Ignore the protests. Thailand is safe. Book your holiday to Thailand! Places to Visit 5 - Ao Nang Beach, Krabi

OK, enough of the depressing political mess. This blog is for anyone who is planning a trip to Thailand for 2009 or has booked a trip and is now worried. The facts are this. 1. Thailand remains a unique and beautiful place. 2. Thailand is full of lovely, friendly, smiley people. 3.Thailand is very cheap and full of bargains. 4. Majority of Thai people couldn't give two hoots about the political situ, they are just trying to get by, like all of us. 5. Thailand is STILL one of the best holiday destinations in the world.

Alright, you can't get here just yet, or get home. Everyone is sorry about that. It's bad, but, it's not the end of the world for future travellers, it won't last, and when the airports open again, hopefully soon, it will be back to business as normal.

Travellers can still have an amazing holiday here, I have the proof. I went to Krabi and Phuket with family at the beginning of November, when there was loads of talk of coup this, and coup that, here a coup, there a coup, everywhere a coup coup, but we ignored it all, and had a smashing holiday that was a million miles away from the political trouble and strife (airports were free then I know, but it can't go on forever).

Krabi is a good ten hour drive South from Suphan Buri province, around the 500 mile mark, (SB is just NW of Bangkok). Krabi does have it's own airport, so you could possibly fly there (ha ha). We set off at around 3 in the afternoon because of usual various family delays etc. We originally thought we would stop for the night in Hua Hin and carry on in the AM, but after passing through Bangkok unscathed, we decided we might as well go whole hog and do the journey through the night. The great thing about driving to the South of Thailand is you can do the whole thing on Highway 4, one long road that squeezes past the Myanmar border and the coast (map of Thailand here)

So we were totally knackered when we arrived in Krabi at 3 in the AM, but there are an abundance of good 24 hour hotels located around Krabi, we found one (forgot its name) and crashed out. When we awoke, we were in the beautiful Krabi!

We wanted to find a hotel on or near a beach, and we were spoilt for choice, Ao Nang, Railay beach, Ko Lanta, Noppharat beach, to name just a few. We opted to head for Ao Nang, complete tail and the donkey guess work at play.

Wow, what a place. I'm guessing that all the other beaches are similar in their own way. We were also spoilt for choice in terms of 'middle of the road' hotel accommodation, and actually managed to find a place for under 2000 baht per night, which we thought was very reasonable being that we were absolutely smack bang on the beach.

Here is a link to the hotel here (All Season Beach Resort).

What I really liked was overall, Krabi wasn't busy (beginning of November). The beaches were near enough deserted.

Anyone thats thinking about a trip to Krabi, I would advise you take the 4 Island boat tour. I wasn't so keen on the idea at first, but the family convinced me it would be worthwhile, they were right.

We got picked up the next day at 9.00 o'clock and drove down to the main beach in Ao Nang, where there was a long tail boat waiting for us. We picked up numerous other guests en route, to make the party around 15-20 people in total. There was plenty of room on the boat, and it is always interesting to people watch at such times. It's always nice to spend some time in the company of our European friends,  they are a funny bunch. The old man describes them as 'like your weird cousin's'. Ha ha so true!

The reason I wasn't so keen was I always feel like I shouldn't have to stick to times etc when on holiday, but the tour guides were brilliant and by taking such a tour you see islands and scenery that you would never see if you just hanged back on the beachfront or lazing by the pool.

On the boat tour, you travel to 4 Islands individually for an hour or so each, and get a chance to snorkel, sun bathe and tinker about in general. The best thing is the sea water though, it is so clear, and the sand is so clean, on all islands. They are the closest thing to perfect beaches I have seen, and there are lots of them, ALL OVER, as far as the eye can see. Travelling by boat to each island is in itself a very pleasurable experience, giving you the opportunity to bathe in the surroundings, and just, r-e-l-a-x.

Couple of things to watch for, Chicken Island, won't tell you why its called that (check the photos see if you can spot it). The final Island, Hong Island, is very exclusive, the guide told us that to stay in the hotels there it costs 100,000 baht a night (nearly 2k stirling). I thought it must be great for someone to pay all that money and then have the plebs like us roll up and nick the beach! Yeehaa!

So thats the plug for the Island hopping tour. Very worth doing. You will see the natural beauty of Krabi up close and personal, simply astounding.

(Note, people who like fishing, my dad is the world's biggest fishing fan, he took his rod along on the boat and cast out whilst we were motoring along. He got away with it for 15 minutes or so, but was then informed it is illegal to fish around the Islands, to protect the rare fish I guess, but you can book separate fishing tours that take you out into legal waters).

The price of the boat tour includes lunch, in our case it was pork mince with chilli, which was very nice, but with all the swimming etc you work up an appetite, so for the greedier ones amongst us there are restaurants dotted around the islands, especially on the islands where the tour will stop for lunch. Prepare to pay more for Western food though, as usual, but good quality!

One of the final moments on the boat tour is snorkeling from the back of the boat in deeper water. A few months back Sutiya wouldn't even consider a trip to these parts (apparently there would be hundreds of ghosts from the Tsunami). However, not only did we managed to get her in the boat, but also snorkeling in the water, which is something I couldn't imagine her volunteering for. For me, that shows the magic of the place and the effect the surroundings have on you. Snorkeling with the tropical fish is both a brilliant AND frightening experience at the same time, but safe (you get life jackets etc).

That was the start of our great holiday. View all the photos of Krabi here

Please don't be put off coming to Thailand. The political situation is under the media microscope at the moment, it will sort itself out eventually. These beautiful places are still here, and thinking back to the Tsunami, people thought Thailand couldn't recover from that, and it did. I know it will be the same in this instance also.

Comments

[Lloyd]

Just dont use your credit card once your there ;-)

My wife has just flown into Phuket and said to me apart from a LOT of people waiting to leave everybody is being extremely friendly and mostly taking it as it comes, what better place in the world could you wish to get stuck in!!!

Ao Nang, and Krabi provence, is one of my favorite places in the world, earlier this year we purchased some land about 40 minutes north of Ao Nang for a future retirement home.

[Ben Shingleton (Thai Pirate)]

Yes, I admit, I was shocked by Krabi, having got used to some parts of Thailand that are a little 'rough around the edges'.

You've bought land in Krabi! You've cracked it mate! ;)

[Hoo Don]

Great news about the airport siege finishing today at 10 pm,was beginning to think I wouldn't make my flight on the 18th. I am sure people will return to Thailand although it may take time, but quality is quality and Thailand will resurface again. Never been an island fan (scared of the water)but Krabi looks outstanding and the photos show what a fun time everyone had. Quite like the idea of pis*ing somebody off when they have shelled out 2 grand a night. Good luck.

[The Thai Pirate]

Yeah what a relief, we also are due to fly back on the 12th, so fingers crossed it will be OK! Sutiya was the same as you, very intimidated, esp after 2006, but she loved it. Even if you stay out of the water and off the islands, I think you will enjoy......