Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Krabi Trip Nov 26th-29th 2006

Hi !

Just came back from Krabi on Wed, 29th Nov . Just wanna share my trip there with u … enjoy!

Tiger Airways

Took Tiger airways. Paid about $200 per person. Budget terminal is not too bad a terminal cos it’s no frills (unlike T1 or T2, there’s no need to walk to the gates for boarding- quite far away sometimes) . Also, boarding procedures are done a lot faster than in T1 or T2. No queues also when checking in as I took the earliest flight at 830am.

There are plenty of seats on the plane even though it is the peak season. Some passengers even lie down ‘horizontal’ on the seat to sleep! Now u can see what I mean … haha . Leg room is alright even for my boyfriend at 1.74m - just take the front seats (first few rows are really alright, but not the back rows) Regarding food and beverages on the flight, you can bring mineral water on board as food like soft drinks and sandwiches are expensive. One bottle of mineral water is good enough as after all the journey to Ao nang beach from the airport is only about 30mins ride. After that, u can pig in on whatever you want! – Banana Pancake with nutella .. Yummy!!

Anyway, it was a 1hr 40mins flight and we left on time and were earlier than expected when we arrived at Krabi. The flight back was also v v punctual and arrival was earlier as expected! Overall, I find tiger airways a great way to fly!


Arrival at Krabi Airport

Krabi airport terminal is very very new and clean. It opened on the same day as our Budget terminal. Just 2 floors, not many shops there except some car rental shops etc. According to a guide we happened to talk to, there will be more shops opening in the near future.


Transport to Phra Nang Inn (Ao nang beach) from airport and back

We arranged for a transport (by Phra nang Inn) to pick us up at the airport and paid 500baht for the trip to Phra nang Inn at Ao nang beach. On the last day we actually bargained with a taxi driver on the street at 450 baht to take us back to the airport. U can easily find the taxi rates and drivers along the road.

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Phra Nang Inn

Booked this resort style hotel via www.latestays.com . According to my boyfriend, he said this website offers the best rates for hotels in Thailand. So, u might want to have a look at this website when booking hotels. One good thing about having to book hotels online is that u can have a good idea about the actual cost of the hotel and compare rates during peak and off-peak seasons.

This place is not recommended for couples who are looking for somewhere comfortable and romantic. The rooms in the coconut wings are awful. Why? Cos the conditions of the beds and the furnitures are old and badly maintained. Looks like ten thousand ppl have already used the room before u. Bed linens are not clean (u can see shoe prints on it!) and have mouldy smell. Floor mat is torn and tattered. Face towels, bath towels are old and look very used.

The other wing called the betelnut wing (Just cross the road) has got rooms one class up from the coconut wing. The rooms are better renovated and cosy. Still the towels, bed linens and in-door slippers (the slippers are used over and over again by the guests!) are still not up to my expectations.

One thing that I have to give it to them is that the place is cosy and v v v v v convenient. I have no doubt about it’s locality. It’s v near many food places like Bernie’s Place (will write a review later) and of cos the beach.


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Ao Nang Beach

I was expecting beautiful waters but as I had mentioned before, Ao nang beach is too polluted. There are so many long tail boats at the shorelines and water at the shoreline is not clear at all. Even if u walk all the way out to about 20 metres from the shoreline, water is still v cloudy. In Phuket , Patong beach is more beautiful and water there is v v clear. Most of the time, u can see little fishes and white crabs (harmless little things) at the shoreline. Very relaxing sight. Just a bit disappointed with Ao nang Beach at Krabi.
Sand on Ao nang beach is also not as powdery and white as Patong beach (Phuket). Still, Overall, Ao nang has got nicer beach than Singapore’s. Just see the pictures. Last picture here is the most picture perfect and is my favourite shot.


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Massage

Spas in krabi are bit more expensive so I would recommend just the normal oil or thai massages above cos the rates are really low. Cheap massages can be found at little huts ( some big concrete/ wooden ones and some are really huts - just walk towards Ao Nang Villa Resort). Oil massages (Gentle massages with oil rubbed on u, I even fell asleep half way thru!) and Thai massages (deep massages with lots of tugging and pulling at joints)are only 200 bahts per hour. Pedicure and manicures are not recommended as they are not so professional. I got my pedicure done and the old lady in her sixties did a bad job cos she cannot see properly and does not know the right technique to do properly. I give it to her as she’s v old already. Nail colours are also v v limited. It cost me 100 baht for the pedicure (25 mins). Most huts give fruits like banana and pineapple after a service.


