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Published: February 18th 2008
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Phi Phi Island Heaven
After the excitement of seeing Kim and Chris for only four days, we approached our time in Thailand with a steadily increasing anticipation. Dani and Sam, our bestus buds since childhood, were flying into Phuket on the 9th January for two weeks of whatever we wanted. The four of us had seven years prior been in Thailand (with six other friends) and were keen to return to the idyll of that holiday, particularly the highlight of the trip - Phi Phi Island.
Greeting Dani and Sam at the airport was a flurry of kisses, hugs and chatter. We kicked off at Kamala Beach, celebrating their recent engagement with a bottle of Verve. A couple of nights there, one more in Ao Nang (Krabi) to meet up with Jo (another childhood friend) and her mates Jack and Rossco and very soon we were powering our way to Phi Phi in a chartered speedboat, all of us feeling suitably glamorous.
Phi Phi Island's natural beauty is supreme. Motoring in, skimming waters so clear the brightly coloured fish and coral seem to be just below the surface, paradise opened up before us. Travelling in from the sea,
Phi Phi Leh
The striking island of Phi Phi Leh, viewed from just below our bungalow. all is blue. The navy glassiness of the sea that abruptly becomes turquoise and jade as the seas shallow; the shadowy, jungle-clad mountains and the palest, haziest powdery skies. There's a feeling of impossibility that there could be somewhere so beautiful.
Almost dumbbell shaped, with an isthmus enclosed by grand peaks soaring into the sky on either side and beaches dotted around its raggedy coast, Phi Phi Don is largely too wild to be inhabited. The village of Ton Sai squishes itself into the space between the two bays, with restaurants, bars, shops, market stalls and guesthouses all jostling for space. The whole place was squarely ravaged by the 2004 tsunami and is still in the process of rebuilding itself, and seems to be losing much of its island village charm as it does so.
But this wasn’t to affect us too much. On a morning ramble about the island in search of better digs (the ‘pool with swim-up bar’ at our selected joint was a concrete pond full of murky green water that looked too suspicious for Dani to venture into, and our rooms were at the top of a deadly spiral staircase) they came across Viking
Resort, a hidden enclave of bungalows perched in the trees around a small beach between Ton Sai and Long Beach.
It was here in this paradise that we whiled away the remainder of our time together. Ensconced in the Big Bungalow (a two bedroom house with an enormous western-facing balcony) littered with hammocks and those Thai beds with a triangle pillow at the head, we had little reason to venture very far. The restaurant downstairs amply supplied us with lemon juice-laced banana pancakes, sweet iced coffees, zesty curries and too many servings of tempura squid and prawns, and patiently kept the Tiger and cocktails coming in a steady stream. Tak, our man about town, his father Jon and brother Don, keep the place going amid renovations to upgrade the smaller shacks to large, wooden bungalows, and are genuine, accommodating and thoughtful hosts. The staff, a very cool bunch of young Thai fellows, make you feel like you’re just hanging with a bunch of friends.
When we weren’t swimming in the serene waters of Viking Beach, or snorkelling just off the headland, or lazing at the restaurant with yet another banana shake, snoozing on the balcony or yakking about
Girl friends!
Dani & Shan hanging out between banana shakes. this and that, we might have been on a day trip to check out the other beaches, or taking a longtail to the other local snorkelling spots (spotting a pod of dolphins on our way home), or getting a cheap massage by the sea on Long Beach. Wasting time is a luxury you just aren’t afforded at home, and to waste time with friends is pure indulgence.
And although we were measuring time by the spaces between banana shakes, swims, meals and massages, it was (again, all too soon) time for Dani and Sam to end the idyll and head home. With a view to catching up back in Aus, we waved them goodbye and waited by the pier till we saw them step aboard, and waited some more until their boat pulled away.
And so we were left to ourselves once again. Knowing we were in the most beautiful place we were likely to find, we stayed another few nights, but it really wasn’t quite the same without them. And besides, we had much more to see, despite the allure of the island.
Within a couple of days we were in Bangkok preparing ourselves for our
Everyone
Jo, Ross, Jack, Dani, Sam and us (not in order obviously) enjoying a refined Jaeger Bomb in Ao Nang. next (very unexpected) stop, Malaysia.
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Paul
non-member comment
Jealous...
I do declare that you both seem to be having entirely too much fun. Rum, banana pancakes, rum, hammocks, sunsets, and rum. "Phuc Yu", I say. I may as well sort out a bloody trip to see you two, too! Will liaise shortly. Also: Happy belated birthday to the nefarious pair of you. Much love and mungbeans.