Drive To Krabi – Day 2.

November 29, 2010 by admin
Filed under Reviews

Hatyai – Trang – Krabi – Day Two.
Posted By Kent

Date : 21st September 2009
Time : 9.30am – 4.30pm
Destination : Hadyai – Trang – Krabi
Distance : About 300KM

After breakfast, we drove to Krabi via Trang. We took highway 43 to Phatthalung exit left to Trang and finally Krabi. Driving from Hatyai to Phatthalung using Highway 43 is smooth and easy, just like Malaysia North South Highway, it is a dual carriage highway. Please take note that this is toll free highway and be expect car making U-turn and pedestrian crossing along the way. We stopped by a handicraft shop recommended by Car 6, there are several handicraft shops along the way and the price is reasonable. Car 3 falls in love with an antique coffee table and consider buying it when we are back from Krabi.

From Phatthalung to Trang, continue with Highway 4 ( turn left at Phatthalung interchange ) will bring you to hilly terrain ( similar to scenery around Ipoh ) where you will see a lot of limestone hilly terrain. The road on the hilly section is single carriage similar our trunk road here in Malaysia. There is one restaurant on top of this hilly road call “Khao Pubpa” that you must stop for meal, it is located at the highest point of the road, and the environment is very cooling and excellent for a break. We had our earlier lunch here about 12.00pm. The restaurant is built by wooden structure and used only wooden furniture still in its natural and original shape. It makes it blend in really well with the natural environment surrounded the restaurant. The food is tasty and price reasonable, it cost about 800Baht for a family 4 adult and 4 children. Everyone enjoy the food and decided to visit Khao Pubpa again when we are on our return journey from Krabi.

Zheng Yuan and GrandPa.

After lunch we proceed our journey to Krabi passing by a town call Trang. We decided to drive through Trang town to see what they have to offer instead of taking the “Trang ByPass” highway. In Trang town, we noticed a lot of Chinese residing here. We saw a lot of Chinese wording banner especially at school, temple and shops. With the assistance of LonelyPlanet in Car 8, we managed to visit one of the popular kopitiam in Trang. This restaurant operates by Thai Teo Chew Chinese who still speak fluent mandarin. Car 3 generously bought us a round of the famous honey roast pig while Car 6 being a Teo Chew Nang as well bought every table the authentic Teo Chew biscuit.

A very run down shop outside, but excellent food inside.

Best honey roast pig in Trang.

Traditional Teo Chew Moon Cake and biscuit.

There is a small hiccup when we left Trang as I accidentally droped my GPS causing it haywired showing a wrong direction. Luckily Car 8 come to rescue bring us back to the right track. Resetting the GPS bring us back to the right track and we continue our journey via trunk road 4158 connecting to 4159 and finally back to Highway 4. If you do not wish to visit Trang town, I will strongly suggest you to take the Trang By pass and continue with Highway 4 passing Huai Yot town to Krabi. ( Map is provided free by Thailand Tourism Board Malaysia located at Level 22, Menara CitiBank Kuala Lumpur, Tel: (603) 2162 3480 http://www.thaitourism.com.my/). Finally we reached Aonang beach/Krabi about 4.30pm. Just like Koh Samui, the hotel entrance is rather small sandwiched in between all the shops and signboard. Checked in to the hotel and relax at the pool. The hotel Aonang Villa Resort is strategically located by the beach and walking distance to all the food and shopping area next to Aonang beach. Next to the hotel is a limestone mountain, the view is similar to Batu Cave back in Malaysia.

The hotel cost about 2500Baht per night inclusive breakfast and tea time for 2 during low season, room is very spacious. There are 2 pools in the hotel, surprisingly the pool closed rather early at 7pm. At night, we have a slow walk around the beach front Aonang shopping/dining area. The area is very well organized after the Tsunami hit. There are a numbers of restaurant by the seaside at the end of the shopping area. The price of the food is all set in the menu and written in both Thai and English language. For a family of 2 adults and 4 children, it cost us about 800Baht for a seafood dinner. If you want to catch the sunset whiles having dinner, this will be the best place, be there about 6pm so that you can have more choice of table location. The sunset about 6.30pm, unfortunately I do not have the opportunity to take any photo, according to Car 8’s LonelyPlanet, it is very beautiful. ( Try google Aonang Sunset for photo ). After dinner, all the ladies continue shopping and massage, some of us enjoying beer at the hotel lobby.