Krabi

---

It's ironic that we left Phuket when it just started to get sunny, but hopefully the weather would be better from here on in! (It's the beginning of monsoon season in Thailand) We almost missed the bus that morning because we were given the wrong time :S, but luckily transportations in Thailand are not known for their punctuality, and we managed to climb on the van at the last minute. Compared to Phuket, Krabi is like the country side. If any of you have been to Hornby Island, that's what it felt like, but just slightly more tropical. We stayed about 10 minutes walk away from Ao Nang, which is the busiest part, and the quiet country roads led to a long stretch of white sand and turquoise waters. We were the only ones on the huge stretch of beach, and finally some peace and quiet away from all the tuk tuks. The sandbar stretched out over 100 metres into the water, and it was only knee deep. Lazing out in the sun, it was a relaxing afternoon in paradise.

The next day, we were off bright and early to a day trip around five islands near Krabi. Of course, it wasn't a one stop destination. We were picked up by the van, dropped off at a meeting place, picked up by another van, and finally reached the harbour. Transportation is no easy task in Thailand! As we crammed 24 people into the power boat, I could already see the turquoise waters illuminated by the strong, tropical sun. The boat roared through the waves, bouncing up and down violently. The destination was definitely worth the rough boat ride though. First, we stopped at Bamboo Island. This uninhabited island was the picturesque scene of many postcards. However, each island we went to seemed more beautiful than the last. After being 15 minutes late back to the boat (we weren't the last ones back though!), we headed off to the next island. We even stopped at Maya Bay, which is where "The Beach" was filmed. (I haven't seen the movie, but it seems like everyone here refers to it) At lunch, we gorged ourselves at the buffet on Ko Phi Phi Don. Ah, buffet lunches, how wonderful it is to eat unlimited amounts of food when you are travelling on budget! After lunch, we went snorkeling at Ko Phi Phi Ley. Fish swarmed around us because they were attracted to the surface by the bread being thrown off the boat. Have you ever swam with a school of fish? Definitely something everyone should try at least once in their life. Being underwater felt like I was in my own watery world. At the next site, (which unfortunately I don't remember the name of), the tide was low, so the corals were only a couple feet beneath the surface! Snorkeling was already so amazing, I couldn't wait until I went scuba diving on Ko Tao (more to come on that!). Out of all the islands, Ko Phi Phi Ley is definitely the one that I would recommend going to. White sand, turquoise water, what more could you ask for?

---