Next Destination: Indonesia

The great island of Bali was always a destination I wanted to visit but avoided due to the mass number of tourists. Well the fact is that tourists numbers will only increase exponentially over the next decade, so I better get this out of the way. So what to expect on this journey to Indonesia? The plan is to avoid the main touristy areas of Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak for the longer stays. I do find myself in Legian for couple of nights as this is necessary for the short journey from the airport after a 10 hour flight.

Travelling with a 9 month old baby makes things interesting as well but one must always adapt. It also seems like www.balibaby.com is my saviour on minimizing luggage. For all the travellers with babies, the luggage grows way out of the comfort zone. So luckily a lot of the countries I have been visiting for long holidays have baby rental stuff to make life easier.

So taking Inspiration from “Eat,Pray,Love”, my friends recommendations, My own research to show there is life beyond Bali island, some www.tripadvisor.com stories, National Geographic diaries, and other anonymous sources, I have come with the following plan:

Bali Island: Legian > KlungKlung > Lembongan Island > Ubud > Amed > Gillie Islands > Menjangan Island > Pemuteran > Canggu

Java Island: Special Region of Yogyakarta > Magelang > Surakarta

Komoda Island: National Park with Komodo dragons.

Hopefully having travelling all 4 sides of Bali, and driving through the middle will help see a lot more than the regular tourist hot spots. As for the Yogyakarta Special region, this one is a straight up pick a spot, and explore. The Komodo National park is simply a case of being so close, so might as well do it. How I get there on a chicken boat etc. We will have to wait and see. There will probably be some more spontaneous trips.

So stay tuned and tune in next week to see the updates along the way.

South East Asia Trip (Planning the trip)

The idea of doing an Asian multiple cities & countries tour came across my thoughts on a Monday morning back in May 2015. As all good Monday stories, it involved 2 cups of coffee to wake up and then I started thinking of an adventures vacation. Two geographical locations popped into the script:

Option 1: Project Africa
Flying into South Africa (Cape Town & Durban) > Lesotho > Swaziland > Tanzania (Zanzibar > Mt Kilimanjaro > Serengeti National park) > Uganda (Kampala). The above would have involved A Serengeti Safari with the big 5, whale sharks off Zanzibar Coast along with some beach time, Cardio and adventure up Kilimanjaro, and finally interaction with Gorillas.

Option 2: Project Asia
Flying into Thailand (Bangkok > Chiang Mai)> Myanmar (Mandalay > Bagan > Inle Lake) > Cambodia (Siam Reap)> Laos (Luang Prabang > Vang Vieng > Vientiane) > Vietnam (Da Nang > Hoi An > Hanoi > Phu Quoc). Not the African wildlife but still good in Asia along with temples, spiritual experience, and a great culinary experience.

Deciding factors: : The Asian trip was much cheaper than the African trip. The Tourist market is well developed in Asia (except Myanmar) so prices are more avoidable with competition among accommodation providers. Daily living costs are much cheaper as well in the Asian countries despite some of them using US dollars. So to put it into numbers the African trip would have cost me about $10000 US extra. Another smaller factor was the Kilimanjaro ascent means some serious training. I have been up to 4200 meters before so 5895 meters in Mt Kilimanjaro will be a good challenge. (Everest Base Camp is at 5335 meters with peak at 8848 meters).
So Africa project was placed on ice and the Asian project activated.

Planning the Asian trip: The factor analysis and construction of a trip is always fun but requires a lot of work especially when it comes to the category 4 type trip. You can read more about the types of trips here.

So I ran this through my Planning variable analysis and came up with a travel logistics solution that requires 15 flights in total, one 5 hour boat trip and an 8 hour road trip. The travel logistics in South East Asia is quite easy as everything is well setup. Myanmar is the one exception but it is improving very fast and this will be described further in the Myanmar future post.

Accommodation options are the same, many to choose from. However cities like Bagan have limited options to choose from as it is either top of the scale or the bottom of the scale. No middle ground but this is improving. The cost is a little bit higher as well especially near Bagan and Inle Lake.

South East Asia overall is a cheaper holiday destination where the majority of the cost is associated with flights and accommodation. Living costs on holiday is quite low.

In terms of location I could try to fit more but then it is too rushed so will save Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei for next time. A return to Malaysia would be featured as well for that next part.

