Day 10 - Burger!

Our journey back from Ko Hong was not as pleasant as going due to the weather. However, the mood on board was brighter as the earlier tension between Big and Monica had vanished. The weather improved as we approached the beach at Ao Nang. We said our goodbyes and all was forgotten about the snorkel gear.

To celebrate we ended up at the Restaurant on the beach road that had the "Happy Hour" on. We relaxed with our beers and watched the world go by. It was our intention to have a couple of beers before heading back to the hotel and getting ready for dinner. However, Monica had a sudden urge for a burger. The urge grew and ended up being a relentless attack on me to cave in and buy her a bloody burger while I enjoyed my beer.

It started with a "A quite fancy a burger". Then "Wow! those burgers look good", followed by a more pressing "I Want a burger". The burger fetish grew pace and every sentence uttered by Monica either started with, ended with or somewhere in between there was a "Burrgerr". The white flag was raised after her finale sentence "I WANT A BURRGERR , BURRGERR, BURRRRGEERRR". Bloody show rolling her R’s just because I can’t! Hope you don’t choke on it.


I want a Burger!

Day 10 - Kayaking aroung Ko Hong

After lunch it was time to explore the coastline of the Island by Kayak. Much to Monica’s dismay, the monitor for the trip would be our guide. She needn’t worry too much, or should I say he needn’t worry, as relations mellowed and as most of the Thai people we had encountered on our travels, he turned out to be a really nice guy.


Kayak trip around Ko Hong.

Our guide’s name was "Big" and he had a peculiar way of paddling his boat. Rather than sit down in the Kayak, he preferred to kneel and sit on the heels of his feet. Way too uncomfortable for me. Was he expecting to make a dive for it at some point in the trip? Another two couples joined us as we made our way towards the lagoon.


Inside the lagoon.

The lagoon was rather peaceful considering its stunning beauty. There was only one other boat in the lagoon. A private chartered Long-Tail boat was cruising around. The peace and tranquillity we found made Hong Island my favourite destination point so far. It may be just behind Phi Phi Islands in the beauty stakes but the lack of hordes of tourists easily made up for it. If only we found the other islands as quiet as this place. We explored the mangrove forest inside the lagoon and then made our way to the entrance to continue our tour.


Exploring the mangrove forest.

We enjoyed seeing plenty of wildlife that inhabits the Island’s coastline and sea. Plenty of fish were visible just beneath the surface. A large cast of crabs lay claim to one of the rocks where a nearby Heron was on the prowl for its dinner. Bill then pointed up towards a cave high in the cliff face. "Bird Nest". Apparently, many brave locals attempt to climb down the cliff face to enter this cave in an attempt to collect the birds’ nests. They are used to make the Chinese delicacy "Bird Nest Soup" and are very expensive. Big told us that it sells for 100,000 baht per Kilo. That’s £2000! The bird nests are not made in the conventional way it seems. Big tried to explain to us that the birds make their nests from their own saliva, but maybe things got lost in translation.


Bringing up the rear.

Further along the coast and another, lower cave is seen in the cliffs. This one has a bamboo scaffold type structure at the entrance. Big explained that this cave was more easily accessible and is a favourite target for locals to raid the birds’ nests. That is why there are always two guards employed to stay in the cave, twenty-four hours a day. Sure enough, we paddled by and saw the rather lonely looking occupants. We managed to get a smile and a wave out of them. The only inhabitants of the island after all the tourist boats head home.


Bird Nest Cave.

We had almost circumnavigated the island and had completed the last section of rocking when the skies turned ominously dark and threatening. Big picked up the pace and we took that as a hint to get to shore rapidly. The winds picked up and the normally pleasant and calm Andaman Sea began to get a little rough. No sooner had we landed on the beach the heavens opened and the rain poured down. Even this grey and wet ending couldn’t spoil the fantastic day we had had exploring Ko Hong.

