Krabi 4 - Thailand Solo! - Four Islands Tour

(This is a series on a solo trip to the resort area of Krabi, in Thailand. Parts 1 ~ 3 are HERE, HERE, and HERE. )

On my fourth and final day in Krabi, I booked a jet boat tour to the outlying islands off the coast of Krabi. Four islands would be visited during the tour: Koh Gai (Chicken island), Koh Tup, Koh Mawr and Koh Poda. The islands are extremely scenic and photograph beautifully. It's a must-do while in Krabi.

Koh Mawr was our first stop. As we used a speed boat, our tour arrived first, and so, the beach was deserted! This island featured a shrine inside a cave on the far left side of the main beach. I was surprised to find out it was a fertility shrine -- there were tall, wooden penises everywhere!

Photo: Scenes from Koh Mawr

Our boat traveled next to Koh Tup and Chicken island, where guests were allowed to snorkel. One guide pulled up a sea urchin, which is expensive cuisine in Japan. I was amazed to see all the spines moving in the guide's hand!

Our tour also included a buffet lunch which I could enjoy at beachside. Earlier, at Koh Mawr, a family of monkeys make an appearance. I followed them for a bit to take photos. They too, seemed happy to enjoy the sunshine and beach views.

Photo: Scenes from Koh Mawr (monkeys), Koh Tup and Koh Gai (Chicken Island)

The final stop, and most beautiful, was Koh Poda. This island was the largest, with a bamboo forest and two, long beaches for visitors to walk and relax on. At Tup Island, you can walk via a long sandbar to another island.

Photo: Scenes from Tup & Poda islands 

This tour was a great experience. At each island, we were given about 1 to 1.5 hours to explore and enjoy the scenery. There are many island tours available in Krabi; you can chose to visit the islands by speed boat, or the more traditional, long-tail boat. If you love deserted island beaches, the Four Islands tour is a must-do in Krabi.


Information: 

I booked this tour on the internet, via Krabi Trek (HERE). Cost: 1,000 baht ($30) includes lunch, snorkel equipment, hotel pick-up & drop-off services. 

I found out after arriving in Krabi, there were cheaper prices for this same tour, so if you go during low season, I recommend booking once you are in Krabi (cost is about 200 baht lower!). 

Enjoy traveling! 

Krabi 3 - Thailand Solo! - Emerald Pool

( This series continues to record a solo trip to Thailand's famous resort area - Krabi. Part one is HERE. Part 2 is HERE. )

On my second day in Krabi, I enjoyed a full day tour to some of the most famous sights in the province. In the morning, I completed a tour of Tiger Cave Temple (here), climbing up the steep cliff face to enjoy scenic views of the surrounding countryside.

After that, a Chinese mother and daughter agreed to take my photo at the temple's entrance. In exchange, I took several photos for them too. That's how solo traveling works -- you help each other. ^_^

Photos: 
Tigers guard the entrance, me at the temple, lunch!
(bottom row) 
Hot spring waterfall

After finishing up at the temple, our guide drove us to a local restaurant close to our next site -- Namtok Ron (literally translated as: "warm waterfall"). We took a break for lunch, which was a buffet affair, with various dishes placed on a long table for all to enjoy. It was very Thai-style -- healthy, spicy and never ending plates of food!

Namtok Ron is famous for its hot spring water. In Japan, hot springs are a sort of religious experience; people of all ages enjoy long soaks in hot baths, with temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius. The water is usually clear, or milky in color, and the hot springs are very clean. They are even used as form of therapy for those having cancer treatments, or other health aliments.

In Krabi, many were disappointed with the appearance of the hot springs themselves; the color was a chocolate brown and very muddy. We guessed during the rainy season, this was the typical appearance. Needless to say, many in our group did not bother soaking and instead (author included) chose to dip our feet in the warm waters only.

Photo: 
A better view of the Namtok Ron taking during the dry season (courtesy of Michael Holland)

If you really want to enjoy the warm, natural waterfall, I would recommend visiting during the dry season, or on a day when there is little rain. Unfortunately, I traveled smack in the midst of the rainy season and so the waterfall was a brown mess, with strong currents. Most in our group did not even try to sit or walk down the waterfall (which is a common activity).

Our guide took us to our final destination -- the Emerald Pool. This natural, turquoise pond, deep in a national forest, is a must-see when in Krabi. Luckily, the sun popped out and I could enjoy a cool swim under sunny skies. A kind lady from Denmark agreed to watch my things and take some photos while I swam around. ^_^

Photos:
Cutenekko at the Emerald Pool, park sign pointing the way, view of the entire pool.
(bottom row)
Cutenekko swimming, a hiking trail near the pool.

My boobs -- all padding. ^o^ Every swimsuit in Asia has padding....

One thing must be mentioned: there are sharp, very slippery, rocks surrounding the Emerald Pool. Visitors are recommended to wear non-slip water shoes, or flip-flops.

The tour van dropped me off at my hotel in the late afternoon; I decided to treat myself to an early dinner. I dropped into this restaurant near my hotel -- the Green Pepper, and splurged on shrimp, a strawberry smoothie and ice cream -- topped with raisins (!) I chatted with the manager who gave me a discount -- common during the rainy season. Everything on the menu was 30% off. Woo!

Photos:
View from my table, ice cream sundae - Thai-style
(bottom row)
pineapple shrimp, smoothie

Check back again soon. I'll post another tour I took to various outlying islands surrounding Krabi. The photos are amazing!

See you again and happy travels! ^_^

Information:

Tiger Cave Temple and Emerald Pool Tour --

There are many tour companies on the island. Just walk around to get the best deal. Cost is 750 ~ 1,000 baht ($22 ~ $30) per person, lunch included. Tour departs from 9 AM. Finish at 4PM.