So stay tuned and click below on the country posts which I will update along the way:

Myanmar

Cambodia

Laos

Vietnam

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

Population: Approximately 9.4 Million(2013)
Currency: Emirati Dirham (100AED = 220Nok = $27.23US = £18.92 (Apr 2016 rates))
Cities Visited: Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, & Abu Dhabi

A country where its city of Dubai is the fastest growing city on Earth, where the skyline stands out to compete with the worlds best, a international melting pot for ex-pats who outnumber the locals; This was the information I had heard of before my first visit to UAE. With 7 Emiratian States making up the country, Abu Dhabi and Dubai stand out as the modern cities while the others are more aligned with traditional Middle Eastern vibe.

My first trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi was a lot to soak in for the first 24 hours but perhaps it was the hot temperature making life tougher. However after several trips to UAE and having a good network of local friends now, I have to say it is one of my favourite destinations to visit. Some of the positives that bring me back here are:

The Cuisine: Everything is covered from A to Z.
The Shopping: (Milan, London and New York combined in one city is the best way to describe it.
The Entertainment: (From day to evening there is always something to do.
The People: You will always meet someone new and interesting.
The Weather: You will get a tan any time of the year.

The Country is developing fast and worth a quick getaway to get some sun, food, shopping, and entertainment.

DUBAI
First timers guide to Dubai to pack in a lot in a short time.

ABU DHABI(coming soon)

Myanmar

Population: Approximately 51 486 253 (2014)
Currency: Myanmar Kyat (10 000MMK = 70Nok = $8.16US = £5.75(Feb 2016 rates)) 
Cities to be Visited: Mandalay, Bagan, Mount Poppa, Inle Lake

It is a very new destination since the doors for tourism opened wide few years ago. This means that a lot of the country is still not over developed to meet the tourism demand which is a blessing as we get to see a lot of the real Myanmar. The trip in Myanmar will start at Mandalay and then feature a 10 hour boat ride down river Ayeyarwady River to Bagan.

Next we will move east o Mount Poppa and then Inle Lake. Stay tuned as I will be updating the blog once I find internet in the larger cities.

Cambodia

Population: Approximately 15 458 332 (2014)
Currency: Cambodian Riel (10 000KHR = 21Nok = $2.49US = £1.76(Feb 2016 rates)) 
Cities to be Visited: Siem Reap and Possibly Sihanoukville & Koh Rong Island

A short trip to Angkor Wat in my tour. The place is legendary and something I always wanted to check out. There might be an excursion to Sihanoukville & Koh Rong along the way as well so stay tuned for posts once we get here.

Laos

Population: Approximately 6 803 699 (2014)
Currency:  Laos Lak (100 00Lak = 10Nok = $1.21US = £0.85(Feb 2016 rates)) 
Cities to be Visited: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane

My first visit to Laos will only feature 3 main cities as this is one of those locations that require several months to explore. The trip features a road trip from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng to Vientiane. This post will be updated while I am visiting the above cities so stay tuned for photos and reports.

Vietnam

Population: Approximately 91 700 000 (2015)
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (100 000Dong = 38Nok = $4.45US = £3.16(Feb 2016 rates)) 
Cities to be Visited: Da Nang, Hoi An, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc Island

My first visit to Vietnam will only feature 4 cities as this is one of those locations that require several months to explore. Ha Long Bay and Ho Chi Minh City will have to wait for the next trip. This post will be updated while I am visiting the above cities so stay tuned for photos and reports.

Chiang Mai

Location: North Thailand
Population: Approximately 150 000 (2008)
Currency: Thai Bhat (100Bhat = 24Nok = $2.82US = £2 (Feb 2016 rates)) 

This will be my first time in Chiang Mai so looking forward to see the regional differences from South & Central Thailand. This post will be updated along the journey so stay tuned for photos and quick summaries as I explore further.

Shanghai

Revolution Cocktail in French Concession

Dinner at M1nt with Bund background view

Set on the east of China with a population of more than 24 million people, it is not that city you go for a quite break. It has a booming economy, it has so much to offer in terms of exploration for the curious and the daring tourist. The sights & smells offers you the good, the bad, and the ugly. You are guaranteed to have shock and awe to your perceptions of China in the first 48 hours but then you get past that phase and you start enjoying it. The city grows on you after time and this is when you get to enjoy Shanghai. To take things to the next level I decided to go in August which is the hottest month with temperatures between 35 and 40.

