Mangrove Restoration and Amphawa Floating Market

With an early start, the CIS travelers and I found ourselves in a small fishing village about an hour and a half south of Bangkok. Amphawa is a former fishing village has been severely impacted by overfishing and destruction of mangrove forests for shrimp farming. Over the years this has meant the slow death of the villagers as fishing became impossible. As a result, members of the community started a small Community Based Tourism (CBT) program. This social business allows the local people to restore their livelihood and community. Though our time here was very short, we found ourselves knee deep in mud, dodging vicious monkeys hungry for bananas, and sticking tiny mangrove trees into the nutrient rich, and thick, mud. By replanting mangrove trees where many important species grow, we hope to help maintain this forest for future generations. I truly hope that the efforts of this program affects this small fishing community in a positive and sustainable way, and that awareness spreads to keep the mangroves alive and well.

After a boat ride into open sea, lunch, and mangrove tree planting, we took a half hour mini bus ride to the Amphawa Floating Market. In my opinion, this market has been the cleanest and most organized we have visited so far. Though still chaotic, I didn't feel as if I were going to drown in a sea of shouting Thai women as I often do at the markets towards Bangkok. I was surprised that we did not see as many boats selling goods as in the photos, but they were present nonetheless. Here, we were able to grab some quick lunch, a desert, and gifts for loved ones back home. Overall, it was a successful day in Amphawa!!!