Hi All!
Here are the pictures for Koh Phi Phi... enjoy! The last post we will be making is about our final stop in Malaysia. Thomas will be posting that information soon, so stayed tuned!
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Saturday, February 26, 2011
Camping on Maya Bay: I love Phi Phi Leh!
While Thomas and I were staying on the island of Phuket, we accidentally didn’t book a hostel or guesthouse for one particular evening. We had no where to stay and it was currently Thailand’s high tourist season. A friend we met at our hostel suggested that we hop a boat to Koh Phi Phi (another island near by) and sign up for this camping trip she had recently gone on. On a whim we decided to go for it and we bought a ferry ticket the night before were left.
Our ferry took off early the next morning and we got into Koh Phi Phi around 10am. Koh Phi Phi consists of two islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Phi Phi Don, although beautiful, has been somewhat spoiled by tourism. It was really busy and the beaches weren’t super clean. But the islands unique beauty was definitely apparent. The other island, Phi Phi Leh, was declared a national park and tourists are only allowed to go on day trips to visit. Except, that is, if you are willing to camp out on the beach for a night.
Our friend had given us directions to a restaurant named lemongrass where we could sign up for the camping trip on Phi Phi Leh. We signed up that morning and our tour left later that afternoon around 4pm. There was a total of 11 tourists on this trip (including ourselves) and a handful of colorful, young locals who where our trip leaders. The guys who run this camping tour were hilarious. They had really bizarre nicknames like Chocolate and Nemo and were always joking with us. We hopped onto this big boat and headed over to Phi Phi Leh where we did some snorkeling directly off the boat in some bay areas. It was a bit scary considering there were sharks around the island!
Then we headed to the main bay area on the island where we were going to be camping out. This is the same beach where the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, was filmed. It was utterly stunning and almost entirely unspoiled by human hands. Right as we arrived all of the other tourists were packing up and leaving the island. Our tour guides were encouraging us to kick everyone off the beach because it was now “our beach.” Within 45 minutes the beach was entirely emptied of tourists besides us! The bay we were camping at was called Maya Bay and is encircled by these huge, looming karsts that are vertical cliffs on either side. The bay itself is super calm and crystal clear. It was like heaven on earth.
Eventually it started to get dark and Chocolate and Nemo set out mats for us to sit on and lit citronella candles made out of beers cans. They opened up a special bar just for us in one of the bungalows and cooked us a traditional Thai meal. It was delicious! The guys then put on a spinning fire show for us (which Thomas got some great pictures of) and we had a late night grill out with some BBQ chicken. After that one of the guys broke out his guitar and put on a little concert. Before we knew it, it was 2am! We then grabbed a mat and a sleeping bag and headed out to the beach to sleep. The stars were utterly amazing. In Nanjing we are lucky if we get to see even 3 stars in one evening due to the pollution. But on Phi Phi Leh not one star was hidden behind anything but the karsts. It was amazing.
The next morning we woke up early and had breakfast together as a group, took some group photos, and headed back to Phi Phi Don. We said goodbye to our new friends and got some contact information as well. We were sad to leave “our” island but we will never forget the experience we had camping out on Phi Phi Leh. People often say the closer you get to pure, unspoiled nature the more likely you are to see God. I believe we certainly saw a piece of God on this island and he definitely made an impression.
Our ferry took off early the next morning and we got into Koh Phi Phi around 10am. Koh Phi Phi consists of two islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Phi Phi Don, although beautiful, has been somewhat spoiled by tourism. It was really busy and the beaches weren’t super clean. But the islands unique beauty was definitely apparent. The other island, Phi Phi Leh, was declared a national park and tourists are only allowed to go on day trips to visit. Except, that is, if you are willing to camp out on the beach for a night.
Our friend had given us directions to a restaurant named lemongrass where we could sign up for the camping trip on Phi Phi Leh. We signed up that morning and our tour left later that afternoon around 4pm. There was a total of 11 tourists on this trip (including ourselves) and a handful of colorful, young locals who where our trip leaders. The guys who run this camping tour were hilarious. They had really bizarre nicknames like Chocolate and Nemo and were always joking with us. We hopped onto this big boat and headed over to Phi Phi Leh where we did some snorkeling directly off the boat in some bay areas. It was a bit scary considering there were sharks around the island!