Here are my top 14 recommendations for Shanghai:

1. Location In Shanghai: Your selection of hotel has never been more important in a city. With the busy streets and craziness out in the city, you need a home base that offers you the comfort, cleanliness, calmness, and one kick ass concierge team. I chose Westin Bund Center for my trip which was close to the bund with a great view and hotel was fantastic. I also spent some time at The Langham Shanghai Xintiandi which is located in the French concession and definitely my preferred number 1 next time in Shanghai. My trusted sources have also informed PuLi Hotel and Spa as a great location. Go 5 star and spend the extra dollars when in Shanghai as you will need it.

2. Getting into Shanghai: 2. From Pudong airport you can get to the city by taxi/private driver which can take up to an hour and costs between 150-300 yuan depending on taxi or private car. However when of the must do event in Shanghai is ride the Shanghai Maglev Train. At 430km/h , this is a great ride especially when it hits the corner in the end run. The train costs 50 yuan ( 40 yuan with boarding pass) and takes 7 minutes to get to Longyard road station. You can take a taxi from this station to your hotel. Here is some more details regarding Train times

3. Moving around: 3. Travelling within the city is not as easy as it looks. Traffic is a bitch here and you can be stuck on a 100 meter stretch for 15 minutes. Drivers don’t like or simply respect the red lights and just hustle through the inner city traffic. Even when crossing on a green as a pedestrian there is a high chance of getting run over so eye contact and universal stop sign with your hand helps when crossing. So in terms of travelling within Shanghai, the metro is a good option off peak as it gets you there faster. Avoid it during peak hours as it is about a million or more people travelling. Taxi’s are great as well during off peak and quite cheap. Always get the hotel concierge to write your location down in Mandarin to show to the taxi driver. Also for metro services, get a top up card for 20 yuan and pay as you go. Each train ride costs about 3 yuan. Here is more details on the Metro Services

4. French Concession: : Start of at Xintinandi and work your way to Xiangyang Lu area. Yongkang Lu is one of the streets full of good bars and expats. It is a totally different vibe to the rest of the city especially over the weekend and a great place to make friends. Also while you there try the passion fruit mojito and Blood Mary’s at Revolution Cocktail.

5. SmartShanghai App: Google Services, Facebook and Instagram are not available in China unless you hook it up via a VPN. So to stay on top of things download the SmartShanghaiapp on your smart phone as it has most of the restaurants, clubs, bars and attractions listed on there with the address in Mandarin. It will save you time when navigating through Shanghai.

6. Day trips to other cities: If you have time make a day trip to neighboring cities Wuxi, Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Chnagzhou. However you will be travelling with a million plus people so count that as part of the experience.

Dinning & partying in the hot spots:

7. The Nest:Visit theNest for some great oysters, dining menu, and drinks. The place turns the music up later for some good partying.

8. M1nt Restaurant & Club: Visit theM1nt for dinner with a great view. However the food quality was below par for what I was expecting. So oysters and champagne is a good option at the mint before you visit the club next door, which is okay and overhyped. The music was too loud to speak to anyone and this was at midnight.

9. Bar Rogue: The main nightspot is Bar Rogueso expect a lot of good music and great views here close to the Bund.

Sight seeing:

10. Yu Garden and Markets: This is one of those more green areas of Shanghai with a beautiful garden but to get to it you will need to go through the markets. At peak time this area is chaos so go early. Opens at 8.30am and costs 30 Yuan to get in during the off season. The garden is a nice breath of fresh air and decent view of the garden. So it is worth it. However getting to the gardens can be a mission as it is inside the markets and easiest entry is at Gate 3 next to KFC. The markets are great as well but people are all up in your face. So go early to avoid the crowds. Bargain for everything in the markets, usually 40% off is a great deal.

11. Jing’an Temple next to the PuLi Hotel: Take a taxi here or the train to the Jinag’an stop. The area is quite nice with some malls as well. The entry fee for the temple is 50 yuan and take about 30 minutes to walk around and check it out.

