Vacation Snippets: Krabi, Part III

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asia, boat, cliff, climbing, day, Deep, do, east, holiday, Hot, jump, krabi, photos, Railay, rock, sail, snippets, solo, south, thailand, things, to, Travel, trip, vacation, wanderlust, water

our last full day in Krabi, we took a day trip out to sea with Hot Rock Climbing School to try some deep water solo – which is essentially free solo climbing where your exit is essentially into the deep water below you. We went out on a sailboat in the morning and our guide took us out to two different sites. The climbing was good and really fun; the cliff jumping was… well, terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, but mostly terrifying. I was stranded about 10m above the water for 20 minutes contemplating the jump, which was my mistake because the longer you spend thinking about it, the less you want to jump (I did, eventually). Steve and the other guys out with us were rock stars, jumping from highs of 15-20m. It was definitely an experience we’re both happy we had and we’re kind of hoping for some deep water soloing in the Bruce Peninsula when we head back to Canada in August.

We ended the trip with a short snorkel off Chicken Island, then a slow sail back to Railay, high off the adrenaline and saltwater, basking in the sun – kind of the perfect way to end an amazing day. If you’re ever in Krabi, we’d definitely recommend trying this, you won’t regret it.

Overall, Krabi was a dream – if you’re into climbing, the sea, breathtaking views and adventure as much as we are, you’ll fall in love quick. We can’t wait to go back already.

For more on our vacation in Krabi, see Part I or Part II.

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Vacation Snippets: Krabi, Part II

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asia, boat, day, do, east, holiday, kayak, krabi, photos, Railay, snippets, snorkel, south, thailand, things, to, Travel, trips, underwater, vacation, wanderlust

On our third day in Krabi, we enjoyed a somewhat leisurely morning, followed by a late morning kayak trip. We rented a kayak off a shop on West Railay and paddled around the caves and islands in the vicinity of Railay. Kayaking in a cave is quite the thrill, given the tight corners,narrow passages and the often low ceilings (our heads were just about brushing the ceiling when the tide rose). The sun was out full time, so we pulled our kayak up on the tiniest patch of sand on one of islets for a little bit of shaded break. Also, hilarious fact: a pretty good test of any relationship, get yourselves out on a double kayak in open water – thankfully, over the years, we’ve perfected the double kayak and curbing the “you’re not steering this thing properly!” or “are you having a break again?!” remarks. Plus, it’s hard to get annoyed when you’re surrounded by the beauty that is Krabi.

After 1.5 hours of kayaking, we were wiped and really needed an afternoon nap. But since we were booked on a 3pm sunset trip, we got it together and took off on a boat for some snorkeling and sunset adventures. The snorkeling wasn’t the best we’ve done – for that, I’d go back to Perhentian or Koh Samui (or word is, the snorkeling off Koh Lanta is pretty darn spectacular) but given it was rainy season and the visibility wasn’t that great, we still saw plenty of fishes (even big parrot fish in the reefs). A note: since it is wet season, there will be more jellyfish in the water, most of them won’t do too much damage and you can spot the big ones easily in the water so just steer clear of them. To cap off the night, we got to see phosphorescent plankton in the water after sunset – they light up with movement in the dark. If you jump into the water, your limbs kind of “glow” as you swim. Overall, we had a good time but if you’re short on time in Krabi, I’d say go deep water soloing (most of the trips have a little snorkeling in them too) instead.

For more on Krabi, see part I. Tomorrow, deep water solo!

Vacation Snippets: Krabi, Part I

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asia, east, holiday, krabi, photography, snippets, south, thailand, Travel, vacation, wanderlust

Here are some snippets from our recent trip to Krabi, Thailand. To sum it all up, we’re utterly smitten with this paradise and can’t wait to go back for more adventures.

We stayed on Railay, an ‘island’ peninsula of sorts – the only way out there is by boat since land entry is blocked by towering limestone cliffs, making it a little more secluded than other areas in Krabi (say Ao Nang). We also went during low season (may – october) so prices were cheap and it was much less crowded than peak season – which was pretty ideal for us, I don’t we would have had it any other way. Given that it was rainy season, we were a little worried about the weather… but it turns out we only ever experienced passing showers (and once, a passing thunderstorm!) and it was kind of nice that parts of the day were sometimes cool instead of blisteringly hot. So maybe it was our luck that the weather turned out great, though a local did tell us that the rain usually came in the nights (also, most of the boatmen have the most uncanny ability to tell how long a storm will last!).

The first two days we just kind of chilled out, walking around the peninsula (it’ll take you about 3 minutes to walk from east Railay to west Railay and less than 5 minutes to walk to Pranang), getting our day trips sorted, hanging out in the late afternoons at our favourite spot on Pranang Beach (known as the best beach on Railay), where we would switch between bouldering or swimming in the saltwater and watching the sunset. We also did some rock climbing at Diamond Rock – our guide was the fastest climber we’ve ever met, he’s won a whole host of speed climbing competitions and is also hilarious to boot.

For more on Krabi, see Part II and Part III.

Luang Prabang, Laos.

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asia, east, kuang si, laos, luang, photography, prabang, south, Travel, wanderlust, waterfall

{1. Kara McDonell, National Geographic| 2. coolhandluke| 3. Carol Wiley, Lonely Planet| 4. Kees Straver| 5. Py All}

I’ve heard that there is a certain captivating quality about Luang Prabang, Laos – that sometimes people really stay longer than they intend, that it is hard to leave. We would love to visit just to see what it’s all about. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is the presence of French influence throughout the city – in the cafes, the food and in architecture. We would love to spend relaxed days in town, take in the views at the top of Mt Phu Si, swim in the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls and soak in the local culture. Sounds perfectly lovely.

Have a case of the wanderlust? Check out Lombok and Vietnam too.

Lombok

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asia, east, gili, indonesia, islands, lombok, south, tourism, Travel, wanderlust

To celebrate my first day off work, I am indulging my wanderlust. First up, Lombok -in Indonesian island with pristine, stretching coastlines, clear turquoise waters and even its own active volcano. Think the quieter, less touristy Bali. Think snorkeling in the crystal waters (it’s right next to the Gili Islands) and camping on the rim of the crater. Think it’s pretty darn fantastic.

{Images: 1. Yew Pin Chuah, National Geographic| 2. Impressive magazine| 3. trullyreds}