Day 1 – Raining Krabi
This was a very last minute trip – I
bought the ticket the day before! Thanks to AirAsia cheap flights and my Enrich
mile points I was able to get my return tickets for RM500! It was a bit costly
but it was worth it for a long weekend getaway. To top that up I was having a
Groupon voucher for a 3D2N stay at the Emerald Garden Resort for two which
includes breakfast and an island trip for only RM298.00!
Being typical me, I was slightly late
and I have to take the ERL to KLIA2 and spend RM38.00! Tips: Taking the bus to KLIA is only RM10.00 and all bus departs
every half an hour from KL Sentral. First shuttle will be as early as 0300H and
the last shuttle is at 0100H. I was supposed to be on the AK860 1630H flight
but the flight was slightly delayed! So, I ended up early at the airport.
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| Early at the airport due to the delayed flight |
The flight to Krabi was only 1 ½
hours and I arrived Krabi at 1740H local time (Thailand is one hour behind). The
weather was very disappointing – it was raining and wet everywhere. This is not
what I have imagined Krabi to be. Tips:
The best months to visit Krabi will be from November till April and the wettest
months will be September till October. Basically, I visited Krabi at the wrong
time.
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| Krabi from mid-air |
The hotel had arranged for an airport
pick-up for me and when I got into the car the driver informed me that I will
not be staying at Emerald Garden Hotel because it was under renovation and
instead there are putting me at Mecure Hotels Krabi Deevana. Honestly, I was
shocked and stunned. I was telling myself first the rain then the hotel and
what is next? My trip was about to be a disaster!
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| Traffic and rain. What more to ask? |
Mecure Hotels Krabi Deevana was
located at Ao Nang which is around 45 minutes from the airport. The hotel looked very fancy and exclusive. Check out the pictures below! Later that
evening I went to the lobby to enquire on touristy activities and to confirm my
island hoping trip for the next day. Nothing much I can do as it was raining
the whole entire time. The hotel was kind enough to provide their guests with
an umbrella and I walked towards the main road to have an evening walk along Ao
Nang Beach. It was only a 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel. There were many shops selling souvenirs and beach attires. Although it
was the low season, there were still many tourists. Besides that, there were
many food outlets and tour agencies along the way.
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| The reception |
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| The welcoming drink |
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| My room with a king-sized bed all for myself!! |
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| The balcony from the room |
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| Check out the toilet |
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| Ensuite toilet |
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| The signage at night |
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| The pool at night |
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| On my way to Ao Nang Beach |
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| Shops along Ao Nang Beach |
After almost 2 hours, walking under
the drizzling rain I decided to have dinner at Rakan Halal Food. This was a hawker
stall which is just a 2 minutes’ walk from the hotel. I had chicken tom yam, som tam, boiled rice and a mango shake. To be honest the price was
rather overpriced (THB200) and there wasn't any WOW factor.
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| At the Rakan Halal Food stall for dinner |
Later that night I went for a Thai
massage at Lucky Massage which is just opposite the hotel. There were many
options here in Krabi for those massage fan ranging from THB200 to THB1000 but
I cannot be bothered due to the weather. I tried two types of massage (full
body and foot) which is only THB450!
Day 2 – Rain, rain and rain!
I woke up early for the hotel’s breakfast
buffet. There was nothing great about the breakfast just the
normal continental breakfast. Weather: RAINING! The island hopping trip was
cancelled due to the weather. Apparently, all the longboats were not able to
get out to sea. JUST GREAT! I inquired the hotel management for other options
and they offered me a dinner set meal. It was a total disappointment.
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| Breakfast |
After almost 2 hours of heavy
downpour, the rain stopped. I quickly seized the opportunity and walked my way
to Ao Nang Beach. It was the gloomiest walk ever! Strong wave hits the shore
but I bet it looks very pretty during a hot summer day. After almost an hour walking the beach, it
rained heavily. I have to seek sheltered at a shack for almost 1 ½ hours.
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| Just too gloomy |
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| Dark clouds, strong wind and waves |
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| Me trying to enjoy the beach |
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| The heavy rain |
I spend half of my afternoon doing
some light shopping and having coffee at Movenpick - a small little cafe
situated along Ao Nang. I had a cappuccino and a red velvet cake for
THB165. The coffee was affordable and it tasted better than Starbucks. Tips: McDonald's
and Starbucks are really expensive here in Thailand. A meal set ranges from 160 -
220 THB.
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| Sawadeekrap |
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| Cappuccino and red velvet for a wet cold afternoon |
On the very first day, I was in KBV
the first thing that caught my eye was the tied dye T-shirt. I spend the whole
afternoon looking for the most attractive and of course the cheapest T-shirt I
could find. I found a shop with a ladyboy named Kit and she gave me a rainbow
coloured tie-dyed for THB300. It was still raining and I chatted with her for a bit.
I spend my remaining afternoon slumbering
in the room and enjoying life. It was
raining the whole afternoon and at around 1700H I visited Argus fitness for
some track running, weights and floor workout. I also went to the pool for a
swim - yup under the rain!
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| Argus Fitness Centre |
Later that night, I walked along Ao
Nang beach just enjoying my last night in Krabi. The rain finally stopped and I
was fortunate to see the strong wave of the Andaman Sea. I managed to get a
pretty fair deal for another tied dye T for only THB200 and a singlet for my
sister and another printed T both for only THB350.
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| Street food |
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| Strong wave at the beach |
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| My shopping haul for the day |
Back at the hotel, I went for my Thai
Dinner Set Meal. I opted for the Southern Thai Set Menu 2 which includes spicy
freshwater fern with squid, sour curry with fish fillet & top of coconut
in southern style, deep-fried beef with salt, chicken soup with turmeric and
steamed rice. Overall it was okay. I ended the night with another foot massage
and manicure at the same massage parlour.
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| Lucky Massage |
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| Self-pampering |
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| With the owner, the masseur and the manicurist |
Day 3 - Shuttle bus and business
class
On my last day, the sun was out! This
trip was obviously not on my site. After breakfast and an early morning walk
along the beach, I arranged for a tuk-tuk pick-up to catch an airport shuttle
bus. Tips: This is a very cheap
alternative to the airport for THB60. I
was scheduled on the MH771 1250H flight bound for KUL. I was given a VIP treatment
for my business class seat thanks to my Enrich points at Krabi Airport. In my
years of budget travelling, I have never been on a business class seat. That was
really a great experience.
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| The airport shuttle bus |
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| This is how it feels to fly on business class seats |
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| Bliss |
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| On my MH771 flight bound to KUL |
In a nutshell, this trip has its cons
more than its pros. I did not really do any touristy activities primarily because
of the weather. However, I believed there is always a next time and I am definitely still putting Krabi in my checklist!
