Krabi trip - 22 Apr 07

OMG we waked up at 7am, only to discovered tt it's only 6am in Krabi, somemore the restaurant only served breakfast from 7.30am (Krabi time). So we walked along the right stretch of the resort, cos ytd we walk along the left stretch of the resort. But none of the shops arer open and are only open @ around 10plus (which is 11am S'pore time).

Hmm.... although it's only 1hr difference between S'pore n Thailand, can feel the difference now... I think if i'm going to Europe n America, gonna have serious time difference

Empty streets

Why everywhere got similar sign as Starbucks?

A lot of houses will displayed Thailand flag n a yellow flag (dunno wat is it?). I dun think they only displayed the country's flag during national day unlike S'pore. N they also v revered to their king, can c the king's photo everywhere on the road.

Posing outside Wanna's place signboard It's already 8.20am (S'pore time)

Finally it's 7.30am @ Krabi, can eat our breakfast now... I ordered sausage with fried egg & toast bread with a glass of orange juice. The price @ Wanna's place is not v cheap as it cost me 155baht ~ S$6.85. The food is so so, not really fantastic, oh... 4get to take photo of today's breakfast.

Menu Interior of Wanna's Place

After having our breakfast, we walk to 'For Friends' agency which is abt 10min walk from the resort to pay our remaing balance as we paid 500baht ytd. Within 10min, there is a van picking us up n today there r only 4 of us booking this tour. The tour guide told us tt that our 1st destination would be Wat Tham Suwan Kuha (Monkey cave temple) which is located at Phang Nga, another province. The journey would takes abt 2hr.

Along the way, we saw quite a lot of cliffstone, thought tt there r only cliffstone in the sea, didn't noe tt there r oso cliffstone on land. We oso passed by a lot of palm & rubber planation, feel like as if we are in M'sia.

A lot of cliffstone everywhere
Palm tree plantationRubber tree plantation Taking a snap while the driver stop for toilet break

Shelter for rainy days???

We reached Wat Tham Suwan Kuha @ around 11am. This temple is oso home to a lot of monkeys, 还好 the monkeys r not v mischievous.

Monkey eating bananas

Nvr been to a cave b4, this trip is really 大开眼见 for me. Wow... the cave is so huge, can accomodate such a big buddha inside.

Reclining Buddha More caves behindWhich direction should i go?

Behind is the dark cave

Inside the dark cave Divination lot interpretation 签系 Got water dripping inside the cave

Our next destination is to take a long-tail boat from the pier to James Bond Island.

Very kampong rite? Long tail boat

We waited abt 15min in the shelter for our tour guide as he mentioned to us tt there would be another group of ppl taking the same boat wif us. But later on, he told us tt we would be going for elephant trekking instead. Then after we board the van for abt 10min, he told us tt the elephant trekking is full currently so we would be gg to James Bond Island 1st.

There r only 4 of us plus the tour guide, driver n the boatman occupying the whole boat. Wow... feel like VIPS....haha.... The weather is extremely hot, I think gonna get heat-stroke easily. Bought a coconut to quench my thirst, cost 20baht ~ S$1. Dun wanna get sick when i'm travelling cos most of my previous trip, i tend to fall sick quite easily. This time i must really take good care of myself, so i keep drinking lots n lots of water.

Mangrove swamps

The boat is quite nicely decorated

While waiting @ the shelter for the boat, can feel the heatness of the sun but out in the boat, dun feel the heatness anymore, probably b'cos of the breeze... Wow.... I closed my eyes to enjoy the breeze blowing on my face... The surronding is so calm, only the sound of the engine, feels like being 吹眠了.

How long we gonna take to reach the cliff?Enjoying the breeze

Abt 1/2 hr later, we reach the ferry. From there, we would take a canoe where someone would be canoeing for us. Someone will be canoeing for us cos i'm too lazy to canoe myself. Last time when went to Sibu island, try kayaking, my arms so tired after tt.....

Ferry in the middle of the sea So many canoe waiting for us

On the ferry

Each canoe only can accomodate 2 people, so HY & I board one while CH & FD board another one. CH didn't bring along her camera for canoeing cos she's afraid tt the camera might get wet. Actually i oso got some hesitation abt bring my camera, in the end, I decided to bring along cos i feel tt those canoeman should be quite pro n I doubt they would overturn the canoe bah...

So small, how to go through?

我们要进去了!
Lying down on the back while going into the caveInside is a lagoon
天外有天
4 of us inside the lagoonMe n the canoeman - he's so dark!Going through another caveStalagmites?

The canoeman was v 搞笑, he keep wanting to take photo for us, keep saying VIPS take photo, then after taking photo, keep saying 漂亮... haha.... Once, he canoe us into a lagoon where there were no ppl, I was a bit worried whether he would kidnapped us or not. Then he canoe us to a shore n ask us to get down. He demostrate to us to climb up the log n wanna take photo for us.

Me so high up there

I'm the canoeman now, haha....

Me, canoeman & HY4 of usSelling fruits & drinks here - really take advantage of the crowds n weather
Nosetrail? Gonna get sun burn soon...Gonna replenish myself with lots of water

We gave 20baht tips to our canoeman since he's like so enthusiasm in taking photo for us n oso canoe us to quite a lot of nice places for taking photos. After the canoeing, we left for James Bond island.

Famous James Bond Island Lots of stalls selling souvenirs

Oh, now i noe where is the famous rock. The entire area surrounding this island with its signature rocky pinnacle is indeed spectacular.

