SingMaThai DAY 4: PHI PHI Island

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The waited day has come. This is the most exiting to us for the whole journey. We’ve been to KL and Genting and Bangkok and Pattaya last time. But we’re never been to Phuket and Phi Phi Island. These three days is the heart of our journey :_)

The whole tour will be include pick-up and deliver at Hotel, engine boat to the island, lunch, snack, soft drinks and fruits, snorkeling equipment and tour guide included. That morning we had bread (bought last night from Family Mart) and coffee (bought from Giant at Sunway, KL) for breakfast at the 5 th floor of Lamai Apt. It was an open air restaurant. Air was fresh up there but no special view. That morning, restaurant not open yet, so we bring our own food to eat up there. Our pick up supposed to be at 8.45, but arrived at 9.15.

We were the first to be picked-up. In the same van with us, a couple of young European, and 2 big guys full with tattoo and they bring 2 local girls who were very aggressive. They kiss, lick and suck the boy all the way, up until while at the boat. Don’t imagine sensual local girls, these two are just like ‘mbok mbok nyuci’, even worst.

Arrive at Chalong Bay, we were welcome by this local girl, she called her self Beyonce. She’s our tour guide. She gave us pink sticker so she can identify ourselves and ask where we came from. “You look like Singaporean”, she said. “No, we’re Indonesian Chinese” “oh, Ni hao ma?”

Pink sticker is for 4 engine boat capacity 65 persons. Green one is for 3 engine boat capacity 35 persons. Supposed, this green sticker paid higher, since last night, the guy from the tour offer us THB 2000 per person for 3 engine. And when we nego to THB 1,400, they gave us 4 engine. Luckily, it seems that pink and green sticker more or less the same number of person, about 30 or 35 person only.

While waiting at Chalong Bay, it’s a Nivea time :_) Most people use Nivea. Not only us, but those European also bring their own Nivea with them. This Beyonce come to us and told us that there are about 10 other fellow Indonesian with us today. They were a couples with a cute little about 5 years old daughter from Semarang, and a gang of back-packer alike, 4 girls from Jakarta. So total, 13 Indonesian on the same boat, same tour. On the boat, I just happen to chat with those girls. They paid the tour for THB 2,000 per person and still they get a 4 engine boat. Feel very lucky. All our time to search for Phuket/Phi Phi island worth us saving of THB 600 (= IDR 180,000 each, total saving IDR 900,000). This saving can be compensated to good dinner tonight he he he :_)

No wonder they prepare anti-sick pill for the tour participant, the boat was speed and shaky. Lucky, we’re took our own ‘Antimo’ already. However, mom and dad not taking antimo also don’t feel any dizzy. So, what we read (from internet) is not fully true :_)

Along the way, we saw a lot of small green hills. Phi Phi islands is the more or less the same only they were bigger islands. First stop, Maya Bay (National Park Fee THB 200 included). For those of you who seen The Beach movie, don’t expect to be exactly the same. The hill, the sand and the sea, ok, the same. But please do prepare for the crowded, the tourist and the boat parking along the beach. Nearly no place to took photo without ‘taking’ someone else together. Anyway, no dissatisfying on this situation. All the hills, sands and seawater was great view all together. All of us go for swimming. The water was shallow and clear but very salty, don’t open your eyes if you don’t wear swimming glasses. Really a fantastic experience, be able to swim at this tremendous background of Maya Bay.

Maya Bay is part of the island called Phi Phi Ley. This one is smaller than Phi Phi Don. Also part of Phi Phi Ley which usually as part of the tour are Loh Sama Bay (place where some guy got bitten by shark in the movie The Beach), Pileh Cave and Viking Cave. All only stop by, not go down. Pretty good view must say.

