Thailand - Krabi

With heavy thunderstorms and all-day rain predicted for our first week back in Thailand, we were worried that we would be stuck in the room looking wistfully out the window, but our concerns were unfounded as we came back to this wonderful country.  We fell in love with Thailand back in January; the month that we spent there flew by as we got to know the people and explore the provinces.  Ever since we left, we’ve been excited about returning and traveling to the beach areas located on the southern peninsula, and we finally arrived a couple of days ago in the town of Krabi (one of the all time great town names) on the west side of the peninsula.  For the next ten days, we’ll be traveling north along the coast on our way back to Bangkok as our three-month sojourn in southeast Asia winds down and the Land Down Under comes up on the itinerary.  The beaches near the Krabi province are world famous for their isolation and beauty and for the devastation caused by the tsunami of December 26, 2004, in which over a quarter-million people lost their lives in fourteen countries affected by the disaster.

A year ago, I sat down at the computer and searched for videos about the tsunami on YouTube and found a lengthy series compiled from survivors’ footage filmed on phones and digital cameras along with victim interviews.  I watched in disbelief as people stood on beaches wondering where all the water went as whole lagoons drained from the riptide produced by the approaching tidal wave.  Minutes later, those same people were running for their lives as the thirty-foot tsunami came roaring ashore with no warning.  I couldn’t finish watching the series, and the real life drama I managed to watch was horrifying and left me feeling disturbed for a long time.  Setting foot on one of the beaches pounded by the tsunami thirteen years ago was a bit unsettling, but the complete recovery of the area along with its powerful natural beauty was a sight I’ll never forget.

Our two days in Krabi began with a short flight from Kuala Lumpur to the small international airport where I loaded up on local currency featuring the handsome visage of the beloved late King Bhumibol, the world’s longest reigning monarch.  We quickly secured a taxi and spent the thirty-minute ride to our apartment chattering about the beauty of Thailand and some of the familiar sights like the tall coconut palms and the huge portraits of the king, framed in gold and mounted on poles at major intersections.  It was late afternoon when we arrived at Ao Nang beach in Krabi, and a violent thunderstorm moved slowly through the area and knocked out the power as we got settled in our fifth-floor apartment.  The view from our balcony looked out over the small village below and extended past the tall palm trees to the jungle-covered mountains shaped like a camel’s hump.  With a family-run restaurant next door, a Muslim market across the street, and a well stocked 7-Eleven just down the road, we were set for a fun stay at the beach with the friendly people of Thailand.

Our balcony view

Our apartment was small with a combined living room and kitchen and a separate master bedroom.  The building was fairly new, so the furnishings and decorations were comfortable and modern, and the view from the balcony was riveting.  The weather forecast for the next few days was less than encouraging, but we took a step of faith and booked passage to a nearby beach for the following day hoping we could dodge the predicted thunderstorms.  With numerous beaches and islands from which to choose, we decided to visit the famous Railay Beach, which is inaccessible by car but only a twenty-minute longtail boat ride from the dock at Ao Nang.  The guy from whom we booked the trip was supposed to pick us up at the apartment and take us to the dock, but he overslept and forgot about us, so we had to figure out our own way to the waterfront—not really difficult thanks to the many tuk tuk drivers around.  In the process of finding our own way, we also discovered how to book water passage ourselves for the following day thus saving a good bit of Thai baht.

There was thick cloud cover when we left the dock at 10:00, but there were also widening slivers of blue sky, so we had the promise of good weather as the boat hit full throttle and lurched through the bay.  We passed numerous beaches with fancy resorts tucked back into the palms, and I thought Railay Beach would have a similar look, but the terrain changed dramatically as we navigated toward the mountains on the far side of the inlet.  

