Uligan island in Maldives

In the most northern atoll of the Maldives in front of Uligan island we've dropped the anchor. February, 1st around 9 a.m. a motorboat with six officials is approaching and when all are aboard 'Alexandra' we can do customs, immigration and quarantine at the same time. Ship's papers and crew lists are asked in 4 to 6 copy and preferable provided with ship's stamp and signature of master. But everybody is very helpful, so within half an hour we are officially welcomed in the Republic of the Maldives.

Next to the boat the reef begins and the snorkeling is excellent with good coral and heaps of fish that are nog shy at all. In the morning we see the tips of a manta ray that is swimming on the reef. Next minute we are in the water and the manta ray is passing several times really very close, what a majestic and graceful sight!

Uligan village looks a bit dull with sandy roads and high walls around the courts next to the houses. There are no cars, but we see a lot of shiny motorbikes. A small harbour with breakwater is under construction and we can moor our dinghy on the sturdy cay that is finished already. Alongside one of the sandy roads is 'the office' and here we can ask and arrange everything we want. Opposite the office they have a plastic garden table and chairs where we can use internet for free and fill in papers for departure etc. It's a meeting place for the yachties and for the local guys who have a great service to bring new diesel on board the yachts. The Maldives are an Islamic country and the women wear head scarfs, also the girls leaving the school are dressed in white trousers, white skirts, white blouses long sleeved and white head scarfs.

During our stay we make a trip with the local motorboat to two other islands in the atoll where we visit a school, the local boat builders and have a lunch in a small and cosy restaurant. On one of the beautiful beaches of Uligan we have a potluck dinner: the boys have fish, chicken and beef on the rack over the wood fire and the yachties have prepared a dish from their own country: pasta, salads, pancakes and chocolate cookies.

Slideshow Maldives

Bay of Bengal

The leg from Thailand via Sri Lanka to the Maldives (SW of India) is 1550 nm (nautical miles) long, ca. 3000 km, and our first experience with the Indian Ocean. In Thailand we've spent two days in the Nicobar islands, a very commercial happening with over 50 live-a-boards and other dive companies, hopping daily along the several dive sites (almost queuing). Not an attractive place although the water is clear, the coral is colourful and there is quite a lot of fish. To pick up a mooring in one of the against swell protected bays to spend the night is a (too) expensive experience, so time to leave!

Going west there is initially just a little wind, but with some extra sails it is possible to get a speed of 4 knots and we can stop the engine. In the nights there are several 'squalls', short fierce pouring's with a lot of wind, they last about 30 minutes and then all is getting back to 'normal'. On approach of Sri Lanka the wind is getting stronger and we have to make two reefs in the main and reduce the headsail. The hours last long and there are also a lot of container ships and tankers around. We are happy to use our new AIS system where we see on the computer screen which boats are near to us, what is their speed and when they'll pass us on what distance. If the big ships are too close to Alexandra, we have to adjust our course because the container ships never change their direction and we don't know if they have seen our small yacht on their radar. Also a call on the VHF radio is never answered, is our experience.

Past Sri Lanka we sail a few hours in the lee of the island, but then the wind starts blowing again through the strait between Sri Lanka and India. The sea gets rough and unsettled, we tack 70-80 degrees to the wind (20-24 knots) and it is a quite unpleasant trip. Happily we have in the night the light of the full moon and after 24 hours the wind is dying out and we can relax again. In a few hours we can shake out the reefs and in the late evening of January 31st we motor into the most northern lagoon of the Maldives and anchor in front of the (small) island of Uligan. In the morning we see that there are about 20 other yachts anchored around us.

