Land of natural wonders

After intermittent rain, the cluster of nimbus finally dispersed and we decided to stick to our plan to see a sunset over the Andaman Sea. The Khao To Ngai Fault Plane, also known as the Time Travel Zone, is one of the greatest places to take in the splendour of nature, but the sky was not clear when we arrived.

As part of Satun Unesco Global Geopark, it is nestled in Muko Phetra National Park of La-ngu district and serves as a mystical portal transporting visitors back to the primeval period when the 541 million-year-old Cambrian red rock and the 485 million-year-old Ordovician limestone were merged as a consequence of a fault and the sea inundating the whole area.

A huge group of dusky langurs were hiding not far from the pristine beach before greeting visitors at the entrance by leaping from one branch to another. We wandered along the 800m Time Traveller's Bridge that overlooks a fishing community and is bordered with local plants and flowers including rong thao nari khao Satun (an orchid) and phlong kin luk (a delek air).

Set against the backdrop of a cliff, visitors can climb up to a pavilion and pretend they are following in the footsteps of veteran geologists to learn how the rocks parted along the south coast roughly 20 million years ago amid a pleasant sea breeze and lush surroundings.

This area was formerly covered by an ancient sea that dates back 470 million years. It was home to a variety of ancient marine species, including crinoid (ancient sea lily), nautiloid (ancient squid) and brachiopod (ancient lamp shell). Fortunately, people who have sharp eyes may be able to spot the fossils on the limestone walls.

Visitors to Laem Hin Chang can take a break next to a collection of towering stones that resemble elephants and serve as a picturesque backdrop for selfies. At low tide, you will see Hat Hin Lak Si (Colourful Stone Beach) at the end of the bridge covered with vibrant gravel in various hues including white from quartz or calcite veins and red or pink from iron in sandstone, while grey is created by impurities in limestone.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the next morning it appeared that luck was on our side. The Sun finally came out and the sky was clear as we travelled to Tham Le Stegodon for a kayak tour. This marvellous cave is in Thung Wa district, which is north of the Satun Geopark and houses the Satun Karst Zone, which is mostly made up of limestone hilly terrain and cliff canyons.

In 2008, a group of villagers went to a cave to catch giant river prawns and they came across a strange-looking rock that turned out to be a fossil. A research team later explored the cave and discovered other fossils of elephas (the origin of the Asian elephant), nautiloid, ammonoid (a squid-like creature with a coil-shaped shell) and trilobite (ancient horseshoe crabs).

To promote sustainable tourism, the Tambon Administrative Organisation of Thung Wa launched a 4km kayak tour programme along the Wang Kluay River in 2013 so that visitors can learn more about ancient aquatic habitats through the creation of astonishing stalagmite and stalactite murals inside Tham Le Stegodon.

After the TAO halted tours of the fleet of 40 kayaks during the monsoon, we were the first tourist group of the month and qualified local villagers served as our guides to give us a brief history of geography from the prehistoric period to the present.

To ensure safety, all passengers are required to wear life jackets and helmets as each kayak can carry two passengers. A huge limestone rock, which looked like an elephant head, appeared at the entrance to the dark cave while our kayak carefully navigated along a narrow waterway.

"It depends on the water level. A cruise to Tham Le Stegodon can be made at any time of year, except when it pours heavily. But the best time is between December and February. During rainy season, there will be waterfalls in the cave, and in the summer, the limestone walls gleam like diamond dust," said Prakit Samnakpong, who served as our guide.

We pretended to be moving underneath a waterfall curtain when a huge stone that resembled angel's hair began pouring water. Just a short distance, we arrived at a tiny white sand beach and watched crickets go about their regular activities.

As we travelled on, a huge turtle-like stone urged us to visualise an undersea mountain during the Ordovician era, while a rock that looked like an eagle's head showed the depth of the water. In the middle of the cave, we came to a T-junction, where a 400-million-year-old Stegodon fossil was discovered. It once was a popular spot for villagers to come and catch crab, fish and prawn before the cave became a tourist attraction.

Then we turned left and came across some Thung Wa crabs scouring the limestone walls for food. At the end of the cave, visitors had the chance to closely view ammonoid and nautiloid fossils before getting aboard a longboat to explore a beautiful mangrove forest.

