Firsts in Krabi

So the 22nd was finally here and after what seemed like ages from when we booked our flight, we were on our way to Krabi, Thailand. It was our first times in this part of the Land of Smiles.

Naturally, we did what all tourists do, we stopped by first at a tour agency to browse through the myriad of tour packages that they offer. There were combinations of sea and land activities, but we were pretty set on a few so we decided to hit the weekend market first for some food.

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The moment we turned the curb we were greeted by a young girl in full dress costume, performing what I assumed was a traditional form of dance while the tourists and locals watched on. Countless makeshift stalls of scuba-diving gear, ocean packs, and souvenirs stretched along the entrance of the market.

And then the smoky fragrance of barbequed meat hit our noses and we were instantly on the lookout for the source. We made a round around the market and went back to our hotel hands full of obscenely cheap food. After our dinner, we ventured out into the town on the hunt for a suitable tour package.

Day 2 had Kayaking and ATV on our agenda. We were picked up from our hotel at 8.30am and it was about a 40 minute ride to our destination. Once we were unloaded, we were led to a quaint little “restaurant” built on top of the river. We put away our valuables and were briefed on the basics of kayaking.

We eagerly got on our boat and started paddling. It wasn’t until we were 15 minutes in and my upper arm hurt like hell that I realised we had another hour and 45 minutes to go. The stunning view was the plus point though.

So after what seemed like half an hour, we arrived at a dark tunnel which would eventually lead to a gorgeous cave.

Lunch had never been more satisfying after all that paddling. It would’ve been remarkable on any normal day too, actually.

ATV was next. It started pouring uncontrollably once we arrived, so we put on our raincoats and waited for awhile until the rain slowly subsided. The terrain was soaked in rainwater and 5 seconds into acceleration my hands were all muddy.

The vehicle was difficult to maneuovre at first, but once we got out on the open road it was quite a breeze. It was a different story when we got to the small, bumpy roads as we all got stuck one way or another. We ended up in this beautiful place though, so no complaints.

Island-hopping on Day 3. We were bound for Hong Islands; which we chose over the popular Phi Phi island as we wanted to avoid the onslaught of tourists.

I have say that I didn’t think I would have that much fun at a beach, but snorkelling in clear ocean water up close with the marine life really takes the cake, I’ve always had a nagging curiosity for the deep blue.

After lunch, we were brought to another island; Kho Lao La Ding (Paradise Island), it was pretty much the same as the first one, save for the special appearances of a few cats.

We did some last minute shopping on our last day at the Big C, and headed to the airport ahead of time.

As I’m sitting here, surprisingly, with time to write about this trip, I can honestly say that this was quite the most fun I’ve had overseas. Krabi, I’m coming back for you.