Phuket Thailand

Phuket is the peninsula in the southwest of Thailand and since the '70s this area is assigned to be the resort island for tourists. Chalong is just south of Phuket city and for cruisers this is the place to do customs and immigration. It's also easy here to rent a car or motorbike to explore the countryside. Intriguing is the 'Big Buddha' on the hill that is looking down on the bay. It shows to be an extended complex under construction. Because of the implantation of the eyes (real sapphires that took a few year to collect donations) the head of the Buddha is in scaffolding. Also stairwells and galleries are in the planning. The 'Wat Chalong' is a temple complex nearby with six buildings in a park area. Every temple is devoted to another Buddha, monk or saint and the buildings are richly furnitured with golden statues, big paintings, sculptures and vases with fresh flowers. Outside are tables with facilities to burn candles or incense. Every here and there we see monks in orange habits.

Phuket has its own amusement park, a sort of Disneyland in a real Thai theme: FantaSea. In the early evening we make a short tour in the park that is well decorated and illuminated. There are heaps of fantasies and realities e.g. two white tigers in their luxury 'apartment'. There is an international buffet in an enormous and royal decorated 'salle de banquet'. After that we enter the real big theater in the 'Palace of the Elephants' to see on and around the stage a turbulent and spectacular show with beautiful costumes, sound and light effects, acrobatics, a glance over Thai history and culture, and a lot of elephants.

On the west coast of Phuket peninsula are about ten bays with white sandy beaches and above them tower the hotels and apartment complexes. No palm trees grow on the beaches to provide shadow, so some hundred parasols next to every two reclining chairs offer a colourful sight from the water. In the evening you shuffle with the crowd of tourists along the hundreds of little shops and restaurants, most of them with terraces and good music on a pleasant volume level. That is changing when you enter the 'girlie-bars': here is modern (rock)music and everywhere you see girls in short skirts and high heels 'dancing' on the counters. Just take a barstool and order a drink. Half of the visitors are just tourists curious about the Thai 'nightclubs' and the other half of the visitors and young guys and men who make their appointment for later in the evening. On the beach we buy with a few other Dutch yachties a big paper lantern that through the heat of a burning fuse slowly goes up in the air with all our wishes for the new year.

Slideshow Thailand

X-mas in Sunset Valley

On Christmas Eve we have an invitation on the Sunset Valley estate where two Dutch sailers have build a lovely and characteristic resort. From the deck of their own spacious wooden bungalow we have a nice view over the paddies, the ricefields, with a deep red sunset at the end of the day. It is a party with Dutch sailors and (ex-)Dutchies that are living now on Langkawi island.

It is an evening with a lot of music starting with christmas carols and then we try to find at least one song of every province. There is ample and talentfull accompaniment: Ria on the keyboard, Carla with her squeezebox and At and Andre with several harmonica's. Most melodies sound familiar but the lyrics are not always there. At a certain moment there were even some couples dancing on the deck! There is beer and wine and snacks and sushi's as a start, followed by chicken soup, several salads and freshly baked 'baguettes'. As a desert we are offered a tropical fruit salad and home made cake, so we look back at a cosy and very Dutch evening. Thank you Ria and Andre!

See their website: www.sunsetvalleyholidayhouses.com.

Slideshow SunsetValley

Langkawi

The most northern island along the coast of Malaysia is a real sailor's paradise! The bays are so beautiful to pass through with heaps of good anchorages and small beaches to have a 'sundowner' with other yachties. The busses of the island tour bring us to places where we are welcomed with music and dance, we have to taste the local snacks and dishes and we hear the legend of the princess Mahsuri (10th century).

Telaga Harbour is another bay on Langkawi island and from there we visit the very professional cable car complex, a steep ride to the big round viewing platforms that are connected with a very long hanging bridge with again spectacular views. A real good experience! Everywhere on Langkawi are cosy and small restaurants with terraces on the beach or along the harbour with a choice of local or western meals (pizza's, steaks). They are a good opportunity to welcome new sailors (esp. the Dutch ones) and say farewell to our friends of the Rally.

