The Hidden Gem of Thailand
Last year I was just daydreaming of heading to Krabi, a province located on the southwest coast of Thailand. I actually thought to myself I've already visited Phuket and I should be contented with that. Then one day I saw a promo fare ticket on AirAsia's website to Krabi. Fortunately, I booked the ticket immediately and persuaded a friend to join me. So here I go again with my pink backpack traveling to the land of Tom Yam, Pad Thai, and on one of the world's best beaches. A country close to my heart with all the lovely memories it brought to my travels. Let's go!
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4 days Itinerary in Krabi Island - Month of May
Budget: SGD 300 / USD 250/ 7000 Baht
First Day
Late afternoon arrival at Krabi International Airport
Bus Ticket to Ao Nang: 150 Baht (ticket counter is just inside the airport)
Taxi to Ao Nang: 600 baht
Check-in: Miniboxtel Hostel
5D4N for 112 SGD / 80 USD
2 beds ( dormitory )
Shopping
Beach Shorts: 250 baht
Rashguard: 300 baht
All tours are available in most hotels and hostels. This is what makes Thailand a family and backpackers' haven!
Second Day
Full-Day Kayaking (8:39 AM - 4:30 PM)
Adult: 1,500 baht
Child: 900 baht
Pick up from the hotel
Transfer to Bor Thor Village
Travel time: takes 45 minutes - 1 hour
- Paddle to the Mangrove Forest
- See Tham Lod Tai, a tunnel that takes you under the limestone mountain. Stalactites and Stalagmites gathered at the entrance.
- See Tham Pee Hua Tho, a spacious airy cave
- Inside check the cave walls for prehistoric paintings and layers of archeological shells.
- Lunch at Riverside Restaurant
- Paddle to see Tham Khao Wong, inner lagoon
- Watch for Dusky Langur and Leaf Monkeys. Paddle to Tham Lod Nua
- Cold Spring
Transfer back to the hotel
Third-Day
Island Hopping: Hong Island + 7 Island sunset snorkeling trip (9:00 AM - 8:30 PM)
Adult: 1,800 baht
Child: 1,000 baht
Pick up service from Klong Muang or Krabi Town
Pick up service from Aonang, Railey, and Tonsai free transfer to the local pier
Depart from the local pier to Hong Island
- Hong Island Bay - Relaxing, snorkeling, sunbathing, and picnics are served on the beach.
- Hong's Lagoon - Tour of the "room with a view" with sea lake, surrounded by limestone cliffs.
- Lading Island - Swim Away from the crowds.
- Daeng - Enjoy swimming and snorkeling, seeing tropical fish and coral reefs.
- Chicken Island - Snorkeling
- Tup Island - relax and swim in sandbanks (unseen in Krabi) where two islands are connected by a strip of sand.
- Poda Island - the jewel in the Andaman Sea with a lowland, picturesque bamboo plantation, and majestic rock cliff bordered with a long beautiful beach. Watch the sunset BBQ dinner on the beach (high season) or buffet dinner at the restaurant (low season).
- Fire show performed by tour guides.
- Phra Nang Cave - swim with the phytoplankton on one of the world's beautiful beaches.
Transfer back to the hotel.
Fourth Day
Poong Chang Cave, Water Rafting (7km) and Waterfall
Adult: 3,300 baht
Child: 3,000 baht
- 7 kilometers of White Water Rafting
- Jungle Walk to Raman Waterfall
- Tum Pung Chang (Pung Chang Cave)
- Canoeing, Bamboo Rafting, and Cave River Walking
Last Day Airport Transfer: 150 baht
Welcome to Paradise! Now what?!
First Day in Krabi
We arrived late in the afternoon at Krabi International Airport. The bus ticket counter is just inside the airport right after you come down from the escalator, a series of bus operators fill out all the corners.
Bus Ticket to Ao Nang: 150 Baht
Being adventurous and taking the bus is more fun and cheaper compared to the taxi. Taxi costs around 600 baht to Ao Nang. Once you get inside the bus they will ask for your hotel's name to drop you off so getting lost is not really an option.
