When my travel research experts (D and N) zeroed in on three places for our holiday, I was expecting all three to be alike. I mean how different can three beach destinations in the same vicinity be? Oh boy was I wrong or what.
Koh Lanta – The Serene One
Have you met one of those people (most probably a woman in her thirties) who perpetually has a serene and calm aura? Lives life at her own pace and has a “the world can wait” attitude. If I had to describe this beautiful island, that would be it.
Koh Lanta is relatively unknown to mainstream tourists and I hope it remains that way. The sleepy island which is home to white sandy beaches and light blue waters is the perfect getaway from the hustle bustle of city life. We spent two and half relaxed days in this little haven when time does stand still.
On day one, we decided to do the touristy island hopping tour. The day long boat tour took us to four islands. It was during this trip that I discovered the awesomeness that was snorkeling. After some initial hiccups I got a hang of it and loved every bit of it. You float around soaking in the visual delight of watching fish of every possible color glide past you and the only thing you can hear is your own breathing. I wish I was good enough a writer to describe what a fantastic experience that was.Its amazing to think that under that serene blue surface, lies a whole different world.
After two stops for snorkeling, our third stop during the island tour was the emerald cave. I recommend this natural wonder to anyone who visits Thailand. The emerald cave is a hidden beach inside one of the rock formations in the middle of the ocean. It was apparently a favorite hideout for pirates back in the day. Our tour operator had all of us line up and hold on the life-jacket in front of while we swam through the narrow passage to get to the hidden beach. Which worked really well for non swimming claustrophobic beings (aka me). And our final stop was on this quaintlittle island for lunch. Unfortunately blogger does not seem to support my panorama pictures. So I have to make do with the regular ones.
Koi Phi Phi – The Chirpy One
If Ko Lanta had a calming effect on us, Koi Phi Phi woke us up with a jolt. This little bustling island reminds me of a bubbly girl next door. After a couple of relaxing days we hopped over to Koi Phi Phi which was actually just our stop over for our overnight camping trip at Maya Bay. We had half a day to kill and decided to make the most of it. Half the island is filled with beach-side pubs while the other half is filled with cobbled streets lined with little cafes and shops selling absolutely anything. Unlike the previous island, even the waters were more vibrant turquoise here. Something that struck me was how all islands are a riot of blues and greens but yet so uniquely picturesque in its own way.
We decided to check out the Phi Phi view point accessible only via a six hundred steep stairway trek. Which actually felt like 62,879 steps if you ask me. The long strenuous trek was a reality check on how terribly unfit we were, but the view from the top made everything totally worth it.
By afternoon we took the boat to Maya Bay for our overnight camping on the beach. I think that one crazy night spent there deserves a post of its own, so I will save my rambling for the next post.
Phuket – The Glitzy One
With its endless night clubs, high end malls and restaurants, Phuket was a far cry from our other destinations. Phuket was all about glitz, glamour and sadly sleaze. The rampant child prostitution in every nook of this city was a reminder that everything beautiful can also have an ugly side.
To be honest, we didn’t get to do too many beach-side activities here. In other words...we saw a mall, fell in love and lived happily ever after. Ahhhh those shoes and bags *dreamy eyes *. Unfortunately we had to learn the hard way that shopping at the malls was surprisingly more reasonable that road side shopping.
This post would be incomplete without mentioning the awesomely fantastic yummylicious food we had. It would be no exaggeration to say we finished all the Phad Thai and Green Curry in that country.
After two days in Phuket, our week long holiday drew to a close. We got back to India a little heavier both in terms of baggage and other wise, but happy none the less.
Travel means different things to different people. For some its an adrenaline rush while for some its just a break from routine. It makes people happy, ecstatic or just keeps some entertained. But I have come to realize that for me its much more than that. Travel for me is contentment.
