Krabi Trip: Day 1, Ao Nang

Hello!! The long awaited post about my vacation to Krabi is hereeee!

Okay, maybe not many people know I went to Krabi...but anyway, Char and I made the trip at the end of January after my first semester finals. We were there for 5 days, came back to our homeland on the 6th day. We booked our flight for RM381 final price, which could've been cheaper if we booked earlier.

It's my first overseas trip(Singapore doesn't count lol) and overall, I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10. Mainly because I didn't bring enough money, no, more like I overspent :/ I wanted this trip to be a budget overseas trip as my 'sigh of relieve' that my exams were over, but as trips would make you overspend, I overspent. Also, I was stressing over Joe's trip to Malaysia so yeah..that's never good.

Nevertheless, I had my share of fun because it's the beach! Who doesn't love the beach?!! Although I'm more of the I-love-the-beach-but-not-getting-tanned kinda beach goer, I still had fun. All I had to do was to apply sunscreen on my face and body and reapplying it when I sweat. I was particularly determined to not get tanned during this trip because 1)Chinese New Year was only a week or two away and 2)Joe was coming to Malaysia and I don't wanna look dark in my photos. And I think I succeeded.

Now, let's move on to my trip. The first 2 days were spent at Ao Nang, a beach that's popular among tourists. It reminds me a lot of Cenang Beach, Langkawi but bigger scale. Basically, rows of shops selling swimwear and waterproof bags, tour agencies, massage parlours, restaurants and bars.

Marginally, I liked Ao Nang the most as compared to other places we went to. Maybe because I like seeing people walking around. At Koh Lanta, while the beach was nice and peaceful, because it's not as touristy, at night the roads are kinda eerie and I felt unsafe..so it's not that I like super packed places, I just feel better with people walking around.

The first day started with me taking a bus from KL Sentral to LCCT using Sky Bus for RM10. The journey was about an hour. I was kinda worried at first because I rely on trains a lot and there isn't one that goes to LCCT, only KLIA. As far as I know, I'd have to get off at one of the train stations then take a bus to LCCT but that's so much of a hassle. I Googled and tadah! Bus straight to LCCT from KL Sentral for only RM10! So proud of myself haha

There, I met up with Char and we proceeded to check-in our baggage and waited for our gate to open. I haven't had my breakfast, so I bought myself McDonald's nuggets! :D :D

I went to the toilet opposite Starbucks before meeting up with Char and oh my gosh. The person before me obviously didn't sit on the toilet bowl seat lah..she probably half stood because she freaking left her pee on the rim for the next person aka ME! I was soooo disgusted but I had no choice, so I basically wrapped the entire rim with toilet paper LOL And there was no water hose. Plain disgusting. Someone needs to upgrade LCCT's toilets, man. KLIA I have no complaints. It was clean. So clean, especially the top floor one.

Our plane has the Harimau Muda design! :D

All ready for take off!

Since it was my first overseas trip via flight, I was wondering about the arrival card because usually to enter Singapore, my house would already have a stash of it haha All is well as it's provided in the plane :)

Landed in Krabi Airport and to my surprise, there's a time difference! Krabi is one hour earlier than Malaysia. For example, 5.45pm Malaysia = 4.45pm Krabi. Ignorance on my part, but I thought it's so close by, why would there be a time zone difference, right? haha

After we cleared customs, I looked for a bus booth which bus would bring us to the doorstep of our hotel for 150baht(RM15)! It doesn't matter where you stay on Ao Nang, the price is the same. If one were to cab, it's about RM40-RM60 :/

I didn't take a photo of the booth, but this is what it looks like.

(Photo taken from http://wahidayatulaswa.blogspot.com/)

And this was how the bus we took look like. I took this photo particularly because the door of the bus we took was located in the middle like this one hahah

(Photo taken from www.tonsaibaykrabi.com)

Price list. It's air-conditioned too!

Tourists and bags filled the bus

Saw this thing on around in the bus. What's the function of it?

The journey took about 45mins, which was spent looking out the window, daydreaming and taking photos.

We were the last few to get off

For two nights, we stayed at Lanna Beach Guesthouse, booked on Agoda.com for about RM105 per night. This is a good place to stay, but there's only the staircase. Just a heads up in case you have many bags to carry.

There's definitely much cheaper or much expensive places to stay, but I don't like dorms or backpackers' inns because I feel it's unsanitary and it can be dangerous...and I don't like shared bathrooms because then I'll have to bring my wet toiletries in and out, instead of drying it at the end of my stay and packing it straight into my bag.

The girl on the left of the photo(didn't get her name) was very helpful and friendly. She's always smiling, which puts us in a good mood :)

Before lunch, I took a quick shower because I know we're gonna take photos haha My shower time is in the afternoon cz that's when my hair would get all oily and disgusting. We wanted some authentic Thai food, so we looked for small shops or even shacks to get cheap and yummy food. Ended up in one that isn't that cheap and my Tom Yam tasted like Malaysian Tom Yam.