12. Spa: There are many spa options in Shanghai, some are great and some are interesting with not enough information. If you going for a cheap and easy massage option then go with Green Massage. However these will require advanced booking as most tourists end up in the different branches of this company. If you want something more of a spa, try the Chuan Spa at Langham Hotel (Xintiandi) or the The Banyan Tree Spa at the Westin Bund. If you staying at the hotel then check for the discount voucher at reception of the hotel to get up to 20% off. The 2 hotel spas were amazing and worth the extra bucks.

13. Shanghai Museum and Nanjing Road: The museum is over 4 floors and offers quite a lot on Chinese history which is a good to take in between all the wining & dining. Takes about 30-45 minutes to get into unfortunately and can be done under an hour. Nanjing road is long and features a lot of things to see. Shopping is perfect on this street if you looking for mainstream shops. The markets like Yu garden is where you get the local produced goods and can bargain for. There is a West and East Nanjing Road subway station if you need to turn back or get away from walking in the heat. The green line also leads to Jing’an temple station.

14. Shanghai hustle: There will be people constantly approaching you in the streets offering you watches, suits, women, and all other sorts of crazy services. Ignore and keep walking. Watch out for personal belongings in crowded areas especially subways for pick pockets. Watch where you step as you may find all kinds of strange content on the pavements. Also avoid escalators when possible and take the stairs.

Westin Bund

Jing’an Temple

Singapore

Republic of Singapore is that one Asian country where we can experience a little bit of everything from all the Asian countries. This is the fusion pot. With a population of just under 5.5 million it is a small but very well organized and lively city.

After departing Changi airport and the morning security drama there, it was a 30 minute taxi ride into the city.

Here is my 12 useful tips while in Singapore for a 72 hour layover:

1. Taxis: The taxis are quite cheap in Singapore and easy to get as well. From the airport it takes 30 minutes to the central and should cost between $18-$35 depending on the time you arrive as after midnight will creep into the thirty range. This is that one Asian country where the meters are running and no bargaining with drivers is necessary. If you need to organize something in advance try the companies below.

• Comfort or Citycab Tel: (65) 6552 1111
• Premier Taxis Tel: (65) 6363 6888
• SMRT Tel: (65) 6555 8888
• SMART Tel: (65) 6485 7777
• Transcab Tel: (65) 6555 3333

2. Geographical Breakdown: Selecting hotels should be based on this. The airport is on the east and not much happens here so skip the thought of staying here in Geylang or the east coast. Moving into the center you have the following options:

 

Singapore Map

Marina Bay/ Financial District: This is where the big guns are like Raffles, Fullerton, Mandarin Oriental, Marina Bay Sands, Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont and Pan Pacific are based. The area is beautiful and having spent time at 5 of the hotels here it is highly recommended as part of the city break with its relaxing and beautiful atmosphere.

Chinatown, Little India, Arab Street District: For me this part of town was more of a visit area then stay area.

Burgis: There is several hotels in this area and it is a laid back area compared to Chinatown and Little India.

Clarke Quay: Another area just south of Orchard road and suitable for staying with a relaxing vibe in the area.

Newton: North of Orchard road and a laid back area hosting Sheraton towers and Oasia hotel which was a nice find.

Orchard Road: This is the heart of the city and has a lot of 4-5 star hotels. Outside of Marina bay this is where the rest of the 5 star big guns are situated such as Four Seasons, Regent, Shangri-La, Mandarin, Grand Hyatt etc. This is the shopping area as well and it is a long road with lots of malls, and places of interest. It is very busy and fast paced. Good way to spend half your day here to do some shopping but staying here can be interesting if you seek some quite time.

Sentosa Island: Tucked to the west, this Island is connected by a bridge and has several resorts. A different vibe to a country which is known for the city vibe. Good to visit and also suitable for a more relaxing stay with some green surrounding.

Things to do during the day:

3. Visit the Gardens: Gardens by the Bay is 101 hectares of garden that is a wonderland that needs to be experienced. Woke up to the view of the gardens from the Marina Bay Sands hotel and it is lovely to see this place from higher up as well. The National orchid garden and Singapore Botanic garden was lovely as well. Why is a grown up man hanging around gardens when he can be eating, shopping or getting massages, well this city is a concrete jungle and you will need that green zone after a day.

