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Our Hotel On Khao San Road
The Rikka Inn is on Khao San Road. We lucked out in that was far enough away from the night clubs and the noise.Thailand - January 27-February 11, 2013
January 27th we were up by 5AM and headed to the airport for Bangkok, Thailand. Kaohsiung airport was very impressive. We played Wii and viewed our progress on the full wall screen (Linda is a very poor player, but she had fun), then Linda got a half hour massage from a blind man for $5 just before we boarded the plane.
The exchange is $1 CN to 28.09 THBaht
We landed in Bangkok, booked a tour for the next day, got some local money, then took a cab to Khao San Road and checked into the Rikka Inn. Khao San Road is a very busy street full of bars, shops and services that spill into the street until the wee hours of the morning. We found a bar and enjoyed a Chang beer. We were instantly bombarded by the wandering vendors and beggars, however, with a gentle no and a smile, they would smile and move on!
We were up early for a full day of touring temples. We headed to the Grand Temple first and its' 34 ornate sites and buildings including the solid emerald Buddha, Wat Trimit and the
Shopping on Khao San Road
Khao San Road is closed to vehicular track after 5PM. The street fills up with racks of clothes, chairs from restaurants and people, lots of them! solid gold Buddha, Wat Po and the reclining Buddha, Wat Benchanabopit the marble temple, Dawn Temple and many other temples, as they are everywhere. The crowds were enormous! The temperature very hot!
We took a long boat down the Chao Phraya River and saw the remains of the damage done by the serious flooding in the fall of 2011, and the way some of the poor live. We bought produce from a local on a boat, and then were taken to various places to shop. While relaxing over another Chang beer, we met a couple that was game to go with us to a Ping Pong Show. Different, shocking and scary! We won't be doing that again!
The next day we went on a 15 passenger shuttle to Kanchanaburi to see the bridge over the River Kwai which was built during WW2. The 2 hour ride from Bangkok's Khao San Road took us to the Death War Museum, Cemetery and the Bridge. We rode along "the death railway" in which 9000 allied soldiers and about 100,000 people in total lost their lives during its construction. The ride on the train was through rice patties and farm land lush
Insects for Food
Scorpions, cockroaches, spiders, worms, and other creepy bugs are on display and eaten by the crowds either voluntarily or on a dare. with greenery. We disembarked from the train and enjoyed a typical Thai lunch on a floating restaurant. A long boat came along as we were finishing our meal and dragged us a mile up stream on a raft. We then floated down stream with 2 Thai boys steering us away from the river bank. We disembarked again and hiked up a hill where elephants were waiting for us to ride. Maurice got to sit on the elephant's head and guide it around the loop set out for us. We observed a baby elephant pacing in the shade and were told that it was being taught to be comfortable with humans. Another elephant was being trained with the saddle set up on its' back, preparing it for humans to ride.
We piled into the shuttle, hot and sweaty, and headed to a waterfall where we could wallow and cool off. On our return trip the driver drove 150km per hour, passing loaded sugar cane trucks, cars and scooters. We noted a lot of motorbikes rather than scooters. Back at Khao San Road, we dropped our stuff at the hotel and then went for a suit fitting. We had made arrangements
At the Grand Palace, Bangkok
The entire complex is made of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions surrounded by open lawns, gardens and courtyards where the hordes rest or meet to decide where to go next. the previous day to have 2 suits and 3 shirts tailored for Maurice, and a suit for Linda as well. We landed up having 3 fittings before the suits were completed. We finished the day off with a massage right on the street.
We were up early the next day to see Ayutthaya-Bang-pa-in, the former capital of Thailand (Siam) from 1350-1767. These ruins are 71 km north of Bangkok. The drive was very scenic and took us through paddy fields and orchards, the most valuable assets of Thailand today. The ruins demonstrated the splendor of years gone by. 35 kings ruled the Ayutthaya kingdom during its existence. The capital was moved to Bangkok because it was easier to defend against the raiding Burmese armies.
In the evening we ventured to the Asiatique Mall to see the Calypso show. The entertainers were beautiful young lady-boys all perfectly groomed and made up! Their talent was Las Vegas level and we were completely entertained. Too bad we forgot our camera at the hotel as they encouraged photos at the end of the show. For a price of course!
Next morning we headed off to the airport but got into a
Holding up the Golden Building
Maurice and Linda hold up this golden building with the help of the other Thailanese guards or soldiers. traffic jam. Our cab dipseydoodled and got us to the airport on time. We were charged an extra 1800baht for our 2 bags at the airport (just pay it!!!€£¥£#) and off we went to Krabi, Thailand. We rented a car and Maurice got used to driving on the "wrong for us" side of the road. With the help of a map and the iPad, we easily found the Baan Ademan Hotel in Krabi. It was a quaint hotel complete with a receptionist who spoke some English. We were given a large room with a great view of the town and hills beyond. We explored the pier and had lunch, wandered the coast line and realized that Krabi didn't have a swimming beach, so we found our hotel pool to cool off in. For supper we went to the market in the downtown area. We ate from the various stalls and bought snacks for our upcoming road trips.
