Travel - Krabi, Thailand Apr 26-29 2013

I have lots of back log in my travel report. Found some laziness in writing, my mind been wondering around, exactly like how I aimlessly browsing the web. *stop ranting*

My trip to Krabi was purely a weekend gate away, plus an initial meet and greet to this new place. An inland place facing the Andaman sea. Oh sea... it has been quite a while I have seen you, missing you till the max! Lots of study was required, prior to the trip. One will be spoiled for choice for accommodation, as this place offers many hundreds of shelters, ranging from back packers to 5-stars hotel. We settled with the middle ranged accommodation, knowing we won't go wrong with the Thai's cleanliness. 

A friend of mine told me to stay around Ao Nang, a newer township where jetty for most island trip's could dock on to. Krabi town was the old jetty, and we never even visited the place after all, we skipped the Krabi night market.

We settled with 2 hotels -  2 nights for Mercure Krabi Deevana, another 1 night for Vogue Resort Spa.

Let's start the travel intro with some pics and brief write ups.

Transport - Shuttle bus, tuk-tuk, song theow, rent a bike ?

• Upon arrive at the airport, we chose to hoop onto its shuttle bus with multiple stops before arriving at our hotel in Ao Nang town. 150Baht per pax vs. 800Baht per taxi.
• Unlike Chiang Mai, we didn't rent a bike in Ao Nang. Reason being we are decided to hook onto local tours for both our days.
• Most of the time, we walked our selves from hotel to dinner and shopping place. If its too tired, we will get into a tuk-tuk (motorbike taxi)

Shuttle Bus Counter @ airport

The bus 

Bus ticket 

Hotel #1 - Mercure Krabi Deevana

• Super love this hotel, its very clean and modern. Service was good, and casual (staffs were all on jeans and polo shirts)
• Room was clean and overlooking the modern pool (looks more like stream between the blocks of room). Unfortunately, the water filter ain't functioning well, leaving its mud-like water running. I didn't swim as its chorine smell was rather strong
• Made a mistake for not including breakfast as part of the room deal. There's nothing much to dine for morning breakfast, especially when one would have engaged with day trip tour which started by 830am. Its best to dine in the hotel. Though selection of food wasn't that great, mainly standard Western breakfast, but it cost us 400Baht per pax. Not that worth while, if you'd ask me. Another option is perhaps stock up some dry food, i.e. instant noodle or buns from 7-11 convenient store for a morning munch.

Mercure Lounge - Check in 

Mercure Deluxe room balcony

Hotel #2 -  Vogue Resort Spa

• In fact this is rather pricy than Mercure; I don't have much positive comment on this hotel except for its unique room and nice pool
• We chosen this hotel as its located along another main street from Mercure, expect it to be more happening with McD and Starbucks along the corner; well, it became a downside as party music was on over the midnight. Franchise stores with its burger set ain't that good deal compared to Malaysia. A set of burger and drink could cost 170Baht ++ (forget it!)
• No lift! while I have to carry bags and dragged myself up the stairs on to 4th floor. My goodness and I have been cursing each time I need to walk up the stairs.
• We had breakfast included, variety ain't good but the ambience was great. Sitting near the pool with bushes around. Oh, but it was a little too bushy till I found mosquitoes even on day light morning. 

Vogue's pool 

Vogue's reception - classical 

Foods - Local food hunting

• There are a few mobile stalls at the  junction of Mecure hotel; was excited seeing people surrounded the pancake stall. Not knowing until I found roti canai instead. It filled with all kind of fruits, specially banana, pineapple, mango, and will toss with sugar and condensed milk. It was priced at 30Baht each, not cheap! 

Malay aunty selling pancake 

Aunty's mobile stall 

Pineapple pancake 

• Next to the pancake stall its the fried noodle/rice/pad thai stall. We tried both the pad thai (fried glass noodle) and fried beef rice. Both were nice. 50Baht each, not cheap too.

Frying padthai 

Pad thai

• Had our day 1 dinner at Wang Sai Seafood. This is a local restaurant, and its pretty famous. Thanks for a Singaporean Malay couple whom we met at the roadside stalls, they introduced us this place, and its with scenic evening sunset view too
• No review from Tripadvisor
• Perhaps we ordered too much - 2 pineapple fried rice (supposed to be one, but the order was wrong), squid, tomyum, mango/papaya salad, and not sure what else which made our bill to be 800Baht for 2, goodness... we were extremely full.