Gardens by the Bay Day View

Gardens by the Bay  Night view

4. Shopping on Orchard Road: The shopping options here are unlimited. I will need a few more trips to discover all of them. However start of from north or south of Orchard road and find your way to ION mall. Everything you need from international brands and restaurants to keep you busy for several hours. Takashimaya is a Japanese mall that is interesting and fun that will take another 2 hours. Once you done with the malls and if you still have energy then carry on along the street. Did I mention the street is 2.2 km.

5. Spa: Besides the enjoyment of shopping and walking around, I still was missing something and with tired feet and sore shoulders carrying shopping bags, I took to the spas. the reflexology foot massage for an hour here is fantastic. In between shopping this is highly recommended. End of the day you can opt for a acupuncture, Chinese cupping massage or whatever you desire. They have all kinds of massages from the Asian region. Bigger hotels will charge more for Spa treatments compared to the other specialist places easily found all over the city.

6. Chinatown: The authentic Chinese experience is mandatory. Great places for souvenir shopping, massages, dining, and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Remember to bargain.

7. Little India: Once you have done the Chinese experience, time for the Indian adventure. Good to see some of the temples and markets. In the markets the smell is strong of all the spices so heads up. Also never look a shop owner in the eye more than 2 seconds as they will pursue you to the moon to sell something. So minimal eye contact and use back streets when it gets to crowded or intense. Remember to bargain if you buying goodies. 

8. Raffles Hotel: If you have done all 5 activities prior to this, you will be exhausted by now but if you are breaking events over several days then make sure you go to Long bar at Raffles hotel. Home of the Singapore Sling and perfect place to be for after work drinks.

Things to do at Night:

9. Dinner: You have an infinity of choice here. There are many great restaurant options around Singapore and it will take me another dozen trips to experience a quarter of those options if I am lucky. However my recommendations are:

A la Carte: 

A: Red House Seafood A local favorite located at East coast park. (Try the crab dishes)

B: Imperial Treasure Chinese food that speaks WOW (A bit pricey but worth it)

C: Moosehead Project Artistic and great vibe to add to the nice food.

D: Red Star Dim Sum Restaurant Dim Sum central, no reservations needed. You walk up and demand a table and prepare to over eat. It's busy, loud and crazy but the food is worth it.
E: Clifford at Fullerton Bay Hotel: Great cocktails to go with the great food.

Crab curry in a Bag

Singapore Sling

Buffets: This is a thing here in Singapore and requires an epic effort of man versus delicious food. Good recommendations for Lunch or Dinner.

A: The Line at Shangri-La Hotel: The sea food station with Oysters and the never ending dessert line up.

B: Rise at Marina Bay Sands: I did this one for lunch actually and the international cuisine here was off the hook. Nearly missed my flight to Dubai because of this place.

C: Melt at Mandarin Oriental: Heavy emphasis on the Oriental cuisine so expect so mind blowing Indian tandoori dishes among the other international favorites. Did  I mention dessert?

10. The Marina bay light show: To get a good view of this show at night you will need to get to Level 33. Get a reservation here for dinner or just drinks and enjoy the views & show. A lovely Craft brewery, restaurant & lounge not to be missed while in Singapore.

11. Kudeta Club Lounge: The spot on top of the Marina Bay sand towers. It is good for few drinks with friends and enjoy the view. Music is okay and food at the restaurant was great.

Also this is a good way to get up the sky park and see the big infinity pool. While I stayed at the Marina bay sands, I enjoyed the pool the first night but then I discovered that it is dirty with many suspended particles that I would rather not describe. Also it is crowded daily.

The Pools

Marina Bay

Mandatory Requirement:

12. Experience the Food Culture: This is a city where you will never get hungry. While ranked in the top 5 most expensive cities in the world, the food is relatively cheap here. There are few dishes which you have to try while you in town:

A: Chicken Rice: I have tried this at several places and no one knows where the best one in Singapore is because everyone is a food expert in Singapore and chooses to agree to disagree on the top 10 let alone the best one. So try them in the Food court in the malls and at the hotels.
B: Dim Sum: Good Quality all over the city so just enjoy it whenever you can.
C: Crabs: In Chilli or pepper
D: Laksa: Try the curry laksa(Singaporean style) and the asam laksa (Malaysian style)
E: Fish head curry: It tastes better than it sounds. Try with Biryani rice and Roti Prata.
F: Soup Tulang: Slow cooked lamb bones where the bone marrow rounds out the intense chilli and tomato. It tastes good but gets messy. Use a straw for the bones.

