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Published: December 26th 2006
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Since my last blog
(Yellow shirts), I have travelled south from Bangkok to the Malaysian border; stopping off at a few beaches along the way, to break up the journey. Its a hard job, this travelling lark.
HUA HIN
My first stop was in Hua Hin, which is only a 3 hour bus ride south of Bangkok. Hua Hin is the oldest and most traditional of the Thai resorts. It is favoured by the Thai Royal family. The resort is over 70 years old. I preferred this place to the newer resorts further south because it retains its Thai character. Most of the resorts further south are dominated by farang (non-Thais).
Hua Hin though is popular with Thais as well as farang. It is also still an active fishing port.
CHUMPHON
After 2 nights I continued south to
Chumphon, which is a jumping off point for backpackers going to the island of Koh Tao. Koh Tao is a farang backpackers ghetto, with little Thai presence not related to the tourist industry. It does though have some of the best diving in the world. I spent a night in Chumphon but I decided not to visit Koh Tao.
Phi Phi Don
This rubble and litter was piled up behind my hotel. Much of the tourist infrastructure has been re-built on Phi Phi Don since the tsunami, but the private developers seem determined to shit all over the island all over again. This despite the fact that Phi Phi is in theory in the middle of a national marine park. Instead I continued by bus to the city of Ranong.
RANONG
Ranong province is the wettest part of Thailand. Again I only stayed in the city for one night.
Ranong is near the southern border of Burma. It is popular with farang for the visa run. Many people jump over the border in order to re-enter Thailand with a new visa stamp.
KRABI
The next bus journey to Krabi was my longest on this leg of the journey, The journey from Ranong to Krabi took 7 hours. I arrived into
Krabi town after dark, so I booked into an hotel in town rather than continuing to the beach.
AONANG
On the 17th of December I moved from Krabi town to the beach resort of Aonang.
Aonang is tacky. It is like a British resort that has been transplanted to the tropics. Blackpool in the tropics! It has zero Thai atmosphere. The weather was also not good. The sun came out every so often, but most of the time it was overcast with frequent short showers. Even so, the ferang tourists took advantage of every bit of sun to nurse their skin cancers.
PHI PHI
The next day the 18th I took a ferry to Koh Phi Phi Don.
Phi Phi is stunningly beautiful - limestone cliffs rising out of turquoise blue waters, white sandy beaches and miles of forests. The islands of Phi Phi were hit badly by the tsunami of 2004. The place though is definitely open for business. The tourist infrastructure has been re-built. The main island of Phi Phi Don is heavily developed - over developed. There was a chance after the tsunami to redevelop Phi Phi in a more sustainable fashion. But it looks as if the Thais have decided to treat an area that is supposed to be a national park as a cash cow. The danger is that they could kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Its not just the Thai authorities that are to blame. Whilst on Phi Phi I saw behaviour by farang tourists that is totally out of order in a national park. For many farang its just their 2 weeks in the sun - they don't appreciate that it should be a privilege to be on Phi Phi.
Whilst on Phi Phi I went on a
day tour, which included a visit to Maya Beach - the beach featured in the film 'The Beach'. After a couple of days on Phi Phi I returned to Krabi for the night.
HAT YAI
Then on the 21st I continued to the town of
Hat Yai, which is a transport hub for the far south of Thailand. The next day, the 22nd of December I left Hat Yai by train for Malaysia.
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John
non-member comment
I think, you should carry a police style baton, and you should be allowed to attack backpacking gap year kids and package deal plebs at random. Id be happy just to see the photos.