals have to be explained what a mountain bike is, why people like riding that and writing down the zeros after the 1, when they asked for a price without believing it.

[Tracer Round]

This, if you recall, is the Buddha that was cast on the grounds of Wat Lamai.

[julesandmartin]

I would beg Dunc that now you know the beauty of the interior you dont glorify or encourage ruining its peace and tranquility by the use of motobikes.

These machines that seem to be deprived of exhaust pipes are a thundering noise pollution threat to the tranquility of the only remaining area of Samui currently safe from the farang tourist inspired rape of a beautiful Island.

Please take the opportunity to improve your fitness and reduce your stress levels by talking your wife on a lovely walk up there, with a picnic and a few cold one's it is a beautful way to truly appreciate the fragility of nature and not one that needs to be shared with a machine.

[H2oDunc]

I would beg Dunc that now you know the beauty of the interior you dont glorify or encourage ruining its peace and tranquility by the use of motobikes.

These machines that seem to be deprived of exhaust pipes are a thundering noise pollution threat to the tranquility of the only remaining area of Samui currently safe from the farang tourist inspired rape of a beautiful Island.

Please take the opportunity to improve your fitness and reduce your stress levels by talking your wife on a lovely walk up there, with a picnic and a few cold one's it is a beautful way to truly appreciate the fragility of nature and not one that needs to be shared with a machine.

I'm sorry but I was not tearing up the countryside as you suggested. The bike was rarely over tickover as the roads are so bad.It has a perfectly serviceable exhaust and please don't give me the co2 pollution crap as that is all it is. Have you never noticed that some of the most prolific plant growth you get is besides the road ?

To get fit I dive and I swim. I don't want to walk up the mountains thank you very much.

I can and will appreciate the beauty of the island but will not be walking up the mountain to see it I will be riding, SLOWLY up it.

I don't do preaching !

[Tracer Round]

Dirt bikes are nothing new.

About three years ago, a friend was up in the hills with his Yamaha Mio and he and another person had pulled off the main broken rock and dirt track to take stock when without warning (no growing sound) two big dirt bikes came thundering over the small rise 30 meters away and ripped past, rooster-tailing gravel. Had the two on Mios been on the main track (which they had been moments before), they would have been hit at speed and there is no telling what damage and injury would have been done.

On the smaller bikes one has to go at a crawl; on proper big dirt bikes, one can roar around the tracks.

Good fun for both, but remember that there is no partitioning -- ripping over that blind rise you might hit a farmer or tourist head on.

But just remember it is all the fault of H2oDunc for "glorifying [and] encouraging [the] ruin [of] its [the beauty of the interior] peace and tranquility by the use of motobikes"....

[Familyonthemove]

Thanks for posting ..... sounds like a good trip. I bet off roading two-up was interesting!

[joe84330]

thanks for the pics. i'm only really posting though to take exception with the "farang rape" of the island. having personally taken more than 100 kilos of trash off of my beach in the last two weeks it's pretty clear to me who is responsible for "raping" this area. get off the beach and onto the roads and i don't see any farang driving trucks or motorbikes belching disgusting smoke into the air either. i remember showing a customer around the island once and i was driving behind a school bus when 3 separate children took turns throwing plastic garbag, cups etc. out onto the road. any attempts to place some blame that aren't directed squarely at the thai's that live or visit here is disingenuous to say the least.

[julesandmartin]

Thank you for your comments and apologies if any offence caused which was not the intention of my post.

A wider debate would of course include the Thai attitude to environmental issues however I would suggest that the superior education us ex-pats have been afforded would hopefully lead us not to abort social responsibility simply 'because they do'. The vehicles and people you speak of are hardly the indiginous Thai's of Samui but mainly the bussed in construction and tourism related workers and families all here to earn in some way from serving the requirements of the 'foreign visitor'. Without such visitors these people or vehicles would not be required and neither would their mess. You selectively interpret my rape comments as a slant against the Farang when you failed to read the word 'inspired by' which within this context is correct.

Having walked the interior many times the reality is not one of beltching trucks and litter. The sight and sounds of an occassional smiling farmer on his moped up there is not one I or anyone should seek to remove however the encouragement of the hiring of high powered off road dirt bikes to seek personal thrill at the expense of all others is unneccesary and selfish.

What about a deal, I wont encourage my visitors to hire Jetskis to bugger up your swimming, diving or fishing enjoyment and environment if you leave mine alone

' '

[joe84330]

hm, i don't think any of the fishermen on the entire south coast, nathon or even bang rak fall into the bussed in construction or tourism workers category. looking at what they've done to local fish populations and beach quality i'd say that they just don't give a shit. i remember spending a few days cleaning the beach around bang rak a few years ago where the new seatran ferry is located and having to move my trash bags around some of these fishermen sitting on the beach with one of their engines draining oil into the sand. and they sat there looking at me like i'm crazy. perhaps they are right, i am still "wasting my time" picking up garbage left behind by all of the thai's when i could be doing something productive.

[Rooo]

hm, i don't think any of the fishermen on the entire south coast, nathon or even bang rak fall into the bussed in construction or tourism workers category. looking at what they've done to local fish populations and beach quality i'd say that they just don't give a shit. i remember spending a few days cleaning the beach around bang rak a few years ago where the new seatran ferry is located and having to move my trash bags around some of these fishermen sitting on the beach with one of their engines draining oil into the sand. and they sat there looking at me like i'm crazy. perhaps they are right, i am still "wasting my time" picking up garbage left behind by all of the thai's when i could be doing something productive.

Leaked Photo of Joe84330 at his office: :

[joe84330]

hm, i don't think any of the fishermen on the entire south coast, nathon or even bang rak fall into the bussed in construction or tourism workers category. looking at what they've done to local fish populations and beach quality i'd say that they just don't give a shit. i remember spending a few days cleaning the beach around bang rak a few years ago where the new seatran ferry is located and having to move my trash bags around some of these fishermen sitting on the beach with one of their engines draining oil into the sand. and they sat there looking at me like i'm crazy. perhaps they are right, i am still "wasting my time" picking up garbage left behind by all of the thai's when i could be doing something productive.

Leaked Photo of Joe84330 at his office: :

hey! i never gave anyone permission to use that photo!