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Published: April 20th 2018
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After our quick stop over in Kuala Lumpur we flew back to Krabi.
Sharon and Scott were not returning to Ko Lanta for a few days yet so we decided to stay over in Krabi and spend a day visiting Railay Beach. Well 3 beaches actually. It's a place we stayed at a few years ago and wanted to see how it had changed. The scenery is spectacular , a peninsular backed by tall lime karsts. The only way to get to it is by boat.
Each time we'd walked out of our guest house near the pier we were accosted by touts getting to take the trip there. By 9am we'd had breakfast and were ready to go. The tout marched behind us yabbering away but we bought the ticket at the main office anyway.
We were informed the boat would go in ten minutes and told to " wait there" the sun was beating down and there was no shade. We waited a while but nothing was going on. Then a solitary backpacker turned up and the tout informed us we must needed six more people before the boat would go. Almost an hour later we went to
the office and demanded our money back. It was returned with no problem but then the boatman called " we go now!"
So we bought the ticket again and followed him to the boat, another four had turned up and we all clambered on. Then sat...... And sat. Twenty minutes later and three more people and finally we set off only to turn back and pick up two more last minute passengers.
Finally we were in our way, as soon as we got out of the river estuary and into the open sea I began to regret the decision. Waves poured over the side of the wooden boat and in no time we were drenched.
Once at Railay we began drying off as we walked around, we visited the resort we'd stayed at before but it had now been developed and was a four star affair.
We found Rapella restaurant and had lunch with the Spanish backpacker we'd met on the boat over then went to explore the beaches.
They were just as picturesque as we'd remembered but oh so busy. Such a shame. Another little piece of Paradise gone.
After a quick dip in the sea
followed by a cold drink in a local bar we went in search of the boat back.
Same story..... " Wait there till we have 8 people "
It didn't take as long fortunately and we all clambered into the boat ready for another drenching.
Thank goodness we had a beautiful room back in Krabi where we could dry everything.
After a fantastic meal in the nearby Italian restaurant it was off to bed ready for our journey back to Ko Lanta.
Friday 13 April.
It was the start if the Thai New Year or Songkran as its known as here. It can last for up to three days but thankfully here on Ko Lanta it only lasts for the one day.
Its celebrated by water fights, mainly on the main road. Huge buckets filled with water line the roadside and basically you fill up your smaller bucket or similar container or water pistol and fire at the bikes and tuk- tuks passing by , also unsuspecting pedestrians.
Within minutes you end up drenched as trucks come cruising by with a small army of locals inside plus huge containers of iced water. As
they drive by they throw the water out onto us who are all trying to throw water at them!!
Crazy!!
Motorbikes were swerving all over the road to avoid being targeted and passengers on the tuk tuks arriving from the ferry.port were drenched too despite having their luggage next to them
Usually cloth backpacks. No mercy was shown!!!
Later that day as we arrived back at our bungalow
we saw a group of locals plus a few tourists having their own party at Jam Bar so we joined then briefly too before the electricity cut out and put an and to it. Darkness soon followed.
What a day! It was early to bed that night. Dry at last!!
*** don't forget- scroll down for more photos***
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