Krabi/Phuket 2010 – Phi Phi Islands Day Tour
April 4, 2010 | 5,600 viewsContinued from Part 5 – Koh Det’s Breakfast Wonders in Ao Nang, Krabi
Okay, weekend again, and time for a travel post. I concluded the Bali 2009 Saga last weekend, hence I can concentrate on finishing the posts on my Krabi-Phuket trip back in January 2010. A little overdue I know, but can’t blame me really.
For I’m born with the procrastination gene. Sue me. 🙂
1. Gorgeous sight of anchored boats on Ao Nang beach, but this beach is definitely NOT for swimming
If you’re in Krabi or Phuket, and you shy away from the sun, the sea or even refrain from staying outdoors during daytime, you’re better off holidaying in Timbuktu. Really.
Mentally and physically prepared for the imminent tanning, the gals slapped on sunscreen with the highest SPF (sun protection factor) there is in the market. Kind of amazing how their routine of applying and re-applying the lotion took place almost automatically, at fixed intervals.
But of course, you’d better be well-prepared, for getting sunburn is NOT the most ideal souvenir you’d want to bring home after a long day out on the seas.
2. On our speedboat to Phi Phi Islands, a 45 minutes ride in good sea conditions.
We booked a package from the Let’s Go Krabi travel agent, a few shops away from our stay at Ao Nang Grand Inn on Moo 2, Ao Nang. The package includes : Pick up services from Klong Muang, Krabi town, or Ao Nang, speed boat to Phi Phi Islands, visits to Bamboo Island, open sea snorkelling at Hin Klarng, brief stop on Monkey Beach, buffet lunch at Phi Phi Don, visits to Pi Leh Bay, Viking Cave, Lohsamah Bay and Maya Bay (where “The Beach” was filmed). The day tour took about 8 hours, from 8.30am until about 4.30pm.
Usually priced at 1800 baht per person, the price was reduced to 900 baht/RM90/USD25 per person after serious haggling, pleas and dramas. After all, we ARE Malaysians. 😉
3. Scenes around Maya Bay – Even bride & groom-to-be were there for the shoot!
4. Hin Klarng – Open sea snorkelling (gears provided for free) – Just be aware of your surroundings. After all, you would not want to be drifting towards the engine of another speedboat!
5. Viking Cave – A famous cave, but we did not stop over. Just a glance would do.
6. Monkey Beach – Feeding the monkeys? Or being fed by the monkeys? 🙂
7. Beautiful emerald waters leading to Phi Phi Don, where we were supposed to have our lunch
8. Buffet-style lunch, but none too memorable. Of course, you can’t be expecting steaks, fresh oysters, and such right?
9. MORE snorkelling AFTER your meal. Erm, with no rest in between, everyone was thankful for the life jackets. Else 50 years down the line, scavengers would be wondering what’s the fuss with the many skeletons underwater wearing life jackets!
10. Stunning Bamboo Island – Hands down THE most beautiful beach amongst the others.
11. If only our job requires us to lie on the beach all day, doing nothing ….. Blissful?
12. Fresh fruits to quench the thirst, and somehow satisfied the hunger pangs. Included in the package, so don’t go denying your pieces of sweet pineapples/watermelons.
The day tour was pleasant, from the helpful guides with comprehensible English, to the brilliant (albeit slightly scorching) weather. Never push your luck and pick a day with gloomy weather, for it may seriously ruin your outing. We reached Ao Nang Grand Inn at about 5-6pm.
13. Sunset-watching on the beaches of Ao Nang …. bring your own towel though, for the sands was not exactly fine or smooth.
14. Clockwise from top left : Tom Yam Seafood, Massaman Chicken, Pad Thai, and Green Curry Chicken
For dinner, we strolled around Ao Nang, and ended up at this shack right before you reach the beach. Nameless, I might add, for the only signboard showed “THAI FOOD”. And this stall sells HALAL Thai-Malay cuisine, with emphasis on their curry dishes. In Ao Nang, as mentioned in this post, resides an admirable number of Thai Malays, hence the heavy influence of Malay style cuisine in the cooking.
The meal came to a mere 450 baht/RM45/USD13 for the 5 of us, as the dishes are priced at merely 40-70 baht each. Dirt-cheap, when compared to the other eateries along the beach. The Massaman curry is one of the signature dish of Krabi’s, resembling a yellow curry with extra coconut milk.
15. Erm, Clash of the Titans previewing early?
16. And we ended the day on a high note, literally “screaming” our wishes (for we did not carry a marker pen, and the guy did not provide one!) by setting a lantern (Kong Ming lantern) @ 100baht/RM10/USD3 each, afloat to the dark, starry skies … World Peace? Nah …..
Ao Nang is a very peaceful town come nightfall. You don’t hear throbbing sounds from the clubs (unlike Phuket’s Bangla Road), you don’t go shopping or sipping Starbucks in shopping centres (unlike Jungceylon in Phuket) and you don’t even get to sample a myriad of street foods at the night market (unlike Krabi town), although there were stretches of hawker stalls here and there.
What you can do is get yourself a good yet cheap rubdown (read : Thai body massage) while listening to the waves crashing on the shores of Ao Nang beach. Or you can sip on some beer at the random cafes/bistros/restaurants around the area.
Rejuvenating indeed.
For the previous chapters, please refer to the following link :
KRABI/PHUKET 2010 – ON THE SUNNY TRAIL
to be continued ……………
Krabi is so beautiful!!!
