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Published: April 27th 2010
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We arrive in Hat Yai via a night train from Kuala Lumpur and walk off in to town searching for inspiration and a quiet place to plan our next move. Before long we bump in to a Canadian and a German backpacker heading up to Phuket and decide to join them until we think of anything better.. At that point getting clear of Hat Yai (a miserable and bleak border town) before sunset was a priority.
Half way to Phuket we decide against it and jump off the bus at Krabi and book in to a cheap guesthouse for the night. The next morning we board a ferry to Phi Phi Island and stay for three days before fleeing once again back to Krabi Town and the very same guesthouse. In total we stay in the Krabi province for a week mostly because we cannot decide where to go next after being thoroughly disillusioned by island life. We decide to ditch our initial plan of visiting Ko Phangan and instead head North, but the trouble in Bangkok leaves us worried about transit.
We make the most of our time in Krabi by hiring a 50cc and exploring the area which turns
out to be a gold mine of picturesque jungle, waterfalls and Buddhist temples.
Journal Excerpts:
Ness: "...
On the bus to Phuket i am filled with dread that this will not be the right place for us, a thought that seems to constantly loom of late. The two guys we met are good people but i have the feeling we might be about to walk in to a beer chugging 'dude and babe' resort. We make a flash decision and abort our journey and get off in Krabi, one of our original half made plans before we arrived here...."
Tom: "...
Phi Phi Island is one of the most beautiful places i have ever seen -not including Hampi- but is completely marred by tourism. This once remote paradise has been totally overrun by Western tourists on package holidays. Bars with huge screens showing football, tour shops, fashionable clothing stores and 'massage' parlors choke the lowland by the main port.." "..There are a few places of refuge and plenty of nice people but there is a bad vibe that runs deep in this place and i want to leave...."
Tom: "...
We trek up to the highest point on Phi Phi where the view is awesome and then plunge down the other side in to untamed jungle to eventually emerge on a mostly isolated beach. We hire a mask and snorkel each and swim in to the aquamarine sea to be amazed by the myriad tropical fish, alien anemones and coral formations. Beautiful to behold!..."
Ness: "...
We discover Krabi's hidden beauty as we set off on a 25km ride to a National Park and it's picturesque waterfalls - which was recommended by our friendly host, Patrick. A slippery climb up brings us to a tree dappled pool below one of the first waterfalls and we sit for a while amongst a cloud of butterflies of every colour of the rainbow. We climb further up passing a few other people on the way but have the highest pool to ourselves. After deciding the fish swimming around our legs aren't going to nibble i carefully sidle in to the icy pool hoping leeches or any other beasts lurking in the muddy bottom are not fond of human flesh. Tom decides against it after recently pulling a leech off his leg on the way up...."
Tom: "...
Krabi is a beautiful place and i am glad we lingered here. Today we take off on the bike again and head in to the rural areas to see some of the real Thailand. Beautiful hand built houses on stilts nestle among the trees and grazing elephants haunt the trees as their masters sleep nearby. Children play carefree on the winding unmade roads and riding slowly is a must. Often we branch off the main routes and follow tracks in to the jungle which is immensely fun on the bike.
Tom: "...
Today we found a place called Tiger Caves, a Buddhist enclave that hugs the bottom of a mountain which is host to many caves held sacred to the monks that live there. The temple itself sits on top of the mountain and 1200 extremely steep steps lead up to it. Around the base is thick jungle and we wonder around for an hour exploring caves and gawping at 1000 year old trees...."
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