Check-in Miniboxtel Hostel
Address: 247/3 M.2 Aonang Muang Krabi TH 81000
5 days 4 nights, 2 beds ( dormitory )
Light breakfast is provided
Miniboxtel is conveniently nearby with all the things we need, from shopping to food and massage parlors. One thing I love about this place is that it's just less than 10 minutes away from the beach. We were able to go to the beach every day to watch the sunset.
Light breakfast is provided which consists of sliced bread, cereals, jams, and bananas. You have the option to toast the bread or have it with jam. It's a backpackers hostel so everything is self-service, have the initiative to put back the bean bags, and magazines and wash your own dishes.
Ao Nang beach
We went straight to the Ao Nang beach after we settled our things in the hostel. People gathered there to see the sunset, and spectators were all over the place. It's hard to capture a photo without someone's head, shadow, and a group doing jump shots in the frame. It was a lovely sunset, a fusion of yellow to red to orange plus an indigo color, and a splash of bright light filled the sky.
Afterwards, we booked all our tours for the next two days. Krabi has plenty of travel tours to choose from, almost with the same price and activities. They have small tour stalls all around the place where you can choose a variety of trips at your own convenience.
Bargaining with a smile always works especially if you're on a tight budget it just comes naturally. We had a huge discount just by stretching the muscles in our mouths. We saved roughly 700 baht-1,100 baht for the tours. We booked our kayaking tour in the hostel while our island hopping and water rafting package was when we were out looking for a restaurant.
Kayaking: 1,000 baht
Island Hopping: 1,100 baht
Water Rafting and Cave Canoeing: 2,200 baht
Where To Eat
After we've decided on the tours it was time for our first meal. If you're looking for authentic Thai cuisine go for those with no one standing in front of the restaurant asking for you to go in. It is normal in Krabi there are other nationalities who have set up their business on the island. One mistake we learned that night was the time when went in on one of those restaurants.
Watermelon Smoothie, Mixed Fruit Smoothies: 90 Baht
Deep-fried fish topped with Mango Salad: 290 Baht
Green Curry with Prawns: 180 Baht
Night Shopping
I went for some early shopping because I forgot a few important things on my list. It was already packed inside my bag, and at the last minute, I decided to leave two beach shorts behind for one gym shorts. In the end, I wasn't able to pack any shorts with me Ahahaa. There's a long stretch of shops and restaurants near the hotel, some have exaggerated prices so be ready to use your bargaining skills.
Beach Shorts 250 baht and Rashguard 300 baht
Our midnight street snack was this delicious Banana Pancake topped with chocolate syrup for only 20 baht-50 baht. We went back to the hotel early to clean up and get ready for the next day. I love the hostel's security measures. We were given a security card to tap in every time we went inside the rooms, even the toilet door had a security pass. It made me feel safe and I don't need to worry about my belongings.
Second Day: Full-Day Kayaking
Time: 8:39 AM - 4:30 PM
Adult: 1,500 baht
Child: 900 baht
Kayaking Itinerary:
- Pick up from the hotel
- Transfer to Bor Thor Village
- Paddle to the Mangrove ForestSee Tham Lod Tai, a tunnel that takes you under the limestone mountain. Stalactites and Stalagmites gathered at the entrance.
- See Tham Pee Hua Tho, a spacious airy cave
- Inside check the cave walls for prehistoric paintings and layers of archeological shells.
- Lunch at Riverside Restaurant
- Paddle to Tham Lod Nua and see Tham Khao Wong, the inner lagoon.
- Watch for Dusky Langur and Leaf Monkeys.
