Well, our passport ordeal behind us, we were quite happy to get to Bangkok. Not that we wanted to get out of Nepal, but there was a great sense of relief in making it back to the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia.
We hardly had a chance to unpack our bags in Bangkok before we bought a bus ticket south to the famed sands of Southern Thailand. At 10 pm one day, the smog of Bangkok - the next morning... a beautiful sea breeze and sunny skies. Our plan for our limited time in Thailand was to hop between mainland Krabi and the islands of Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi (sounds like "PeePee").
On Lanta, we found a cozy little bungalow just off of the beach, a long stretch of sand facing dead west. By day, we set about browning our pasty-white skin, faded from 6 fleece-covered weeks in the Himalayas. At night, the two of us dined beachside on fresh seafood barbeque, while the sun set brilliantly over the ocean.
After some quiet time at Lanta, we ferried to Phi-Phi, complete with its countless bars, hotels and restaurants. There's a good reason why these islands are popular - they're amazingly beautiful. White sand beaches, pinnacles of rock, postcard blue water, and countless snorkelling sites fringing the entire coastline! With a stroke of luck, we discovered and booked into a small "resort" of bamboo huts on secluded, boat access only, Rantee Beach. As it turned out, there was also a rugged hiking path to the main town centre, and we made good use of this trail while we stayed there.
Despite plans for pure relaxation (this is not my strong suit), we managed to spend two full days exploring the depths of the ocean. Snorkelling around the islands of PhiPhi (there are two) is a great way of seeing the underwater life, but also gave us a chance to see some of the many beautiful bays, including Maya Bay of "The Beach" movie fame. Our diving day was also fantastic, although the visibility was average, so wildlife, and particularly the anticipated manta ray sightings were limited (we didn't see one). In between all of our adventure outings, we found time to relax in the comforts of our beachside abode.
It was the kind of place that you could visit for a couple of days and end up leaving two weeks later. Our host was particularly hospitable... although his penchant for touching my arm when I ordered dinner, or frequent references to me as "his friend", could be perceived as beyond the comfortable limits of customer service! Thailand was everything we'd hoped it would be, and a most relaxing stop on the tour. In addition, the food is incredible! Of course, we only got a glimpse at the endless options available to island hoppers...next trip I guess!
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