Krabi/Phuket 2010 (Part 7) – The Finale

August 10, 2010 by  
Filed under Reviews

Krabi/Phuket 2010 – James Bond Island

Posted By : J2Kfm.

James Bond Island – Originally named Ko Tapu, or “Nail Island”, the remarkable piece of rock reached
super-stardom when featured in the 1974 classic James Bond movie; ” The Man with the Golden Gun”

After the previous day’s excursion to the Phi Phi Islands, we booked for another sightseeing program on the very next day. Actually, we booked from the same tour agent (Let’s Go Krabi) on the evening after the islands tour. After much haggling (we Malaysians are good at this, I tell ya!), we agreed on a 800baht/RM80/USD25 per person – Kayaking Full Day Trip which includes a) Go to Phang Nga Bay by A/C minibus
b) Longtail boat to James Bond Island & Khao Ping Gan
c) Canoeing trip at Lot Cave
d) Visit Suwankhuha Temple (Monkey Cave)
e) Lunch @ Koh Panyee (Muslim Floating Village)
f) Rejuvenation session at a waterfall

Breakfast of Khanom Jeen in Krabi

The pickup van arrived at about 8.30am (Thailand time), picking us up from our inn. The day tour took about 10 hours in total, and we arrived back in Ao Nang at about 6.40pm.


The longtail boat ride will take you along the rivers, leading into the seas and
enclaves surrounded by mountains and passing by mangrove swamps.

James Bond Island – You will see many speedboats and longtail boats docking here
for a camwhoring session with the famous nail-shaped rock.


At Ping Gan Island,  where we stopped for the Ko Tapu (James Bond Island) appreciation-cum-photography
session, you will see tourists (and us alike) attempting the impossible …. like in the above shot, for instance.


Darn sweltering heat  rendered us almost incapacitated and motionless. Okay, maybe not as dramatic,
but still, we were seeking for shelters in any form, like this shady hut for example. :)


The Canoeing trip around Lot Cave – Where you can choose to paddle your own canoe,
OR let them do it for you. Wise choice to let them paddle for you, really. So you can enjoy
the view while basking in the sun, rather than sweating it out, battling the waves.


Passing through caves and canyons, the canoeing session was pleasant, yet without much thrills/spills.
Anyway, nothing beats getting your bottom wet from the puddles of water inside the canoes! :)


Where we boarded the canoes (two pax per canoe, please … don’t get yourself capsized!)


Delicious Thai feast at Koh Panyee (Floating Village) –  About 6 dishes, including rice and water. Note that
the spiciness level has been toned down DRASTICALLY. The majority of tourists are the westerners anyway.


A picture of serenity @ the Floating Village of Koh Panyee. Populated by Thai Muslims, you can
buy souvenirs from the labyrinth of stalls operated by the locals, walk around the piers and
watch how they spend their daily routines, or even register yourself for school. Okay, maybe not …


And there you have our over-eager tour guide! (Sorry forgot his name). He was a real nice chap though,
at times a little annoying when he rattled off non-stop …..


Suwankuha Temple (Golden Cave Temple/Monkey Cave) – A 200 years-old reclining Buddha statue,
and rock formations leading to the skies …. wait, that lower left pic did remind of The Descent !!!


Refreshing oneself at the waterfalls …. but instead, we got FOC Fish Spa treatment !
Nature’s most ingenious creations, the fish came in the usual tiny, anchovy-size commonly seen in
fish spas everywhere, but there were some rather BIG fishes swimming around, pecking at our dead cells!

The McDonald’s facing our Ao Nang Grand Inn, and various amenities, shops, and food stalls
(not shown in this pic) around Ao Nang area come nighttime.

And so we were back in Ao Nang after a long 10 hours journey to the seas, caves, swamps and waterfalls. Usually, the package retails for 1,600 baht per person, but we managed to bargain our socks off; reducing the asking price printed on the brochures to half. :) If you’re in a much larger group, maybe you can get even better deals!

Dinner at Thai Thai Restaurant along Ao Nang Beach. A fusion of local and international cuisines,
we had pizzas, tom yum, green curry, and fried rice.

Initially we intended to walk over to Wangsai Seafood Restaurant for dinner, located about 20-30 minutes walk from our place. Or you can take the taxis (resembling more of a songthaew or mini truck) for 50-60 baht per person. But after the tiresome day, we decided to go against this idea. Instead we strolled leisurely towards the beach, about 5 minutes away and found ourselves attracted to the soft breezy lullabies; both from the crashing waves and the cabaret-like performance at Thai Thai Restaurant. Food was forgettable, yet we relished every moment of rejuvenation and blissful tranquility. To end the night, we went for body massage at one of the parlours facing the seas. Talk about loosening up knots in our nerves! From 200baht/RM20/USD6.30 per hour, you can opt for a myriad of massages, ranging from head+shoulder, full body, oil/milk/lotion massages, as well as foot massage.


And our final breakfast in Krabi; a random stall at a junction of two streets, in front of a convenience shop
named V-Shop. The stall has no name, hence good luck in locating this stall for the early birds of Ao Nang.
Noodles with chicken or beef (remember, pork is a rarity here) for 35-40 baht each.

And for the parting shot, take a look at these colourful, brightly-lit lanterns decorating the path parallel to Ao Nang beach.

And they lived happily ever after …… :)

Related Article : The Magic of Phanga-nga Bay

With kind permission, article from : http://www.j2kfm.com/krabi-phuket-finale-james-bond-island

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