- Cold Spring
- Transfer back to the hotel
What to bring checklist: (the waterproof bag was provided with our tour)
Rashguard
Hat
Sunglasses
Sunblock
Waterproof camera or casing for your phone
Extra clothing
We woke up early that day to play "Jenga," I mean to have our breakfast at Miniboxtel Hostel rooftop bar. The tour van picked us up on time from Miniboxtel and off we went to Bor Thor Village. My friend and I were the only tourists in the van, the driver tried to pick up two more tourists but they didn't show up. It was a VIP tour, the van and guide were all at our expense.
Travel time: 45 minutes - 1 hour
Mangrove Forest
Our first destination was the Mangrove Forest, passing by two caves: Tham Lod Thai and Tham Pee Hua Tho, a lagoon named Tham Khao Wong, and our last stop in Phu Tara Cold Spring.
It was a perfect sunny day for Kayaking. The water was calm and everything looked fresh and green. We paddled through a thick mangrove forest with its roots and branches sticking out from its sides. Be careful not to run over the roots, respect the plant and you'll have a smooth ride. Our tour guide told us that mangroves multiply by simply dropping a long slender branch into the water. They don't need much for nourishment and they can survive on their own as long as they stay in the water. He showed us what seemed like a mudsweeper near the mangrove roots, and jokingly called it a walking fish. Try your luck and watch out for Dusky Langur and Leaf Monkeys.
Tham Lod Tai Cave
We came across a cave tunnel named Tham Lod Tai, a tunnel that takes you under the limestone mountain, where stalactites and stalagmites gathered at the entrance. Caves always give me the feeling of being in another world. It's always been a mysterious place for me, what goes inside the cave when no one is looking is something I don't fancy knowing. If it's just the minerals growing then that's just acceptable. When we reached the end of the cave tunnel, a mermaid shaped out of a calcium deposit was at the corner. She waved goodbye at her as we paddled away from the cave.
Our guide told us that this part of Krabi is still unseen by most tourists. It always depends on the weather, if the water is too high then it's not advisable to embark on a kayaking session. We visited another spacious airy cave "Tham Pee Hua Tho", where we saw prehistoric paintings on the walls and layers of archaeological shells found on the cave ground and rocks. I'm a bit doubtful of its authenticity but the site was approved by the government. The paintings looked like crayon drawings, most of them are on top of the cave ceiling. Millions of years ago this cave could have been inhabited by people which explains the paintings, or it could have been done by gifted animals. Even long before that, it must have been submerged underwater, which shows all the shells and coral-like fossils inside the cave.
Tham Khao Wong
We paddled to a denser part of the mangrove forest to Tham Lod Nua, another cave tunnel where we learned to maneuver the kayak to fit in a small path that it extends to the green lagoon named Tham Khao Wong.
Lunch at the Riverside Restaurant
Later on, we went back to the starting point where we had our lunch at the Riverside Restaurant. The food was delicious, as always Thai food is just very impressive, with so much flavor in one dish.
Phu Tara Resort
Our last stop for that day was Phu Tara Resort, a cold spring less than 30 minutes away from the kayaking site. It was a relaxing and refreshing experience, especially after the kayaking. The sun was shining brightly, the heat was exhausting and our sweat was all over the place. I considered the cold spring a grand way of ending the day. We spent 45 minutes playing and relaxing in the water then went back to the hotel.
For Dinner: Look for Small Restaurants
Dinner at an authentic Thai restaurant. Authentic Pad Thai and meat with green curry. Price ranges from 100 baht-200 baht. There are small restaurants far away from the tourist zone if you're willing to explore you will feed your tummy with good food at an affordable price.
Third-Day: Island Tour
All Aboard! If there's one thing you should be doing in Krabi it's an Island Hopping trip. The country proudly boasts of its pristine white beaches and captivating islands.
Hong Island + 7 more Islands with Sunset and Snorkeling experience (9:00 AM - 8:30 PM)
Adult: 1,800 baht
Child: 1,000 baht
Island itinerary
The Island itinerary wasn't according to plan but I guess we're still able to visit all 7 islands and do all the activities. Our first stop was to Railey's Island to pick up some supplies. This island offers rock climbing and I was able to see a few of them doing it near the port area.
