I had been curious about Thailand for a very long time..I always felt, rather knew Thailand only to be greatly synonymous with Bangkok.. I had heard & read a number of crazy, not so true, very true versions of what Bangkok was.
A couple of months ago-i wanted to see some beautiful temples(i get these sudden cravings)- so i decided to do Vietnam or Cambodia. But i wanted to also see Thailand ( Bangkok for me ).After much reading and seeing beautiful pictures of what Thailand really had to offer i was blown by its picturistic beauty, many islands and pretty green water.
So i decided to explore some of the pretty islands, cities & towns to see for myself what Thailand was all bout .
I decided to start with Phuket –
Wikipedia “Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mostly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. The island is home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas and restaurants. Patong, the main town, has a more casual vibe and is filled with wild nightclubs, bars and discos.”
Phuket was loaded with tourists from all parts of the world – partying on the streets.Also since it was the month of December- winter in many parts of the world. Gladly for Thailand the weather was pretty hot in the day and breezy at night.
Streets of Patong
Old town of Phuket- a very rustic town .. beautiful colorful buildings
Best experience at Phuket was having the yummiest local Thai food at this restaurant in Old phuket town – a must visit if around
Kopitiam by Wilai – The duck was simply delicious
Riding in a tuk tuk from Patong to Old town was a fun experience
Patong along the beach side has a couple of good restaurants as well
I wanted to explore a couple of islands so we decided to do some of the popular island tours for a week which went right from Phuket to Krabi.
Beautiful islands
Tub Island
Tup Island also known as Tub Island, Tap Island or Thap Island is one of the most popular offshore Islands Around Krabi for day trips and tours. It has a nice beach and the waters that surround it provide an excellent spot for snorkeling with an abundance of tropical fish.
Mum & me went into the green water & posed for some pictures – the water was Crystal clear.I never went snorkeling here. The best snorkeling experience was at monkey beach(details below)
Mosquito Island
The island has a stone beach in the east and small sandy beaches at the foot of the hills
Maya Beach island
Maya Bay is a stunningly beautiful bay that’s sheltered by 100-metre high cliffs on three sides. Inside the bay there are several beaches, most are small and some only exist at low tide. The main one is around 200 metres long with silky soft white sand, underwater colourful coral and exotic fish in exceptionally clear water; the whole bay is one big reef.
Maya Bay has become the main tourist attraction of Phi Phi since The Beach was filmed here in 1999. It was always very popular before the film but now people around the world who haven’t even heard of Phi Phi have certainly heard of Maya Bay.
Poda Island
Poda Island is a small island no more than a kilometre in diameter, fringed by clear clean waters, a white sandy beach and coral reefs and is a top spot for day trips from the nearby Ao Nang, Phra Nang and the Railay Beaches. As Poda Island is one of Krabi’s main tourist attractions; it can get somewhat busy.
Koh Phi Phi Islands
Ko Phi Phi Don, the largest and only populated island.According to many,this place has undergone quite a bit of development , which is almost entirely restricted to the narrow sandbar separating two of the island’s most prominent beaches. Marketed as a tropical island, the flurry of activity around the numerous supermarkets, restaurants, tattoo parlors and ATMs may just surprise you.
We had some yummy Oysters at one the local restaurants. I always believe you get amazing food by walking into any restaurant that makes your gut feel ” yeah this should be the best” overlooking the beautiful water , we sat at this restaurant called Osters in and enjoyed a couple of beers & the sunset
Yummy Oysters at Phi Phi Don
One of my favourites
Railay beach- a well-known destination for rock climbers.
Swimming in that water below was surreal. One of the most exotic places i have ever been to.The water is blue-green & warm once your in it.During season time its quite crowded/ One must stay at least two nights at the beautiful Rayavadee Resort,which opens out into this open water.
Island hopping is pretty well known touristy thing to do in Thailand.Each Island has its own charm. Railay had a very different feel to it. A great place to relax & completely get lost in its surreal atmosphere.
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Sunset at Railay-before we headed to Ao Nang
Beautiful Pha Nga bay caves- Just before we hit Railay beach
Monkey beach
The best place to snorkel.
Snorkeling was a great experience here. the water is so clear-i got to see some great coral reef & beautiful yellow fishes underwater(unfortunately couldn’t get any pictures under water )
Viking caves
En route to Ao Nang beach
Last stop-Ao Nang
Ao Nang is a resort town in southern Thailand’s Krabi Province. It’s known for a long Andaman coast beachfront and access to dive sites off the nearby islands in its bay.. Some great line of restaurants along the beach front-We got to attend the lovely food night market-which had food stalls of various cuisines. Mostly a sea food spread.
Ao Nang Beach at the jetty dock
A great street pub which serves only alcohol & pop corn & plays some great live music.
Delicious night food market at Ao Nang
Exploring these beautiful islands made me crave for more..Im definitely coming back to explore the hundred other islands some day..
After a great week of island exploring-we headed to the beautiful city of Bangkok
Short Itinerary /Route which would cover most of these Islands.
Phuket>Krabi>Phi Phi Islands>Railay beach>Ao Nang>Bangkok
Some points which would help
1.Fly into Phuket or Krabi ( which is via Bangkok -most flights with a layover)- would recommend krabi
2.Avoid Patong ( too noisy/crazy night life- unless its your thing)
3.Stay at Railay beach or Ao Nang (the best parts of Krabi)
5.Get your visa on arrival at Bangkok (only available here & no other airport)
4.Use local tours & bargain for the best cost season time -dec is highly expensive), Many tours available from Krabi
Food & Drinks
A number of choices on Trip advisor with all price ranges & cuisines
Local restaurants have a great variety to choose from..if you want to save avoid fancy restaurants as you get better & tastier food at the local places.
The road side stone made ice cream is yum!
Cost:
1.Air Tickets:As usual Sky scanner helped me get the best deals on Air Asia( not the greatest airline since you pay only for the tickets. But a whole lot of additional cost like baggage – check in has to paid for extra unless you carry it as cabin.
Seats:Pre books your seats or else you get the non reclining seats for 4 hours of the flight 😦
2.Hotels: Agoda/Bookings.com have been of great help.Book in advance to get great deals online.
Na Ni resort & Spa (Deluxe rooms-pool facing ) are really worth it if staying in Phuket-
Nai Na Resort & Spa – TripAdvisor
Railay beach- Would suggest
Ao Nang-Bar:Check out-
Ao Nang: Roots Rock Reggae Bar – TripAdvisor
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Happy Exploring !
Rebel In Transit 
Great post!