Island Hoping In Krabi

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The following day, we head to Krabi by Air Asia. As when we reach Krabi, we were led to the Tiger Temple. No tigers are seen. Please do not obnubilate your self with the tiger temple up north in Bangkok where you have in mind . Instead this tiger temple is occupied with monkeys. Nothing much to view there, only a few nuns were making their prayers.

Tiger Temple

Tiger Temple Cave

We stayed in a hotel located in Aonang Beach, Krabi La Playa Resort. A relaxed and cozy resort serving delicious buffet breakfast I would say. I got a great swimming pool view from my room. Along the way to La Playa Resort you wouldn’t miss the beautiful beach. Head down to the town for a stroll, along Aonang Beach you’ll see many massage parlors, sea food restaurants, western dinner, fast food chain restaurant, Talad, traveling booth, bank, currency exchange shop and camera shops, tailor and etc. Not much of vehicles, it’s not hectic, not a heavy traffic jam like in Kuta, Bali. It really soothes the mood. The sounds of the wave which is just nearby are just simply bracing.

Pool View

Resort Main Entrance

Aonang Beach

What to do in Krabi?

If you are to reach Krabi and ain’t got anything much to do you can go to the small traveling booth to book a day or half day trip of an adventure. Price is affordable. I picked a 4 day long tail boat, island hopping for a day trip which only cost 450 Baht and it includes lunch, snorkeling and transportation for return from hotel to the jetty. Islands arranged on itinerary are Poda, Tub, Phranang and Chicken Island.

The port before we leave for island hopping. - Aonang Beach

Second day in Krabi, we went island hoping by a traditional long tail boat which took around an hour or less to reach the first island of Phranang Beach. We took 10 minutes walk in the island to reach the beach as boats are prevented to stop right in front of Phranang beach. We halted at Railay Beach. En route to the beach you will come upon these stalactite caves. Mind your head if you are more than 6 feet tall. There is this one private (name forgotten)5 star luxurious hotel resort which is located in this secluded island that caught my attention. Fences are built around the resort and have prevented us from glimpsing inside. I only get to peek a bit of the luxuriousness of the resort, when a hotel guest who was checking out from the resort, escorted by the bellboy the fence was only wide open for a minute or two.

While on the way

The sound of the waves really makes you eager to reach the beach. I can’t wait to be dousing in the sea. Not much of tourist, as I reach the beach there is this small shrine filled and assembled with wooden a like phallus where the Thai’s believe when a woman touch or pray the statue of phallus, they will be blessed with offspring. As for the fisherman, they pray for their safety to return to land before they head out to the sea. Snapping photos of the cave, the temple, the last thing I do, run in to the sea. The water is simply freshening up after walking under the hot sun. We were there for an hour. We return back to our boat for the second Island hopping.

The Penis Shrine

Next stop Poda Island; this is where we stop for 3 hours for our lunch and leisure. Poda Island is a bit crowded with tourists. Cleanliness is not as expected, there were lots of dead dried sea weed, dried corals, sharp pebbles- when where you step on it you want to just curse!, a bit of here and there used food waste at the coast of the beach. Not really what I have in mind. It’s just a typical island.

Poda Island

After the whole 2 hours of boredom in the small island of Poda, we were brought to the Chicken Island. The boat ventured us to the center of the sea for snorkeling. It was way awesome, feeding the colorful vibrant school of fishes under the water, swimming with the fishes, the beauty of the nature and sea is just speechless. There were not many people snorkel with us as our boat carried less that 10 people. No weird stranger, unlike what I had in my past experience with the Sea Angels Phuket Cruise which took us to the Monkey Island, where hundreds of people jump into the sea in each other’s company and snorkel for an hour. It was a dreadful scene; it was like a bunch of illegal immigrants attempting to take their breath after outwore swimming for hours. There was supposed to be school of fishes but was all kicked back away. People are trying to kill each other by kicking at each other in the sea. All I can witness were legs and the ripples that the immigrants did. Nasty!

Koh Kai - Chicken Island

Tub Island was the last island to hop. The island reminds me of Mataking Island in Sabah. It is one awe-inspiring island. How do I describe this island? A small island with a big rock, on top of the rock there were few bushes grown on it. It’s was truly inspiring, To be exact, it is an island where the middle part of the island is kinda submerged and washed away with shallow water so it looks like as if there were two island connected by a sandbar. The two islands are joined by sand bars that rise up from the sea when the tide is low. Out far, you can envision as if people were float walking on the sea.

