Searching for THE Beach |
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On the traces of Leonardo Di Caprio and a quest for THE Beach, we stopped in Krabi, Thailand, port of departure for Phi Phi Island. Guess what? We didn't find what we are looking for. Isolation is a definitely lost concept in Thailand.
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We reached Krabi after an entire day of travelling on the back of a mini-van. Surprisingly, Thais seem more disciplined on the road than Malaysians. However, some constants remain: The helmet is non-existant on motorcyclists' head, pedestrians never have priority, and... why sit seven passengers in a 7-passenger mini-van when 12 can fit with a little push? Krabi is a cute small waterfront town with promising restaurants, inviting bars and comfortable guesthouses. As it is the departure point for Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and other places of interest, it has a lot of souvenir shops and sellers, so if you are looking for THE Beach, it's not here you'll find it! As a famous travel guide mentions, Krabi has excellent beaches of it's own. We headed for AO NANG, the most famous of all. After a-hour wait for a taxi, we finally climbed on a tuktuk in direction of the beach. Twenty minutes later, our biceps bursting with lactic acid from holding tight to the cab, the driver dropped us at Ao Nang beach. Since the beginning of my trip, I had met all kinds of people praising Thailand as if it was Mecca. Well, let me tell you this: Thailand is not SO cheap, people there are not SO friendly, and the food is AS good AS in Malaysia. In other words, I wasn't too impressed with Thailand. That was before stepping on Ao Nang.
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Ao Nang Beach. The water is blue-green as it can only be seen in the Greek Islands. The horizon line is breathtaking, shaped by numerous small rock formations, inspiring and fantomatic refuges. Facing the sea is an immense wall of rock, home of soaring sea eagles. Unfortunately, there is a stain on this ideallic tableau: the strip of sand is polluted with well-done, and sometimes overly-cooked, pieces of white meat drying on beach mats and towels. Tourists are everywhere!!!
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| What's really great: |
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Hiding from the sun under the large palm trees of The Last Kafe on Ao Nang savouring a cold beer.
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| Accommodations: |
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There are several cheap yet comfortable guesthouses in Krabi town.
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| Hangouts: |
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The Last Kafe on Ao Nang, of course!
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Restaurants??? Indulge in succulent thai food at the night market along the riverside.
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Published on Tuesday June 1th, 2004 by islandrat
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