Wow, from 1800 bath to 900 bath? 1/2 price, how much did you start with? 1/4 of the price? Hahaha… I think I need to learn how to bargain from you.
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 4th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Erm, of course not 1/4!!! We would have settled for anything under 1500 baht, but then of course lah … itchy itchy nothing to do, so bargained a little lah …. 😉
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Can I go there too. Is this part of your job bro? :p
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 4th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Eh, this one NOT my job okay? Purely holidays. Hehehe, cannot work like a machine lah.
Eh, like KIT KAT advertisement pulak!
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Hey thanks for your Krabi stories. Will use it as a guide for my year end trip!
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 4th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Hope you have a whale of a time !!! Wait, make that a MONKEY of a time!!! 🙂
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so beautiful la!! love the beaches and the sunset and the crystal clear ocean! 🙂
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[…] Krabi – Phi Phi Islands Day Tour & Thai-Malay Street Food … […]
So beautiful!!
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Feel like going there now… Need an endless holiday lol
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LOL At the haggling… Indeed Malaysians we are 🙂 And the waters looked really clear!
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every travel agent seems to bring you to the exact same place :p
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
That’s true, so you can actually compare prices among agents. We felt that RM90 per person was reasonable enough, hence we did not go all out to scout for offers.
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samlee860407 Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
yea, besides every agent seems to give you the same service (picking you up, fruits on speedboat), bring to the same place to eat buffet and such….haha
we dint really scout for price too, but i think i pay abit more than you…hmmm
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Hahhaha… the pictures made me miss Ao Nang again!!!
I stopped by Bamboo Beach first for my Phi Phi Island tour… Viking Cave is famous for its bird nest while Monkey Bay is famous for.. well, as u know.. monkey!!! Nothing special to see really so we didn’t stop there.
Maya Bay is overrated due to the huge crowd and it’s almost impossible to take pictures without having those ke le fe (extras) behind you right? Throughout the journey we were served with free nam bao (Thai for water) and Pepsi! Fruits and cakes were reserved at the end after our final snorkelling session 🙂 I assume that you had the same or at least similar to mine!
And I think that I know where you had the dinner 🙂 recognised the stall while walking along the street of Ao Nang. Actually i rent a bike to travel around this area… it can be quite tiring to walk all the way from my hotel.
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Yeahlah! So many kelefe’s, but indeed the place was crowded to the max! Some more only 45 minutes allocated, kind of rushed.
Eh, we did not have cakes lah !!! >_< Only Coke, water and fruits. But they were alright.
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oo, am so glad u decided to complete the posts. love this post on Krabi, extensive info and excellent photos that make me wish i was there. great job:)
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Hehe, still a few days more, bear with me ya? Not too long, don’t worry. I’m trying desperately to limit the words. Hahaha …..
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nice krabi and phuket pics…i also went there…very nice place indeed…cheap and clean…hehehe
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i’ve heard so much about phi phi island but have yet to the sights of it. great captures!
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ah, krabi…i totally had some unforgettable moments in krabi myself. we were there during low season and gawd, the waves were so choppy i felt i could be thrown off the boat any minute!
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Awesome post and great pictures. I will be heading down to Ao Nang in the next few days for the Thai holiday of Songkran. Should be a great time and looking forward to some seafood extravaganza’s hopefully!
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hi! thanks so much for the heaps-of-info post, am going to krabi in June and definitely taking up ur tips here..=) terima kasih!!
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J2Kfm Reply:
May 15th, 2010 at 11:39 am
You’re most welcomed spaceghost, there’s one more chapter coming soon …. to end the saga in a most splendid manner! 🙂
Wait for it.
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I paid for around 3600 Baht including 4 Days 3 Nights accomodation at Ao Nang Buri Resort, 2 ways airport transfer, 1 dinner, 2 Days Tours (1st day was at Koh Kai, Koh Poda, Ao Nang Cave & 2nd day were the Monkey Island, buffet lunch at Phi Phi Don, Pi Leh Bay, Viking Cave, Lohsamah Bay and Maya Bay + those snorkelling stuffs similar to yours) and motorcycle rental.
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nice picture and very very informative…
thank god i come across ur blog…
going to krabi on April…
need to practice bargain @ charm school…. so that i can get discount like u….
hahahahahha…..
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 16th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Thanks farah.
I am sure girls can do it better! We went all out though, 2 guys n 2 gals with puppy eyes and all … 🙂
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i’m going to krabi next may. is it advisable to look for island hoping trip package when i arrive there? where did u get the tourguide/package? is it near the ao nang beach?
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 2nd, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Yes, near to the beach. We booked on the spot, walking into different tour operators and then pushed our luck. 🙂
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[…] Krabi/Phuket 2010 – Phi Phi Islands Day Tour Posted By : J2Kfm. […]
Wowwww!! very nice shot. What kind of this camera?
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[…] Since he will be in Ipoh for only 2 weeks; and rumour has it that he will stop by Impiana KLCC before departing back to Koh Samui, you still have 10 more days to savour his delightful rendition of classic Thai fares; beyond the bowl of world-renowned Tom Yum Soup and mango sticky rice. A native of Phuket himself, his cooking style has a myriad of influences; including the Thai-Muslim style of curries – Massaman. (read about my Massaman experience on Ao Nang beach in Krabi). […]