Day 10 - Ko Hong

Another excursion today sees us going to the Hong Islands. These make up part of the Than Bokkharni National Park and are famed for its emerald green waters, scenic hidden lagoons and fine sandy beaches. Part of the excursion includes the rental of a Kayak to explore Hong Island and various stopping points to snorkel.

We were picked up in a mini Sawgthaow and taken to Hat Noppharat beach about four kilometres away from Ao Nang. On arrival it looked like a film crew were setting up a scene on the beach. There were a few elephants around and other extras. Maybe a new film set in Thailand? Or is it another Thailand promotional video shoot?

Out journey to the Ko Hong area was by a traditional Long-Tail boat. The islands were about an hour away giving us plenty of time to enjoy the views of the coastline, including the sight of one of the Royal Residences sitting high on the cliffs in the middle of a forest.


Long-Tail Boat from Hat Noppharat.

Our first stop was at a small island with two cove beaches. The view from the main cove where we landed was stunning. The sea looked inviting and we were eager to go snorkelling. Again, the experience of the Phi Phi Islands has probably raised expectations too high, as the quality of the water wasn’t great for snorkelling. We headed out towards a large rock in the bay to see if it was any better there. It wasn’t so we gave up and headed back to the beach.


Beautiful cove.

Back on the beach and I noticed a problem. I had somehow managed to lose the breathing tube that was attached to the facemask. I went back to look for it near the rock but the water was too murky near the bottom to see anything. We told the crew on our return to the boat and they weren’t happy. They were upset because the snorkel gear wasn’t theirs and they had had to rent it. The main guide was keen to know where I had lost it and for a minute I thought the tour would be postponed until he had dived in and found the tube. Monica was having known of it and ripped into him. The highlight being "if you didn’t take us to shit places for snorkelling we wouldn’t have lost it!". That had the rest of the boat in stitches. Monica’s dulcet Italian tones must have struck a chord with our guide as he quickly let the matter rest, probably fearing that he would be sleeping with the fishes if he continued.

The second stop was Ko Phak Bia. This island joins to another smaller island by a thin stretch of sandy beach that is revealed at low tide. We arrived just as the tide was going out. Another snorkel stop and I was a bit fearful about asking for another mask. Monica showed no such fear and demanded a new snorkel for me from the petrified guide. Again, the water looked lovely from the beach but not so great when you are snorkelling.


Preparing for a snorkel at Ko Phak Bia.

The next stop was Ko Hong and we were in luck. Apparently the tides around the Island are not very predictable and our guide claimed that even at high tide it was not always possible to enter the lagoon. Today it was possible so we sailed between the limestone cliffs that made the entrance. The lagoon was lined with mangrove trees and the guide said we could explore them later by Kayak. Now it was time to land on the main beach and have lunch.


Entrance to the lagoon from the inside.

Ko Hong is an uninhabited island with no cooking facilities. The lunch was a picnic style buffet served in a shaded area inside the protected park. We would be joined today with a couple of menacing looking monitor lizards, which looked suspiciously like komodo dragons to me. We were encouraged to feed them with the remains of our chicken legs. Monica took up the challenge and threw a chicken bone to one of the lizards. It gulped it down whole and wanted more. We made sure to keep a safe distance as it might take a fancy to our legs.


Feeding time.

Reminders of the 2004 Tsunami are all around you at Ko Hong. A memorial plaque is in the centre of the recreation area. A number of tourists and locals lost their lives whilst visiting the island on a day trip. The authorities decided to leave the wrecked remains of the fishing boats that were swept as far as 300 metres away from the beach and into the forest behind. A permanent reminder of the devastating power of nature.


Wreckage from the Tsunami.

Day 9 - The Promised Land!

The previous night was a quiet affair after again failing to find any of the bars. Tonight would be a shopping night, Monica was keen to find a Buddha image to take home and was after a dress. Should be a fun-packed evening.

We had reached the middle of the beach road when a Buddha caught Monica’s eye down one of the small alleyways. We went to investigate. It was a beautifully crafted Buddha image, carved from teak. But what caught my eye was a neon flashing sign at the end of the alleyway. We walked up to the end and discovered all the bars that the guidebook had mentioned. In search of Buddha and we find the Promised Land, surely a sign from above. We would have purchased the Buddha on that reason alone but it wasn’t practical. It was way too heavy and bulky to fit in our luggage. So we continued with our shopping, buoyed by our find and promising to return later.

