I love the beach. I don’t get much chance to soak in the sun and waves since Kampala is a land-locked city so I was really excited to check out the shores of the Andaman sea. Krabi was my only option since I was traveling on a budget. I took a night bus to get there and upon arriving smelled the sea and so much green. My lodging was in Ao Nang which is pretty popular among the tourists and has a wide beach. It was refreshing to see the rocks and the big trees on every corner of the road.
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| Beautiful scenery. |
Ao Nang was everything I wanted after the big city life of Bangkok. The scenery is so gorgeous it’s hard not to find a moment of Zen. If you’re looking to get to Railway beach like I was (and recommend), don’t worry as there’s so many people eager to help you along your way to other places like Phi Phi island.
Railay Beach not only has gorgeous surf but also rock climbing for enthusiasts. I regret not having the chance but like every great trip I hope to return one day and try it. Climbing is safe (you wear a harness) and it’s a great full body workout. I hear rock climbing is a 2020 Tokyo Olympics sport so start training.
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| Beautiful boats ashore. |
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| Railay beach |
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| Buried in at Railay |
Back from Railay I went on a pub crawl that was organized by my hostel. It was quite fun moving from one bar to another and observing the night life in this part of the country. Ao Nang is such a party area you won’t be disappointed. However, watch out for lady boys who ask for a tip if you want a photo.
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| Sunset at Ao Nang |
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| Lady boy performers. |
The following day I was in total bliss as I relaxed at a Krabi hot spring, nature’s own Jacuzzi. The water came from thermal springs which originated deep underground in a volcanic chamber. We then moved on to the Emerald pool, with waters that are crystal clear. It was nice to swim after walking through a beautiful trail to reach it. It’s all a feast for the eyes with so much green I felt like I was emerald city, the fictional fantasy land in the Wizard of Oz. Don’t miss taking a look at the Blue Pool, an amazing body of water. You can’t swim in it but it’s a breathtaking sight.
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| Chilling in the Hot spring |
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| Trail View |
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| All natural Emerald pool. please |
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| Trail to the Pools. |
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| Beneath the Blue Pool. |
The last thing on the trip was visiting the Tiger Cave temple. This is not for the faint hearted as it takes 1, 237 steps to reach a Buddhist holy site. But don’t give up, the view is amazing at the peak. The struggle makes it worth the effort. There’s a lot of ‘monkey business’ up there though—many monkeys in the area love it when tourists feed them. Don’t do it though, feeding wild animals does more harm than good. Monkeys will literally grab your snacks from you.
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| The steps to the Tiger Temple |
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| The view from above the temple. |
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| Golden Buddha. |
Of course, no trip to Thailand would be complete without a famous Thai massage. It was such a treat, my body needed it. Whether basking in the sun or finding peace at a temple, Thailand has so much to offer.
