The Moken are an ancient sea people who have travelled among the islands of Thailand’s North Andaman coast for thousands of years. Traditionally nomadic, they would spend most of their time out at sea in their boat houses and moored in sheltered locations during the monsoon season. In recent years, the Moken have responded to growing socio-economic pressures by settling permanently in Ao Bon Bay.

They have come to rely on selling handicrafts as an important source of income, but often have trouble communicating with visitors who wish to buy their woven baskets and hand-carved model boats. To help with this, Andaman Discoveries partnered with a local health worker to provide English lessons to the children of Koh Surin – we provided books, pencils, lesson plans, and a whiteboard. Andaman Discoveries is also sponsoring a “clean household” competition to encourage Moken to address the litter generated by good from the mainland.

Labels: education, Moken, North Andaman Region

On Saturday we took a longtail boat out to a series of islands west of the Andaman Coast. This wee island you see above was the first we passed. Little did I know that it would be the beacon of our fate that night...






We reached a small deserted beach in the afternoon and spent the day relaxing. Shell hunting, swimming, and swimming some more. This was a view to the island to the east of us. I cannot explain how beautiful it all was.











After the sun went down, we started a bonfire and watched the stars slowly appear. We took a nap until the tide came in, and then headed back to the mainland around midnight. This is the crew to the left: Bodhi, Bow, and Erik.






+me. Very happy.










Unfortunately, we were about half-way home and the rutter broker. Even more unfortunately, all of Bow's friends and family were out fishing for the night, so there were no rescue possibilities. We got stuck next to what I think is Phayam Island, swaying with the swells all night. Fortunately, there was no moon and the most amazing view of the milky way. I tried to lie down in the boat and catch some sleep, but the thought that I would miss the most amazing stars kept me half-awake. At first light, we saw a friendly boat who towed us into the dock.





To finish off our adventure, I slipped on the ladder getting out of the boat, landing square on my wrist. By chance, Bow's mom had the most amazing concocktion to fix my wrist. Her "local herbs" made my bruise disappear before my eyes. As you can see, I'm very surprised!

Labels: North Andaman Region, tsunami

Dear Friends,

December 26th marked the five-year anniversary of the tsunami, the catastrophic event that brought the Andaman Discoveries global family together on this mission of compassion. We’re constantly amazed by the degree to which the villagers of the North Andaman have recovered since that life-altering event. A recent example was Children’s Day in Ban Talae Nok...

On December 27th we celebrated an afternoon filled with innocent laughter and fun with the villagers. Adults gathered to watch as children played games, sang songs, participated in an eco-quiz, and received gifts courtesy of Andaman Discoveries.

Labels: Ban Talae Nok, Children’s Day, North Andaman Region, responsible tourism, tsunami

Visit us in 2010!

As a follower of our work, you are aware of the remarkable recovery of the villages of the North Andaman region in the years since the tsunami. We continue to extend the personal invitation to come and see for yourself the fruits of the work you're supporting. On an Andaman Discoveries Village Tour, you will relax on a pristine golden beach where the rainforest meets the sea, and experience the traditional livelihoods of these small rural communities firsthand. The villagers in these idyllic communities invite you to participate in a genuine cultural exchange that directly supports their long-term strategy to reduce pressure on their natural resources and allow fish populations to recover.



As an incentive, we're offering special cultural homestay tours each month from now through April. These small group tours provide an affordable way for individuals, budget travelers, and families to experience the magic of a cultural tour in this fascinating and beautiful area of Southern Thailand. You'll participate in activities such as fishing on the beach, exploring mangrove forests by long-tail boat, making your very own batik painting, and preparing a home-cooked Thai meal. Group sizes are kept deliberately small to enhance the experience for both guests and villagers alike.

For more information, please contact us.

Labels: cultural tours, North Andaman Region, special promotions, Thai culture

N-ACT Group Management Training

Nineteen people from six area villages took part in a group management training to help define current status of tourism in their village and learn how to work in a team. Expert facilitation was provided by Mangrove Action Project, with support from the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism.

Villagers from the North Andaman Region came together for three days in June with one common goal: to learn how to most effectively manage their CBT programs. The first day of the training allowed for everyone to get to know each other, understand each other’s communities and individual CBT programs. The villagers who participated in the training at Kuraburi Resort are from Tung Dap, Ban Talae Nok, Ton Kloy, Ban Na, Ban Lion, and Had Phrapat.

Bodhi Garrett, founder of N-ACT and Andaman Discoveries, kicked off the meeting by stating, “Think of your CBT -- where it is now and where you want it to go.” Participants learned how to work in a team and manage meetings. Nattaya “Nat” Sektheera, N-ACT program manager, said, “Villagers departed the training, confident, with new knowledge and an understanding of how to manage a meeting within their CBT programs.”

Labels: CBT, Mangrove Action Project, North Andaman Region