Dec 2006

Phi Phi for us was the epitome of 'same same but different'. It really isn't that much different from many other resorts you find the world over and notwithstanding the amazing scenery on Ao Lo Dalum beach we found that it lacked the character of some of the other places we visited. You have to give credit to, and admire the resilience of, the local people to rebuild the resort after it was levelled by the tsunami in 2005 and there is barely a trace of it to the tourist now besides the odd picture in hotel lobbys and the anniversary T-shirts.

On the Ocean Waves...Gaarr!

Land Ahoy!

It was an hour and a half trip from Ko Lanta which was pretty much plain sailing. As we approached Phi Phi it did look great from the boat. Rising up out of the sea like a rocky monster as we got closer, the limestone cliffs were a great sight. We cruised into the bay through a small armada of fishing and tourist boats and took a smaller longtail boat to Hat Yai (Long Beach), just around the headland from the main pier. We were happy enough with our room which was one of about 100 similar bungalows dotted around a big garden just off the beach. The water just off shore was full of coral and although much of it has tragically been damaged by the tsunami there were still good opportunities for snorkelling.
On our arrival it was bucketing with rain and we had to wait for it to die down until we checked into our room to save us getting soaked. It cleared up soon enough and we went for a walk along the beach picking up shells and paddling in the clear water. I had some delicious mussels for dinner.

Boats in Phi Phi Harbour

The next day we took a trip over to Ao Lo Dalum which is the main sunbathing beach. It is a stunning curve of soft sand with high cliffs on one side and a huge limestone column standing out of the sea in the distance, but it's lined with deckchairs all the way along and quite crowded with people. We sat for the day and watched the paragliders shoot out over the bay on the back of speedboats until the tide went out so far that you could walk about 1 kilometre down the beach and the water would still only be up to your knees.

The View from Ao Lo Dalum Beach - Sweet!

We were in a dilemma for what to do the following day as we couldn't decide whether to stay and do a trip to Phi Phi Lei, which is the main island's national park sister and where the film 'The Beach' was shot. I've never seen the film on account of hearing that it is utter shite and I don't know if it was that or whether we just fancied a change but we pushed on the following morning.

Ko Lanta had the paradise beach I had been looking for and was yet to find. Sweet. We travelled by boat from Krabi which took about an hour and a half and then took a jeep to the resort we had booked in at. It was on Kantiang Bay. As soon as we got there we booked an extra night and stayed for four in all. The beach was stunning with a couple of kilometres of soft unspolied sand fringed with jungle. There were only a couple of places to stay on the bay, other than the mega expensive one where they ferry guests around in golf buggies and have their own private yacht to escort people there, a little beyond our meagre budget unfortunately. The sparse accomodation was good because it meant no hawkers annoying you and trying to sell you rubbish.

Beautiful Beach at Kantiang Bay

Our room was great, really big and clean with air con and the staff at the Kantiang Bayview Resort were top class. Nothing was too difficult for them and they were always happy and smiling. I would reccomend anyone to go there. We felt really relaxed there and did so for four days, chilling on the beach, swimming with fish in the sea and talking walks to watch the sunset and search for crabs (not those kind of crabs Caireen) on the rocks, it was superb.

Sunset

During my travels I am doing my best to add restaurants to my favoutrite list by eating in as many as I can. I think I found one here. It was called 'Same Same But Different' and had some of the best food I have ever had. The thick fish curry with rice rocked. Sitting on tables in the sand with shell and coral mobiles swaying in the breeze around you and the hermet crabs shuffling under your chair was brilliant and we went back there two nights. On the way back from the restaurant on the first night we had to walk along the beach and didn't realise that between our arriving there and leaving the tide had come right in and we had to wade past rocks through the sea up to our knees at one point. It was fairly freeky in the pitch dark and there were several oooo's aaaa's and ohmygod's! We took a torch and went a bit earlier the second time.

SS but D

Every night in the 'Why Not Bar' (good name for a bar I thought) at our resort there was a guy who would do fire tricks on the beach. He was basically one of those guys who get a huge burning stick and fling it round their heads at one hundred miles an hour like a maniac, but he was very good. They would usually play 'light my fire' by the doors while he was at it (and then he did the fire tricks - boom boom!! Man I'm hilarious). One night it was a little Thai boy's birthday at the bar. The bar was packed and everyone sang happy birthday to him after which he blew out all the candles on a big plate of watermelon that they gave him. He came round everybody in the bar and gave them some fruit before having any himself. What a nice lad.

Thais preparing a long tail boat

It was a great place. We loved it there and didn't want to leave - in fact we should have stayed longer but we were back on the road, or should I say sea, to Phi Phi.