Then we headed to the main bay area on the island where we were going to be camping out. This is the same beach where the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, was filmed. It was utterly stunning and almost entirely unspoiled by human hands. Right as we arrived all of the other tourists were packing up and leaving the island. Our tour guides were encouraging us to kick everyone off the beach because it was now “our beach.” Within 45 minutes the beach was entirely emptied of tourists besides us! The bay we were camping at was called Maya Bay and is encircled by these huge, looming karsts that are vertical cliffs on either side. The bay itself is super calm and crystal clear. It was like heaven on earth.
Eventually it started to get dark and Chocolate and Nemo set out mats for us to sit on and lit citronella candles made out of beers cans. They opened up a special bar just for us in one of the bungalows and cooked us a traditional Thai meal. It was delicious! The guys then put on a spinning fire show for us (which Thomas got some great pictures of) and we had a late night grill out with some BBQ chicken. After that one of the guys broke out his guitar and put on a little concert. Before we knew it, it was 2am! We then grabbed a mat and a sleeping bag and headed out to the beach to sleep. The stars were utterly amazing. In Nanjing we are lucky if we get to see even 3 stars in one evening due to the pollution. But on Phi Phi Leh not one star was hidden behind anything but the karsts. It was amazing.
The next morning we woke up early and had breakfast together as a group, took some group photos, and headed back to Phi Phi Don. We said goodbye to our new friends and got some contact information as well. We were sad to leave “our” island but we will never forget the experience we had camping out on Phi Phi Leh. People often say the closer you get to pure, unspoiled nature the more likely you are to see God. I believe we certainly saw a piece of God on this island and he definitely made an impression.
Phuket Picttures
Hi Everyone,
Here are those Phuket pictures for you guys. Enjoy!
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=45f93f2937ebd974bcfd7207a7b1fe91&sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDng
Here are those Phuket pictures for you guys. Enjoy!
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=45f93f2937ebd974bcfd7207a7b1fe91&sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDng
Monday, February 21, 2011
Phuket Island, Thailand
After several tiring days of exploring the temples at Angkor Wat, Thomas and I were ready for some much needed beach time. We stopped into Bangkok for a night and then hopped a bus down to the Island of Phuket. I know what you are thinking, but it is pronounced with a silent h people! Think Puket, with no h! We made the same mistake…
Phuket is absolutely beautiful. The white sandy beaches are paired with rolling, rocky mountain sides that contain some breathtaking lookout points. Our first stop was at a little resort called Seaside Cottages. We stayed two nights in this tiny beach bungalow that looked right out at the sea with a HUGE mosquito net. It was adorable and entirely secluded. You had to walk down the beach 2 plus miles to find any kind of civilization. It was breathtaking and so relaxing. The beach was ours. We enjoyed traditional Thai food at the resorts restaurant and explored the almost empty beaches in the area. We loved it and wish we could have stayed longer.
Our next stop was in the Kata beach area which was pretty busy but not as busy as other beaches near by. We rented a motorbike several times and road long the coast to find quieter beaches and secluded areas. It was a tropical paradise. Most days we got up late and headed out to the beach until sundown. I mostly laid on the beach and read my book. Thomas discovered a new found love of snorkeling. He spent most of his beach time avoiding sharp rocks and hunting for fish. After dinner we would wander back to the beach to check out the stars. At night you could find guys selling paper lanterns that you could light and send up into the air. We saw as many as 20 in the air at once floating out and over the sea. It was so beautiful!
On our second to last day there we decided to take a 45km mountain biking tour along the west coast of Thailand. It was amazing. AND we got to ride super nice trek mountain bikes that we would only dream of owning one day. The bike tour took us out of Phuket and along the west coast of mainland Thailand. The nice thing about this tour is that they only allow a small group to go on every tour and it’s not touristy at all. There were six of us total, including our guide. We went through small towns and villages, and through a bunch of rubber plantations. We stopped midday for a traditional Thai lunch. Then we visited a turtle sanctuary and finished at a national park with a small hike out to a waterfall. It was a really beautiful ride and some much needed exercise after laying around on beaches for the past couple of days.
By the time we jumped on a bus to head to Malaysia, I was not ready to leave! It was definitely an awesome chapter to add onto our trip. Hopefully someday we will be able to go back!
Phuket is absolutely beautiful. The white sandy beaches are paired with rolling, rocky mountain sides that contain some breathtaking lookout points. Our first stop was at a little resort called Seaside Cottages. We stayed two nights in this tiny beach bungalow that looked right out at the sea with a HUGE mosquito net. It was adorable and entirely secluded. You had to walk down the beach 2 plus miles to find any kind of civilization. It was breathtaking and so relaxing. The beach was ours. We enjoyed traditional Thai food at the resorts restaurant and explored the almost empty beaches in the area. We loved it and wish we could have stayed longer.