If you have time then do try a cooking course. 

Chicken Rice

Conclusion:
Singapore is a foodie city. There are distractions of shopping, massages, gardens, and some cool lounges with views. It will take more than a dozen trips to discover the tip of the iceberg in the food culture but this only encourages one to visit this place more often. The Singapore formula 1 weekend is on my agenda for the next visit. 

Krabi town & Klang Island

Krabi is a town on the west coast of Southern Thailand. It is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi District. The 8 districts include Ko Lanta Island as a district and also Mueang Krabi district which holds Ao nang and Railay bay. So to sum it up it is a huge province with some areas more popular than others.

Tourism is the main source of income here.

Unfortunately I did not have time to cover all the districts on this trip. Explored 3 and drove through an additional two. My trip to Krabi covers my short stay in Krabi town and my stay at Klang Island which is near the mouth of the Krabi River. Additional posts cover Railay, Ko Lanta, and Ko Phi Phi.

Travel tips for this District:

** Arrival to Krabi Town

There are 3 options here:

Krabi International Airport (KBV): Ideally located not very far from Krabi town or the surrounding districts. This serves as a convenient entry point.

Krabi boat piers:  Klong Jilad is the new pier 4km from Krabi town.  Chao Fah pier or Phi Phi pier is the old ones in the center of the town. Ferries run daily from Ko Phi Phi, Ko Jum, Ko lanta, and ko Yao Noi. There is also a Pier called Krabi Thalen 27km west of Krabi town where they have frequent speedboats. Buy your tickets at the pier to get a good price.

By Road: The roads here are good and easy to travel on. There is a bus service to Krabi town but do yourself a favor and take a private taxi. I did a taxi from Phuket to Krabi for ฿2500 and it took 2 hours through some gorgeous scenery.

**Krabi Town Expectations

This is a small town and much calmer than Phuket. The town is next to Krabi River and there are hotels and restaurants scattered all around. One of the few chilled out places for a Thailand town. 

Arriving there at 1pm there was some traffic but not much pedestrians about. Most of the tourist population use this location as a transit point to go to the other Islands in or simply transfer to Ao Nang or Railay further to the west. The highways around the area are very modern due to all the transportation needs in and out of town.

**Locations for accommodation

There are few hotels in krabi town ranging from backpackers to some 4 star hotels. There is one popular hotel called Maritime Park Resort & Spa, this is over booked most of the times and contains a lot of large travelling groups. So try to avoid this place or double check your booking status before arrival.

Most visitors staying in the Krabi Mainland head west to Ao Nang where all the fantastic hotels and resorts are located. The more adventurous get in long tail boats and head to Railay.

My situation here was different, arrived at the Maritime Park resort to discover they have overbooked so relocation meant a new adventure. The relocation option was to an Eco Village Resort on Klang Island, just south of Krabi town.

 The hotel staff drove us to Tara pier, located along Krabi River in Krabi Town. The local long tail boat then another 5 minutes cruising across Krabi River to Klang Island’s pier.  Then we jumped on a motorbike tuktuk and drove through the village across the island. A fun ride about 7 km through the narrowest of roads if we can call it that. Finally we arrived at the secluded peaceful Islanda Village Resort.

The Krabi Adventures: From Krabi town to Tara Pier, to Klang Island. The Drive to the resort. Boat out to Railay bay

**Islanda Village resort

Most of my travel friends don’t really like Krabi town after spending few too many days there so a relocation here was a sign from the travel gods looking after me. This was a hidden paradise. You have quite surroundings, luxury comfortable villas, a big swimming pool with Jacuzzi, good restaurant, and a manager who goes by the name Mr. Big. There is not that great of a beach or night life on this island but it is designed for relaxing & recharging. The only way to travel on the island is by tuk tuk or bicycle. Only way on and off the island is by boat or helicopter.

The Beachfront Villa and Pool	Arrival by boat and transfer by tuk tuk
Relaxing in the pool and Sunset view	Hotel Manager: Mr. Big

**Wildlife

While most people fought the mosquitoes and played with the cats at the resort, I found myself trying to convince more than save a cat from a snake. Both animals were safe from the drama that unfolded. So there are snakes on the island if you are lucky to see one.

