Thailand (Krabi) June 2013

Total cost incurred (3 days): 1,206bht (Rm124=US$41)
Bus: Hatyai>Krabi - 239bht
Hostel: Pak Up Hostel (2 nights, dorm) - 220bht x 2
Pick-up trucks: 130bht
Food: 368bht
Sundries: 29bht
2nd class aircond bus from Hatyai to Krabi (239bht - 5 hrs)

Krabi Town - once upon a time, the town is infested with mud crabs & crap; a sleepy fishing village; pleasant & laid back; 5 hrs by bus from Hatyai ; the sea eagle monument had inscribed the following words of encouragement " fly high, look far and reach our goal " & the 2 alphabets KM on it ! Yes, KM is ambitious, will travel far and strive hard to achieve his travel goals !

Ao Nang Bay ( 20km from Krabi town, longtail boats, 4 island tour, Phi Phi Don, snorkeling, nightlife, Thai massage, The Beach ) 

Grab a bite , the food I adored in Krabi - a pancake with honey, banana & mango mixed (40bht=US$1.33); the worms in my stomach smiled at me when I placed an order for it ! 

Massage in Ao Nang - 200bht (US7) for an one hour of gentle Thai massage (no hanky panky) but if you have 11 ladyfinger nail, the manicure service is only 100bht (US$3.50) - cheap cheap !!!

" Everything in your LIFE is a reflection of a choice you have made. If you want a different result, make different choices " 

Thailand (Hatyai) June 2013

Total cost incurred (stopover) : 600bht
Bus: 500bht (Hatyai > Kuala Lumpur 20.00>05.00)

Food: 100bht

Hatyai Town Centre - favorite shopping place for Malaysians especially during school holiday season

Hatyai / Malaysian bus service companies serving the Kuala Lumpur routes - Konsortium Bus Ekspress (KKK Bus) at 17/1 Chee Uthit Rd & Davis Tours (Sri Maju & Alisan bus) at 32, Prachathipat Road, Hatyai

I had a plate of chicken rice & a plate of braised pork leg (50bht each) as dinner at a road side food stall in Hatyai - a simple dinner meal before the start of my 10 hr overnight bus journey heading home ! 

Sri Maju bus from Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai (10 hrs)

" Moving on doesn't mean you forget about things. It means you have to accept what happened and continued living "

Thailand (Phi Phi Islands) June 2013

Total cost incurred (Day Tour from Krabi - 08.00>16.30): 1,000bht (Rm97; US$32) 

Speed boat departing from Ao Nang to Phi Phi Islands (what a bumpy drive, rock & roll style !)

1) Bamboo Island (all the bamboo trees totally wiped out during the 2004 tsunami, crystal clear water, powder-soft sand)

2) Hin Pae (20 minutes for open sea snorkeling)

3) Viking Cave (any Viking sunken ships buried under the water ?)

4) Monkey Bay (monkeys behaving like mafia roaming the island)

5) Pi Leh Bay (snorkeling in the lagoon) 

 

6) Phi Phi Don (buffet lunch ready to be served)

The Dec 2004 tsunami that destroyed every standing structure in Phi Phi Don islands. The Indian Ocean tsunami caused an overall death of 227,898 people (Thailand's casualty was 5,295 deaths and 2,817 missing !). The word "Tsunami" originates from Japan ie Tsu (harbor) & nami (wave). A Tsunami evacuation route sign hung on to a pole giving direction to tourists in case of another tsunami strike - no body can tell when the next tsunami will greet you on this white sandy beach ! But it is never too late to start practicing your marathon run at least for the first 600m !

" LIFE is precious. Time is priceless "

Thailand (Phuket) June 2013

Total cost incurred (3 days): 2,173bht (Rm224)

Bus: Phuket>Hatyai : 293bht
Hostel: Kool Backpacker - 350 bht + 250bht
Food: 533bht
Tuk tuk: 340bht

Phuket Bus Terminal 2 - all provincial (outstation) buses from Koh Samui or Krabi stop at this terminal. If you are going to Patong Beach, then proceed to Platform 12 and take a pink color mini-bus (10bht) to Bus Terminal 1. Hiring a local taxi to Patong beach from Terminal 2 costs around 200-300bht.

  

Phuket Bus Terminal 1 - On arrival, take another pink color mini-bus (10bht) which will ferry you to a local bus station in front of the Phuket Day (wet) Market Complex. From there, you can take a pick up truck or a blue bus (30bht) to Patong Beach or Bangla Road.

Local Bus Station (near the Day Market complex) - blue bus or pick up trucks to Patong Beach / Bangla

Patong Beach / Bangla Road (tourist haven, lady boys, live music, flashy neon light, beachside bars, modern shopping malls, beautiful beachfront, lively & vibrant for the young & seniors)

Phuket Town (8 hrs by bus from Hatyai or Koh Samui, old Chinese temples, Sino-Portuguese architecture, bus terminal 1 & 2, day market, Vegetarian festival - late Sept )

Kamala Beach - take bus from Phuket town (one hr); irregular bus service

The king of fruit I tasted in Phuket town - I paid 40bht (US$1.33) for one medium size Durian fruit and eat on a side walk in front of the Phuket town wet market complex - Oh I love the smell of it ! Not for those with a timid tongue ! You either love it or you hate it ! If you do not like durian, try the mangosteen, the queen of the tropical fruit .

Go banana in Phuket - pan cake & crispy crepes with banana, deep fried banana, banana milk shake, fresh bunches of banana .... and after all the banana eating, you can go for a banana walk in Patong beach. Monkeys love bananas !

" Being stuck in the past is like walking forward with your back facing the front. You always miss out on what's in front of you "