Next morning we headed out to check the beaches around Krabi. We found several but chose Ao Nang beach and resort and Noppharat beach area where we could see the 'cat and mouse' islands. We wandered along the beach and shopped along
Grand Palace Entrance
The main entrance from the outer to the middle courtyard. Notice all the gold and red. the street, enjoying the people, the sites and later we treated ourselves to a massage, 600Baht for an hour each ($20 for 2 hours). Because of our rental car, we were able to take advantage of stopping whenever we wished to, just because we could! After a great dinner along the ocean side highway of whole fish, morning glory salad and rice we relaxed at our hotel.
Feb. 2, we awoke and ate our inclusive breakfast in the cool of the day. The cool of the day was hot already! We packed up and headed to the 'cat and mouse' islands. We bartered for a long boat, Maurice bought a hat to ward off the sun, and off we went to enjoy the scenic boat ride among the islands that rose up from the ocean to meet the sky. There must be hundreds of islands, some with beaches, some with caves that you could boat through but each showing the weathering of the ocean, as the tide goes in and out. We stopped for lunch at the Muslim floating village, a unique experience. They raise the shrimp in nets next to the restaurant. The jelly fish we spotted near
Blessing Ourselves
We touch the lily bulb to the holy water and tap starting from our heads to our toes in a blessing. the restaurant were at least 3 feet across and appeared to play peek a boo with us as they rose and swam away. Late afternoon found us on the road to Khao Sok National Park which comprises the largest area of virgin forest in southern Thailand. It is a remnant of rainforest which is older and more diverse than the Amazon Rainforest.
After a very scenic drive through lush green mountains on winding roads and through some agricultural land we neared the National Park. Suddenly, we came around a curve on the highway, and there, right up on the shoulder were several loose elephants slowly grazing at the edge of the highway. We slowed down rather quickly, this wasn't something we were used to seeing. We then found the park and checked into Smiley's Bungalows. Our tree house was about 12 by 12 with a bathroom and deck, complete with a red hammock to lay in and overlooking the valley filled with other tree houses. We shared the place with about 40 other Canadians on the 'Free and Easy' tour. We hiked in the park, which boasted 7 waterfalls and the largest type of flower, the Bua Phut, in
A Longtail Boat
These colorful boats are everywhere in Thailand. The boat has a car engine mounted on back of the boat. The propeller is on the long tail at the end of the metal rod. This boat took us down the Chao Phraya River. the world. We managed to make it to 2 waterfalls, which, because it was the dry season, were not spectacular. Then the hike became more treacherous, the heat very oppressive and we met returning hikers who told us the waterfalls ahead were no nicer than the ones we had seen. So, we turned around and headed back to town, swam in the river to cool off and then headed back to our tree house and hammock. Linda played in the water with a 6 or 7 year old boy. It's amazing how you can communicate without language.
From the bungalow we caught a cab to an elephant compound where we rode an elephant to another waterfall and back. This time Linda got to sit on top of the elephant's head! It was neat to see how the elephants fed themselves as we rode along the trail. They would take plants from a pile provided for them, and whack it against their leg to knock the dirt off and then chomp on it as we rode along.
Back at Khao Sok, we had dinner at Pawn's, a local restaurant where the green curry was great! We left Smiley's Bungalows
On the Chao Phraya River
Damage from the flooding in October 2011 can still be seen along the river. and headed to the northern part of Khao Sok National Park to the Chiao Lan Reservoir and Smiley's Floating Cabins. Chiao Lan Reservoir is a man made lake 75-150 meters deep and is at the top of a mountain range. 6 rivers drain into the massive lake created when the Thai government built the Raatchaprapha dam in 1982. The lake is very picturesque and there are several companies offering floating raft cabins. We decided to spent a couple of nights in this very pristine, quiet and beautiful local. During the day we enjoyed the heat and the fresh clear water of the lake where we literally could 'go jump in the lake' whenever we felt like it 2 steps from the door of our cabin! We enjoyed a night tour among the islands listening to the wildlife, and the next day we took a tour to a bat cave with a waterfall inside, so we got to go spelunking again. We rose before the sun one morning, and kayaked along the edge of the lake and saw the wildlife around the various islands created by the dam. We particularly enjoyed watching the monkeys play in the trees. It was surprising
Wat Po
There we were again helping to hold up the statue. that with so much water there were no insect issues. We had an hour long boat trip back to our car and headed to Phuket Town, about a 3 hour drive and arrived about 7PM. Thank goodness for our iPad and Google Maps, they got us to the Phuket Apartments with absolutely no problems.
