The Phenomenal Phabulous Pharadise Phang Nga and Phi phi!
Phabulous? Pharadise? Yes, I know these spellings are wrong. And yes, I can spell. I just couldn’t resist the alliteration
Phang Nga Bay
If you are in Phuket, Phang Nga Bay is another place you must add to your visit list. Situated just north of Phuket (about 40 km away from the main piers in Phuket Town), it offers a range of attractions, including a Hollywood movie set (the name is Bond, James Bond)!
How to get to Phang Nga Bay
From Phuket, the easiest way to get to Phang Nga Bay is by boat. There are several launch points along the east coast of Phuket that will take you to Phang Nga. The Phang Nga province mainland also has a number of launching sites, including the Ka Sohm Pier in Takua Thung district just south of Phang Nga Town.
Canoeing in Phang Nga Bay
If you have time for only one activity on Phang Nga, then I recommend that you sign up for the canoe (sea kayak) tour. Some tour companies offer experienced guides to do the paddling for you, so all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery around you. If you’re the adventurous type who’d like to explore the smaller nooks and crannies around the bay on your own schedule, then you can paddle yourself using a smaller sea craft. There are plenty of dark and mysterious caves to discover so you definitely won’t get bored!
My Phang Nga trip
Prati and I signed up for Phang Nga tour with canoe. This included canoeing on Hong Island, a visit to James Bond Island and some free time at lawa island.
Our tour operator picked us up in a minibus that took us to the pier at Phang Nga Bay. There we boarded the ferry to James Bond island. Each minute was worth its weight in gold! The ferry stopped at James bond island and then we got into the canoe.
From there, our guide canoed us to Hong Island and then to James Bond Island. The former was quite crowded, which was a bit of a turn-off, although we got some great pictures here as well.Our tour guide then canoed us to a stunning rainforest lagoon. The views were absolutely unbelievable (I’m still pinching myself!)
The way to enter this rainforest opening was to sleep in the canoe and then enter through a small opening in the cave. Once on the other side you can get up again and feel like Alice in wonderland!
The canoe ahead of us enters the cave. I was thrilled to see him pass.
And now its was our turn while the man who had already gone inside turns around and clicks a photo 🙂
Phew that was close. We got through without a scratch. But its pretty easy so no need to panic. People of all sizes can easily get through.
Majestic cliffs rising high over your head, pristine water lapping gently around your canoe, and the musical sounds of birds and insects keeping you company as you wind your way through surreal-looking caves – Phang Nga Bay offers all this and more.
Finally after exploring for some time it was time to say goodbye to this timeless place.
We stopped at a very tiny sand patch inside for pics before we moved out. The way out was easier than way in.
In fact, our trip to Phang Nga Bay ended up being the most fabulous part of our visit to Thailand. Highly recommended!
Don’t forget to take the souvenir pic that they frame and give.
My Phi Phi trip
The first thing you will notice when you approach Phi Phi Islands (known in Thailand as Koh Phi Phi) is the sheer, unadulterated beauty surrounding you on all sides.
Even when teeming with humans (or film crews – human and otherwise!), these islands have an untouched, virginal look that can leave you breathless (in the nicest possible way ☺) I am not a huge island/beach fan, but if I had to recommend one island/beach for a visit, it has to be Phi Phi. Sandy beaches, sparkling seas, emerald waters – Phi Phi has it all.
Phi Phi is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, and for good reason! So if you ever get the chance to visit it, grab it with both hands! Phi Phi is actually a group of six islands. Two of the main islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh are each uniquely unusual. Phi Phi Don is free of roads (awesome!) so you have absolutely no reason to go anywhere in a hurry. And Phi Phi Leh is free of people (awesomer!) (See, I told you I can spell! ☺) Both islands have one thing in common though – they are both home to stunningly beautiful beaches and bays that lure you into shedding all your worldly worries to just sit back and relax. It is the ultimate tropical getaway in South East Asia
How to get to Phi Phi
Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh are easily accessible from both Phuket and Krabi. In fact, the islands are roughly half-way between the two.
My husband and I went to Phi Phi on our second honeymoon (or maybe it was the fifth ☺). Like most city-dwellers, we were visiting the islands to get a break from our normal busy lives. If we had taken a fast speedboat, we would have got there faster but we would surely have missed the luxuriant experience of the journey itself. This is why we took the slower ferryboat instead of the speedboat. I’d advise you to do the same ☺
Our boat stopped at one place and the guide on the boat announced to take the snorkel gear and jump from the boat into the water! Are you kiddin me ? Well no he wasnt and Prati jumped right in.
Did you know the Hollywood movie The Beach, featuring Leonardo Di Caprio, was filmed on Phi Phi Leh? Now you have one more reason to visit Phi Phi and impress the locals with a ‘Sawasdee’! (Hello!)
Have you ever visited Phi Phi Islands or Phang Nga Bay? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Drop me a line in the comment box below.