Snorkeling near Daeng Island for 30 minutes. The water wasn't really crystal clear but we still managed to see some fish. It's better to bring a loaf of bread with you to attract more fish. The boat then took us to Hong Lagoon they call it "room with a view", the water was light green and full of small jellyfish. It is surrounded by limestone cliffs and an opening that gives you the feeling of entering a new world.
We spent an hour of fun and relaxation on Hong Island. You can do snorkeling, sunbathe, or just lie down on the sand. My friend and I did lots of fun shots on this island. We also had the time to hang our wet clothes on our very own tree. This is the reason why it's advisable to bring a waterproof bag to keep all your things dry throughout the trip. I wanted to stay longer on this island but we needed to go to another island for our lunch break.
Lading's Island
Packed Lunch was given to us at Lading's Island, where we had the chance to roam anywhere we wanted around the small island. We had a great spot under a tree with a wooden swing attached to one of its branches. The food was fine but it wasn't enough for a big girl like me, let me rephrase that, for a small girl like me with a big appetite.
Chicken Island
Snorkeling near Chicken Island. The shape of this island is amazing, literally, you can see the chicken's head and neck out in the open. We swam near the island, this time around someone was smart enough to feed the fish with a spoonful of rice, and all of a sudden, boom! hundreds of yellow fish were all over us.
It was almost siesta time and the heat of the afternoon sun was getting stronger. Everyone got back to the boat after 15 minutes and off we went for our next island stopover.
Tup Island
Tup Island is said to be one of the unseen islands in Krabi, where two islands are connected by a strip of sand. We hesitated for a while to walk on the sandbar that connects to the nearby island, but with courage and a great leap of faith, we managed to walk on water to the other island. Wow! That statement just defies gravity at all levels, well, of course, the sandbar was there to make it all happen. This other part of the island had a different vantage point, it gives you the feeling you're in the famous TV series "Survivor".
Poda Island
Dinner Buffet in Poda Island. It is significantly one of the jewels in the Andaman Sea with majestic rock cliffs and a long stretch of white sand beach. The brochure said, "Watch the sunset BBQ dinner on the beach (high season) or buffet dinner at the restaurant (low season)". I expected to have a barbecue dinner buffet but it didn't turn out that way, but the dish they prepared was delicious.
Favorite Sunset In All My Travels
I just love the beach. I strongly believe it's the most therapeutic place on earth aside from being on top of a mountain. The sunset started with the usual burst of bright white light and slowly it was enveloped by the clouds. Everyone thought that was it, but of course, as the cliche goes "save the best for last".
The sky slowly turned orange with a mixture of red and maroon colors. In a few seconds, a color fusion of indigo and all sorts of different shades of violet painted the sky. Time stops for everyone. All of us hushed, and no one talked for minutes, some people snapped some pictures but most just sat down in awe staring at the sky. Before the sky turned completely dark our guides asked to get back to our boat for our special activity of the night. I was attracted to this Island Hopping package for one main reason. It said, "Phra Nang Cave- swim with the phytoplankton on one of the world's beautiful beaches". It got me pretty excited and scared at the same time. Never in my wildest imagination have I ever thought of going on a night snorkeling. One bucket list ticked off from the pages of my adventure diary.
Cheers! My favorite drink in Thailand
It was pitch dark as we traveled to our destination only a few stars were out in the open. Initially, in the morning there were two groups on two separate sails, in the evening they combined the groups and everyone stayed on our side of the boat. I think it's dangerous in the sense that there aren't enough life jackets for everyone or maybe there are, it's dark and anything can go wrong and I'm not sure if he has exceeded the recommended passenger capacity. Or it could also be that I'm just paranoid and I've really grown up all these years. It's funny how I compare my thinking now with regards to my teenage life; wild and crazy. These are the two perfect words that best describe how to think back on those days. Now I believe in safety plus fun. I remember the movie "The Matrix" when Morpheus tells Neo that "Ignorance is Bliss." I was nervous that it made me think about "Chang" beer and how good it is to have one on board.