From there, we headed to Phi Phi Don, only to Monkey beach. At the beach, stop by and go down for a while, to see if there’s any monkey. I don’t know unfortunately or fortunately, that day, no monkey appeared. Beyonce said, probably because no Australian among us, because usually the monkey like to bite Australian, but probably just a joke. Also from here, the view was awesome. After, they took us far enough from the beach to do snorkeling. Snorkeling equipment has been made available, mask and life jacket. Only fin (flipper) can rent at THB 100 per pair. But we don’t.

This was my first snorkeling. A bit afraid, actually, when I first jumped my self down to the sea of water level 3 maybe 5 meters deep. But after a while, I begun to gain my believe on the life jacket to hold me up, although I can not swim. And… Waaaaa, new and tremendous experience to me… Beautiful coral, although for me, Manado is more beautiful, this was first time the coral right in front of me and I can actually touch the beauty. WOW. Only me, Natz and Natz’ mom do snorkeling, while dad already jumped in the water but he change his mind, the water is too deep and dad a bit afraid.

After a bunch of activities, begin to feel hungry :_) Right time to eat. They took us to Kai Nok Island, a very small island at top of Phi Phi Don. Thai food buffet, all you can eat, rice, chicken, shrimp, onion ring, and vegetable. The food was very so delicious, but probably just us felling too hungry :_)

Kai Nok Island. Very small, smaller than Bidadari island near Jakarta. Everywhere white sands and people lying there for sunbath. Some girls even topless. Good views ;_) Right there also very convenience to do snorkeling. Me and Natz does, while others just rest at the beach. The water is very shallow and clean, don’t have to go very deep, can see coral from the depth of adult’s waist! And not only coral, fishes everywhere, with all kinds of shape and color, white yellow, yellow with black strips, green, blue, purple, all colors. And they’re all very tame, they don’t afraid of you at all. Really, this is an awesome experiences. We can nearly touch the fishes. Very unforgettable.

Kai Nok is our last destination of the tour. After having so much fun at the island, Beyonce finally call us to get back to the boat and back to Chalong bay, the place where we started the tour. Before we get off the boat, there was a tips box circulate by Beyonce to all of the tour participants. We felt happy and so much pleasure, so we gave them THB 100 :_) At the shore, they sold souvenir, a plate written ‘Phuket Island” with our photo in the middle, THB 150 one. All tired that afternoon. They drove us back to Apt. Still noon, so we took some rest and shower first, before going out for dinner.

At night, we find seafood for dinner. Number 1 seafood and Chinese food at Patong, near Bangla road. Fish ‘kakap merah’ with spicy sauce, grilled shrimp, mix vegetable with pork, and fried noodle which actually a fried kwetiaw. At the same restaurant, we met (again) our fellow Indonesian, 2 couples of om and tante from Bandung, which take a local tour package. After eat, we ask the waitress and she shows us which way to Bangla road.

Bangla road is famous for night live here in Patong. Where there was bar, restaurants, shops, and Thai lady boys. Very crowded with all kinds of human, European, American, Eastern Europe, African, Middle East, Arab, Chinese, Korean, Japan and local people. Natz bought a bag here at Findig shoe and bag store. Natz mom also bought 2 bags and a sandal. Tired. But what a day ! Unforgettable Phi Phi island experience, and snorkeling was really fun !

Tonight must pack for tomorrow afternoon going back to KL and headed to Singapore.

COMMENT & REVIEW

PHUKET SIAM SEACANOE
This is the tour we took to Phi Phi Island. I guess this is the only tour. Other is by cruise but can not go down to Maya bay or any place, price cheaper, but probably the same company, I don’t quite understand. Be careful. Book from internet, they might charge tou THB 3,300, by brochure THB 2,800, by any sub-tour might gave you discount THB 2,000. We telling you, can be cheaper than that. We got the price of THB 1,400. The same service with other who bought at THB 2,000. However, we don’t know which sub-tour we bought from, since we were taken to the place by Mr. Mai. Anyhow, we believed we get the cheapest reasonable price :_)