Monica managed to buy a dress but no Buddha as we gave up on shopping and headed to "Rialto’s" for a Pizza. They advertised a "Genuine Italian Chef" but he looked a little local to me. Monica greeted the manager and asked if she could speak with the chef, all in Italian the little minx. The look on the guy’s face was priceless. Apparently the Italian chef had the night off.

After dinner we were on the way to the bar area before Monica diverted me into a shop for one last look. Inside and failing to negotiate a price for a reasonably sized Buddha we were making our way to the door when the heavens opened and it poured down. It was bouncing off the streets so we decided it might be a good idea to re-open negotiations. 10 minutes later with no deal and no sign of the rains subsiding, we decided to make a run for it.

We ran down the beach road and ended up near the Encore café. But the bar area was before this surely? We hadn’t spotted the alleyway. We must have passed it in our hurry to get out of the rain. So back we went up the street, this time a little slower to avoid the same mistake and because the rain was easing off. Second time around and we still couldn’t find the alleyway. Is this the curse of the scorned Buddha? I knew we should have bought the bloody thing. A third pass with all kinds of promises to purchase a Buddha before leaving town and we were rewarded with the sight of the alleyway.

Now it was a small matter of choosing the bar. The local ladies were keen to tempt you into their establishments in their usual singing tones. I didn’t want to muck about so it was a quick "This or that one", leaving Monica with the casting vote. "That ones got my bloody new dress as a tablecloth!" she shrieked and we soon settled down for a beer in the "this" one.


Thank Buddha we found the bars.

Day 9 - Panyi Island and the Monkeys

Our lunch stop for the day was at Panyi Island. This is a small fishing village that is built in the sea. Its an odd sight seeing a Karst rock jutting out of the sea with hundreds of houses on stilts attached to it. The Islands population is dominated by Muslim Thai’s, as is much of the region. The Mosque visible in the centre of the town adds to the bizarreness of the scene.


Panyi Village.


Mosque seen in background.

Our lunch was another Thai buffet style affair. The Thai Green curry diluted for our Farang tongues. It was still spicy enough for me. After lunch we were invited to explore the town at our leisure. The first problem was finding the place. The exit of the restaurant was harder to find than one in a Las Vegas casino. No signs anywhere. The exit was a strange doorway that looked like it was a door to a private house.

Immediately on finding the door we wished we hadn’t. We were accosted by a Kathoey armed with a monkey. Its (Don’t know if I should use "he" or "she"?) accomplice was one step behind with another monkey. Before Monica could utter a word they had placed the monkeys on her shoulder. "Baby Monkey feed him" the Kathoey demanded as it/he/she thrust a baby’s milk bottle in her hand. The poor monkey,complete with disposable nappy, looked as bemused as Monica. They encouraged me to take photos before I was there next victim. Then came the demand for money, 200 Baht. You must be joking. I handed over twenty baht. "Two Monkey 200 Baht!". It seemed rude to tell a Kathoey to piss off so I held back and offered a polite "No" with a "hell will freeze over first before I give you a baht more" look. They took the hint and stormed off in search for their next victim.

Monica with baby monkey.

The rest of the village was a similar depressing experience. You could not stand still for two seconds without a street vendor haranguing you for money. Is this the norm for Muslim Thai’s? Or is it the fact that they live on a remote island and see every tourist only as a walking wallet that needs draining of every baht? Whatever, it is an unwelcome change to the typical Thai welcome you receive elsewhere. We headed back to the safety of the Restaurant passing by the unlucky German couple who had just been nabbed by the Kathoey gang.

Back on the boat and we headed back to the main pier. Our next stop would be a visit to the Monkey caves on the mainland. When we arrived Bill warned us not to leave any valuables on display or bags open as we walked amongst the monkeys. They have been known to thieve things that attract them. I was more concerned about any Kathoe gangs and vendors hanging around.

