Thailand part II

Thailand is one of those places in which you just fall in love. You fall in love with the people, the surroundings, the food and so much more. When I first traveled to Thailand I really didn’t know what to expect, especially since I had chosen to visit the north of Thailand. After my first trip, I immediately knew I had to head back and visit the islands and explore more of this beautiful country. I journeyed off to a 10 day trip in November during Thanksgiving weekend. This was great because I only had to take 3 days off of work due to the holiday. My itinerary was Phuket, Kho Phi Phi, and Krabi. Between those, there were many other islands and places I had the chance to explore.
Phuket Starting off in Phuket, my recommendation is to stay 1 night, if you must, 2 nights max. You would most likely want to stay in Bangla Road which is where all the action is. You can easily opt for a private villa a little farther from the city center, but it is your preference. ( search some hotels here ) At night this road turns into one big major party. Clubs, restaurants, and flashing lights everywhere. Not to mention you will see a lot of ladyboys. ( I do not think I need to explain this ). I stayed in Phuket for 2 nights because I had a set itinerary from my group tour. Group travel to these countries is ideal because you really do not have to worry about anything and they guide you to the right places. I personally liked this format because it had guided experiences and a perfect amount of free time. In Phuket, the beach is nice, calm, and hot. You can easily just walk up with a towel and a bucket of Chang ( beer ) and just enjoy the sun. Stay hydrated though, as it is always hot. You can eat by the water or you can search for a hole in the wall restaurant. ( A hole in the wall is my recommendation always ) In Phuket, you will see a lot of touristy places, but you are a tourist so its totally fine.

After our two days of exploring the Big Buddha, some incredible beaches, and some clubs, we headed out early to be able to catch a ferry that was pre-planned by our tour guide. If you go on your own, it is quite easy to get a ferry to another island and extremely affordable. ( $10 ) Koh Phi Phi Koh Phi Phi is probably one of my favorite places on earth that I have been. After a two-hour ferry ride, passing through movie perfect islands, we arrived in Koh Phi Phi. This was my absolute happy place. An island with clear water, white sand, and beautiful people. One of the best parts of Koh Phi Phi is that there are no cars, so you walk everywhere, which makes for a better experience. The small winding streets are filled with restaurants, massage spas, bars, tons of tattoo shops, and clothing shops. After having a deliciously cheap meal ( under $3 ), we explored some more and watched the sunset from our private beach hotel. At night, we went out for some nightlife, which is a big draw to tourists on these islands. I can easily say that the nightlife in Thailand is very safe and fun, but you just have to always be smart. There are tourists everywhere from America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, etc. All ages as well. I am not going to lie, sometimes there are some over the top party people, but no one messes with you. Being a solo female traveler, I am always extra cautious but Thailand is very safe. One of the bars I would recommend for some good old fun is Stolkhom Syndrom They have great drink specials, awesome music and loads of games. It can get wild but all in good fun. Every night they have glow in the dark paint that their cute staff/bartenders paint on you.
The next morning after enjoying a delicious breakfast we set off to a day on the bay tour. This tour was reserved just for my group and we set sail to visit Koh Phi Phi Leh. On the itinerary was monkey bay which is a huge must-see spot in Thailand. It would have been our first stop, but unfortunately, the water was pretty rough, and we could not get close enough. ( Next time ).
We passed by the Viking cave and went to Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Leh. This is where the famous movie The Beach was filmed. Although you cannot swim to the actual island, you can snorkel and kayak. The water is the perfect temperature which made jumping off the top of the boat very easy. The day ended with the most beautiful sunset on the boat and we headed off back to Koh Phi Phi.

The next day, we had some free time, so I opted for another foot massage, some yummy lunch at Charlie's, and a Chang(s) at Stockholm Syndrome. In the afternoon, we set out to Krabi. Krabi is part of the mainland of Thailand but perfectly situated to get to other islands as well. We boarded our ferry, which again, it is very easy to purchase a ticket at the pier and sailed away.
Krabi
With the same laid back vibe, this town had a lot to offer. Everything is of walking distance and we ventured off to visit some local bars. We kept it an early night because the next day we had a speedboat adventure.
We took our private speedboat and hit the water to Phang Nga Bay. We zipped between 42 different islands all covered with limestone caves. Arriving at Phang Nga Bay, there was a fleet of kayaks waiting for us, and we jumped on and explored the beautiful Bay. We went in between the rocks that led us to paradise. You have to see it for yourself to truly understand the beauty and happiness this place brings you.
After kayaking, we sped off to James Bond Island. Very much a touristy place, we only stopped for a bit to take some 007 photos and then sped off again to another location. The next spot wasn't a typical location, it is a floating village called Koh Panyi. Koh Panyi is attached to an almost vertical limestone rock and is filled with hundreds of huts, shacks, restaurants, and houses. It also includes a floating soccer field, which I geeked out about!

( this is my bong girl pose )
Our speedboat day ended on a remote island with only the 20 of us. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Our next day was a very exciting day for me. It was the day we were going rock climbing in one of the top 10 places to rock climb in the world. As an adventure seeker, this was something I was patiently waiting for. We headed off on a longboat to Railay Beach. I was not expecting to rock climb in one of the most breathtaking beaches I had ever seen. Situated just East of the peninsula of Railay Beach, we found ourselves with sky-high limestone rocks with a backdrop of clear beach water.
This was an unforgettable experience. It was a hard experience but I am quite competitive so I kept climbing and climbing until I reached the top. If anyone is not afraid of heights and enjoys a good challenge this is a MUST do in Thailand. This area is filled with some boutique hotels and restaurants, which I plan on staying there the next time I visit. After we climbed which felt like hours, it was time to go back to Krabi, but I did not feel I had enough time to explore, so I stayed a bit longer.
I wanted to take my time and get lost if you will in Railay. So happy I did.
I found another side of the peninsula and other rock climbing areas, plus another beautiful beach. I lounged on the sand with a big Chang until I was ready to head back. Heading back was very easy, it cost me $100 baht ( $3.3 ) to jump on a longboat back to Au Nang beach in Krabi. Since everything is close by, I walked to my hotel, but with a few stops along the way to buy some goodies for my family and friends. Let's just say I traveled back with a lot of elephant pants. ( easy to pack and a great gift ).
Traveling to Thailand is, in my opinion, a must at least once in your life. I am so fortunate I have been able to travel there twice and have two completely different experiences but both incredibly spectacular.

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