We arrived in Thailand four-ish weeks ago, which (writing this now with the power of hindsight) has been our favourite country, by far. We made it to Krabi Town in Thailand’s south determined to do one extremely important thing first: go to 7/11. Thailand’s 7/11s are notoriously incredible. They have an unlimited array of snacks, drinks, toiletries, medicine, toasties, and their infamous chocolate lava cakes. Before anything (except checking into Lada Krabi Express which was lovely despite the few flights of stairs), we were both 500 calories deep into the chocolate lava cakes. I have been to a few Michelin Star restaurants but this lava cake takes the–well, you know. After our confectionary diversion, we actually committed to the cultural things: food, people, history! We walked around Krabi Town getting our bearings, and stopped into Crazy Cutz for Pat’s long overdue haircut. Krabi Town itself is generally quieter than Krabi’s main strip at Ao Nang, which is where most tourists stay and is also a bit too pricey for us. In the end, Krabi Town was a perfect fit for a quieter, more authentic stay.

One thing’s for sure: we could not wait to try the local Thai food. Luckily, only a two-minute walk from our accommodation, was Krabi Town Night Market, housing hundreds of stalls of delicious food: local dishes, fruit and veg, fruit shakes, and desserts. For dinner, we tried chicken pad thai, massaman curry, and mango sticky rice, washed down with strawberry and mango fruit shakes, respectively. I can’t explain how delicious the food is in Thailand. You just have to try it for yourself. We headed back to the hotel to plan our itinerary for the next few days, and enjoyed a much-needed sleep after what felt like going around the world to get to Thailand.

Day 1: Island Hopping!

Our bodies were starting to get cranky from not moving much lately, so we hit Krabi Town’s local gym for a quick weight session before setting off for some island hopping. We were picked up from our hotel by Barracudas Tour and dropped off at Ao Nang Beach to meet our group for a longtail boat ride around the nearby islands. We were off to a very slow start… All 20 of us had to climb a short, unsecured, slippery metal ladder to board the boat, only to disembark minutes later to switch boats because the engine didn’t work (surprise). After about one hour of fluffing around, we were off and away. On our way, we met Noah, our friend from Switzerland, who was travelling through Thailand, just like us. We spent the day chatting, snorkelling, and getting absolutely drenched (and do not take this lightly) by the spray from the longtail boat–but it was all part of the fun. 

Given we were behind schedule, we were pretty rushed getting through the stops on the itinerary. Our first destination was Phra Nang Cave Beach, located in Railay Beach—a stunning spot with towering limestone cliffs and emerald green water. We had about thirty minutes to swim and soak in the beauty before dashing back to the boat for another round of “who will cop the most water?” Spoiler alert: it was me. Every time. Next, we cruised to Ko Kai (aka Chicken Island), named after the rock formation that resembles a chicken’s head. At low tide, a sandbar connects Chicken Island to Koh Tup (Tub Island), so we basically ticked off two stops in one and had around an hour to explore. Pat briefly swam while I read Harry Potter (because I am re-reading the series before I get to Harry Potter World in the UK). Lastly, we arrived at Koh Poda, our favourite of all the islands–big enough for large trees and lush greenery, and small enough to feel like a mini paradise. We enjoyed a delicious local Thai lunch here: green curry, massaman curry, fried chicken, and rice. We spent the hour chatting to Noah and learning the ways of each other’s home countries, before heading back to Ao Nang and then Krabi Town. 

All in all, the tour was ok. It was a nice way to see the surrounding islands in Thailand’s south, but it was super touristy (even though I know we are tourists), pretty uncomfortable, and very rushed. We would recommend paying the extra money for a speed boat, but we couldn’t quite afford it this time. We’ve decided that, based on our experiences, the Philippines have the most incredible island hopping tours. Although, this one was nice enough. 

Later that night, we ventured to Krabi Walking Street (or Thanon Khon Dern, in Thai) located in the heart of Krabi Town. We were lucky because Walking Street only opens on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays–and it was absolutely buzzing. The street was packed with food and drink stalls, fresh produce, pop-up bars, live music, local artwork, handmade crafts, and even recycled clothing. It had such a fun, lively vibe, and was the perfect way to wrap up a long day. We loved it so much, we had to go back before leaving Krabi.

Day 2: Railay Beach (properly)

We wanted to go back to Railay Beach to properly explore the surroundings, because the brief stop the day before just didn’t quite cut it. Railay is only accessible by boat, so after the gym, we grabbed a Grab to the pier to get another longtail boat (this time, we didn’t have a choice). It was only a 30-minute boat ride, so it was bearable. We walked around the peninsula and took our time store-hopping, swimming, relaxing, and exploring. We paid an expensive entry fee to Phra Nang Nai (Diamond Cave), and explored its small interior, observing the tiny bats living on the ceiling. We strolled through the very small but bustling town in Railay and stopped for a couple of cocktails before catching the boat back to the pier. I made an error here, because I thought we were getting off at Ao Nang Pier to meet Noah for dinner, but it was not… We were stranded in the middle of nowhere (meaning like 15 minutes between Krabi Town and Ao Nang), so we tried to get a motorbike to drop us in Ao Nang, but there was only one available. So, I got on the motorbike and Pat got on the local bus. True chivalry… and an adventure, perhaps. 

We finally met Noah for a delicious but mild Thai feed in Ao Nang, because a lot of food is Westernised for our taste buds. It gave us time to explore this lively and chaotic part of Krabi, filled with restaurants, bars, massage parlours (not just the remedial kind), and weed shops. For those who don’t know, marajuana is widely sold recreationally due to the grey area surrounding its decriminalised status in Thailand. So, you get used to seeing a weed symbol in every second shopfront… Anyway, after getting caught in the rain at the night markets, we headed “home” after a busy day of exploring. It was so nice to catch up and share dinner with Noah one last time.