Most Memorable: Snorkeling At Night
I don't know where we stop but I'm guessing based on the brochure we're near Phra Nang Cave. Everyone put on their life jackets along with the snorkeling equipment and off we went down the boat. Two more boats joined the craze on that pitch-dark night, all together everyone's light was turned off. We were tasked to move our hands underwater so we'd be able to see the phytoplanktons. I moved my hands rapidly below and in an instant, a small blue pen-point lighted up the water, then in split seconds they were everywhere. The didn't water didn't feel like it existed, I was floating along with those blue fireflies-like lights and it was beautiful. I was literally surrounded by blue lights and that was a magical moment for me. It felt like I was flying then suddenly the cold water took over which snapped me back to reality, ahahaa. I may be exaggerating and it's always a different feel for each person but for someone with a very wild imagination like me,, it was an ecstatic experience. We were then summoned to the boat after a few minutes, I have a feeling it's not safe enough to stay longer in the water. Maybe some fishes hopefully the small ones find phytoplankton appetizing and with our legs producing those bubbles down there, we could be mistaken as food too.
Lights were turned on again and the fire show started on one of the boats anchored nearby. I was expecting the fire show will be done on land yet they were cool enough to do it on board. The night ended with a fire-breathing dragon technique where the smoke hovered for an instant in the air and cheers flooded the night sky. We were wheeled back to the hostel, had our midnight snack, and settled the night with a relaxing massage.
Massage with oil: 250,000 Baht
7km White Water Rafting, Waterfalls Hike, and Pung Chang Cave Tour
Adult: 3,300 baht
Child: 3,000 baht
Rafting and Cave Tour itinerary:
- 7 kilometers White Water Rafting
- Thai Lunch
- Jungle Walk to Raman Waterfall
- Visit Tum Pung Chang (Pung Chang Cave) by Canoe, Bamboo Rafting, and Cave River Walking (Headlights are provided)
My first water rafting experience was in Phuket with my mum, yes my mum is very cool and so am I. This time around I'm going on an even more extreme level, 7 kilometers of white water rafting plus a small waterfall going down the stream. It's my friend's first time to be on board and I'm just so excited for her. I really like to be with people who are not afraid to try new things, luckily I met my brave travel buddy and we're planning to do more crazy stuff after this trip.
Hold On Tight
The van picked us up from the hotel early in the morning, traveled more than an hour to the water rafting site. Life jackets and helmets were provided to ensure everyone's safety. After a short briefing about what to do and not to do, we proceeded to take our seats in the inflatable boat along the river bank. It started smoothly then we passed through big boulders of rocks and that's when the fun began. I screamed and laughed. The guide kept on reminding us to balance to avoid capsizing, once he said the command everyone sang in unison the word "balance". It was funny how everyone's face lit up and immediately adjusted their position. After the 3 km and 5 km points, all of our mates went back to land except for me and my friend. We were going all the way to 7 kilometers which is a bit rougher than the previous marks.
Balance!
My favorite part of the rafting was towards the end, we slid through small waterfalls and I bounced from left to right like a log. The guide then asked us if we wanted the boat to capsize, both of us screamed but of course, it was just a joke. We went bananas and burst out laughing like gorillas. It was such a fun way to end the kayak and a very exhilarating rafting experience for this year.
Funny Moments: Don't Forget The Slippers
Afterwards, we rode the van and had our lunch in a nearby restaurant. Famished and still extremely energetic I devoured my food in seconds. It was delicious and satisfying. A funny thing happened, my friend left her slippers in the restaurant. She was so hyped by the water rafting that she forgot she was walking barefoot to the van. Our guide was nice and sweet enough to lend his slippers to my forgetful friend, a memorable event that will haunt her for years, thanks to me.