The caves had plenty of monkeys roaming around outside that kept the tourists amused. Inside the cave was a temple, Wat Tham Suwankhuha, or the Heaven Grotto Temple. It features a large reclining Buddha along with other equally impressive statues on display, the best being a golden statue of a Monk up a steep stairway near the reclining Buddha. The back of the caves you can see various spirit flags, the royal seals of many Thai Kings including Rama V, and several hundred bats clinging to the cavern roof.

The reclining Buddha.

Beautiful Monk statue looks so real.

After our visit to the temple it was a short ride up the road to the Raman Forest Park. This is where we could enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the many pools created by the falls along the river. It would have been refreshing too if the weather was nice. Sadly, the rains came pretty much as soon as the van parked up. Not to be deterred we still went for a dip. After a quick change it was time to head back to Ao Nang in a strange mixture of rain and shine.

Enjoying a shower in the rain.

Day 9 - James Bond Island

Today’s trip takes us to the Phang Nga Marine National Park where the Island Ko Phing Kan is located, the famous "James Bond" Island. This island was the base for Scaramanga's (Christopher Lee) lair in the film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Its stunning karst rocks that tower up from the sea make it a favourite snapshot for post cards.

The trip started with a mini bus ride from our hotel. The journey time to the pier was about an hour and a half. To our relief the other passengers were not a bunch of kids. They were a mixed bunch of German and French couples, a Polish family and a classic "Nana" couple, a middle-aged Italian man and his young Thai companion. On the way we picked up our guide for the day, Bill. This was our first encounter with a "Kathoey", the third gender in Thailand. The famous "Lady Boys".

We arrived at the pier to board our Long-Tail boat for the day. This was a much larger vessel than the ones that ply their trade in Ao Nang. Still, it was hardly luxurious as we were sat on the familiar wooden planks. Our captain took us along the river to the open sea passing dense mangrove forests with several channels joining the main waterway. The view was completed with the now familiar karst cliff landscape, which never fails to impress.

Long-Tail boat from Ao Phang Nga.

Our first stop was Ko Phing Kan, James Bond Island. Our initial impression was similar to that of Phi Phi. It was packed with tourists and our Long-Tail boat had to wait before docking at the pier. Things got worse immediately on stepping ashore. The walkway from the pier to the mainland was flanked by souvenir stalls. The vendors were immediately in your face tempting you with all manor of tourist gifts. Their manner was a lot more aggressive than the typical street vendor in Ao Nang. So much for the friendly Thai image.

Monica not impressed with the welcome.

We finally got passed the hawkers with our wallets in tact and headed for the far side of the Island. Here you see the bay made famous by the "Man with the Golden Gun" film, the solitary karst rock tower just offshore. We queued up with the throngs of other tourists to take our snaps. You immediately felt jealous of Scaramanga who had this entire island to himself. What a paradise! We went in search of the arch villain’s headquarters but alas couldn’t find it.

Burkett. Dean Burkett 007 Licence to Kill!

Favourite Bond girl.

We headed back towards the pier as Bill was calling everyone back. However, we made a quick detour into the caves nearby. There is a small cavern that Monica wanted to explore. The only problem was that the cave was too small to allow two people to pass so it took us a while to exit. By that time everyone was on the boat and the captain had had to move aside to let another boat in. We had to clamber over the docked boat to reach ours. Monica almost lost her footing and fell overboard.

Our next stop was a ferry that was being used by the Kayak tour company as a port. Here we accompanied a guide who would paddle us around part of the Marine National Park and through the Mangrove forests. Our disappointment about not being able to paddle ourselves soon vanished, as the sights were breathtaking. Our guide gently paddled us through the forest and into a number of hidden lagoons, most of which required you to lie down to avoid the roof of the small entrance caves. Our guide kept pointing things out and saying "Beautiful Beautiful". He wasn’t wrong.

Deep in the Mangrove Forest.

Inside one of the lagoons.

