Off to the beaches!
We arrived in Phuket on Sunday evening, and booked a day-trip to the Phi Phi Islands located in the Andaman Sea. Popular among tourists for a reason, their beauty did not disappoint. The landscape was similar to Ha Long Bay, with limestone islets and lush green trees covering most of the landscape. Crystal clear water and traditional long-tail boats completed the scene in Ko Phi Phi Lee’s quiet lagoon.
We boarded a speedboat in the morning with around 20 other passengers, and rode out to the islands across rough water with at least 5-foot swells. The captain managed to navigate things well, but one unsuspecting passenger in the front forgot to hold on, and was sent hurtling to the ground. No harm done, but the waters are rough during the wet season. Our first destination was Maya Bay, where “The Beach” (Leonardo DiCaprio movie) was filmed — the waters were similarly choppy and it took some maneuvering to back up the boat close to the beach. (During the dry season in January and February, the waters are perfectly calm but there are ten times as many tourists… a trade-off compared to going there now.) Needless to say, the solid ground was rocking a bit after we disembarked, so it’s a good thing Dad and I took Dramamine beforehand. We explored this piece of paradise for 30 minutes or so, marveled at how incredibly perfect the island is, and hopped back into the boat in search of calmer water in a nearby lagoon.
Again, Ko Phi Phi Don did not disappoint — the lagoon was pristine, and we jumped off the back of the boat into the warm water of the Indian Ocean. Swimming was followed by a visit to the “Viking Cave,” where locals gather swallows’ nests and export them for $10,000/kg (for birds’ nest soup, a Chinese delicacy). Next we pulled the boat close to a few trees with monkeys, threw them bananas, and laughed as the tour group leader played with one monkey — bringing the banana almost within reach, then pulling it away until the monkey almost fell from his branch. He gave it to him a few seconds later, and we were amused… My guess is that the monkey wasn’t as thrilled by his antics.
Lunch was a buffet overlooking long-tail boats tied up at a Ko Phi Phi Don beach, and we ended the trip with a visit to Bamboo Island, where we walked along the beach and swam until it was time to leave. The ride back was much smoother, and I slept off for the hour-long trip back to the dock.
Dad and I had dinner at a nice Thai restaurant in the Jungceylon shopping center near Patong Beach, and we spent a lazy day yesterday by the pool and on the beach. Also, whomever in the hotel decided to have a baby elephant walk along the beach every day at 10:30am and 3:30pm — you, my friend, are a genius. Elephants are simply the coolest, and you literally can’t get enough of baby elephants when they’re happily walking along the beach.
After packing up, Dad headed home on a 27-hour journey back to Newark airport, connecting through Bangkok and London. Sad to have him leave, since it was a wonderful 17 days together.
I finished up the evening with a trip into town (Patong), where I went to No. 6 Restaurant and asked to be taken up to their newer restaurant on a nearby hill overlooking the city. After a free 10-minute tuk-tuk ride, there was good food and a great view, so I was happy. Eating by myself in such a peaceful setting with perfect weather reminded me of Portugal, and brought back great memories from two years ago. Back in town, I walked along Bangla Road, which abounded with bars, restaurants, and people in the middle of the street with sloths and bearded dragons trying to sell you something. Definitely fun to see this area of Phuket too.
One more relaxing beach day here, then meeting up with Frankie and others in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea — 23 days left on this adventure!