With pristine waters, spellbinding natural wonders, array of seafood and a great nightlife, designer Nida Mahmood finds island-hopping in Krabi tailor-made to make memories of a lifetime
Don’t we live in really busy timesIJ The rat race does sap you out and that’s when you start looking for an escape to a quiet place. The culmination of the Fashion Week madness left me yearning for a few days off from the crazy whirlwind that my life usually is. One night in Bangkok followed by three days in Krabi Island (Thailand) sounded like that perfect impromptu plan. The only problem was leaving Mr Toffee Tinkerbell (my cat) behind. I wish we could carry our cats with us on holidays.
Bangkok pleasantly welcomed us with a shower of rain and lovely breeze most part of the day. Some shopping, yummy food and fun by the pool were largely what we did. I especially enjoyed the rooftop cocktail bar at the Banyan Tree. The view of the city from the open air bar on the hotel’s 62nd floor is breathtaking. What a splendid evening it was! I highly recommend it. Expensive but totally worth it.
Twice as nice
Off to Krabi the next morning, I was excited like a child. This is what happens when you don’t take frequent holidays. An hour’s flight from Bangkok and another hour of drive from the Krabi airport stood one of the most beautiful resort properties — Krabi Sofitel. Extremely hospitable and warm, the Thai never fail to impress with their thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Our room overlooked the pool and the blue sea beyond. The view was spectacular. I could hardly wait to go exploring the resort and its Klong Muang beach. Threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Flung my water-resistant bag with all the beach essentials, slipped into my flip flops and off we went for a delicious seafood spread at the poolside restaurant.
Krabi is very much like Goa in the sense of being spread over large expanses with little towns and settlements separated by short drives through picturesque greenery and water bodies. Now the deliberation was whether to hire a car or be more adventurous and hop on to a two-wheeler. I opted for the latter. And found the funkiest ride in town.
There was a long list of little towns that were highly recommended. Our evening was to be spent at Ao Nang. Tearing through the cool coastal breeze of Krabi on our funky rides, we made our way to the beautiful beach at Ao Nang just in time to get a sundowner. little shops and eateries dot the sea face providing for some flea market fun. In Thailand and not get a massage — is that even a possibilityIJ But the trick is to separate the wheat from the chaff. One must know how to select a great place which offers authentic Thai massages. The easiest way to go about this would be to try recommendations by the most trusted guide books or other such websites.
By the time the sun went down and lights came on, the entire sea face was converted into an enchanting fairy land of blinking lED lights and sign boards. Strolling down, one could hear strains of guitars being tuned in preparation for the night ahead. I was looking forward to a lot of fun. Krabi is not a party destination but it has pockets like Ao Nang which offer a great mix of night life and peaceful desolation.
Post a great dinner and superb music, the thought of riding back in the middle of the night through deserted, dark forest lined roads struck me hard. Realising there was no petrol in my bike, I really started regretting having made the choice of a bike over a car. But I was relieved to learn that Krabi is a very safe place even in the dead of the night with 24-hour self operated petrol pumps scattered every few kilometres. Now this is what I call having the perfect day.
Delightful desolation
The next day was going to be very exciting. Right after breakfast we took off for Tabkaek, a secluded beach with just a handful of visitors. An occasional bird chirping or the rustling of leaves near us was all we could hear on the vast expanse of white sand and crystal blue water which was dotted with long-tailed fishing boats. The beauty of most Thai beaches is that the water near the shore is very calm. One can just find the right depth of water and lie around for hours. Phi Phi, another island, is breathtaking to the extent of looking unreal — almost like a painting. I had the most fantastic holiday there last year. Definitely a must-visit and the best place to stay is the Outrigger Resort.
Hong up
Next on the list was the Hong island, located in the Phang Nga Bay. The island gets its name from an eroded group of caves or hongs in its centre. Completely cut off from the outside world, these hongs can be accessed only by sea canoes. The protected and uninhabited island also houses many species of quaint birds and large lizards. It also has a lagoon with dense mangroves, the still green water within which has a life of its own.
But it was the main island, of which one can only use the beach front, that left us speechless. There is no food available on the island. However, one can swim or snorkel here. Groups of tourists visit the island with picnic hampers or to witness the spectacular sunset. Extremely romantic I say to pop the big question. There is no way a woman can refuse a man who has the finesse to rig up such a romantic date. But my tip is to go there post 3 pm when it is almost deserted. We happened to be there at 4 pm and there were all of eight people on the beach. Undoubtedly my favourite part of the entire trip. We stayed on for a couple of hours just lazing in the water. Blue waves ebbing and flowing on fine white sand with shoals of tiny coloured fish whizzing past every little while, it was such a visual treat, set against gigantic rocks and the greenery. The sun was setting. We sat watching it go down while the water turned from blue to green to orange to red to purple. And finally it was dark, the sky and the horizon becoming one under the cover of the night.
