Krabi

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7 Nights

On the 15th November we caught a 16 hour bus ride to Krabi from Bangkok. Krabi is on the west coast of Thailand. We headed to Ao-Nang, the most western beach in the Krabi area. On arrival you can immediately see the rebuilding from the Tsunami.

Ao-Nang is a nice little town and we had a fun wholesome time on our one night there. It was a little touristy but a good place to unwind after 16 hours on the road.

We advanced quickly into relaxation mode when we took our $3 boat ride to Ton Sai, a bay that is probably the most underdeveloped tourist area (electricity is only available at night and is by generator) in this region. As you pass around the head from Ao-Nang you are greeted with the most amazing limestone cliffs that contain caves, overhangs and long crystalised formations of limestone that transports you back to another time. This is a climbers paradise and climbers make up most of the people here.

We arrived on the beach and quickly found a nice bungalow amidst a tranquil rainforest setting. We followed the dirt path and found the 'Dream Valley Resort', it was an appropriate name as we all had some amazing dreams at this place! There is not too much to tell because this was pure relaxation mode, spending days laying on the beach and swimming, eating, kayaking, and nights hanging at the bars drinking changs, eating, having great conversations and playing with puzzles. The locals and other travellers we met were very warm and friendly and there was never a dull moment. This place is so chilled reggae is all you hear blasting from the speakers at the bars right on the beach all night. We hung out at two bars, viking which was owned by Kobe a Thai guy who liked to smoke bongs all day behind the bar and Tommy a Swedish guy who gave us free feeds and kept us entertained the whole time, though his taste in music had a little to answer for, at one stage he played the frog song, so I quickly ripped out my ipod and played some banging sets there and he told me he had never seen the place so full, one night I played at Tommy's and then at Kobe's on the same night for two different parties, it was so relaxed and I was even serving beers all night. I played to about 150 people at Kobe's it was my biggest crowd to-date.

6 nights were spent here and most people we met told us this was there favourite place in Thailand and it wasn't hard to understand why.

A highlight of Ton Sai was finding the 'blue lagoon', a crater like lagoon in the middle of a mountain that can easily be mistaken for a inactive volcano. We went with our kiwi friend Tim and we met a swede Peter and a little finnish elf-like guy name Anty on the way. We had to freeclimb down 3 drop offs being 3 metres, 3 metres and 5 metres respectively. It was a good challenge for all of us and if felt great climbing up vertical pathways barefoot on dark clay that your feet just seem to stick too. We hung out for a few days and checked out the many many Swedish girls that sunbake on Riley beach, they were more interested in how good they look and how tanned they can get, well according to Peter anyway.

We were lucky to have landed at this spot on our first leg of our journey and it was sad to bid farewell after our good times here. Now we move on to Ko Pha Ngan an island on the east coast notorious for young travellers partying, it can't be good!

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Photos

Ton Sai Beach
A photo will never do this place justice

The Blue Lagoon
Unfortunately is wasn't really blue on this occassion

Limestone Cliffs Ton Sai
You are surrounded by limestone cliffs all that is missing is the dinosaurs

The Blue Lagoon
The echo here was amazing, I wish I had my Djembe drum the beat would be amplified so loud!

Monkeys Everywhere!
Monkeys are a pest here I was told and they are promptly shot with a bow and arrow if they get in the locals way

Comments

[Esther]

Jealous!
Sounds amazing Dazza! I'm freezing in London at the mo so very jealous. Will have to check it out when I go thru asia on my way home Esther