Feb 7th, we were in Phuket and our room, breakfast included was delightful! We headed out to enjoy the morning and coffee, scope out what there was to do and what we wanted to do. In the Phuket Apartments there was a small mall full of everything that we would want to purchase as souvenirs. Across the alley was a huge grocery store where we could stock up on cheap, cold beer and anything else that we needed. To the side of the mall was a great kiosk where we booked tours and got info as to what to see, where to go and how to get there. Phuket City is the bustling administrative center of Phuket and is often overlooked for the beaches. Here, there are 100 year old shop/houses scattered throughout Old Phuket. We found the Suwit Stadium and in the evening we
Massage
The people draw you in and the massage takes place right on the street. Maurice gets his shoulders and back massaged. Linda gets her feet massaged. 300baht for the half hour for both of us. watched 'real' Thai Boxing. A set etiquette procedure starts each bout in Thai Boxing. The first bout was between a couple of 12 year old boys and the 8 bout card ended with the heavy weights going 3 rounds before a fast, unseen punch saw the favorite go down and out. The fighting is fast, furious, and controlled!
Our rental car allowed us to go follow the coast to Rawai Beach for lunch, Phromthep Cape (lands end) a rocky headland that juts out into the sea, Kata and Karon Beaches with their white sand and clear waters, and then drive through Patong during the day. Patong, which is really only about 3 or 4 miles from Phuket town is well known for its nightlife and 3.5 km of beach lined with chairs and umbrellas. The twisting roads roll up and down along the coast but also cross from one side of the Phuket peninsula to the other. Maurice was an amazing driver! We spent the whole day just touring and driving, stopping frequently to nibble local delicacies and walk lovely white sand beaches.
Next morning, we took the Island hopping tour on a speed boat. 20 people piled
Kanchanaburi
This was the write up about the Death Railroad and the Bridge over the River Kwai telling the stats. onto a 36ft speed boat for the hour long ride to Phi Phi Ley over very choppy waters. 3 200HP outboard engines got us there as quickly as we could go! The ocean water splashed into the boast drenching most from head to toe. From experience, we knew the best place to sit was in the very back of the boat. We stopped at Monkey Beach to watch the wild monkeys frolic and fight. We went onto Phi Phi Cove where our boat was backed into a slot about 4 inches wide. With the help of a few good sailors the other boats were pushed aside so we could slip our boat in among the other 50 speed boats already there. The beach was wall to wall people! We were allowed to swim in the clear blue water but didn't because it was SO crowded! We piled back into the boat and headed to Phi Phi Don Island for lunch (delicious, varied and lots of food) and a swim (clear, blue, uncrowded waters). The boat took us to Hin Klang Reef, just off shore and we snorkeled right off of the boat. That was a unique experience! The shallow reef
The Bridge over the River Kwai
We were impressed with the surroundings of the bridge. Winters are dry but have temperatures of 35-40. was full of large colorful fish. Unfortunately the reef is dying so it lacked color. Our final stop was at Khai Island with its fluffy white sand beaches. We waded just off shore and enjoyed the schools of colorful fish that came up and nipped at the air bubbles on our legs, sometimes catching more than the air bubbles! It was only about 20 minutes back to our starting point and our ride back to the hotel.
We moved to the Tatum Mansion in Patong and returned our rental car. On foot we got to see more of Patong. There were throngs of people all day and all night, each person looking for their own action. We could not walk anywhere without being asked if we wanted a massage. Maurice was even offered a massage 'with a happy ending'! The beach was lined with people in beach chairs with umbrellas 5 or 6 rows deep. We found that mornings were the best time to be out for our long walks and sun time, whereas during the heat of the day, we made time to read and nap out of the sun or head for an air conditioned mall.
A Leopard
This animal was set up here for photos with people. Notice his collar. His claws and teeth are intact. Evenings were very interesting as we wandered about. We were first accosted by the masseurs, then the restaurant people plying their various food, then the street hawkers inviting us to 'ping pong' shows, 'spanking' shows, man babysitting while the wife shopped, lady-boys telling you to grab them to show that their breasts were real or to demonstrate that they no longer had any male organs, and just about every other offer you could imagine. Prostitution is illegal but tolerated. You would see older Western males drinking or holding hands with much younger Thai females and ladyboys. The 2 main streets were Bangla Road (basically straight) and the Paradise Complex (basically for gays) both lined with bars, discotheques and gogo dance bars. Shopping was along every other street or alley that space allowed. It was nice to get to the beach for Chinese New Years to watch the people set off their good luck paper balloons and watch them float away into the night sky.
Thailand, we'll miss the hose that is next to every toilet, squat or regular, that allows for a bottom wash, Bangla Road due to it's shock value, Pad-Thai because it was just so yummy, the
Rafting on the Kwai River
After lunch we boarded a raft and floated downstream to the elephant compound. white sand beaches and the clear blue water of the ocean, and of course, the massages. We will definitely return to explore more of Thailand!
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Annette
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Thanks for the great recap of your Thailand adventure!
Hi Maurice and Linda, Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos and the story of your travels...seems exciting and I'll look forward to the day when we can chat personally about this 2013 adventure that you've lived! love and hugs, Annette