Back on land, we headed back to La-ngu district, where Kobkul Chotsakul has turned her house into a studio for the Panya Batik community enterprise group to create a wide collection of unique handicrafts that are inspired by the beauty of nature.

To earn more income during the off season, the group was formed in 2002 and they joined the geopark's network in 2014, using natural materials to create pastel colour palettes for dying clothes. For example, terra rossa (red soil from the Ordovician period) can generate a rusty tone thanks to a high volume of iron ore, according to the Department of Mineral Resources. Mangrove leaves can produce a combination of brown, red and grey, taboon is a brown-orange colour, and coconut has a brown-pink tint.

Kobkul has expanded her product line to include scarves, blouses, pants, tube skirts, T-shirts, shorts, pha patek and tote bags featuring motifs of daun buding (an auspicious flower used in wedding ceremonies), brachiopod, nautiloid, ammonoid and trilobite. The group also offers some creative batik workshops for anyone wanting to design their own keepsakes.

On the last day, we visited Satun National Museum to travel back in time to when Phraya Phuminatphakdi served as Satun governor during the reign of King Rama V. Also known as Kuden Mansion, this Sino-Portuguese-style residence once functioned as a municipal hall, a school and the Internal Security Operations Command office until being transformed into a museum in 2000.

This classic two-storey house is divided into 10 zones, with a multimedia exhibition illustrating Satun's history and cultural heritage, which showcases how Thai, Muslim and ethnic descendants have coexisted in harmony.

On the 1st floor, visitors can learn about geography, historical events in Satun, the history of Tarutao Island and the lifestyle of Mani people, who continue to live on the mountains and hunt animals for food. Going upstairs, visitors can explore some Muslim religious sites like the principal mosque of Satun and Pondok School.

There is also a southern-style wood house where visitors can engage in various traditional games while learning about Thai and Muslim traditions. A living room next door is adorned with a collection of vintage ceramic dinnerware and other antiques to highlight exquisite Rattanakosin-style craftsmanship.

We continued to Tam Malang Pier where we boarded a modified fishing boat for a tranquil sunset cruise to Tam Malang Bay. It's a century-old Muslim fishing community which is home to around 800 families that has managed to maintain the way of local life by raising rice, palm trees and sheep.

"Tam Malang serves as a frontier between Satun to Langkawi. A mangrove forest, birds, hawks, eagles and seafood are some of our outstanding features. To boost the income of the community, I started developing tourism-related activities that reflect our lifestyle and a wealth of natural resources. At first, other villagers thought I was insane, but later the response was favourable," said Surin Longkunan, president of the Su-ngai Tam Malang Tourism Community Group.

From a distance, visitors may see a thread of vintage stilt homes, an ancient mosque and the Tam Malang Canal Bridge being built, which will make it easier for people to reach the mainland once it is finished next year. As we approached a beautiful mangrove swamp, Surin whistled as a signal to attract a large swarm of hawks and eagles.

"It is local wisdom. We have trained 200-300 eagles and hawks to help us fish. Black kite, Brahminy kite, sea eagle and mountain eagle are four primary species. Their lifespan ranges from 30 to 50 years. Mullet and sailfish are what they eat," Surin said.

When the Sun was setting at the mouth of the bay and the sky became orange, our journey was drawing to an end. A variety of local dishes and seafood such as yellow curry, steamed crab, shrimp and mantis shrimp were served with fried rice.

Travel info

• The Thung Wa Tambon Administrative Organisation offers a kayak tour to Tham Le Stegodon at the price of 500 baht per person, including snacks and a longboat to Tha Aoy Pier. For more details, call 080-110-7060, 074-478-9317 or visit facebook.com/thamlestegodon.
• Panya Batik is at 90, La-ngu district, Satun. Call 097-110-1314 or visit facebook.com/panyabatik.
• Satun National Museum is on Satun Thani Road, Muang district, Satun. It's open Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to 4pm. Admission is 10 baht for Thais and 50 baht for foreigners. Call 074-723-140.
• The Su-ngai Tam Malang Tourism Community Group offers a boat trip at the price of 600 baht per person (minimum 10 people), inclusive of seafood meals, fruits and beverages. Call 080-242-6632.