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Thailand 2023

April 2023
A 14-day adventure by Claire Louise Read more
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  • TravelerThailand 2023
    2
    Day 1

    Kamala Beach

    April 16, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We are in Thailand. We left Ashmore at 7.00am on Saturday morning, flew to Sydney for a layover, and then 9 hours from Sydney to Phuket. Reasonably pleasant trip considering we flew Jetstar. We arrived at 1.00am Aus time, 10.30 Phuket time so went straight to bed.

    Sunday we woke up and went for a swim in the resort pool (Sunprime Resort in Kamala Beach is where we are staying).

    In the arvo we went to Cafe del Mar, a Beach Club which is very up market. We met up with some friends we know who are living here. We got a great table right on the beach, and after the sun went down enjoyed a fire show. We popped into Bangla Road afterwards, but only coped with the chaos for an hour or so.

    I’ve been enjoying the tiny Thai bananas.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 2

    Kamala Beach. Day 2

    April 17, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Day 2 in Kamala Beach, it was a chill day today, we were feeling a bit slow - probably something to do with the multiple Margaritas we enjoyed at the beach club yesterday.

    Started the day by the resort pool, and then went into town for lunch. Our friend took us to a local restaurant he frequents. It was ‘rustic’, as are most Thai local joints, but the food was delish. I had a papaya salad, and Daniel had an entire fish.

    We had a wander around some markets after lunch and Daniel got a Nutella pancake from a one of the dodgy looking little stalls.

    After some time in our room enjoying some aircon in respite from the 33 degree humid heat, we headed down to the resort bar for sundowners. The sunset was fab, and highly photographed by all the resort guests. Dinner was at the resort restaurant, I had a veggie Thai dish and Daniel had his second entire fish of the day.

    Our resort is full of Russians and Germans, and a few Chinese. I have not heard other Aussie or Kiwi accents at all.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 3

    Phi Phi Islands - Day 1

    April 18, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Phi Phi Islands, it’s good to be back.

    We took the Phi Phi Cruiser ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi, this took 2 hours and cost 700 baht. The hotel has sent a man to meet us at the ferry terminal and he had a cart that took our bags the 15 walk to the hotel. It’s hot and humid! We had lunch at a cute cafe, and had a wander around the shops before heading back to the resort for a swim and a few Singas.

    We are staying at Coco Beach Resort, it’s pretty cool, each room is a little bungalow, they are very comfortable, ours is right in front of the pool with sea views.

    Phi Phi is a party island, so if you can’t beat them…
    We walked to town for dinner and then to a pub called Breakers, the Irish pub, a live music bar and then finally the beach bars for a fire show. Again, very few Aussies or Kiwis, this island is full of young poms.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 3

    Phi Phi Islands - Day 1 - Part 2

    April 18, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We’ve been to Phi Phi Islands before, 11-ish years ago on Boxing Day in 2012.
    So for fun we went and found some of the places we went to in 2012.

    Firstly Breakers Bar, I had two photos of us having a drink there from 2012, so we went back and found the same table and recreated the photos.

    When we rolled into Phi Phi in 2012 it was peak season and we had no accommodation booked, so we ended up booking into this 1-star ghastly hotel called ‘The White’, it’s still there today, and so we took a selfie out the front.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 5

    Phi Phi Islands - Day 3

    April 20, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Today we hit the water, paid 2000 baht to hire a long boat for a few house of swimming and exploring the islands. We stopped off at a cove, and then to Monkey Bay - named after the slightly aggressive Monkeys who live there. They were trying to knock stuff out of tourists bags, and would rark up when the tourists tried to fend them off.

    Our drivers name was Yaya. The water was so blue and a great temp for swimming. We did something similar in 2012, and there were way less tourists out on the water back then, it’s almost become too popular around here.

    We we returned to Tonsai town, hungry from a morning of swimming and went to Good Vibes cafe for a Singa and I had the Pineapple fried rice which was delish.

    Back to the resort now, I think it’s time for a daiquiri.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    2
    Day 6

    Koh Lipe - Day 1

    April 21, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Today we were on the move to Koh Lipe from Koh Phi Phi. It’s a long way, Lipe is part of Thailand but if actually closer to Malaysia than it is any part of Thailand.