Obviously on the look out for a tip, our guide thought he was David Bailey as he kept askinf for our camera to take photos of us. In one part of the mangrove forest he took us in a little deeper than the others. He had spotted a jellyfish and wanted us to see it. Great, we see plenty of them buggers in Nerja thank you very much. We then passed a local entrepreneur who had set up a drinks stall in his boat, inside the mangrove forest. He must pay the guides a commission as the entire group went close by and stopped long enough for the man to show you his full range of goods. The tour took around 45 minutes and was well worth doing. Back on the boat and Bill asked, "How was the trip". "Fantastic" was the answer from everyone.

Relaxing inside a cave.

Day 8 - Railay Kayaking

Today we had no planned activities so we decided to head back to Railay beach and do a bit of Kayaking. The distance to Railay is shorter than from Krabbi town. It only takes 15 minutes and costs 80 Baht. You buy a ticket from the office at the end of the beach road. The ever-helpful Pok advised us to only purchase a ticket one way. Those that buy a return ticket have to wait for the same boatman to bring them back which could mean waiting for well over an hour.

We arrived at Railay and decided on having a drink before hiring the kayak. Our favourite bar, The Flame Tree, was showing live pictures of a state funeral taking place. We soon found out that this was for the Kings Sister, who had died at the beginning of the year. Everything that we had seen earlier in Bangkok suddenly became clear. The crowds at the Grand Palace. The avenues gearing up for a fiesta were probably gearing up for a wake.


View of Hat Phra Nang


Rocking.

We hired the Kayaks for 2-hours including snorkelling gear with the possibility of taking an extra hour if we wanted. It was a red-hot day and we didn’t know how long we would last in the afternoon heat. We took the double kayak to the sea and launched before the beach became crowed with Long-tail boats from Ao Nang. We headed towards Hat Phra Nang, first exploring the cliffs that separate it from Rai ley West. This is a great place for rocking, which is made easier by the tranquil waters.


The engine room!


Navigating an over-hang.

After exploring the islands off Hat Phra Nang we headed over towards the Princess cave to see if we could find a place to moor the kayak and go for a snorkel. We found the perfect place in a secret cove. The waters in here looked crystal clear and seemed promising for our snorkelling. Alas, outside the cove the waters were a bit murkier and not as good as around the Phi Phi Islands.


Happy and Bird Nest Islands.


Good parking spot.


Monica snorkelling.

We soon gave up the snorkelling and headed off towards Ao Nang. On the way we spotted a secluded beach where the only other occupants were fellow Kayakers. We stopped off to see if the snorkelling here was any better. A slight improvement but still not close to Phi Phi. Back on the beach and we thought it would be a good idea to explore the forest just off the beach. Within the space of 5 minutes you had left an idyllic beach scene and entered a tropical forest that made you feel a million miles away from the coast. Surreal. It was a bit spooky and we weren’t sure what kind of creatures were lurking around so we didn’t explore too deep.


On the secluded beach.

Our two hours easily became three and we were in danger of needing a fourth hour. We paddled back to Rai Ley West and bit quicker. The promise of a cool beer at the Flame Tree was enough to motivate us to get back on time.


Flame Tree in sight paddle faster!

Day 8 - Railay sunset

After our exertions in the Kayak it was only fair that we had a few beers in our favourite bar. It has fabulous views of the beach and the surrounding karst cliffs. It is also a west-facing beach making it a perfect place to watch the sun go down.

Local playing Frisbee.

Clouds changing the colours of the sunset.

The beach changes character as the sun starts to go down. The last of the die-hard sun worshippers pack up and head for home or the bar. The more active locals and holidaymakers replace them. They set-up football pitches with smaller than 5-aside nets. The volleyball net is pitched. A few other locals enjoy showing off their moves with the Frisbee. The different shades and colours in the sky attract a number of couples who enjoy the last minutes of sunlight by walking down the beach.

Sunset at Railay.

Beautiful colours reflecting off the sea.