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Food

Bernie’s Place

See link for location of Bernie's Place:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y1...nang-bernie.jpg

Walk pass Phra Nang Inn (U can see the words with brownish tiled wall) and up the hill away from the beach. At 220 baht for buffet per person, u can have charcoal BBQ chicken, pork, beef, kebab, fries, spaghettis, Pad Thai, Fried rice, mashed potatoes, salads, etc . Very value for money. You can eat all you can.


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Lavinia Pizza

According to my research online before this trip, some one recommended this Italian restaurant to dine in. The food is actually good. I liked the mushroom soup a lot. But the waiters in the restaurant were rude and the service is v poor. The waiters are more enthusiastic to serve Caucasians than Asians. For those who wants to try, it’s located along the beach where lots of restaurants are. It’s pretty crowded and u will be able to notice it.

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Roast Chicken and duck at Ao Nang Grand Inn

Even locals buy from this place. It’s sold in a cart like place just outside Ao Nang Grand Inn . It’s something like what u buy from cold storage roasted/BBQ item section. The chicken looks exactly the same but only bigger. This chicken taste really nice and juicy and has very little fats. 2 of us ordered 1 whole chicken and 2 plates of rice and it cost us about 200 baht (cannot really remember the exact price but I can remember that it’s really cheap and good) . The boss who served us surprisingly spoke v v good english!

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Outdoor food place (near La Playa, next to a super market)

This food place is popular with locals and tourists. This is an open area with about 8-10 food stalls. Food is something like ‘zhi cha’ that we eat in coffee shops. I tried from one of them and the food is MSG-laden and awfully cooked. Not recommended as food is not even on par with our own coffee shop ‘zhi cha’ . Maybe u might want to try other stalls cos I may not be in luck to try to right stall. Saw some Singaporeans there as well, so maybe it’s not that bad after all.


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Japanese man food place ( it’s a v v small food place just up the hill on the way to Bernie’s Place , away from the beach)

This Japanese guy comes to Krabi every few months to cook. He is the main cook and together with a young boy and his mum (maybe?) , they stir up really good tasting traditional thai food. I just simply love his Tom Yam soup. Also, the food is really value for money! To think that this store ‘pops’ out from nowhere as it’s located next to a ‘wall with bushes’ , equipped with just a mini kitchen, a simple table for their loyal customers, a small tent for rainy days. Amazing isn’t it?


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Pancakes

There are so may carts selling pancakes especially at night. There’s one cart just outside Blue Mango Restaurant ( don’t know whether it will be there still, just see the pics) , I would recommend as they are v v generous with the ingredients and makes really great tasting pancakes! They are crispy and v similar to our local plain pratas. Highly recommended pancakes are : Banana with chocolate, and banana with nutella (my favourite!) . Just 20 baht for one!


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Fruit shakes – Banana, mango, etc

Scattered everywhere, so many that I have no favorite or recommended stores. Banana Shake is my fav! Just 20 baht!


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Alan Travel (Located on the opposite side of the road where there’s less shopping/shops, has got a red shop front with ‘Alan Travel’ on it)

Booked 4 Island tour and Hong Island Tour at Alan Travel ( u find a plump dark lady with her 8-9 years old son) as they offer the best rates. Paid 800 baht for the 4 island tour by Speed boat (the cheapest after enquiring at more than 10 agencies) and 1200 baht for Hong Islands by speed Boat. I would recommend traveling by speed boat rather than long-tail boat as the weather there is v v v hot. I wouldn’t want to suffer under the hot sun and travel slowly from one island/place to another. The Long tail boat travels v v much slower than Speed boat. If u choose to travel by long tail boat, the price is about half of speed boat.


4 Island Tours

First all let me clarify that this is NOT a 4 island tour. ‘4’ means a cluster of 4 small rock formations which u will see during the island hopping tour. U will not see four islands. This tour is mainly taking u around Tup island, chicken island and Poda island.

