Part 1 - Krabi Town
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Krabi Krabi gives me many fond memories. Until now in 2021, there was not much infrastructure developments, other than the roads. So over the last 20 odd years had passed. The city has changed sure! Heavier traffic which was non existence in 1995, More modern amenities. I still love the "Krabi town" that I found in 1995. Small provincial capital, layback moods and basic facilities. Looking back, It was towards the last quarter of 1995, I took my newly acquired "Dalmatian Beetle" and did a solo trip straight from Petaling Jaya direct to Krabi. A drive of almost 1,000 kilometers. Passing through the customs at the border, learning of the road system in Thailand and plotting my way through 4 provinces. By the time, I was there in Krabi by the late afternoon, I found myself a resort hotel. Right in town. Got a whole small chalet, one room all to myself. The only guess there that evening. Long day and long drive. I went to bed before 9pm. Around 11.30pm I was awoken with hairs all standing The fear was too much to bear. Without investigating, I picked up my barang, head into town center to look for a hotel. Luckily got myself a room at midnight. Next day, did a short drive to Ao Nang Beach and I made an early start for the return journey leg.
The Esplanade First trip with friends. Though quite familiar with Krabi by then, our mission was to make it to Pee Pee Island. As expected with stops along the way, we arrived in Krabi by late afternoon The ferry leaves at 2.30 pm So, took the opportunity to look around Krabi town.
Mosquitoes Islands This was the view from our hotel room, This hotel from another era was subsequently built years later.
Souvenir Pictures Now at ground level almost the same scene, taken further away from a spot near the jetty
Krabi Town skylines That was how the skyline of the town would look like. Picture taken from the vicinity of Mangrove forest. A spot which would be the background of the picture above.
Movie - The Beach in making There was this trip
which coincided with the making of the movie "The Beach" acted by
the then up and coming Star - Leonardo DiCarpio.
Hawkers in Night Market In the early days, the hawker stall at the esplanade was the main attraction at night. Wife and daughter having a chat.
Night Fall -Hawkers active This picture quite blur, was one of those taken in much earlier times
Returning From Phi Phi Islands The ferry arriving at Krabi jetty by 2.00pm. Most foreigners, not having enough of sunlight chose to stay on top of the open deck for the duration of that 2 hours trip. At the bottom left corner, No prize for guessing who was hiding inside the hat and tower!
Around Krabi Town Krabi town was tidied up. Shooting scheduled to start after dusk, the crowd already waiting to join in the fun
Movie Props A full prop was built along the main street in the heart of town
Leonardo D'Carprio in action There I managed to steal a shot of the actor himself before I was stopped from making more pictures. The Movie was released in the year 2000.
Night market in Krabi Town Yes, beside the Hawker stalls at the esplanade, there was a full Pasar Malam in town certain days
Horse Shoe Crab - a local favourite Unbelievable - they take Horse shoe Crab?
Dinner in Chinese Restaurant We got dinner, the one and only restaurant also Chinese then in Krabi. Earlier we found ourselves a hotel near the jetty. Could use the time to walk around and no need to hunt for the jetty when we are leaving. Only to find out by
late evening that hotel was located just next to the town's funeral
Part 2 - Hat Ao Nang Ao Nang Tourist Beach sunset Hat Ao Nang is the main beach town. Here is the promenade which is very visited in the evening. The beach here is beautiful about 1 kilometers but hardly used even in peak season. There is no shade. The thing I like most about this place is the chances of getting good sunset pictures
Gang at Ao Nang Tourist Beach So we joined the night birds - appearing on the promenade at dusk. Sorry too, early! Driver want an early bed time.
Road into Ao Nang Tourist Beach But first look at the approach to town. Ao Nang was rushing to put up more infrastructures to cope with the rising popularity of the place at that time
Shops at Ao Nang Tourist Beach A moment of peace and quiet - for souvenir pictures to be collected
Picture at Ao Nang Tourist Beach The amin bussines here is tours. All type of tours. We were shopping for only one - A package for day trip to the Four Islands.
Returnin to Ao Nang Tourist Beach Day trippers Just look at the horizons. Groups are returning in the late afternoon
Our Hotel at Ao Nang Beach Side track - this was the hotel "Beach Terrace" - we stayed in Ao Nang
One for the Album And of course, my favourite landmark picture! This is a Four digit country road, an off shoot from the main Highway 4 going to Bangkok.
. Part 3 - Hat Phra Ao Nang Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches About half kilometer to the east is this Hat Ao Phra Nang. This place has perhaps the most beautiful beaches in the area. Here there is the tall limestone cliif that contains the Tham Phra Nang Nok [outer princess cave]
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches The limestone cliff separate Rai-Leh West, arrival point from the hidden Rai-Leh East. Here is a view of the resorts and hotel on Rai-Leh West
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches The limestone outcrop from the pictuure above seen from far
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches This bay very sheltered. The sea calm almost the whole day. Only down side, traffic from long-tailed boat shuttling to bring in holiday makers quite frequent.
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches This a view taken from within the Outer Princess Cave
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches This time a picture taken the other way around, looking back into the cave fom afar
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches Yes, picture of the traffic generators - long tailed boats
Picture at Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches Otherwise the boat serene and the water is turquoise clear.
Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches A shot to remember this place
Royal Ao Nang Resort Beaches And not missing having being into the cave although he didn't explore the places inside. Fishermen did carved wooden phalli and placed in the cave as offerings
Part 4 - Rai-Ley Peninsula Rai-Ley Peninsula Inside this tall limestone cliff, there are more interesting sights to be explore. For example, from the collapsed ceilings of a hugh cave, there is the hidden lagoon "Sa Phra Nang" [Princess pool] Now you see the first picture of me. A rope guides hikers along the way up the cliff sides. Have to hike up and then down another cliff wall to reach the pool. The rope could be seen here too.
Rai-Ley Peninsula Wah-lau! Beside heading up the cliff and down into the pool, there is another attraction - a view point! Here is aview of teh Rai-Leh Isthmus.
Rai-Ley Peninsula Time for a souvenir picture after that torturous climb. I was here!
Picture at Rai-Ley Peninsula This one, having the hidden Rai-Leh East Bay as background
Picture at Rai-Ley Peninsula OK- one more clear shot of the Isthmus.
Picture at Rai-Ley Peninsula Oh! with the person inside. Thanks Jackie for being the model.
Picture at Rai-Ley Peninsula The "Emerald Pool" or Princess Pool. That's was good adventure for the day.
Part 5 - Hat Nopparat Thara Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara Having covered 2 popular beaches, each with their own nitch, we moved on to the lesser known local beach. Hat Noppharat Thara Beach. [For Locals] The offices here was also the administrative offices for Pee Pee Islands.
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara This place is located 18 kilometers away from Krabi town. Before converting this place into a beach area, the place was known as "Dry canal Beach" Hat Khlong Haeng. This was because the canal always remained dry and flooded only during the monsoon season
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara This is a fairly long beach - 2 kilometers long. Flat everywhere you looked.
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara Can see the camera man in action from the shadow.
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara We were lucky that our presence co-incited with the low tide season. Plenty of place to walk and explore
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara As for locals visiting the beach? Krabi region was sparsely populated and almost rural in nature. Don't expect the locals to be that affluent taking time off at the beaches.
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara Oh Yes! These are not long -tailed tour boats but rather fishermen boats. A small community and also a location for those in Krabi to drop by to visit the couple of seafood stalls for food. I won't call them restaurants. Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara This round, we had ample time and so much more pictres
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara OK Last one! Looking back in the background, the locals comes for the tiny hawker center at the edge of the beach front.
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara As usual my turn for photograph. Gorgeous sunset pictures!
Beaches For Locals - Hat Nopparat Thara Changing by the minutes! The hue and scenes.
Part 7 - 4 Islands Day Tour Day's Tour - Off Shores Islands Reach this part which is the high point for most visitors to Krabi
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands This silhouette against the skyline in the distant horizon is unforgettable. The boat passing by put it in better view
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands And of course the erected chicken heads helps to recognize the island
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands But first stop. Poda a name not familiar with!
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Out here, a reorientation of those tiny specs we see from Ao Nang shore line.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Oh! The beach! The sands and the water here unbelievable. So good. the Caucasian visitor who are regulars, just bare themselves upon arrival. As if, this place is their private beach.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands This is also the place where lunch is served. A package of chicken rice with half a fruit of pineapple. Thailand is known for its sweet pineapples, as seen in his expression
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Cannot remember! Must be a 90 minutes stop over in Poda. Then off to the main stop in these two Islands
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Time of the tides varies slightly. Arrival is timed with low tides. The sand bar connected the two Islands together
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Isolated and uninhabited in the middle of an ocean. The seas around and the beaches are so pristine.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Another long series of pictures to commemorate our sojourn here.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Glad the bright sun helped in getting the resolution right and colors rights
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Our friend in the water!
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands In fact all 3 of them were!
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Of course getting a white lady to pose beside him
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Place really relaxing though it was actually super hot. The sand bank could still be seen. Remember that one moment the Blue Teoh mis-judged the tide and was almost drown?
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Then we were gathered and off - this time to Chicken Island
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Rare opportunity to have a picture with the Chicken head in the background
Picture Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands We had no idea how the tour program was like as we had not done our home work. Obviously the boatmen knew their routine and the spots well. Can see that this part beside the island has darker color water and the sea very calm.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Guest were released for snorkel diving here. Poor me! o not how to swim Only as an on-looker
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands From one diving spots we moved on. Inserted an aerial picture here giving a perspective of where we were taken
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Yes we were heading for that straits between the rock. Crossing an open sea though in calm condition was also daunting for me.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Getting closer now
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands The sea was very calm
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Almost everyone on the day trip were gathered there.
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands It the playground area!
Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Returning to the boat
Picture Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands Others were preparing to leave
Well, that ends our stay in Ao Nang and playing by the sea. Holiday Tour - Off Shores Islands For me, waiting for opportunity to capture some fishes - pictures I mean.
This is, certainly a long page with lots of pictures to help describing the scenes and moods. All about my many trips to Krabi area. Slowly my focus on travelling shifted. More attention spent in looking for waterfalls and watching birds. In making up this page I was confused with the many pictures of repeated scenes from different groups I went with. Then to add to confusion, some critical shots to highlight a particular were missing. my own fault - my hard disc broke. To cut a long story short, I found a matrix and dump whatever I could find, put them all together. It is better than having nothing done about getting my personal record organised. Now it is done! Sorry to drag you all the long stories. Oh! there are much more stories on Krabi beside this page Go back to the Index Jalan Jalan Page to seek, if you are still curious.
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