Krabi/Phuket 2010 – Phi Phi Islands Day Tour

Posted By : J2Kfm.

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.

Related Article : Phi Phi Island Exploration

With kind permission, article from : http://www.j2kfm.com/krabi-phuket-2010-phi-phi-island-tour/

Road Trip – Krabi, Thailand.

Posted By : Ina Mohd

Destination – Krabi, Thailand.  Distance to destination – 850Km. Departure point – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Total cars in convoy – 4.  Stopover – overnight at Hat Yai, Thailand.
It was a 5-day trip.  4 of them were spent on the road.  That leaves us with only one full day to enjoy Krabi.  11 of my family members occupied 2 cars, while 2 of our friends in the other 2 with their families.  The journey to Hat Yai itself was an 8 hour drive.  Thank god I’m wasn’t driving!  …or so I thought.  My dad had fever on that day so I took over the wheel.  Poor thing was coughing nastily throughout the whole drive.
We stayed at the beautiful AoNang Villa Resort.  Gosh.  Felt like I was in one of those Travel Channel show reviewing hotels (think Samantha Brown’s Passport to …Asia?).

Sa Wat Dee Kaa, Krabi!
We stayed at the beautiful AoNang Villa Resort.  Gosh.  Felt like I was in one of those Travel Channel show reviewing hotels (think Samantha Brown’s Passport to …Asia?).

The pool view from the balcony of my room.  We could have gotten the ocean view, but with a gorgeous limestone hill to gape at, we ain’t complaining! The Garden area.  Aonang Villa offers rooms with view of the greens as well.

The Bakery cum Souvenir shop.  The chairs are made to face the beach.  The next space near the yellow & red umbrella (left) is where you can lie right down and have your body massaged at a price too unbelievably good to mention. If you’re sitting outside Paradiso restaurant (2 photos above), this is what you see.

Eat, drink Thai food and be merry.
A tip to the best mango pancake in the world.  If you walk into the street from Aonang Villa Resort, to the right, in front of Starbucks and 7Eleven, there are a couple of food stalls.  A burger stall (above) and pancake stall on the left.  If you’re in Krabi, hunt for this very stall and taste the mango pancake.  You’ll thank me for it! This is where we had dinner, my dad’s recommendation.  It’s a minute moped-ride further up the street and the food is as authentic as Thai food can be.  I say this because there are restaurants that cater for tourists less spicier tongue.  Here, we got the original spice and heat.

So, what can you do in Krabi?
You can wake up at 8am, have breakfast, then wait at the lobby entrance… Let a tuk-tuk whisk you away towards the beach… …and jump into a speedboat for a little snorkeling and Phi Phi Island hopping! A popular stop.  We watched enviously at them as our boat had to abort the plan of snorkeling here.  There were too many boats crowding the area.

Krabi Town Food Market
Luscious Thai mangoes, good to eat with sticky rice, bathed in coconut milk… Um-umm. Perfect take-away for the long drive back.

Goodbye Krabi.  Hello again, road.
Thai citizens revere their King.  I know a friend who said she’ll die for her King with tears welled up in her eyes.

Once my dad decided not to fly but drive us instead to Krabi, groans were coming out from most of our mouths, mine included.  But I thought, hey I’m not driving, I’ll chill in the backseat reading Confucius from the Heart, snap some photos from the car window. But it was a good thing that I had to take the wheel.  I paid attention on the roads and the way Thai people drive.  I saw the trees and gigantic statues of Buddhas and the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin, popping out now and then, as if to bless our journey the whole way.  And whenever I signaled prior to cut on the windy road, cars in front would drive closer to the side to give you way.  It was absorbing Thailand in a different experience, one that is hard to describe.  This trip reignited a sense of adventure in me that childhood once held.  I’m seeing roadtrips in a new light. There are some regrets about this trip, it was a long drive to Krabi to spend way too short of a time there.  Wish I had more time to photograph and do justice to those beautiful islands and limestone rocks jutting out of the sea.  Wish I could rock climb the limestone hills and explore the town area.  On a brighter note though, it makes me want to come back for more.  I only drove half the journey, which the other half my dad took back the wheel.  But, would I drive 1,700Km to and fro just to see Krabi again?

Without the slightest hesitation, ABSOLUTELY!

Korp Kun Kaa…

With kind permission, article from : http://inamoments.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/roadtrip-krabi-thailand

Phi Phi Island : The Chao Ley sea gypsies named the islands Pulaopi are pi. Pulao means island and pi is a kind of tree or samae. The island group lies 42 km from the mainland of Krabi and is composed of 6 islands : Phi Phi Don Island, Phi Phi Ley Island, Bida Nork Island, Bida Nai Island, Mosquito Island and Bamboo Island.

MOSQUITO ISLAND
Lies to the North of Phi Phi Don Island. It is the least visited of all the local islands, with very little beach land, but is not lacking in underwater attractions, as testified by the visits of dive operators.