Day 3: Our Final Hot Springs

On our final day in Krabi, we took another tour to Namtok Ron Khlong Thom (hot spring waterfall), Sa Morakot (Emerald Pool) and Blue Lagoon. We didn’t enjoy this tour much. We’ve decided that we’ve done enough hot springs on this trip to last us until we have a desire to go to one, again. I don’t know… I just find them gross. They’re so HOT, filled with so many people (which also means bodily fluids), and it’s fresh water… So, there can’t be much hygiene going on. Also, going to a hot spring in 35-degree weather is stupid. While it’s lovely to see, it’s just not our thing. Emerald Pool was also disappointing. Pat took a dip with 50 other people, and then we were off to have lunch. Despite this, the Blue Lagoon was very nice. It’s non-swimmable because of its high temperatures and base being composed of quicksand. 

In contrast to the dinner the night before, our lunch was so. fricken. spicy. We shared a yellow curry with tears in our eyes, and then sweated in the van on our way home. We were glad to return to our hotel.

Later that night, we returned to Krabi Walking Street. We were determined to try as much local food as possible, for as cheap as possible. We started with spicy chicken skewers, and then tried a minced pork steamed bun and red bean steamed bun, a crab wonton and a minced chicken wonton, fresh strawberry smoothie and mango smoothie, banana roti (yum), fried chicken gyoza, chicken pad thai, Tako (traditional Thai coconut pudding dessert), and marshmallow brownie! Everything was delicious and all less than $20 AUD, so we made a TikTok about it. We went to bed in a food coma ready to leave Krabi the next morning.

Off to Phuket We Go

Before boarding the hottest and most crammed van we have ever been in, we went on a run around Krabi Town river, stopped at 7/11 for a protein shake, and then headed off. We arrived in Patong, Phuket mid-afternoon, which was a BIG change from Krabi. Patong is a beachfront town in the south-west of Thailand, facing the Andaman Sea. While we were bracing for some intense scenes, we could never have prepared for the chaos of Patong. It’s known for its noisy and jarring nightlife full of cocktail bars, nightclubs, massage parlours, ping pong shows (search at your own discretion), markets, and food stalls which predominantly line the famous Bangla Road. Once we settled into our accommodation (which was up five flights of stairs this time), we avoided the endless flyer handouts of Muay Thai fights and settled on Patong Beach to watch the sunset. We also had front row seats to Patong Beach paragliding. It was a beautiful and relaxing introduction to Patong, followed by a cheap dinner, people-watching at a bar on Bangla Road, another trip to 7/11 for dessert, and then sleeping.

Day 1: Old Town 

We really wanted to visit Phuket Old Town to explore its Sino-Portuguese architecture, colourful shop fronts, artisanal gelato, cafe culture, fabrics, clothing, and rich history. So, we did. We slept-in for no reason other than being lazy, and arrived in the beautiful town at lunch time. We enjoyed a delicious meal at the Michelin One Chun Cafe & Restaurant where we ordered the famous slow-cooked pork belly in a yummy gravy pepper sauce and crab yellow curry with rice. It was incredible. Afterwards, we strolled the picturesque Soi Romanee, the most photographed street in Phuket due to its abundant colour. We stopped at Torry’s for some gelato, some markets for some browsing, and then visited the museum in Promthep Clock Tower, which was free to enter (bonus). As you climb the tower, it tells the story of Phuket island prior to tourism. Interestingly, Phuket was a significant trade and tin mining hub until tourism became the dominant industry. Opposite to the Clock Tower is the old Standard Chartered Bank, which is also a museum, but we didn’t make it in there.

We intended to detour to the Big Buddha for sunset (literally a giant seated Maravija Buddha statue atop Nakkerd Hill in Phuket), but the site has been closed indefinitely for quite some time, so our plans were interrupted. Instead, we finished walking the Old Town streets and headed back to the chaotic Patong for dinner. We ventured away from Bangla Road to Malin Markets and selected chicken yellow noodles and pad thai for dinner… It was average. 

Day 2: Beach Day

We hadn’t seen any Phuket beaches, yet (except for Patong), so we wanted to have a relaxing beach day. But first, gym! We’re loving the $1 daily entry into Southeast Asian gyms. After a pit stop for breakfast at a local Thai cafe, we caught Phuket’s local bus to Kamala Beach. We didn’t really know which beach to visit, as there are far too many to choose from! Once we arrived, we were happy with our selection. Kamala Beach has beautiful scenery, calm waters, and is generally quieter. We grabbed two beach beds under shady umbrellas and spent the day relaxing, reading, swimming, and watching the jet skis and paragliding. It was so nice, I actually went in the water! 

After catching the same bus back to Patong, we showered and enjoyed Turkish cuisine for dinner for a change. While Thai food is incredible, sometimes you have to mix it up (especially after being in Asia for three months)! We stopped by 7/11 to grab some snacks for our bus ride to Khao Sok the next day. It makes everything easier.

Overall

We loved Krabi, and will definitely return. We crammed a lot into three days, but there’s always more to see. It is so rich in culture and has a great mix of activities and sights for everyone to enjoy. For us, the highlight was definitely the food and boat trip to Railay Beach.

Phuket, however, was not our favourite place. I think we made a mistake by choosing to stay in Patong. It would be a great destination for a group holiday with friends or family, or when you can afford a resort! It probably wasn’t suitable for us. In saying that, if we stayed on a beachfront, or nearby the Old Town, it would be lovely. We also didn’t get to see the Big Buddha, or go to any of the water parks! So, maybe we will have to go back after all.

Stay tuned for our Khao Sok blog… It’s different, again!