Not that it's bad, but I heard that the authentic Thai Tom Yam tastes a lot different than the ones made in Malaysia. I think it's supposed to be much sour or spicier.. but nope, tasted like what my mom would make at home haha

My watermelon ice blended for about 45baht(RM4.50), Char's Coconut Shake was good

The sauce in the blue bottle was kinda yucky. Pretty sure there was green chili in it cz it was so spicy.

Char's Pad Thai, pretty good. I don't think I can eat that all by myself though..I don't like noodles, so I get full and muak fast

My Tom Yam Kung, 120baht(RM12). Didn't have much ingredients and like I said, tasted like Malaysian tom yam.

After lunch, we took a walk along the stretch of shops before heading to Krabi Town for their weekend night market. I've read blogs saying they had banana pancake with Nutella spread and it's really good. I really wanted to try it out and we found a stall! 

As I was about to place my order, I was this close to speaking in Malay! For a moment, I forgot I was in Thailand because the lady at the stall looked Malay- dark skinned and wearing tudung. I laughed at myself and went to tell Char about it. Coincidentally, the 2 men beside me were Malaysians too! And the one in maroon laughed and said "Terlupa kat Krabi, eyh?" (Forgot you're in Krabi, eh?) lolol

Banana + Nutella for 50baht(RM5)

Actually, it's just like Roti Pisang topped with Nutella hahaha Nothing special, but my gosh, so yummy! We bought Banana + Peanut Butter the following day and my gosh, SO YUMMY! I should get them to spread half Nutella and half peanut butter haha Best of both worlds :D

"Mm! This is good, so good"

"Eat more"

Shops!

I planned to buy a set of bikini there, but $$$$$. I shouldn't have scoped this as a super budget trip, my bad. Joe was coming to Malaysia and I'll have to have money to spend while he's here, right? Anyway, I don't need another set for now cz I rarely wear the one I have, so I wasn't that sad.

My plan was spend on only one activity- kayaking. Reasons are..I've never kayaked and I want to!!! Also, I wasn't interested in island hopping because to me, all beaches and islands are mostly the same. Yes, I don't know how to appreciate nature, but it's my preference, right? I mean, I don't mind going to the beach cz it's niceeee, but it's more of a kos lepas(opportunity cost) for me lah.

However, my island lover friend got super excited about going to Koh Hong and I felt bad if I were to let her go alone or not go at all. After all, we've come all the way, right?

Based on research, the price for island hopping is usually RM160(normal-peak season) and RM40 -RM60(non-peak season, which is middle of the year)..but the lady offered us 1400baht(RM140) for 2 people. Sounds okay to me though I was still very reluctant because I knew deep down if I went for this, I'm not going to kayak this trip *sigh*

I was torn between not going and let her be mad at me, or just go for it. I think she knew I was 50/50 so she offered to belanja me as my 21st birthday present haha I felt really bad, but you should've seen that glimmer of hope shining in her eyes LOL So we bought the tickets. Just so you know, most if not all activities provide free pick-up and drop-off at your hotel.

I thought the word 'Apotek' sounds funny lol

It was about 5pm by then, so it was time to stop a white songthaew to get to Krabi Town Night Market, which is only on Friday-Sunday. To get to Krabi Town the cheap way, we had to look for a white songthaew which would cost 60baht(RM6) one way.

(Note: Different coloured songthaews goes to different places)

There are taxis too, but that's only cost-efficient if you chart one with a group of friends because it costs about 600baht(RM60) one way. Actually, cheapest is still the songthaew la. The taxi isn't big enough for 10 people anyway.

This is a white songthaew (Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons)

Looking out for a white songthaew outside our guesthouse

We managed to stop one and hopped on! As time goes by, more people came on to join us on our journey to Krabi Town! It takes about half an hour to reach the town. So enjoy the breeze, you! 

We both got the same bags cz this one looked the best haha. One of my worst buy though it's really nice cz it costs 350baht(RM35) for one after bargaining. Don't get conned! It can be as low as 280baht or maybe even 250baht.

The songthaew dropped us off a few steps away from the night market and told us to wait at the 7-Eleven(which was parallel to where he dropped us, not across the road) if we wanted to take a songthaew back to Ao Nang.

