Travel Time

I have always loved to travel, and this move to Thailand has opened up a whole new world of travel opportunities.  I will use the next few posts to write about some of the travel opportunities, both in and out of Thailand, that I have had during my first year here.

The first trip we took was to Krabi, Thailand.  Krabi is on the southwestern side of Thailand, along the peninsula that connects with Malaysia.  Phuket is the more famous neighbor to Krabi, both are along the coast of the Andaman Sea.  To get to Krabi is about a 10 hour road trip from Bangkok, or a quick one hour flight across the Gulf of Thailand.

We landed at the Krabi airport and drove about 1/2 hour to our resort.  Driving through Krabi reminded me a great deal of Jamaica, very green, lush with the feel of a jungle.  It is quiet, with a small-town feel, no hustle and bustle anywhere.

Sunset on the Tubkaak Beach

These 4 room villas were clustered around the small but cozy resort

We spent a long weekend at the Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort.  It is a lovely resort, along the Tubkaak Beach, consisting of 44 rooms, a pool, restaurant and a beautiful stretch of beach.  After the first afternoon, the staff knew our names and our preferences for table seating, etc.  "Boutique" is the new code word for "small and not cheap".  The rooms at the hotel all have outdoor showers and bathtubs, all very private (and a new experience for this northern US girl!)  The longtail boats come right up to the beach and you can rent a boat (and a driver) to take a trip to islands and other sites close to Krabi.  We snorkeled off Koh Phi Phi and Chicken Island, and it was incredible.  The underwater sealife is amazing. I wished that I had an underwater camera.  We brought our own gear with us from the States, because I have never liked the idea of sharing a snorkel!  About 15 minutes after leaving the resort, we got caught in a rain storm and our driver had to pull into a small cove so we could sit out the worst of the storm.  A longtail boat doesn't give much protection when the wind and waves pick up.

Riding on a wooden longtail boat

The outline of Chicken Island

     

The hotel provided a shuttle to Ao Nang, the little town about 20 minutes from the resort.  There was a bit of night life, shopping and restaurants, but still pretty low key.  We had dinner at an amazing restaurant called "Lae Lay Grill", which is set up on a hill, overlooking the bay.  The food was delicious, the staff attentive, it was a fantastic meal.

The Tubkaak restaurant, as seen from the beach.

I always purchase a "momento" from any trip I take, and my favorite was this 9 inch pewter tray, used by the hotel to serve hand towels to the guests upon arrival.  The tray is made in Thailand by the Loy Far Company, and I fell in love with the little monkey peering up at the edge.  The hotel manager was kind enough to sell one to me from their supply.   

 This was an incredible introduction to the "Amazing Thailand" written about in the travel brochures, and after this weekend experience, we plan on returning to Krabi.