A sharp turn around the rear of a limestone karst took us gliding into the Railay lagoon, and as our barefoot captain cut the engine, the long bow of the boat slid onto the sand of the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen.  The water in the lagoon looked like a melted emerald, and it lapped gently on the shore where tall palm trees and huge mangroves leaned forward to shade the sand.  Beyond the trees behind the beach, small rounded mountains vere visible with swirls of mist around the low summits, and it looked like a pterodactyl could launch from its perch at any time.  We hopped off the boat and turned around to see the wide lagoon bordered by high limestone cliffs covered with thick jungle, their craggy faces streaked with rust-colored varnish left by time and the elements.  With disbelief we were standing in such a beautiful place, we quickly staked a claim to a shady spot under the mangroves to begin enjoying the day.

The green water was cool and refreshing with soft waves, and we bobbed up and down for a while staring at the the high cliffs and praising the beauty of our surroundings.  There were a couple of small resorts back from the beach, but they were barely visible through the thick trees, and the longtail boats kept a steady schedule picking up and delivering passengers.  We explored a bit and found the small sandy avenue that led away from the beach which featured small clothing shops and all kinds of cafes offering reasonably priced food. We chose ham-and-cheese-filled pancakes for our luncheon.  The population of visitors kept building as the day progressed, but it never felt crowded due to the immensity of nature, and we never stopped looking all around at the green panorama that pictures just couldn’t quite capture.  After a peach-and-vanilla shake, we boarded the 2:00 boat back to Ao Nang. A tuk tuk driver delivered us to the apartment just as a thunderstorm came roaring across the mountains, and we were thankful we got to enjoy the beach for as long as we did that day.

My observations are family friendly, and I’ll try my best to keep it that way as I rant for a short paragraph about women's backsides.  The thong bathing suit fad thankfully died down a while back, but evidently women still feel the need to walk around the beach with most of their cheeks exposed by cramming bathing suit fabric into their nether regions, which has to be horribly uncomfortable, I would think, but they all seem to want a tan tush. Why?  Unless they’re exotic dancers, it must be difficult to show off a butt tan at the office or wherever these ladies are employed.  I consider myself a Southern gentleman, and I do my best to look the other way, but it’s hard not to notice chunks of flesh everywhere. For the record, Deena agrees there is no reasonable explanation for exposing that much skin.  Another mystery is the men who accompany the majority of these derriere-exposing women.  Are they actually proud of their female companions and their lack of lycra?  Are they so cowed that they are afraid to say something like, “Ya know, sweetie, I’m not comfortable with half of southeast Asia staring at your bare backside. Stay right there while I staple some banana leaves in a few strategic spots.”  Just wondering, rant’s over.

Deena and I left the kids to a time of study while we enjoyed a coffee date at the cafe next door, and I had a strong americano brewed with aromatic grounds that might crack the top ten list.  The kids joined us for dinner later, and we enjoyed watching the husband-and-wife team work together behind the counter as they chopped vegetables and sauteed our meal.  The thunderstorm left a cool breeze in its wake, and as we listened to the palm branches rustle around the cafe, we realized that other than a few meals in airports, we’ve been eating outside together for three months since the majority of small restaurants in southeast Asia are open air.  I like that.

There were plenty of options available to visit other famous beaches in the Krabi area including all day tours that provided transport to multiple islands.  After a brief family discussion, we decided to spend our last day in Krabi right back at Railay Beach where we couldn't get enough of secluded paradise.  The daunting weather forecast thankfully proved to be incorrect again. We set sail under bright blue skies, and we spent a long time in the lagoon mostly bobbing up and down in the green water staring at the tall cliffs.  Four hours and four milkshakes later, we sadly boarded the longtail boat and said goodbye to the incredible Railay Beach and wondered if the rest of the beaches coming up on our itinerary could even come close to the beauty of this special place—it’ll be fun finding out.

Upon our return to the apartment, we had time for a quick dip in the pool before another thunderstorm came rolling in, but it dissipated quickly, and Deena and I were able to enjoy another late afternoon coffee date.  It is indeed good to be back in Thailand, and even though we have to pack up and leave Krabi after two days, we’re looking forward to traveling to the mountainous island of Phuket for another day at the beach.