Snake

Cat versus Snake

**Things to do on Klang Island

Daytime: I was here to relax and they have a big pool overlooking the beach to do that. You also have the option to borrow a bicycle and go check out the island. There was also a bathtub on the deck to watch the sunset. Limited activities so more of a “my time” place.

 Nighttime: Dinner and drinks followed by interaction with other guests. If you get bored you go look for snakes or other wildlife.

** Costs on the Island
Food is relatively cheap and will cost ฿200-300 a day at the resort. Water is quite cheap with big bottles 1.5 litres trading at ฿20. Beer is about ฿50 and cocktails can range from ฿100 to ฿150.

Accommodation price was ฿5000per night with breakfast for the Ocean Beachfront Bungalow. Other Bungalows start from ฿3000.
No Grocery stores here so buy you goodies in Krabi town.  No Medical centers or ATM’s either. I did mention it was a secluded Island with one awesome resort and a village.

** Conclusion

If you looking to stay in Krabi you can choose a hotel in Krabi town but options are quite limited if you looking for luxury. As an alternative for a night or two try this resort on Klang Island. It is quiet and peaceful. Getting away from the crowds helps in Thailand. On check out we took a 30 minute boat ride across to Railay.

South Thailand Island Guide
Boat options for Island Transfers

Phuket Tips
Phuket Map
South Thailand 13 Useful tips
Ko Phi Phi Don
Railay Beach 
Ko Lanta

Railay Beach

Railay Bay is located in the Mueang Krabi District, which is one of the eight districts in the Krabi region. It is only accessible by boat which makes it quite exclusive. Its neighboring Tonsai bay (North) is also only accessible by boat. The roads in this region only lead to Ao Nang Beach and town so both Railay Bay and Tonsai Bay have no connected roads. Railay bay is one of those spots I could stay for several weeks as it has lots to offer and at the same time have a relaxing vibe to the whole place.

It is a great place where you can easily spent a week to a month. There are many activities during the day and night to keep one occupied. There is strong WIFI at most hotels and some bars, massage houses, and shops. There are ATM’s on the island, 2 as I recall. Railay East has one at the convenience store next to Viewpoint Resort, and the other at Railay West’s "Walking Street". There are no ATM's at Tonsai Bay.

There are no Hospitals or medical clinics at Railay. There is a pharmacy on Railay east. All medical issues require a trip to Krabi by boat. This is one of the most spectacular beach destinations and worthy of a visit. I will definitely go back.

Here are my top 10 tips for Railay Bay :

1. Arrival to the Island:
This is the part that is really important. There is a west side to the Island and then the East side. Arrival on both sides are affected by the tide times. High tide is at approximately 1.41am and 1.34pm, Low tide is at 7.58 pm and 7.58am. The low tide depth gets down to 0.17 meters and high tide gets up to 2 meters. Current tide information can be found here.

2. Railay Bay East:
This is the glamorous side of the bay with the beautiful long beach and awesome views. During low tide the ocean is still deep enough for the Long tail transfer boats to come in and drop you off at the beach. So the west side is good for both tides. Once you arrive on the west or east side, you will need to walk to the hotel and if this requires going to the other side of the island, the middle concrete path takes 10 minutes to get to the other side.

3. Railway bay West:
This is the glamorous side of the bay with the beautiful long beach and awesome views. During low tide the ocean is still deep enough for the Long tail transfer boats to come in and drop you off at the beach. So the west side is good for both tides. Once you arrive on the west or east side, you will need to walk to the hotel and if this requires going to the other side of the island, the middle concrete path takes 10 minutes to get to the other side.

Arriving on the East of Railay bay

East of Railay bay at low tide

Railay Bay West

Railay bay West

4. Accommodation options:
There are lots of great hotels, apartments or backpackers in Railay. I personally recommend Railay Princess Resort & Spa. This place is located on the East side but has two lovely pools and great facilities. The walk to the beach on the other side is 10 minutes and here you can find the sister resort to this hotel called Railay Bay Resort & Spa. If you planning a honeymoon and need to hit the ball out of the park then try Rayavadee on the Bay. It is near Phra Nang Beach south of Railay beach.

