We knew we wanted to finish our trip off at the beach, and for weeks we couldn’t decide between Krabi or Koh Samui. As we know more people who’ve done Krabi who could therefore give recommendations, we chose there. Specifically Ao Nang beach. We enjoyed a McDonald’s breakfast at the airport (no change in the menu) and it was only when we boarded the plane, I realised I’d forgotten to request seats together. So poor Mark ended up next to a gentleman who had his shoes and socks off, and rested his actual bare foot on Mark’s leg. We got off the plane and onto the bus for the shortest journey from the plane to the terminal I’ve ever had in my life. After we got our bags, we hopped in a taxi and drove to our hotel for the next 4 nights. As it was still really early, our room wasn’t quite ready yet, so we set up camp next to the pool. A man came over to have a chat (who turned out to be a Newcastle fan) and offer some advice of the area. It was all going so well, until he started boasting about a trip he went on where he was told to wear a life jacket, to which he told the guide, I don’t need to wear a life jacket because I can swim better than you all put together. I totally lost interest at this point..
Luckily, the hotel was able to get a room ready for us quite quickly, so we chucked our bags in, suncreamed up, and headed out to the beach. White sand, blue sea, and rows of long-tail boats; it was perfect. We decided to grab some lunch, and whilst we were waiting for the food to come, we noticed the waiting staff running around and ushering people inside.. the heavens opened, and an incredibly heavy downpour came. Not again 😠it eventually stopped raining, and we both decided that for food that evening, we really fancied an Indian. Luckily, there are Indian’s everywhere in Aonang, and we chose Tandori Nights, which was absolutely delicious. We finished off our first day with a few drinks in Boogie Bar and watched a live band. There were all nearly 100.. but they were great!
The following day, we decided to hire a private driver to take us to some of the main attractions. Often with the organised trips, you don’t have enough time at each place and you end up having lunch in a crappy buffet restaurant for way longer than needed, whilst making awkward small talk with people you’ve just met. So for an extra 15 quid, a private driver seemed the perfect option, and we’re so glad we did. Our first stop was Emerald Pools; a natural crystal lagoon. One slight annoying thing about this place is that Thai residents pay less than £1 to get in, and foreigners pay nearly £10!! We thought it was still worth the money, and due to no time contraints we were able to have a float around for as long as we wanted and just watch the world go by. The next stop was the hot springs, which wasn’t somewhere you could spend long in seeing as it was over 30 degrees outside, but it was still really cool to see and chill out in the pools surrounding the waterfall. Finally was Tiger cave temple, and the 1260 steps to the top.. It. Was. HELL. It was so hot, and the steps were uneaven. Everyone doing it looked the same – a big red sweaty mess. Luckily, the views at the top were worth it, and we were able to have enough time to sit down and wander about to take it all in. After a lovely day, we decided that tonight we would tackle the food in the night market. I was desperate to have a nice Pad Thai, and luckily, this one was really nice. We sat at plastic tables on plastic chairs and enjoyed our street food, and it was a great way to finish the day.
This trip has been so full on, so we decided to actually have a day doing not a fat lot, and took a long-tail to nearby Railay beach, famous for it’s long stretches of white sand surrounded by limestone cliffs. We found a spot to set up camp, and for the first time since our trip began, we lay down and did absolutely nothing. Obviously, I’m terrible for sitting still, and I’d heard about a cave full of penis’s, so after I’d allowed Mark a few hours rest 🤣 we were off to find the cave. It’s about 15 mins walk to the other side of Railay, and sure enough is not one, but two caves full of wooden phalluses! Locals come here with offerings in the hope to boost their fertility. After another chill on the beach, we got the long-tail back to Aonang in time to watch the sunset. We grabbed cocktails and joined the 100s of people to watch, and it was stunning.
We had always said that we would go to Phi Phi, however after much thought over the last few days and listening to feedback from others, we decided that it had probably become too busy and too touristy for a one day visit. So we decided to do Hong Islands instead! We hired a private long-tail (much more expensive option but again it gives you freedom to do what you want) and set out on our journey. We were picked up at the hotel (20 mins early!! They phoned our room to see where we were 🤣) and headed to the pier to get our boat. We arrived at the National Park and got a much needed iced drink (elbows out again to avoid the queue jumpers) and tackled the climb to the viewpoint. It was a challenge in the heat but the views were so worth it to see all the limestone cliffs emerging from the sea. We got back down and cooled off with a bit of snorkeling. Unfortunately the snorkel they had provided for me was full of holes, but the water was so clear I was able to see enough without going under anyway. Next we visited Koh Lao Lading, a small pretty cove with a little shop and pitch black toilets! There isn’t much here so this was a quick stop, before heading to our final place for sunset. Our guide prepared us some Pad Thai and a huge tray of fruit and we settled in for the next hour. It was such a beautifully peaceful place and was the perfect end to the day.
That evening we got back quite late and both us were feeling a bit unwell. We hadn’t actually eaten that much all day so thought maybe it was that, but unfortunately for Mark, a fever and vomiting set in.. We hoped after a good night’s sleep we would be feeling better, but the nausea was still there and we couldn’t face any breakfast either. This morning we had planned a Thai massage, but that was very quickly sacked off in case we vommed on the poor masseuse. The one thing that couldn’t be sacked off was the Elephants. We were keen to pick a sanctuary that cared for elephants well and luckily there was one very close to where we were staying. We arrived and met the Mahouts who care for them, we had a talk about the Elephants and the work they do, and then it was time to meet them 🥰 we fed them bananas and made them protein balls. We took them to the mud spa which is great for their skin it was incredible to get up so close to them. Despite us both feeling so sick throughout the whole thing, it was a fantastic experience and one we will both remember.
That evening, we were picked up for a late flight back to Bangkok for the last leg of the adventure. The whole trip has certainly been an experience! From the food, to the people, the scenery to the toilets. From chaos to calm and everything else in-between. We are beyond shattered.. but would we do it again?? Absolutely!!
The Travelling Ginger 