Finally, the main bulk of my internship is over; only one week left to go. Summer has really flown by. Tomorrow morning I leave for Phuket for another short weekend getaway. I’m pretty stoked!!
Back to the recap. Because I was bogged down by work, there was little time to write about my first visit to Krabi. This post is long overdue – it’s been a month since the trip – but better late than never.
Booking air tickets to Krabi was quite an impromptu decision. It started off with checking out OCBC 1-for-1 deals…. and you know how it goes from there. Unfortunately, we had to settle for a regular budget Air Asia flight because the better deals were snapped up already.
Day 1
Fast forward to 4 July, where we left Sg at 3pm and landed at 3.30pm in Krabi. From the airport we cabbed to the pier in Ao Nang. The cab ride took almost an hour, and it was 600 baht in total.
Had to take a long tail boat into Railay, and were told waiting time was 30-40 minutes to fill up a boat of 8-10 passengers. Hence, we went to the minimarts opposite the pier for some magnum ice cream. There was Thai yakult!!! It was slightly pricier though, at 50 baht each instead of the usual 25 baht in Bangkok.
Hung around the restaurant (back at the pier) while waiting to board. It took more than an hour for the boat to arrive. If we had known earlier about the delay, we would’ve spent more time exploring Ao Nang.
On the bright side, we caught the last long tail boat despite only having 6 passengers. It was 100 baht per person, for a short 15 minute ride.
Had to wade into thigh-deep seawater to reach the boat, and brave crazily choppy waves to Railay. Climbing onto the boat with our baggages (2 small trolley luggages, a sling bag, a huge tote bag and two backpacks) was tough because the makeshift ladder was slippery. Was doused with copious amounts of seawater each time the boat went over the waves, and arrived at Railay Beach dripping wet. Though online reviews did mention preparing to get wet, I was not expecting to be drenched. Perhaps the sea conditions were less favourable as compared to earlier in the day.
Nonetheless, it was truly an unforgettable experience.
When Railay West Beach greeted us, my first thought was: yay we are finally here.
Towering limestone formations, white sandy shores, rolling blue waves, and the setting sun…. it was extremely picturesque. Walked down the pathway to Railay Bay Resort & Spa, and checked in. The rooms were not too bad; the ‘privacy cottage’ had a private jacuzzi and patio, along with a king-sized bed. Inside, there was a functional TV, shitty wifi, and a spacious bedroom and bathroom.
Walked through the resort to Railay East, only a short 10-15 minute walk away. Railay East is less attractive with its mangrove forests (didn’t smell particularly good either), but has a collection of resorts, eateries, minimarts, small shops and massage palours.
Decided to dine at Railay Princess Resort, found at the end of the pathway.
We ordered the main dishes: beef, black salmon, red snapper, and mixed seafood for ~249 baht each, which came along with a free flow buffet spread. Although there was variety the buffet spread wasn’t much, except for the tom yum soup that was delicious!!! Reminiscent of the soup I had on my first trip to Bangkok :’)
When we were done, it was pretty late already, so we headed back to the room. Chilled in the jacuzzi for a bit before turning in.
Day 2
Woke up at 6.45am, freaking early. Had breakfast at the resort, it was continental buffet style but not very impressive. The view was stunning though.
When we were done, we popped by the Tourist Centre to book the ‘Phi Phi Islands Tour by Speedboat’. It was 1,400 baht per person, to visit up to 7 islands. Initially we wanted the sunset edition (to snorkel among phosphorous lights!) but were advised against it due to poor forecasted weather.
Started the tour with a speedboat ride to Bamboo Island, the first pit stop. It was a bumpy 45-minute ride, torturous for those with seasickness. Our host, who introduced himself as “Him from boat nine”, was very chirpy. He was a good guide, constantly chatting/ offering us bottled water/ ensuring we were ok throughout the tour.
At Bamboo Island, there were no bamboos in sight but hoards of tourists roaming about. We were given an hour to explore. There were so many people walking aimlessly, or splashing around in the clear blue waters.
We used the resort pool towels to lounge on the sand (should’ve brought the mat instead), and found several hermit crabs. My sis couldn’t resist playing with them.
When time was up, we were on our way to the next destination: Phi Leh Bay.
It was surreal.
We put on life jackets, jumped from the boat into the clear waters and swam around. Swimming was rather refreshing.
Also witnessed a daredevil who scaled the side of the cliff and catapulted himself back into the water. Insane.
When we moved on to sightseeing at Viking Cave, the waves got really choppy. People started puking, and it got quite uncomfortable. Tried to snorkel in open waters at Rante Bay, but I felt incredibly seasick getting repeatedly buffeted by the huge waves. Was glad to leave the area for Phi Phi Don, where we had lunch.
At that point of time I felt really sick, so I spent the hour and a half sleeping it off. Barely ate anything from the buffet lunch served. Btw don’t expect much from the lunch included in the package, or you’d be sorely disappointed.
One thing I regretted was not bringing my wallet, as there were several shops, a coconut ice cream stall and more to explore. And 100 baht to hold and take pictures with the adorable monkey.
Afterwards, we snorkelled at Loh Samah Bay. Compared to open sea snorkelling, this was a much better experience because the waters were calm. Many fish, sea urchins, and other marine life were visible underwater. We used a slice of bread to lure the fish closer. The corals looked kind of brown though.
We managed to snorkel for a longer period of time (perhaps to make up for the less-than-satisfactory pre-lunch stop), before heading back to Railay. We didn’t visit Maya Island or Monkey Island because time was almost up. It was yet another 45-minute ride back; this time, we sat at the front deck in open air, which felt a lot better. Our host served us pineapple and watermelon, as well as Krabi cakes in chocolate and butter flavours.
All in all island hopping was a great experience, but once is enough.
(To be continued when I’m back from Phuket haha)
Indelible recollections 