Tub Island

The trip at Tub Island was a bit short as the cloud was dark and was on its mode with heavy down pour. I was busy having fun at the island and the gust clouds urged us to get back to the boat .What a waste! The trip back is a no fun we were all soaked wet as it was like a boat race against the rain. I was worry sick that my camera will be dead wet. The rain subside when we reach land. Camera is still dry clean in my thick plastic bag. LoL

Well the second day ended with our dinner at Pizza Hut with beer. Continue with Swenson which is right next to Pizza Hut for dessert. We were tired but happy for the awesome cheap trip. Drunk and tired returned to our hotel to charge up for our next day island hopping to Phi Phi Island..

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Sukhumvit

If we want to have much classier western food such as Italian food, red wine, oyster or Subway for supper, we will head to Sukhumvit. There are way many fancy restaurants and eatery to be found there. You don’t have to worry what you will be eating; there are arrayed of foods to choose from German to Japanese posh Restaurant. Generally, Sukhumvit is filled with high rise condos. It’s like Ampang in Kuala Lumpur but bigger and swisher. Expatriates are commoners. Most of the 5 stars grand hotels are located at this area.

Yes, another Ta Lad can be seen along the way. Ta Lad is everywhere in Bangkok. Not all Talad is that exciting to stroll. I only love the one and only Suan Lum Night Bazaar. European or American loves to hang out in that area. Food is definitely more scrumptious and a bit costly. Body massage parlors are also common to be seen everywhere in Bangkok. Guess I don’t have to mention about this. Always ask for price politely before a body massage to avoid unnecessary circumstances. Do also ask if it is for men only or otherwise.

MAP to Soi Cowboy and Sukhumvit

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A nearby red light district Soi Cowboy, is just a few meters from Asoke BTS station. Ask for direction it is just nearby. It is not a street packed with cowboys. No it is not area for the gigolo. Barely-naked sexy ladies will stand out sides with the clubs and pubs inviting, trying their best to attract and receiving guests, promoting their special offers and services. I feel perturbed walking to the end of the soi. Their business purposes are aiming to the men only. I did not dare to take a picture at that point. What if they slap me when I took a snap? It was crowded and occupied with horny and drunk men. It is a bit different from Silom and Patpong as it’s much more rattling. Go take a stroll to understand what I mean. You will get the uneasy feeling if you are a feminine.

Patpong / Silom

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Patpong or Silom, a place surrounded with hotels, night market, shopping malls, pubs, clubs, gays, transvestites, market, sex…Tourists favorite night spots. Patpong is two small streets (Soi) running between Silom Rd and Suriwong Rd named Patpong 1 and Patpong 2. The Sala Daeng BTS skytrain station is very nearby. MRT station, Silom is also close by, with an exit straight onto Silom Rd and Patpong 1. It is always convenience to travel in Bangkok.

Startling experience exotic and nudity shows such as Tiger show, ping pong show, gay show is also to be discovered in this notorious place. I can’t recall the name of the smaller alley. Make sure you look closer to all smaller alleys as there are lots of clubs and pubs all the way in. Thais are definitely much more open minded than we are. It’s deliberately normal for homosexual’s couple to loiter around holding hands and hugging. Older men are seen embracing the younger Thais. Pubs are always occupied with homosexual foreigner embracing their Thai partner. Sauntering and people watching is what people usually do there. Comparing their partner or eyeing others. It’s different ambience from Soi Cowboy in Nana.

MAP

Vol 2.Transportation in Bangkok

After hubby’s office hour, we usually linger around in Bangkok. We would travel either via the BTS Sky train, MRT sky train or by a taxi. Taxi is not expensive in Bangkok; bare in mind make sure the taxi driver is using the meter before you hop onto it. Taxi meter will display 35 Baht for a start then subsequently add 3 Bhat after a meter or something. To avoid time wasting, we usually opt to get to a destination by sky train then only to return home by a taxi. I don’t take “tuk-tuk”, the main reason is its life-threatening, and you should see how the driver drives when they turn in to a junction. It’s like drifting in Initial D. Secondly, price are hardly negotiated. They are the only one to call the price. Traveling by “tuk-tuk” usually will end up costing more than a regular taxi. Remember to agree upon a price beforehand, if possible, if there is no other way to get a taxi. Most “tuk –tuk” drivers don't speak English and I do find them a bit rude. Motor taxi is always convenience when roads are highly congested. In Kuala Lumpur, we have 2 times of peak hours daily which cause traffic jam but not in Bangkok. Bangkok is always congested. Motorcycle taxi driver can be recognized with their colored vest. Vests are colored for area code.

Water taxi of Chao Phraya Canal

Water taxi or Chao Phraya boat are used to travel across the river or to different pier ahead. A boat ride can cost as cheap as 20 cent per ride while tourist boats can cost up to RM 200 per person just to tour the river in less than 45 minutes. I have tried to cross to Wat Arun from Chang Pier which only cost less than 50 cents via the local boats which was interesting.

Behind - Long tail tourist boat RM200 per person.

I suggest that plan your route ahead to avoid un necessary circumstances.