It was a beautiful sight and well worth the risk of not catching the last boat home. The last boat is supposed to be at 6pm. However, other boats operate after this time for an extra 20 baht per person. We headed to the shore at around 6-30pm and had a short wait before sailing back to Ao Nang in the dark.

Sailing back to Ao Nang.

Day 7 - Pizza and Cocktails

Still wishing to avoid spicy food, Monica suggested we try a place for Pizza. There are many Italian restaurants in Ao Nang. This still hadn’t stopped another apparent entrepreneur from opening up a new place. The shell of a restaurant was being fitted out with a new stone oven for pizza. The impressive thing about the place was the speed in which the workmen went about fitting it out. Could it be ready before we leave?

Monica decided that we would try "Tanta’s" on the main road near the hotel. It was recommended in the Lonely Planet guide as having the best pizza in town. It didn’t disappoint although it was a bit pricey compared to Krabbi Town but so was everything else in Ao Nang. After dinner we decided on a stroll up the road, away from the beach. We had only ventured as far as the Starbucks coffee place so were keen to see other places recommended in the guide. The further up the road you go the less busy the place seems. Another recommended place in the guidebook was "Dean’s Restaurant". Sadly, the place was empty but there were a few people at a roadside bar just outside, "Mr Long’s".

We decided to have the first cocktail of the holiday at Mr Long’s shack. The cocktail list was relatively large and the prices were a reasonable 150 Baht (£3). Still Monica noted that it wasn’t as cheap as Krabbi Town where the Old West bar’s cocktails started from 100 Baht in Happy hour. I went for my old favourite the Caipirinha whilst Monica went for a Pina Colada as the Mojito was not listed.

At Mr Long's shack.

The Caipirinha was served in a rather disappointing way, where was the crushed ice? Monica was quite pleased with her Pina Colada. However, my disappointment soon faded after speaking with the engaging Mr Long. He, like most Thai people we had encountered on our trip, was instantly likeable. He must be the Thai lookalike for Bob Marley. Super chilled with a constant smile stitched to his face. He told us that he used to own a bar near the beach before the devastating Tsunami struck. It completely destroyed his bar and his livelihood. To make ends meet he went to Bangkok to search for any work he could find. After several years he had had enough of life in Bangkok and returned to Ao Nang. Thanks to family at Dean’s Restaurant, they allowed him to set up his hut bar on their land. He vowed he would never set up a bar near the beach again. No worries on that score here. Its at least a 10 minute walk from the beach but is well worth a visit for a cheap cocktail and the pleasure of meeting Mr Long.

Not from H20 this Caipirinha. Where's the crushed ice!!!

Buoyed by our cocktail we decided to head back down to the beach in search of all the bars that the guidebook alluded to. However, a quick walk along the beach road and not one bar was seen. Most are restaurants. The one bar mentioned by name in the guide was on a back street off the beach road named "Encore Café". We headed for this place but were instantly put-off by the sole inhabitants being an old man of foreign origin and a few local girls vying for his attention. The neon sign over the door could easily have read "Puta Club". It was the only bar on this street so we headed back to the beach and settled down on an outside table of a restaurant that advertised "Happy Hour" on Chang draft. I hope I don’t have a headache tomorrow.

Taxi back from Beach.

Day 7 - Snorkelling at Phi Phi

We have often gone snorkelling back in Nerja whilst on a Kayaking trip but never really got into it. We never found a clear enough spot and the fish were few and far between. We always thought that snorkelling in Thailand would be better. The experience didn’t let us down.

Monica enjoying the snorkelling.

The crystal clear waters around the Phi Phi Islands were excellent for snorkelling. The amount of fish swimming around you was incredible. At times it became a little claustrophobic as a massive shoal of exotic fish swam directly at you. At times it was impossible not to bump into them.

Beautiful colours.

I have no idea what fish species we were looking at but the common one was a little yellow and black stripped creature. The colours were amazing. Another favourite was a large fish, which was a blue colour, at times difficult to see as they were a bit more shy and stayed close to the coral.

So many fish!

A shy blue one.

The common ones.