Jungle Walk to Raman Waterfall
Our next activity was a Jungle Walk to Raman Waterfall. By this time it was drizzling so the chances of getting to the top of the waterfall were slim. The van drove for 30 minutes to the starting point and afterwards, we began our short trek to the waterfall. It's just 10 minutes to reach the base of the waterfall then we walk 5 minutes more where you can keep in cold water. I only managed to walk in the water, there were fishes nibbling on my foot and I really don't like the feeling. This is the reason why I've never tried a fish spa- ahahaa. The waterfall trip ended early as the rain got stronger, and everyone was advised to get back to the van.
One of the most amazing places in Thailand
Our last stop is considered one of the most amazing places in Thailand. We drove for another 30 minutes to our drop-off point. The cave is located on the elephant mountain specifically in the center part or inside its belly. It's quite amazing that the mountain literally looked like an elephant. Even inside the cave was mind-blowing, the guide told us that there were 3 ways of getting our way inside the cave.
Pung Chang Cave: Snake?
First, by a Canoe, Bamboo Rafting, and Cave River Walk to a small path to see the mystery rock. Headlights are provided. The first thing I saw inside the cave was a white snake, I'm really not sure about the color maybe it was just the flashlight reflection that made it look white. The guide smiled and told us that we were lucky, it's rare to find something like that in the cave. It quickly put a big smile on my face despite the fact that it might have fallen into our canoe and we all crazily jumped into the water.
We saw gigantic stalactites and stalagmites formation inside the cave. It reminded me of my Palawan "Underground River" trip in the Philippines, it is considered one of the 7 wonders of Nature.
Canoe Ride
It wasn't really a long canoe ride, maybe a 10-minute paddle to the bamboo raft point. The bamboo raft is useful for those with limited space inside the cave, the path gets smaller as you go far from the entrance.
Bamboo Raft Ride
We were quiet on the bamboo raft ride, in less than 5 minutes we were up to our feet and started walking to a small stream. The guide showed us a few special rock formations: a small elephant, a heart-shaped, and a mother and child rock. It's amusing how nature works and seeing all the rocks and calcium salt deposits made me respect Mother Nature more. We passed by a special water basin where it said to be sacred and good luck to anyone who touched the water. I've always felt blessed but an add-in good luck water charm would be nice as well. I prayed and wished. Call it dramatic but let me be.
Lights Off
We were advised not to touch the stalactites, especially the ones that glitter or else they will lose their sparkles. It looked like pin-point diamonds sparkling when struck with lights. There was this special time when we turned off our flashlights and everything went pitch black and dead silent. I managed to turn around, amazed by what I saw as the last glimpse of light escaped my sight.
What Makes This Cave Special
We walk further inside the cave to see the precious rock and the reason why this cave is famous in Krabi. Settled peacefully on top of the cave was the white elephant-shaped rock, it was an incredible rock formation and the only prominent white stone above the cave. It was said that a professor discovered the white elephant rock inside the cave through his dreams. A landmark has been placed outside the vicinity to remember his significant contribution to Krabi.
No Pictures Allowed
We finished the tour dazed by what we'd seen in Pung Chang Cave. Taking pictures was not allowed inside, good thing a bulletin board was posted outside with pictures depicting the cave.
Love Prediction
While waiting for our pick-up van the other tourist who had chosen a different package from us. We met Ms Kookai, who has worked with Pung Chang Cave in customer service for quite some time. I can't help myself from telling her about our experience inside the cave, especially with the snake encounter. It turns out my friend didn't see the snake at all. She said this kind of experience doesn't happen all the time, it's good luck especially if you haven't met your partner in life. She was really excited for me and even asked me to come again soon with my future husband, and with that visit, she would hand us a free cave tour at no charge. I smiled and told her I would. So future hubby please bear in mind to come with me to Pung Chang Cave soon.
Have fun and be safe ^__^
Other Places To Visit in Thailand:
Where am I going next?
My next adventure is Paragliding in Jakarta, Indonesia with my favorite cousin in the world.
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