Our next stop was in the Kata beach area which was pretty busy but not as busy as other beaches near by. We rented a motorbike several times and road long the coast to find quieter beaches and secluded areas. It was a tropical paradise. Most days we got up late and headed out to the beach until sundown. I mostly laid on the beach and read my book. Thomas discovered a new found love of snorkeling. He spent most of his beach time avoiding sharp rocks and hunting for fish. After dinner we would wander back to the beach to check out the stars. At night you could find guys selling paper lanterns that you could light and send up into the air. We saw as many as 20 in the air at once floating out and over the sea. It was so beautiful!
On our second to last day there we decided to take a 45km mountain biking tour along the west coast of Thailand. It was amazing. AND we got to ride super nice trek mountain bikes that we would only dream of owning one day. The bike tour took us out of Phuket and along the west coast of mainland Thailand. The nice thing about this tour is that they only allow a small group to go on every tour and it’s not touristy at all. There were six of us total, including our guide. We went through small towns and villages, and through a bunch of rubber plantations. We stopped midday for a traditional Thai lunch. Then we visited a turtle sanctuary and finished at a national park with a small hike out to a waterfall. It was a really beautiful ride and some much needed exercise after laying around on beaches for the past couple of days.
By the time we jumped on a bus to head to Malaysia, I was not ready to leave! It was definitely an awesome chapter to add onto our trip. Hopefully someday we will be able to go back!
Cambodia Pictures
Hey all,
Sorry for the delay in getting these posted. Here they finally are...
Angkor Wat (and surrounding temples)
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLC6A
Siem Reap, Cambodia
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDFg
Les Sens D' Angkor
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDUg
Silk Farm
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDNA
Butterfly Atrium
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDcA
Sorry for the delay in getting these posted. Here they finally are...
Angkor Wat (and surrounding temples)
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLC6A
Siem Reap, Cambodia
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDFg
Les Sens D' Angkor
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDUg
Silk Farm
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDNA
Butterfly Atrium
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLDcA
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Siem Reap, Cambodia
The border crossing into Cambodia was relatively smooth compared to some stories we had read. Fortunately for us we did our research and were aware of what to look out for (nothing dangerous, just scams in general).
We arrived at Rosy Guesthouse just before sunset. Despite being exhausted from a full day of travel from Bangkok we decided to meander around town for awhile. We eventually came across “Pub Street”, which had all varieties of restaurants with most dishes starting around $2.
The next day we did a short self guided walking tour of the city. Afterwards we hired a Tuk Tuk for the day. Our first stop was to a local Silk Farm. I think I speak for both of us when I say I didn’t realize how complicated the process was. Beginning with the type of leaves the caterpillars eat all the way to the weaving on the loom each step can alter the feel, color, and quality of the final piece.
After perusing the silk farm for a couple hours we hopped back into the Tuk Tuk and made a quick stop at Sentuers d’ Angkor, a small company that specializes in handmade soaps, spices, and candles from local ingredients. We then headed over to the entrance to Angkor Wat to get our three day passes. Going after 5PM got us into the park for a few hours at sunset before the pass went into effect.
The next morning we got up and biked to the temples. We arrived at about 4:45AM. We were the very first ones there and had the rare opportunity to see the deserted temple under the light of a full moon. We were just in time check out the inside of the temple and get the best spot of the picturesque and most popular photo point of Angkor Wat before hundreds of people swamped the area. It was awesome! For the better part of the next three days we alternated between biking and hiring Tuk Tuks to go between each ruin site. Each temple was amazing in regard to its own history but Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Tah Prom were particularly stunning. It’s difficult to describe in words how each looked. The best thing to do would be to look at the pictures and see for yourself.
The last day we stopped by a butterfly atrium, watched a documentary about the Khmer Rouge, and grabbed dinner. For dinner we had Cambodian style BBQ. It consisted of a cylindrical shaped dish on top of a plate of coals with soup, vegetables, and an assortment of croc, snake, and frog meat that you cooked over the coals. The next day we hitched a bus back to Bangkok for another adventure.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Eating Bugs and People Watching in Bangkok
Hello Everyone!
