Ligaya in West Thailand

Ao Po and the area around the marina.

The Ao Po Marina is in the north east of the island of Phuket - where the numbers are clustered in the picture.

I am trying to explore as much of the island as I can by bike - my tracks are shown in blue.

The infamous Patong is bottom left of the picture, and the main town of Phuket bottom right.
We arrived in the rainy season, which normally finishes around the beginning of November. We have had lots of rain and some spectacular sunsets.
Although Thailand is a Buddhist country, this part of Phuket is a strongly Muslim. There are two small villages. The main industry is fishing, and the support of the fishing industry.
Where there are boats there will be boat builders. These two guys re-planked most of a long-tail boat, working on the beach, with very basic tools.
There is a scattering of abandoned boats on the beach. Some in a better state than others,
Every time that the boats come back in, the nets have to be cleaned, removing the crabs and shells that get caught in the mesh. It seems to be quite a social event, with plenty of banter going on between the people.
This young fellow was being encouraged to learn the art of net untangling. Always best to start them young.
While the nets are being cleaned and sorted, often the fishermen take their ease and just keep an eye on proceedings.
This man makes big crab-pots. I often see him working inside a pot, as he adds the finishing touches. I'd say he makes about two a week.
Along the beach houses, bars and restaurants are built out on stilts over the beach. Some are better built and maintained than others.
The tidal range here is a couple of meters and the shallow water goes a long way offshore. The long-tails are limited by the tide as to when they can go our and when they can return.

There is quite a large group of sea-gypsies living out in the bay. Some times they bring their house in to the beach, maybe to go shopping or to trade their catch.

Most, like this one, have a run at the back of the boat for birds. This one had ducks, but most seem to keep chickens. When I take an early morning walk along the beach, it is weird to hear lots of cocks crowing from far out to sea.
This house is well set up, with a long-tail boat pulled up beside the house and a crab pot on the beach ready to go.
Scattered along the beach are many hammocks. It is rare not to see somebody taking their ease in a communal hammock. This girl is acquiring the art of relaxation at an early age.
Away from the beach there are several small hamlets, and I often see this man doing his rounds selling a variety of brushes.

There are plenty of buffalo in this area. I do not know if these are water-buffalo, but they certainly seemed to be enjoying the wet weather we had.

I have learned to be wary of going too fast on my bike round a blind bend - I have been surprised a few times by groups of buffalo wandering up the road.
It is still odd to me as to how many very modest houses in the middle of nowhere have a big dish to get TV reception.

Outside of the towns, very few houses have running water. You often see people bathing under a communal tap in the mornings.

This is the municipal laundry. I pass this on my early morning rides.

It is sobering to think that Patong, with all of it's excesses is a scant 30 kms or so from here.

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Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The food street at the Festival