Kuah is the main town of Langkawi and here you'll find all sorts of shops and supermarkets to replenish your supply of food and chandlery. Tabac and alcohol are duty-free, so we have to think in advance of our next legs through Islamic countries where you can't buy a drop of alcohol. Also in the Suez canal we can expect authorities that are not happy with just the legal fees and need some cigarettes for letting us pass through. The sea eagle with his white head and brown wings, we see them daily all around the island chase on fish, is the symbol of Langkawi and on 'Eagle square' in Kuah there is a enormous sea eagle statue looking over the bay.

Slideshow Langkawi

Penang Island

Where the Malacca Strait is getting wider, you'll find Penang island linked with a 3km long bridge to mainland Malaysia. With about 20 yachts we are anchored behind a small island southeast of Penang. On November 30th we sail in a small parade together under the bridge to the Tanjong City marina in the middle of historic Georgetown. In the evening we are awaited by a group of 25 young drummers who perform a spectacular show on their big and deep-sounding drums. Also local dansers in beautiful costumes bring a colourfull and dazzling program of dances.

A compulsary stop on the Rally bustours is a visit to a project developer with for foreigners interesting investments in an appartment, a house or a villa. There is a wide choice at attractive prices. The slogan of Malaysia on this subject is 'MM2H' (make Malaysia your second home) and it is made easy for cruisers to import their yacht without any problems or (tax)rules. We finish the tour with an excellent buffet of Penang food and the performance of two lions that dance on the music of drum and cymbals to attract our attention.

The top of Penang hill you reach by a train that has to cover a very steep trail. The ride takes 30 minutes and then we have a magnificent view over Georgetown and the strait between Penang and the mainland. Interesting on the hill is the Hindoe temple painted in the characteristic soft colours. The descent by train again is quite exciting, but is made without problems.

Kek Lok Si is an extended Buddhist temple complex with several buildings, stairs, towers, galleries and pavillions. You can walk for hours and still discover new areas and details, very fascinating. The local fish restaurant near the marina is an experience because of the open kitchen, the simple set-up of the tables and the excellent taste of the fish, prawns and mussels.

Slideshow Penang

Malacca and Malacca Strait

In the 17th century Malacca was a stopover for the big ships of the Dutch Eastindian Company (VOC) on their way to Batavia and the Maluku spice islands. They could take in fresh water, meat and vegetables and also there were opportunities for trade. There are still several (mostly restored) buildings from that period e.g. the church and the 'stadthuys' (town hall). In 2008 the United Nations have decided to declare Malacca a world heritage place and so Malaysia got some extra money to restore the historical buildings and sites of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English period. In the 'stadthuys' is an extended and interesting museum where a lot of 'souvenirs' of the VOC and Holland have got a place.

In Jonkerstraat you walk along small old buildings with mostly shops on the ground floor. At Low Yong Mow, one of the many Chinese eateries we have a breakfast with dim sum's, these are filled packages with delicious pork or shrimp meat and vegetables that are steamed in big round baskets. With it you drink jasmine tea as much as you want. Very interesting is the museum of Cheng Ho, the great Chinese seafarer who by order of the emperor of China from 1406 on with a very extended merchant fleet discovered and charted the world. In seven journeys he visited many countries, did business and started diplomatic ties of friendship and trade. There are more and more suspicions that Columbus must have had sea maps that have been drawn by cartographers engaged by Cheng Ho and further traded on. In Malacca Cheng Ho had established a large depot for his trade goods and in between his sea travels he must have lived and done business here. From the hill you have a nice view over the city and strait and in the ruins of the old St. Paul's church you find a collection of tombstones of Dutch citizens of the 17th century. At the foot of the hill there is one gate left of the fortress that the Dutch have build in the time of the VOC.

One day sailing to the north we meet bad weather and flee into Admiral marina near Port Dickson. The marina is part of an impressive apartment complex and has a stylish colonial clubhouse with a restaurant and bar. And we can use the swimming pool for a refreshing dip! There is not a lot of wind along the coast northbound and with a stop over in Port Klang, the busy harbour of Kuala Lumpur, and an overnighter with a lot of lightning, we reach Penang island.

Slideshow Malacca