Welcome back and I’d hope you enjoy reading the previous post on the first day of Krabi. Predominantly, most of the time spent will be on Ao Nang beach instead of the main town, and you will know later. Please, unless you are forced to, do not waste your time to go to the town.
Trip to Phi Phi Island!
What would be the best way to travel around the most beautiful places in Krabi? Follow those trip packages! Do not be sceptical and afraid of the travel agencies in Ao Nang, they’re all good people, really. We’re informed that since the recent year, they had centralized most of the packages and brochure, in a way making our lives as tourist easier. The price would be shared the same across the whole place, so no matter where you ask about the price of a trip, for example to a day trip Phi Phi Island, it would cost you roughly 1,500 BAHT on the peak season. Note the peak season? I had previously mentioned it on the part 1 post, which they would have a different set of price. That goes the same to all other place that you intend to visit, I strongly suggest that you take up packages instead of venturing on your own. This not only will save you transport money, it’ll get you there directly.
We arrive in the morning with a the travel agency transported us to the front of their shop. And here we are with other tourists. Some of them seems like a long time, backpacker.
@rt Travel, just right behind the Ao Nang beach.
As usual, we started to make our move for the 1 day trip in the morning around 9AM. Perhaps for some, they would really like to try a 2 day trip instead. (You get to stay overnight on the island?)
We had to board on the boat to the towards the island.
And as a reminder from the boat captain, we’re required to take off our sandals and remove the sand from it, so that we won’t get blinded if the sand inside the boat ever fly around.
Here you get a little snipper of the boat, it’s a speed boat, that means it will travel really fast on water. And as told, we’ll be arriving in 45 minutes on that, however there is a more affordable option is to travel by long tail boat, at a much tamer speed, probably 1 to 2 hour?
There were roughly 30 of us inside the bot. Note : The only Asian were both of us.
The first stop! Of course this is definitely not Phi Phi Island yet, where it’s known as Bamboo Island. We’re told that most of the trip here are garnered by the weather. So the order of the island visit might not be the same always, due to the tide of the sea and weather. And it seems that they do really respect the power of the nature.
Inside Bamboo Island.
The water is just….surreal.
It is really that clear and green!
Though the place is blessed with such a beauty, it is still facing a risk of earthquake tremors or tsunami to due to it’s not protected by any other big island, like Malaysia which is mostly protected by the Sumatera Island from Indonesia. Back in the years of the big tsunami triggered by the earthquake from Acheh, which destroys lifes of million people back then, Phi Phi Island and other places around it suffered a lot of damages and lives which they took some time to pick up again and rebuild most of the places, especially shelteres for tsunamis.
While the trip to this island is short lived, around 30 minutes, we had to move on towards the next destination, and oh, that is our tour guide. Named…La la.
This is Viking Cave, where the locals are staying inside to take care of those bird nests!
The water around it. And we can literally see through towards the base of the water!
Though it’s not obvious here, there’s bunch of fishes inside!
And if you are not informed, snorkelling is also part of the package, we’re shocked to know that, though it’s written on the brochure. And did I mention, the fishes are just right in front of you! and back of you! and side of you!
The mystical Maya Beach
Shortly not long after that, we are finally brought towards the place where it’s famous for its beauty and fame. Fame? This is one of the Phi Phi Island, called Maya beach, which The Island is filmed here.
It’s a beautiful sight, and I guess beautiful is just overrated and an understatement for this place. Did I mention the breeze from the sea is as if we’re on an air conditioned room at 27 degree? I’ll leave the judgement to you, you really have to go there and see it for yourself!
Lunch time! Buffet style, arrived at the main island of Phi Phi.
This island is predominatly occupied by the natives which are mostly Malays that is Muslim. There are resorts that you can spend your night here but most of the prices are bombastic. Due to the fact that most of the item can be found on the main island, it is not really wise to do shopping here, the price can go up to 3 times of the original price.
The wrong path.
Right after the trip, we decided out of curiousity, to head towards the town and stumbled across this interesting building which is indeed a mosque. Of course we would declare our verdict first on the town : THERE IS NOTHING THERE IN THE TOWN WORTH FOR YOU TO EXPLORE. Really. If you are not doing anything or if you have the need, do not go there, it is just not worth the time. I had to emphasize this due to most of the other site did mention about not visiting the town, but it seems that most of the people are curious like us, end up disappointed. (Though there is a nightmarket in the town). If you take the shuttle bus (which is a jeep transformed to a bus), it would only cost you 50 baht per person. On a private car, it would be 400 BAHT.
This is the Krabi town. And indeed, it’s a small one.
Had dinner at one of the shop along the main road.
It’s rather stuffy when you get into the city area, in comparison towards the beach.
Fried rice and Tom Yum Seafood!
And there is only one dominant bus stop along the main road that you can usually see a shuttle bus waiting for people to board. And one note of friendly advice, most of the time, if you are lucky, the bus caption would just proceed if there isn’t much people filling up the space, but at some time, they would ask if you would want to pay more for him to directly drive to the beach without waiting for more passenger, at a higher price, such as 400 BAHT. Note, and that is like… misconduct of business to me.
We got really pissed off so we decided to walk away and find another solution. At 300 Baht. So until we meet again in part 3, try to avoid going to town. (Just a friendly advice)
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