BAMBOO ISLAND
Can be found not far from Mosquito Island, East of Phi Phi Don Island. It is best known for its beautiful, spacious beaches in the North and East. The area encompasses abundant coral growth, parallel to the beach in a North – South direction. Accessible only by boat, the dive site of Hin Klang lies in the open sea between Bamboo Island and Phi Phi Don Island. With a wealth of diverse coral and absolutely teeming with reef fish in the 3 -5 metres depth range, it is considered by many to be Phi Phi’s number one snorkeling reef.

PHI PHI DON ISLAND
Covering an area of 28 square km, Phi Phi Don Island is 8 km in length. In the North there is Laem Tong, presumed to be the original site of settlement, and still home to the descendants of the first settlers, the Chao Ley sea gypsies. Their ancestors are believed to have arrived here in their wooden fishing boats, having travelled from Lipe Island in the southern province of Satun. Laem Tong is also a good spot to stop for snorkelling;the other main snorkelling spots on Phi Phi Don itself being Hua Ragate, Lantee Bay, Monkey Beach and Hin Pae, just off Long Beach. The huge, twin bays visible from the often photographed beautiful Viewpoint Hill are Tonsai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay. Tonsai Bay is the deeper of the two bays. It is where Tonsai Pier is located, the point of entry and departure for most boats. Loh Dalum Bay is shallower, just as beautiful, but quieter, being used by only speed boats and longtail boats. The not-to-be-missed lookout point on top of Viewpoint Hill, 314 m above sea level, is a 1.5 km steep climb. A bird’s eye view from the top reveals the two amazing, crescent-shaped bays in all their glory. Here is one of the best places to appreciate what scope Phi Phi has for exploring by canoeing or kayaking, snorkelling or diving, and touring by speed boat or longtail boat. The vast, grand backdrop of limestone cliffs is awe-inspiring. Tonsai Tower, at one end of the main beach in Tonsai Bay, is a challenging but highly rewarding cliff face for climbers. It has both single pitch and multi-pitch routes to suit first-timers and professionals alike. Pa Hin Taek, which can only be reached by boat, is another climbing location, with 20 multi-level routes, the most popular of which is the Happy Banana route. Phi Phi Don Island has many tourist facilities, all within easy walking distance. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the land. Here there is access to every grade of hotel, bungalow or guesthouse, but reservations through travel agents prior to arrival are necessary during busy periods.

FACILITIES ON PHI PHI DON ISLAND
There are essential banking facilities, including ATMs and money exchanges, convenience stores open 24 hours, souvenir shops, market stalls serving local food, as well as bars and restaurants with competitive, high standards of international and Thai cuisine. The travel agents on Phi Phi offer boat rentals, snorkeling and kayaking trips, diving, climbing and yachting. As can be seen, with all its natural resources and supporting facilities, there is no shortage of things to do in Phi Phi, and many visitors consider it the highlight of their stay in the South of Thailand.

PHI PHI LEY ISLAND
Approximately a third of the size of Phi Phi Don Island, the sister island of Phi Phi Ley covers a total area of only 6.6 square km, and is composed mostly of sheer, steep limestone cliffs, rising from the sea, where the bottom depths are typically 18-20 metres. There is only one deep point of 34 metres, off the island’s northern point, referred to as the head of Phi Phi Ley. There are 3 bays : Maya Bay, Pi Leh Bay and Lohsamah Bay meet in a thin neck of land at the South of the island.

VIKING CAVE
In the North-East of the island is typically the first stop of an island tour. The cave is a few metres above sea level, and accessed by a small jetty for boats. The two things that Viking Cave is famous for are the birds’ nests collected for birds’ nest coup and some fascinating ancient cave paintings. Apart from a few interesting rock formations, including stalagmites and stalactites, visitors will discover inside the cave some crude bamboo canes tied together with ropes and vines, extending up into the lofty, pitch black height of the cave. On the eastern and southern wall of the cave, they are several ancient paintings of European and Arab sailing boats, a junk and steamer. They are presumed to be the work of sailors or pirates who stopped along the route to take shelter from the wind and waves of the monsoon, hide some treasure or carry out boat repairs.

PI LEH BAY
Pileh Bay is a hong (room) or sea lagoon, an area of water almost almost entirely enclosed by high cliffs. It lies a little further South of Viking Cave. The entrance to the bay is a channel of clear water with shallow corals and reef fish, an excellent place to explore by snorkelling or kayaking. On the right hand side as you enter, is a small beach and a sheer cliff face with at least 7 routes for rock climbers, the most interesting of which is called “Four Beers of Singha”.

LOHSAMAH BAY
Lohsamah Bay is to be found at the furthest end of Phi Phi Ley in the South. It too has excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities, suitable for all levels of experience. There are the added bonuses of a quiet, sandy beach and a very attractive walking trail to Maya Bay. The starting point for this trail from Lohsamah Bay is a stony gateway – a short tunnel-accessible only by boat, and flooded at high tide.

