| Location: Koh Penak campground, Phang Nga, Thailand |
| I’m a purist sea kayaker who doesn’t believe in motors, but motor boats are essential in South Thailand unless you have months to paddle between the islands – so practicality says we must use motorboats, but of the lowest environmental impact.
Fast Longtails are guest favorites because they are fast, close to the water and traditional. Surprisingly, their pollution is far less than a speedboat because their diesel engines come from scrapped light trucks.
One day in a twin-motor two-cycle speedboat creates as much pollution as two large V-8 cars in their entire lifetimes. One day in a Fast Longtail is the equivalent of driving to work – or less.
PS: We tried sailboats in my early years, but they never made the sea caves on time, so we never got into a Hong.
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