24 SEPTEMBER 2019 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
and European influences. Best of all perhaps, I’ll
be exploring this fascinating area of a country I
love astride a classic motorbike that looks like a
million dollars. What’s not to like?DAY 1: KHAO LAK TO KHAO SOK
On our first morning, we waste no time. A dawn
chorus of insects and birds is still in full swing
as I familiarize myself with my Classic 500. An
updated version of an iconic model that Royal
Enfield premiered after World War II, this
machine remains defiantly old school.
Fuel injection and ABS offer nods to modern
technology, but otherwise, everything is
unashamedly retro. The bike vibrates as I kick
it into life: the plant pot–sized piston shaking
the mirrors, number plate and indicators as it
reciprocates up and down. In fact, as I pull on my
goggles and move through the gears, I imagine
myself as a dashing rake in the mold of a tropical
Errol Flynn.
The feel-good factor lasts throughout the
day. First, we return to Takua Pa to check out
its charming old town. Like a smaller version
of Phuket or George Town, the stately Sino-
Portug uese architecture carries echoes of the
glory days of the spice and tin trade. From there
we take back roads towards K hao Sok, stopping
for a mid-afternoon dip in a jungle pool fed by a
towering waterfall along the way. Such breaks are
both enjoyable and necessary, given the strain the
outmoded suspension of the Classic 500 is putting
on my rear end. But the star of the show remains
the incredible scenery. Sunset arrives as we crest
a summit near Khao Sok, the fading light of the
day casting a warm glow over limestone karsts
poking upwards like monstrous incisors from the
lush forest.DAY 2: KHAO SOK TO KRABI
The next day brings another early start. We take
a quick look at gorgeous Cheow Lan Lake—a
placid body of water on the outskirts of Khao Sok
National Park—before heading south towards
Krabi. Clocking in at 150 kilometers, it’s a long day
but the frequently changing landscapes and theROAD TRIP
FROM TOP: Gearing up for a drive
in Khao Sok; the way to Krabi;
measuring a prescription at a local
pharmacy in Phang Nga.