Tup island connects to Chicken island via a sand bar. Tup island offers a pretty nice place for snorkeling. U can see blue damsels, nemos … really pretty stuffs. This place has v nice and powdery beaches. Snorkeling equipment is provided and u can request to use if u want to snorkel first although they will bring u somewhere else to snorkel later.

Poda Island is a v small pretty island like Tup island and we had packed lunch there (most tourists are given packed lunch as there are no restaurants on the island) Snorkeled there also.

Overall enjoyed the 4 island tour and the snorkeling part of the tour. Comparatively, I still think that Phi Phi Island tour from Phuket ( I went in 3 weeks ago in early November) is the nicest.

Phuket tour packages are better as they provide lunch with many thai dishes at local phi phi island restaurant. Drinks like coke, pepsi, sprite, etc are provided (unlike this one which only provide mineral water). Service experienced was also better.

Pick up points for speed boats in Krabi are much nearer compared to Phuket (30 mins). Just about 10-15 mins ride away.


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Hong Island Tour

This tour took us to a small island first with white powdery beach. This beach is unique as it has got many many starfishes! Did a fair bit of snorkeling there but must becareful of the sea urchins near by. Just wear your sport sandals like how I wore my teva sandals and my boyfriend with his orange crocs .


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Finally, arrived at Hong island for packed Lunch (not nice- really worst than our mixed veg and rice). A few monitor lizards on the island. This island is beautiful as well and has a pretty large lagoon with pretty fishes like tiger fishes and parrot fishes in it shallow water (see last few pics). Just bring bread if u have any. Did a snorkeling there too v v nice place as well. Water is turquoise but visibility is rather poor- and not as clear as Phi Phi Island.

Realised that places with sea urchins are places with nice snorkeling spots. SO just be careful. Sun block is v v v important as u WILL get SUNBURNT. Which I almost did. Skin gets really painful and irritable.

Sometimes u may feel that something like a needle prick on your skin, it’s actually harmless ‘invisible’ sea weed in the sea water (explained by my tour guide) . Just a while and it’s gone. Very bearable kind of pain.

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Snorkeling

It’s v safe to snorkel with your life jacket on in deep waters. Mind u, I cannot swim v well but still able to enjoy snorkeling v v v much. Just becareful of the strong currents and huge/ tall corals and rocks (no sandals or crocs) . In shallow waters like about 1.4 meters deep, do try wearing sandals cos the corals maybe sharp (saw someone cut by one actually) and also the Sea Urchins are to be wary of. Try stay near your partner if possible. I held hand with my boyfriend and swam side-by-side with him so it’s easier to ‘signal’ to him if I see a new sea creature. It’s much more fun this way and u will feel safer


Kayaking (Just walk towards the huts with massages I mentioned earlier as it is at the end of the beach)

150 baht for 1 hour. I think 1 hour is more than enough cos it’s v tiring. It’s worth to do kayaking at Ao Nang as u can pop by other beaches next to it. It’s a very safe sport. Just need proper coordination between u and your partner. At some point near a huge rock formation near by, u can even see those little yellow fishes (suggestion: bring some bread along) . The person who rents out the kayak to u also will lend u a dry bag to put your belongings. I do not do much sports activities but find kayaking relaxing and did not suffer from much aching shoulders. It’s a nice to do activity just don’t try to hard and over do it.

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Shopping in Krabi @ Ao Nang Beach

Nothing much to shop. U have the usual stuffs.. see pics

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Krabi Town

You can go Krabi town by taking the Ao Nang Beach ‘Bus’. It actually looks like a pickup truck with 2 rows of seats behind. Cost just 40 baht per person one way for a half an hour ride to the town. U can see the ‘bus’ moving slowly down the road and u can just flag it down. Pay only after u alight. Locals also take e same type of transport to town. Town has got nothing much except a small shopping mall called Vogue beside KFC. Many automobile shops selling bikes (just S$250! ). Nothing much to buy in my opinion. The pickup point to go back to Ao Nang Beach is just outside 7 Eleven.


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1 comment:

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