Phang Nga Bay

I'm lifting the rock up...haha... How come this cave is tilted? Me inside the cave Top of the cave

Finally can have our lunch, my stomach is so hungry cos it's already 2pm (S'pore time). We took the long tail boat to Koh Panyee - Sea Gypsy Village for our lunch.

Koh Panyee Inside the restaurant

Our lunch consist of 5 dishes, 1 soup and rice. The soup is extremely salty, wonder if they just dry the salt water to get the salt or either the salt is super cheap. We drink mineral wter in Thailand as the tap water is not consumable unlike S'pore. I dunno whether the people there must spend $$ to buy consumable water n at the same time oso must pay for non-consumable water or not? Otherwise where got consumable water to cook n drink & non-consumable water for bathing? 我们真的是生在福中不知福。。。

Our lunch Mineral water

After our lunch, we left for the elephant trekking. When we reach the place, there was no elephants cos all the elephants are still out trekking. We waited @ a hut for our turn. There were 2 gibbons - one brown n one black. The black gibbon is so naughty, keep disturbing the brown gibbon. The brown gibbon seems to attach to HY a lot tt it keep clinging on HY. CH & I were quite scared to carry the gibbon so we only watch HY & FD carried the gibbon. The gibbon tt FD was carrying even climb on top of his head, so so so naughty.

HY & brown gibbon Duck swimming in the pond Ducks in a row

The elephants r back from trekking so it's our turn now. We have to climb up to the 2nd level of a hut to climb onto the elephant. The elephant tt we r riding is a 42 yrs old male elephant, so old already, almost twice of my age.

Going for trekking soon

Halfway through the trekking, the instructor descend down the elephant n took photo for us. He ask me to sit on the elephant's neck for photograph. OMG, the hairs of elephant made me so itchy n it's ear keep flapping on my legs...I was so scared...Elephant going for a swim soon

The instructor is so pro - dun need to clinch onto anything

Buffaloes running for their lives after seeing the elephant coming, haha.... See the elephant trunk facing upward? To breathe lah....

After the elephant trekking, we bought some bananas for the elephant. Wow... the elephant is so clever, I was holding the banana quite a distance from it n it's trunk immediately move towards my hand...

Feeding the elephant Poor bat - y must it sleep upside down? Haha... The orange soft drink is super nice, not gassy @ all, only 20baht ~ S$1

Tt's the end of our trip today, was quite tired n I've master the art of sleeping anywhere - even on moving van, haha... The journey back was quite long, i think abt 1.5hrs.

Reach Ao nang beach @ around 5.30pm, gave 100baht each to the tour guide n the driver. The service of the tour guide was not bad n he even bought fried banana n fried sweet potatoes for us. He oso bought wet tissues for us as the weather was extremely hot.

The van drop us outside 'For Friends' agency n we were discussing whether to go for massage again. Saw the pancake cart n decided to try it cos read on other blog b4 recommending the pancake. FD mentioned tt his friend got recommend him n he say this pancake cart is the nicest among others. Got other carts nearby but didn't have a chance to try so dunno whether all taste the same.

Different flavour Looks like roti prata Banana pancake - yummy yummy

We decided to go to the massage shop which was recommend by someone whom we meet on the street ytd. It is located at the end of the stretch of Ao nang beach.

Some distance to go....

The massage is 200baht per person n we bargain to 150 baht per person. Well, although it quite windy here n can hear the sound of the wave, but i dun seems to enjoy the Thai massage. Probably this lady didn't noe the technique bah... So sometimes, cheap things may not be the best...

A lot of massage huts

The sun is setting while we r walking back to the resort. Read b4 tt the sunset from Railey beach is the best but the sunset here is oso not bad...

Beautiful sunset

After the massage, we head back to the resort for bathing. By the time we left our resort for dinner, it's already 8.30pm (S'pore time). I suggest to them whether wan to take a cab to Krabi town but they dun seems to be keen. N they find tt the return cab fare is quite ex - 800baht ~ S$40. We ask around but others offer 1,000 baht. While walking, we came across the taxi driver tt we ask just now n he ask us whether wanna go or not. Actually i dun mind going cos when u go overseas, u must explore as much as possible mah... I noe tt sometime the experience may not be great but if u dun try, how would u noe, wat if it turns out to be great? I dunno y in the end, everyone hopped onto the taxi.

Hello kitty scooter

Me on the pickup taxi

Mini petrol station

The trip to Krabi town took abt 1/2hr n we there around 9.30pm. We ask the driver to drop us @ Chao Fa Pier night market. To my disappointment, there were less than 20 stalls selling clothes n no stall selling food. But i remember reading tt there r foods n other stalls @ Chao Fa Pier night market. We have communication problems with the taxi driver cos he dun seems to understand English. When he dropped us @ Chao Fa Pier night market, he told us tt there is another night mkt. Since we only spend abt 5min here, we ask him to drive us to the other mkt cos we have not eaten our dinner yet. Who noes he thought we wanna go supermarket n he drop us @ a departmental store. There was not much eateries there n we oso dunno wanna eat KFC or Swensen. Hence we ask him to drive us back to a stretch of eateries which we passed by just now. He dun seems to understand us n i demostrated to him the action of eating. Luckily he seems to understand my action.

Chao Fa market

It's already 10pm n we r just starting to order our dinner. The food took quite some times to be served n the food dun taste great. Really quite disppointed tt there is actually nothing much to be offered in Krabi town, not a really good experience.

Food eateries
Chang mineral waterPad thai - Thai fried kway teow

By the time we returned back to the resort, it's around 11.30pm. Gonna ZZZzzz.... going for island hopping tml.

>>Day 3: 23 Apr 07