MAYA BAY
is the largest and finest bay of the island; many would agree it is the crowning glory of Phi Phi Ley.  It lies on the West coast. The main beach is pure white and crescent-shaped. Towering limestone walls all round block the waves perfectly, and the atmosphere in this wonderful beauty spot is unique. Throughout the high season from November to April, Maya Bay attracts day trippers from all over, who come to enjoy sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, photography and relaxing in the most exotic of natural surroundings. It is much quiter during the low season months of May until October, when sea conditions frequently make access to the bay inconvenient or unpractical for boats. Filmed as part of Hollywood’s controversial movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonado di Caprio, Maya Bay’s fame has by now spread to all four corners of the world.

THE BIDA ISLANDS
Further South of Phi Phi Ley, facing Lohsamah Bay, lie the two islands of Bida Nork and Bida Nai. As you approach them from the direction of Phuket, their shapes resemble a pair of army boots. These two small, rocky islands have no beach, but they do have fabulous coral gardens and reefs, which are best explored by scuba diving.

HOW TO GET TO THE PHI PHI ISLANDS
These days Phi Phi can easily be reached by boats from Krabi town, Ao Nang, Phuket or Koh Lanta, with many regular services. The fastest transfer is by speed boat from Krabi town or Ao Nang; journey time being typically 45 minutes. Otherwise the larger, more common boats need at least one and a half hours to complete the same trip in good sea conditions, and two to two and a half hours when the sea is rough. Leading tour operators runs regular trips to Phi Phi from Krabi and Ao Nang, with a choice of various packages to suit every one’s needs

Source : Krabi Tourism Association

]]> http://www.krabidiscovery.com/out-there/attractions/the-phi-phi-islands/feed/ 0 http://www.krabidiscovery.com/out-there/activities/phi-phi-islands-day-trip/ http://www.krabidiscovery.com/out-there/activities/phi-phi-islands-day-trip/#comments Fri, 08 May 2009 15:14:43 +0000 admin http://www.krabidiscovery.com/?p=155

SCENIC BAYS, CLIFFS & COVES

High View of Phi Phi Islands,

These islands had their central village washed away by the Tsunami, except a number of little beautiful resorts up the east coast that was left completely untouched. Tour boats  are running again and many bungalows have rebuilt and reopened. What makes this area unique is the amazing limestone cliffs that rise dramatically out of the sea resulting in exquisite beaches to relax. The island group lies 42 km from mainland Krabi and is only 1 hour away from Ao Nang Beach by speed boat. It is composed of 6 islands hi Phi Don, Phi Phi Ley, Bida Nork, Bida Nai, Mosquito Island and Bamboo Island.
The main village Ton Sai is on Phi Phi Don where all the activities is built on a sandy isthmus with a twin beach rises to less than 2 metres above sea level on both sides. The bay is towered with magnificent tall limestone ridges. The scenery from Viewpoint Hill, 314 metres above sea level captured the two amazing, crescent-shaped bays in all their glory. Phi Phi Islands offer the most exotic natural ambience to enjoy sunbathing, diving, photography, sightseeing and relaxing. There are essential banking facilities, including ATMs, money exchanges, convenience stores, souvenir shops, stalls serving local food as well as bars and restaurants. There is access to every grade of hotel, bungalow or guesthouse, but reservations are neccessary during busy periods.

Been here and what blogger discovered and experienced :

” Phi Phi island consists of two islands, Phi Phi Don, the larger one of the two with an abundance of fine beaches and accommodation to suit all needs. The more geographically dramatic, Phi Phi Ley, with its cliffs, natural caves and water-filled canyon offers the tourists exciting and outdoor pursuits. Both islands are in Krabi province and are part of Nopparat Thara Beach/Phi Phi National Marine Park, Just a short 42 kilometers from from Phuket, will transport you to the tropical paradise and famous islands of Phi Phi Island. With a Kodak moment with every view, it’s the ultimate tropical getaway in Thailand. Fine, white sandy beaches and breathtaking rock formations rising from the vivid turquoise waters that surround the islands will instantly confirm you’ve  arrived in paradise. Exploring Phi Phi Island couldn’t be more fun, with Scuba Diving , Snorkelling , Kayaking or Climbing being the most popular methods, when taking a break from the silky soft sands. Phi Phi Islands, located just 45 minutes by speedboat from Phuket, offer a great laid back tropical life style.  Soak up the sun, go beach hopping or simply enjoy the  great outdoors in some of the most beautiful scenery in Asia . Classic white sandy beaches, surrounded by impressive limestone cliffs and sunlit crystal clear water, Phi Phi actually consists of two islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley, so gorgeous it was used as a location for the Hollywood film, “The Beach” at Maya Bay. These two islands offer a wide range of very different atmospheres such as natural wildlife spots, archeological sites, a great coral reef, fishy lagoons, as well as all beaches. ”

MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN KRABI

Phi Phi Island – Vanessa Rosseto

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Phi Phi Island trip

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Maya Bay Phi Phi Island Thailand In rain

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