Squid in Thai sauce 

Pineappe fried rice 

Mango/papaya Salad

• We have been browsing for information every now and then, tripadvisors and other blogs been our company for weeks and days prior to this trip. One dining place indeed was from trip advisor, since then its something highly graded by many tourist, we give it a try too. It's a Western dining place - Carnivore. 
• Ambience was alright, compared with the price we pay in KL, it's much of a worth; plus the service attitude, absolutely well the money spent.
• Food serving and variety was good, nice salad in a bowl and potato wedges.
• Food portion was alright, in fact I found it too much. Perhaps it was the saltiness that killed my appetite. The food, particular the meat - my pork ribs and my partner's steak was unexpectedly salty. Probably it was just our taste bud difference. We commented to the waitress (since she asked when we took the bill), too bad they can't spare us another rib for free :P

On the map 

Western Restaurant 

Salad - Thai styled 

My rib - salty rib

• Our day 3 dinner was just roadside stall serving padthai and fried rice. We couldn't take any further heavy meals, rather settled with the little food nearby Vogue resort & spa hotel.

Sight Seeing - Shopping streets & Evening sunset

• There are many scuba divers around Krabi, its all because Krabi is a station transit to many famous island of Thailand's andaman sea, i.e. James Bond island, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and many more. I didn't explore on its divers place, since my intention wasn't for a dive. 

Dive packages

• Super love the evening sunset we found, just before our dinner at Wang Sai seafood. The scene was superb as it was a sunny day on day 1. I took some pictures around the corners, but was then rushed to dinner place, many much afraid the place will be packed. Unfortunately, we still couldn't get a sunset facing corner to dine.

Sunset potrait

Not forgetting my iPhone check-in

 Day 2 - 4 Islands Hoping trip

• It's one of the common day trip travelers will hop on for a free & easy tour. The locals will usually hop on the traditional long tailed boat, while foreigners will go on the speed boat.
• We paid 500Baht per pax for the whole day trip, unfortunately weather wasn't great at all. Came with gloomy skies. It was kinda disappointing.
• Saving my explanation.. here goes the link
• If only the weather was good, I am sure I will be able to shoot many nice photo. Too bad, none to share here, unless you gonna take a peep of those 'tsunami-like' waves
• Tour came with their local packed food, simple indeed with green curry, vege and rice. With the price we paid, its consider good and natural
• Unlike snorkeling trips we have in country, their package includes even clean snorkel and mask without rental charge. I have actually brought my own along... sigh, shouldn't have done so. Service is rather #1 for Thailand. Thumbs up.

Rock climbing @ Phra Nang Bay

 Day 3 - Road Trip incl. Elephant Trekking, Emerald Pool, Tiger Cave Temple and Hot Spring Waterfall

• This trip cost us 900Baht, if not mistaken or rather 1100Baht, as we found out we didn't manage to get a good deal compared to other van mates
• Personally, I didn't quite like this adventure, as we spend most of the time on the road in a 9 seater van. Good thing was, every steps we move there's sure the van to pick us up. 
• I liked the elephant trekking most, it was interesting but needed to sit on the elephant at noon time. The poor creature brought us through the palm tree orchard, had some food by the papaya and banana tree. We spent close to 1 hour in the orchard. We then spend 50Baht for its basket of banana

Tiger Cave Temple 

Elephants Bananas 

Elephants riding

Lining up

Our lunch @ the lakeside

Lunch place

 Day 4 - Highlight of the trip - Massage @ Let's Sea Let's Relax

• Without failed, massage is a must in Thailand. Partner study found this rather a modern and reputable spa. We squeezed an earliest appointment of the day, just before our flight out from Krabi
• Super love the aromatherapy spa massage, we had individual rooms. It's such private and rather nice with its modern look.
• It's not easy to spot this place, as its main door is rather small at a corner. Actual location is somewhere opposite Starbucks.

It's front door 

Simple interior

Leg scrubbing

Finally, I could bring this post to an end. This took several weeks to complete, and its in fact only partially complete, since I have no posting yet from my little small video action camera, GoPro. Till then lah..!