Krabi Town night market is just like any pasar malam, except they sell Thai food haha and there's traditional Thai dance performance at the entrance. Photos are all from Char's camera because the colour from my phone's camera wasn't good that night. No photos of the girls dancing cz I was a bit creeped out by it lolol Somehow Thai traditional dance is creepy to me probably because of the Thai horror movies I used to watch hahaha

I don't know what made us jump at the opportunity to have a caricature of us for 80baht(RM8) each LOL What a waste of money la..it didn't even look like us LOL A tourist couple stood behind the artist and looked at the drawing then at us, while smiling. So I thought, "Hmm..not bad. Must look like us!" Then they queued to be drawn next. Must be good, right? NO! Look below:

We actually look alike in his drawing =.=" The only differences are the brows(which is accepable la) and hairstyle LOL We weren't even wearing spaghetti-strap dress and my chin isn't that long la, come on. Char has cleavage in his drawing though! hahahaha

Walked around to buy things and foooooood! I saw a white base cherry skirt that was sooo pretty, but they sold it one set with an ugly top for like RM40. I wanted only the skirt, but cannot. So I didn't get it :( Char got herself a black Topshop jumpsuit that's really nice, but a bit big on the sides(which can be easily be fixed by a tailor) for like RM55. I also bought Michelle a jeans shortall?..for freaking 200baht(RM20)!

85baht(RM8.50) stepping cloth. Almost got a strawberry one for my room haha

I saw some people walking around with a bamboo in their hands and they were drinking from it. I got curious and started looking out for a stall that sells it and we found it! Those bamboos are filled with an alcoholic beverage of your choice! The guy will mix it up for you on the spot. Pretty coooool.

60baht(RM6) per drink

We shared a Mai Tai ^_^ I'm not a fan of alcoholic drinks, but I don't mind trying different ones once in a while. The Mai Tai tasted fine while it's still cold, but when the ice is gone...yuck! I could taste the bitter alcohol :/

These are chocolates, which I initially thought was soap. Gives me the impression that it'd taste like really cheap and disgusting chocolates lol

Grilled squid with Thai chili gravy

I loooove finger food and when I saw grilled squids, I had to try it! It costs 10baht(RM1) per stick. The seller asked if I wanted some chili sauce. While it looked scarily spicy(the pot was filled with green chili gravy), I had to try it la. Took the first piece into my mouth and I was happy for a second before I started tearing up because it felt like my tongue was on fire!

I hurriedly went back to a fruit juice stall we passed and got myself iced coconut water for 20baht(RM2). The seller was an old Thai lady who spoke English well. She laughed and asked what I ate, seeing I was tearing and sticking out my tongue like a dog LOL I said squid with chili and she just knew what I got myself into haha

It was good nevertheless. Super damn spicy, but good. Yummmmz!

We shared a plate of clams, 20baht(RM2)

While the clams cooked in some sauce tasted not bad, it had sand in some of them. Hate when I bite tiny stones.

That's me buying my Minnie Mouse top for 230baht(RM23)

We bought souvenirs for friends and families there cz it's rather cheap. I got some notebooks for friends and a small drawstring bag with the songthaew printed on it for my roomie.

We decided to go back to Ao Nang at about 9.30pm, so we went to the 7-Eleven place and was hurried onto the white songthaew. As there was no more space left, one of us had to sit in front with the driver and another had to sit on the place where you step on to get onto the vehicle. I was like O.o "Nonono, let's just wait for the next one", but they said it was the last one of the night! What! Didn't he say the last one was at 10pm?

A picture in case you don't get the idea (Photo taken from www.chaipeggy.blogspot.com)

I let Char take all our plastic bags and sit in front, while I braved myself and sat facing the road. No doubt I was dead scared(though I may have only showed it a little), imagining the driver sudden breaks and I roll onto the road :/ I don't wanna die in Thailand. I was praying in tongues like mad and told God I'm so close to meeting Joe, don't let me die lmaooo God must've been laughing his butt off at me lolol

The two tourists on either of my side sorta 'blocked' me from falling with their knees, seeing I was a bit terrified haha I'm grateful of their thoughtfulness.

my view

I got used to it 5 mins in. While I didn't appreciate smelling and having smokes from the vehicles' exhausts, it felt nice looking at the surroundings with the wind(and smoke =.=") against my face. Certain roads with less vehicles was particularly nicer because it was quiet and peaceful, and I didn't have to worry about getting rolled over if I were to fall off the songthaew LOL There were no stars in the sky though, I looked :/

As soon as we got back, I took a shower to get rid of all the pollutants :/ Did some accounting to count how much I'm left with, which was not much and it's only the first day! Sent photos to my sisters, Joe and Captain Kornsak(from LIMA!!), before ending the night with some sticky mango rice we tapau-ed.

30baht(RM3). The mango was sour, I don't like.

That's the end for our first day in Krabi, Thailand!

I was procrastinating this trip's entry because I had Joe's Malaysia trip and my 21st birthday to blog about, but a primary school friend of mine contacted me and asked for information since he was planning a trip with his friends. Hence, I figured I should just blog about it, so I won't have to repeat myself and it's more detailed here. Friend, you owe me haha

Feel free to ask me anything about this trip by dropping a comment below this post. I did some research and I keep a record of prices, so I can kinda assist you la :)