April 8th, 2013 - Klong-Mu-Dong Views Point

After taking the shuttle bus to Panwa Beach and stopping at The Beach Bar for some of their killer papaya salads, we finally decided to take the trek up to Klong-Mu-Dong Views Point. It was not as much of a hike as we’d anticipated. Here we’d been avoiding it, thinking it was like three kilometers past the beach or something, but it turns out it isn’t far at all.




Klong-Mu-Dong Views Point is located above Panwa Beach, just 500 metres or so past the restaurants and resorts, up along the Khao Khad road. (Their informational poster will tell you, more specifically, that it is located at Moo.6, Vichit District, Amphur Muang, Phuket. You can find more info about the area by checking out their website at www.phuket-vichit.go.th)





It stretches quite far and consists of a series of little covered picnic-type areas with benches and a seemingly endless length of concrete fence painted and shaped to look like it is made out of wood.

This concrete/faux-wooden post is frowning. We don’t know why.

It is not, however, made out of wood, and we figured this was for the best as the concrete is nice and sturdy so us crazy foreigners can’t accidentally plummet to our deaths if we lean on it. And there is some serious plummet-potential here, so, you know…probably best not to lean on it in the first place. Just saying.

There are also giant fish statues.

It offers a nice little area to stop and rest on the walk while taking in the sights.



And the sights, let me tell you, are definitely worth the walk! This is a 180^o ocean view overlooking Ao Makam and Cape Panwa.



As you can see, we had good weather today and, as such, were able to get a nice view of the islands in the distance.



The flora in this area is gorgeous; all lush jungle and towering trees and vibrantly colored flowers. As far as fauna goes, there isn’t too much to see. I suppose if you looked really hard you’d come across all manner of lizards and such creatures, but mostly all we see on our walks in this area are stray dogs, occasionally cats, plenty of chickens and ducks, and some wild birds. No monkeys or elephants, but I’m sure we’ll come across those fabled creatures eventually during our time in Phuket.

This particular tree we came across looked ancient. It was covered in vines and consisted of dozens of twisting branches. It had a very fairytale-esque quality to it; the kind of tree that you might expect to read stories about it housing magical sprites or eating small children when they misbehave.

This was another one of those days when we left the house thinking we didn’t really need sunscreen. It was overcast in the morning, after all, so even though we should have anticipated being scorched by the sun by this point, as always, we didn’t see it coming.

So pitiful were we on our long walk home—trekking up hill after hill after godforsaken hill (I have no idea how everything in this area can be completely uphill everywhere, logic says there should be a downhill at some point, but there never is!), dying from the unrelenting heat and apparently as red as ripe tomatoes from sunburn—that some kind strangers actually stopped us on the road and gave us a ride back to our hotel.

Not going to lie, had a creeper in a white sketch-van rode up to me at that point and offered me candy to get into his van, I probably would have. Not even probably. I totally, hands-down, would have jumped at the offer, because good lord, it was hot and we were beyond exhausted. We were practically dragging ourselves up the hill at that point, all hunched over and panting like old dogs.

After getting home and taking a look in the mirror, it was apparent why someone stopped for us. We were in a sad, sad state.

But, point is, people here are amazing. Every time we walk down the streets in Panwa, people smile and wave and little kids say ‘Hello!’ all excited and cute, and sometimes total strangers stop to give you a ride when you look like you need it, free of charge and with a friendly smile, just because they are good people. It may not have a lot to offer for the adventurous party-going types, but the people here make Panwa a charming and beautiful place worth visiting.



- LuckyStar