Spring Break finally sprung, and before I celebrated Songkran in Chiang Mai this coming week, I took the liberty of booking
Phuket, Big Buddha
a trip to Thailand’s most infamous islands and beaches in the southern peninsula. Each of the locations we visited had its own unique natural beauty and tourism, so surprisingly, we didn’t get beached out quick. The atmosphere was so relaxed and tranquil; the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea make the west side of the peninsula the Caribbean of Thailand with clear blue water, white beaches, colorful homes and hotels, and endless outdoor activities. There is a large Muslim population in this region of Thailand, so close to Malaysia, and a lot of people prefer that you not wear your bathing suits off of the beach to respect this culture. The mosques are beautiful too, especially the one in Ao Nang, Krabi.
Day 1: Phuket (Best Beaches)
Patong Beach
Phuket had a lot to offer in terms of long sprawling beaches an endless streets of bars and draft beer. The water warm and a soft blue; there wasn’t a lot of shells or coral on the beach or in the shallows waters that lapped at the bright white shores. Patong Beach and Karon Beach were the most beautiful and were spacious enough to where you felt like you had your own private space, and every so often a beach vendor would stroll by selling sunscreen, fruit, coconuts, and towels, so you really didn’t ever need to budge from your spot unless you wanted to cool off in sky blue waters or hop on a boat to go parasailing. I also really enjoyed Patong and Karon because you have a great view of the Big Buddha that summits the hilltops of Phuket, who has a breathtaking silhouette against the sunset. Take a trip up to the Big Buddha too for an up close encounter.
Day 2: Koh Phi Phi Islands (Most Beautiful Water)
Maya Bay
Everyone says not to waste your time with Koh Phi Phi Don and just rent a longtail boat to Phi Phi Ley where there are better beaches and no resorts, just natural beauty, but I disagree. If you want to go to the Phi Phi Islands, staying the night on Koh Phi Phi Don really enhances the entire experience. There is no place like this. We stayed in Tonsai Bay and hung out at the Tonsai Beaches, which had amazing tide pools and shells, and then rented the longtail boat to Phi Phi Ley where we fed monkeys on Monkey Beach, went snorkeling above some small coral gardens, say Maya Bay where they filmed The Beach with Leonardo Dicaprio, explored the Viking Caves and returned back to the other side of paradise to snuggle in for the night. Tonsai Bay is active with restaurants and bars and even fire shows. Don’t rush out of Koh Phi Phi, spend the night and explore (we saw a sea turtle here too!!).
Day 3 and 4: Krabi and minor Islands (Most Stunning Landscape)
Rai Ley West Beach
When you arrive in Krabi, the first thing you notice are the towering limestone cliffs and caves that jut through the landscape. They are regal and intimidating and press up against the roads you drive through and the shores you swim in. We stayed in Ao Nang, which has a beautiful beach, and easy longboat access to Rai Ley and Tonsai Beach (a different Tonsai). The beaches here are more rough and covered in chunks of coral and shells (but I did find a sand dollar). There are innumerable beaches you can visit here, Rai Ley is the most talked about, nut Phra Nang was the most beautiful and has a cave on either end of the beach (one cave leads to a spectacular view of Rai Ley West Bay and the other is Penis Cave whre offerings are left for goodluck and safety on sea voyages–
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/phra-nang-cave). On the last day we found a tour group to take us to 7 islands for snorkeling (a lot more coral here, especially at Chicken Island) to see sea urchins and clown fish, go rock climbing and cliff jumping into the sea, and swim with bioluminescent plankton (amazing!)–all for 600 baht a person, dinner included and another fire show. I was disappointed that I didn’t head into Krabi Town to see the Tiger Temple or the Phi Hua caves where there are cave paintings as well, but you can only accomplish so much in one trip.
USAC, Take Me Away to Thailand! 