Princess Resort Multiple Pools

Sister hotel: Bay Resort Beach Front

5. Wildlife:
The area around here is covered in dense jungle. So expect a lot of animal noises and activity. Monkeys are the most popular animals here and they are not shy. Leave you balcony sliding doors closed or you will have visitors. We saw a monkey going room to room and picking the nuts from the mini bar. They are also quite the pickpockets on the beach. Mosquitoes are the next most popular thing you will see here apart from monkeys. Also be careful when walking on the paths further north of Railay bay as there are centipedes in the area. You do not want to be bitten by one of these. It won’t kill you but it will cause a lot of pain.

Monkeys up to no good stealing from the Minibar

Evening Sunset after excursion trip

6. Daytime Activities:
This place is rock climbing central. A lot of the guests come here exclusively for some great climbing with spectacular views from the top. There are many stores with gear rental and they also have beginners course for those that want to get into it. A much better experience than being stuck in an indoor climbing facility. The beach of the west side is fantastic so you can spend the whole day there tanning and swimming. Kayaking is also an option around the bay and to Phra nang (cave beach). Trekking to the viewpoints to catch the sunset or views is another physical option. Throw in some diving, and fishing to sum up the range if activities available.

7. Evening Activities:
When the sun goes down the options of activity range from dinner at any of the beach restaurants on the west side followed by a long walk on the beach. They have a street called “Walking street” on the west side with some restaurants and shops which is worthy of visits. However if you looking for something different then head to the east side. The evening means high tide and the water is right up to the edge of the concrete path on the bay. There are lots of restaurants and bars on this side of the bay. Rooftop bars with the Rastafarian setup are popular, so try Joy Beach bar or Skunk Bar. The music on this sound of the bay is great along with the night market style setup of shops. There are also lots of massage places open till late. On Friday night’s Lucky restaurant & Last bar is the place to go to see some kickboxing and fire shows.

8. Excursions from the Island:
Never book anything online in Thailand for excursions as it is unreliable and overpriced. Always book in person at a dive store or tourist/tour operators stands. The east side of the Island has many operators that offer you a good price. There are several excursions from the Island that takes you on an Island hopping tour, snorkeling, dinner and a fire show. The locations are: Phra Nang Cave, Tup Island, Chicken Island, Poda Island, and some reefs around the area. This trip should cost about ฿800 at a tour operator but some hotels will have this from ฿1200 to ฿1800. There are also longer excursions headed to Phi Phi islands or Hong Island. Alternatively sailing on yachts with private dinner/lunch is an option.

Also to note here the fire show we saw on our 4 Island trip was good but you can see that the performers failed to read the section on fire safety precautions. There was an incident where one of them failed to secure the fire wick on his stick. This resulted in the wick getting dislodged into the air and into a projectile motion towards the audience. Just my luck when I saw this coming right at me. Luckily the calm ninja techniques worked and I moved in the last moment to see it land 30cm away from me. All part of the adventure I guess.

9. Selection of boat:
Speedboats: If this is an option take it and pay the extra Bhats(฿). Speedboats are becoming popular these days and are very reliable, safe and comfortable.

Long tail boat: At first heading out there in a wooden boat seems risky but the handlers are experienced sea gypsies or locals at most locations. They know the oceans are the islands and do a fantastic job. Can get a little rough if the ocean is choppy but the small numbers on board make for a private experience.

Big Boats: These look great in the brochure but when you get close to it and see the rust on the boat you begin to worry. The boat is old and usually over crowded. Things seem to be in place but this doesn't mean it is working or attached properly. The boat I went on tilted a good 45-60 degrees at times when stationary. When you struggle to get to the other side of the boat to bring the boat to balance you are in for a rough ride.

Poda Island

Evening Fire show on the excursion trip

10. Costs on the Island:
Food is relatively cheap and will cost ฿200-400 a day. Water is quite cheap with big bottles 1.5 liters trading at ฿20. Beer is about ฿50 and cocktails can range from ฿100 to ฿300. Accommodation prices vary from backpackers to hotels. Hotels are roughly ฿5000 per night with breakfast. Groceries at stores are cheap and not overpriced like other locations (Ko Ngai, Ko Phi Phi). Shopping for souvenirs and clothing is not bad as there are quite a few shops on both sides.

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