The Island Explorer

One of the last tourist islands of Thailand that I have not stepped foot on is Koh Lanta. If you have been following me, you know that I have been to most of Thailand's pop islands, from Koh Chang to Koh Phi Phi, which still remains my favorite Thai island. I have been there 4 times already and every visit still revs up my spirit.

From Singapore, we were thirsty for more beach. I still wanted luxury, but didn't want to spend so much, given that Shangri-La already set me back a lot. So, the most obvious choice is Phuket, since it is relatively nearer than Bali (thus cheaper airfares). I searched extensively for a great resort, but with an affordable price. Low and behold, I never thought I would end up in a Marriot property in the quieter and more luxurious northern part of Phuket. Welcome to the Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa.

I'm quite shocked that Dean & Deluca, a stellar New York based cafe, chose Bangkok as their first Asian location. I mean, Manila would be perfect, given how much coffee and cafe addicts we are. I would imagine D&D in the Fort, with an all white modern facade, laying their commitment to be purveyors of fine food. 

Let's get our of the country for a while, and visit one of the most desired Asian destinations. It is the largest island in Thailand, and an hour's plane ride south of Bangkok. Despite its reputation for being the most tourist infested beach capital of Asia, it still remains to be one elusive destination. Join me as we touch down in Phuket.

Phi Phi is the ultimate destination for me in Thailand. After months of patiently waiting, I find myself here, in this heavenly place, where limestone rocks tower above the glistening aqua sea. The water was serene, as we head into Phi Phi Le from Koh Mai Pai. Phi Phi Le looks very much like El Nido in Palawan, and more breathtaking than Coron in Palawan as well, and Caramoan in Cam Sur. I haven't been to Halong Bay, so this surely becomes the most awe inspiring limestone landscape I have seen. We were supposed to snorkel, but our tour guide tells us that time was running out and that we had to make it to Maya Bay soon. So, we made our way through the rocks, and found ourselves entering the bay made popular by the one of my cult movies, "The Beach". As soon as I saw the familiar opening into the bay, I played Porcelain on my iPod. I was truly in heaven. Though the scene was utterly disturbed by hundreds of other tourists and speedboats, I tuned out to the song and imagine...

The next day was the day that I was waiting for. It was the trip that I had been wanting to do since I set foot on Thailand the first time in 2004. Now, I am very near. But before that, a beautiful stop over in one of my favorite islands in the world, Koh Mai Pai. Koh Mai Pai is also called Bamboo Beach. Located in the Andaman Sea, the island is small enough to be encircled in 15 minutes. It's perfect for a stopover, and since there are picnic tables and small huts, most tour operators use this again for a lunch time venue. Koh Mai Pai has great powder white sand - very soft and fine indeed. Pine trees line up the wide shoreline, and creates a pleasant and cool atmosphere. When we were here, the waves were crashing playfully on the shore, so it made swimming very irresistible. Koh Mai Pai was just a stop over that set my expectations of the BEACH even higher. If all of the islands of the Andaman Sea were like this, then this part of the world is heaven for me.

We woke up the next day with a blessing. It was bright and sunny. The receptionist at our resort told us it was the first time in days. Good thing we booked a tour the night before to 4 Islands around Krabi - better known as the 4-Islands Tour. What's good about Thailand is that their tourism facilities are actually cheap and organized. Here in Krabi, there are several tour operators, thus, prices can be competitive. We booked our tour for THB 800 or around P1,200 for a day, to visit 4 islands, with lunch at the last island. And we would be traveling via speedboat. Our first destination was actually a beach at the next cove to Ao Nang - a popular backpacker's place as well, Railey Beach. The place is known for its limestone rocks and caves, which is actually seen in most of Krabi. Here one can do rock climbing, which is the most popular activity. I wasn't able to go rock climbing because I was on a tour, so we just explored the beach, and its caves. There are some rocks off...

Thailand has really got it right. It is Amazing indeed. And I envy how robust and profitable their local tourism industry is. Thailand does give you everything, from gorgeous beaches and islands to mesmerizing mountains, to rich culture, sizzling nightlife and irresistible shopping. Add on to the warmth and friendliness of their good natured people, Thailand is indeed a gem in South East Asia that everyone should visit. I seem a bit off promoting Thailand rather than the Philippines, but I just can't stop praising them in the hopes that we would eventually be like them, even better. This blog entry is about Krabi, a province in Southern Thailand, more known for its limestone cliffs and islands that boast of white sand beaches, without the hustle and bustle of Phuket. We arrive in Krabi after an hour's flight from Bangkok. Ao Nang is our first destination. It is an idyllic beach town that was very clean and is a main jump off point to the islands. Ao Nang town has a lot of resta...

I love islands, so even though I am an avid promoter of Philippine beaches, I still manage to land in a lot of islands in Asia. Having been to a lot of beach destinations around the region just lets me compare the ones we have here and theirs. The latest destination was Koh Chang, a side trip weekend during a business trip to Thailand. It has been almost 6 months since I last visited Thailand, and being there almost every month before, I told myself I should visit a beach while there. I was choosing between Samui and Koh Chang. I ended up with the latter, given my limited budget. Going to Koh Chang can be done conveniently by bus. The journey on a first class bus from Bangkok Ekemai Station is 5 hours, with a stop for around 15 minutes. The ride was so comfortable and the government bus I took even served snacks (think airplane). I dozed off for most of the trip so the next thing I knew, I was in Trang, the province where the Koh Chang Marine National Park is situated. A 45-minute ferr...

This is my first post of an island outside the Philippines. Of course, it has to be in Thailand. Actually, this was my first beach experience outside the country, and so, I made sure it would be nice. We initially planned to go to Pattaya from Bangkok, but it was a good thing I discovered this island off the coast of Rayong just an hour away from Pattaya. This makes the entire journey from Bangkok around 3 hours. We boarded a bus that went straight to the Ban Phe pier in Rayong. These buses can be found at the Ekamai Bus Station (Ekamai BTS stop). Just ask where the bus to Koh Samet can be found. Most of the buses leave in the morning so make sure you arrive early. Being close to Bangkok, Koh Samet is popular among the Thais, and the island is packed during weekends. We came on a weekday, so the crowd was mostly foreign, like any other place in Thailand for that matter. We arrived at night already, since unfortunately our bus stopped at all places along the way, making the journey last...