We made it back to China safe and sound… I never thought I would ever consider China a home away from home. Go figure! Now it’s time to get to work blogging about our adventures. Our first stop after Harbin was Bangkok, Thailand.
I fell in love with Bangkok the minute we drove into town. The city just buzzes with energy and color. We got in around 4am in the morning, tired but excited! Our hostel was located right off of Khaoson Rd which is the main backpacker’s street where you can find rows of places to shop, eat, and drink. The party was still raging on Khaosan Rd (as it usually does until breakfast starts) but we decided to head to bed and get some much needed sleep.
Our days in Bangkok followed a similar pattern most of the time. We would sleep in until 9-10, have a late brunch, go sight seeing, shopping, or get a traditional Thai massage, grab a late dinner, and finally spend the evening people watching around Khaosan Rd. Bangkok is WONDERFUL for people watching. The most interesting people go there! Most of the time Thomas and I would grab a beer from 7eleven and just sit on the curb for hours just watching people walk on by. You know, being creepy.
We got around town mostly by walking, water taxis (which were my favorite), and tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are basically motor bikes with a little trailer attached for people to sit in. They are so much fun but you’ve got to be careful that the drivers don’t ripe you off! Bangkok is famous for these little taxis.
One of our favorite things about Bangkok is the food; it’s AMAZING! Pad Thai’s and curry’s and fresh fruit smoothies everywhere! Our favorite place was this little shack that had tables and stools that you sat on out on the street. They have this pancake with fresh fruit (dragon fruit, pineapple, water melon, mango, papaya, and bananas) with honey drizzled on top! Oh, so good! We ate there most of the time because it was so delicious and the price was right!
We went to several temples and wats within the city limits. The temples in Thailand are definitely different from the temples in China. Thailand’s temples are an odd mix of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs that are heavily influenced by India. We had to cover up our legs and shoulders as well as take off our shoes at most temples. Also, the Thai’s believe that the feet are the lowest part of the body so you had to try and not point your feet directly at the Buddha or at Vishnu (the main Hindu god). They also believe that the head is the highest and most important part of the body. We had to try and avoid touching other people’s heads, especially children’s, which is easy to do sometimes. We visited the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun (Wat just means a type of temple), and Thailand’s biggest reclining Buddha. We even got to sit in on an evening prayer service. Again, this sect of Buddhism is entirely different from China, so it was really cool to see.
The shopping in Thailand was amazing! There are so many neat treasures to buy, Thomas had to control my spending! And we had to be careful because we were only traveling with carry-on backpacks. On Sunday Thomas and I trekked up north to the weekend market. It was HUGE and it had everything that you could ever imagine. This market has an art gallery section, a home furniture section, and even a pet section! We spend most of the afternoon getting lost in the narrow streets of this market and designing our hypothetical future home.
We had plenty of interesting things to do at night as well. Thomas was delighted to find a bug cart pilled high with all different kinds of bugs that were seasoned and fried. We bought two of everything. Thomas even ate an entire scorpion! It was gross… we’ve got pictures!
A few of my girlfriends and I decided to check out a cabaret show one night as well. Thailand is known for its “middle sex” population, also known as “lady boys.” Essentially it was a drag show but with really really beautiful men! It was so entertaining, although we all walked away feeling a bit self-conscious about putting a bathing suit. Most of those men looked better than we did!
One of the last nights there we stayed up late at a bar that was broadcasting the Bears game live. Most of the bars and restaurants on Khaoson Rd spill out into the street so you can enjoy the beautiful weather. This bar was no different. The game was broadcasted outdoors on the side of a building. And there were at least three Bears fans there so I had some company! Oh, and we won! Go Bears!
On our last afternoon in Bangkok (and on Thomas’ 26th birthday) we decided to go see a movie. Bangkok is known for its awesome theaters and cheap movie prices. And we were not disappointed. This movie theater was absolutely amazing! And it was so inexpensive! We even got pop, popcorn, and Thomas bought a birthday beer. The most interesting thing about this experience was when everyone stood up for Thailand’s national anthem before the movie started. It was so bizarre!
I was so sad to leave Bangkok; I enjoyed that bustling city so much! But, Thomas and I had other adventures waiting for us and new places to explore. Our next stop was Cambodia. Here are the pictures from our trip to Bangkok:
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=23c7e360a7a0c2779a16dcf07a6807f9&sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLCYA
We will write again soon about the next stop on our trip! Hope everyone is doing well. We miss and love you all!