    The four hour trip is made by boat. Speedboat is the form of transport. I was so nervous about the trip because I have read that the speedboats are over crowded, lack life jackets and the drivers drive like wild and it’s a bumpy ride. The thought of 4 hours of that wasn’t ideal. However my fears were unfounded, because we are travelling at the end of peak season, the speedboat wasn’t crowded, lifejackets were plentiful, and we were blessed with glassy water so a reasonably smooth ride. Don’t get me wrong we were thrilled to get off that speedboat, it was exhausting, but could have been worse.

    The hotel arranged for a man to meet us at the dock and bring our bags to the hotel. Transport on lipe are these bikes with sidecars so we jumped on that and buzzed through town to our hotel - Anda Resort.

    After we checked in we just chilled and had lunch before heading to the beach bars on Pattaya Beach for sunset happy hour (2-4-1 Majitos for $15aud), dinner on the beach (another fish for Daniel) and a fire show.

    We also had a wander down Walking Street - the hub of Koh Lipe.

    Because of the proximity to Malaysia, there are a ton of holidaying Malaysians here, and then various Europeans. One again doesn’t seem to be any other aussies or kiwis. The vibe is totally different to anywhere else in Thailand that we have been - interested to explore the island more.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 8

    Koh Lipe - Days 2 & 3

    April 23, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Two really great days in Koh Lipe, this place is cool. It’s both more bohemian and bougie than anywhere else in we’ve been in Thailand and the water is perfect for swimming.

    We’ve spent days by the beach reading, swimming and eating. And evenings getting dinner and drinks on the main drag, Walking Street. Our favourite restaurant is Elephant, which has amazing vegan Thai food. Our favourite bar is Corner bar, we’ve met some nice people here and had great chats with Italians on holiday and a British expat living here. We’ve also frequented the Pattaya Beach beach bars, and have seen plenty of fire shows.

    Fun fact: cannabis is legal here as of recently. There a potted cannabis plants dotted about and shops for cannabis products every few hundred meters on Walking Street. Whilst the product doesn’t interest me, it’s interesting to see how it’s been commercialised and integrated.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 9

    Koh Lipe Day 4

    April 24, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Another wonderful day in Lipe, although today we had our first fail. We booked a boat to go swimming and snorkelling around the outer islands, however just as we were about to leave the weather turned over cast and windy. Rescheduling was not an option, so we headed out hoping for the best. The best was not what we got. It was so choppy and the swell was huge, making the boat ride out what I would charitably call an experience. The long boat was getting thrown around and the swell at times was bigger than the boat. Most people don’t wear life jackets when cruising in the longboats, but today I sure as shit was. We were sold on a low tide excursion, when we got out the tide was in fact high. So after 3 stops, we pulled the pin and got the guy to take us home - another terrifying ride.

    All was not lost, when we got back to shore the sun came out and it was beautiful again, we got some lovely views of Lipe on the way back in. Two cocktails later and we were back in business swimming and snorkeling around the resort area.

    Dinner was at Elephant. Beach bars and then back to our local Corner Bar.
    Turned out to be a great day despite the rocky start.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand 2023
    Day 10

    Anzac day in Koh Lipe

    April 25, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Anzac day in Koh Lipe, and Daniel had one priority - finding a way to watch the AFL ANZAC match. After enquiring on some expat Facebook groups, and finding no where in Lipe will play it, he settled on paying to view it on a app - so after some delish pancakes at Elephant, we set up the laptop beachside and watched the opening ceremony before I hit the water for a swim and Daniel settled in to watch his game.

    His team lost, but no time to dwell, as we were off to a new side of the island to check out the sunset beach, beach club called Zodiac. It was very cool, amazing set up and vibe. Another fire show. This one involved audience participation, which feels like a travel insurance claim waiting to happen - especially on account of how stoned the performers clearly were.

    After the fire show we took a taxi back to town, stopping by two bars, the later being out now beloved Corner Bar, where we met some more travellers and played bar games. An Anzac Day for the books.    Read more

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