We made it back to China safe and sound… I never thought I would ever consider China a home away from home. Go figure! Now it’s time to get to work blogging about our adventures. Our first stop after Harbin was Bangkok, Thailand.
I fell in love with Bangkok the minute we drove into town. The city just buzzes with energy and color. We got in around 4am in the morning, tired but excited! Our hostel was located right off of Khaoson Rd which is the main backpacker’s street where you can find rows of places to shop, eat, and drink. The party was still raging on Khaosan Rd (as it usually does until breakfast starts) but we decided to head to bed and get some much needed sleep.
Our days in Bangkok followed a similar pattern most of the time. We would sleep in until 9-10, have a late brunch, go sight seeing, shopping, or get a traditional Thai massage, grab a late dinner, and finally spend the evening people watching around Khaosan Rd. Bangkok is WONDERFUL for people watching. The most interesting people go there! Most of the time Thomas and I would grab a beer from 7eleven and just sit on the curb for hours just watching people walk on by. You know, being creepy.
We got around town mostly by walking, water taxis (which were my favorite), and tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are basically motor bikes with a little trailer attached for people to sit in. They are so much fun but you’ve got to be careful that the drivers don’t ripe you off! Bangkok is famous for these little taxis.
One of our favorite things about Bangkok is the food; it’s AMAZING! Pad Thai’s and curry’s and fresh fruit smoothies everywhere! Our favorite place was this little shack that had tables and stools that you sat on out on the street. They have this pancake with fresh fruit (dragon fruit, pineapple, water melon, mango, papaya, and bananas) with honey drizzled on top! Oh, so good! We ate there most of the time because it was so delicious and the price was right!
We went to several temples and wats within the city limits. The temples in Thailand are definitely different from the temples in China. Thailand’s temples are an odd mix of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs that are heavily influenced by India. We had to cover up our legs and shoulders as well as take off our shoes at most temples. Also, the Thai’s believe that the feet are the lowest part of the body so you had to try and not point your feet directly at the Buddha or at Vishnu (the main Hindu god). They also believe that the head is the highest and most important part of the body. We had to try and avoid touching other people’s heads, especially children’s, which is easy to do sometimes. We visited the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun (Wat just means a type of temple), and Thailand’s biggest reclining Buddha. We even got to sit in on an evening prayer service. Again, this sect of Buddhism is entirely different from China, so it was really cool to see.
The shopping in Thailand was amazing! There are so many neat treasures to buy, Thomas had to control my spending! And we had to be careful because we were only traveling with carry-on backpacks. On Sunday Thomas and I trekked up north to the weekend market. It was HUGE and it had everything that you could ever imagine. This market has an art gallery section, a home furniture section, and even a pet section! We spend most of the afternoon getting lost in the narrow streets of this market and designing our hypothetical future home.
We had plenty of interesting things to do at night as well. Thomas was delighted to find a bug cart pilled high with all different kinds of bugs that were seasoned and fried. We bought two of everything. Thomas even ate an entire scorpion! It was gross… we’ve got pictures!
A few of my girlfriends and I decided to check out a cabaret show one night as well. Thailand is known for its “middle sex” population, also known as “lady boys.” Essentially it was a drag show but with really really beautiful men! It was so entertaining, although we all walked away feeling a bit self-conscious about putting a bathing suit. Most of those men looked better than we did!
One of the last nights there we stayed up late at a bar that was broadcasting the Bears game live. Most of the bars and restaurants on Khaoson Rd spill out into the street so you can enjoy the beautiful weather. This bar was no different. The game was broadcasted outdoors on the side of a building. And there were at least three Bears fans there so I had some company! Oh, and we won! Go Bears!
On our last afternoon in Bangkok (and on Thomas’ 26th birthday) we decided to go see a movie. Bangkok is known for its awesome theaters and cheap movie prices. And we were not disappointed. This movie theater was absolutely amazing! And it was so inexpensive! We even got pop, popcorn, and Thomas bought a birthday beer. The most interesting thing about this experience was when everyone stood up for Thailand’s national anthem before the movie started. It was so bizarre!
I was so sad to leave Bangkok; I enjoyed that bustling city so much! But, Thomas and I had other adventures waiting for us and new places to explore. Our next stop was Cambodia. Here are the pictures from our trip to Bangkok:
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=23c7e360a7a0c2779a16dcf07a6807f9&sid=0AZs2jlo3cNGLCYA
We will write again soon about the next stop on our trip! Hope everyone is doing well. We miss and love you all!
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