Phuket Trip Day 3

    Today was the last day of our Trip in Phuket island. And since The Phi Phi islands were a must go, we decided to have some fun out there. The pickup to the jetty was delayed perhaps due to the previous passengers who clogged up the schedule.

    The jetty is situated somewhere near Phuket town so we got to have a glimpse of the small town. For your information, Phi Phi island is not the name of one island, but rather a collection of islands. The Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh are the 2 more famous islands while the others were no more than limestones jutting out from the sea. There wasn't even a single sight of beaches on those smaller islands.

The tour guide gave us a simple briefing regarding the trip. Antiemetics were provided (for free) for those who risk being seasick.

The view in the speedboat. It wasn't that comfortable as compared with the boat the previous day.

    We first visited the Viking Cave, in which it was believed that Vikings indeed appeared in this area as there were drawings that mimic theirs. We were not allowed to enter as the area had been transformed into a nursery for swallows to produce bird nests.

A glimpse of the viking cafe. The turquoise water was a pleasant scene for the eye =) Picture not edited at all.

    Maya beach was the first stop. Wasn't that excited about going into the waters as the water wasn't that crystal clear as seen in previous blogs and advertisements. Is it again due to the vast number of visitors leading to many speedboats hovering around the area? It was Monday and can you imagine that I did not manage to take a photo of the scenery without any sight of speedboats or people. Just can't manage.

View from Maya Bay

    The activity there was just to swim in the seawaters. I was rather reluctant to go for a swim so what I did was just dip myself into the waters and being carried up and down by the incoming waves.

    We headed next to some middle of nowhere for snorkelling. For a first time snorkeler, I was indeed very excited yet nervous. The prospects of swimming in the sea nearly scarred the shit out of me. Believe me, it wasn't as easy as swimming in the pool. For those who think swimming in the sea was easy, please give it a second thought. The waves were strong no matter how hard you paddle. Luckily I had my lifejacket with me which kept me constantly afloat.  I was also glad to have fins on as it helped me a lot in gaining the power needed to challenge the waves. Perhaps the sea was quite choppy that day made swimming pretty difficult.

    We had lunch at the largest island of all - Phi Phi Don. Not too bad. Buffet style. There were hotels and settlements on the island. One can actually stay overnight on that island and plan an island tour for the next day, which would be more convenient than coming from Phuket island.

The ang moh's excited upon the prospect of seeing monkeys. That's why there are called 'ang moh kao' (Hokien = Monkey) 

The last stop was at Khai Island in which we were given more time to relax (1.5 hours compared to the previous 45 minutes). The sand was soft and smooth. Beach chairs were there for rent, costing 150 baht per pair. 

    Each tour group was assigned a specific area. We may cross to have strolls but our things would be only confined to that area. Do not worry about your valuables being stolen as the team leader and some other crew were there to supervise. It is thus recommended to take all your valuables to the beach.

Flippers costing 100 baht each. They can be rented before you get on the boat. I found them pretty useful for swimming purposes. It gives you the extra 'kick'. The seabed was also sharp at some areas. I did not see any sea urchins though. 

    The best shot I can garner. The beach is way too packed for a relaxing holiday.

    We took photos before indulging in the sea. We got our snorkeling kit and headed to the sea. You should not get too far as the current might take you somewhere else. However, the beach was so packed with holiday makers that you could hardly swim with ease. Bumping into people is just too normal. I was also disappointed since the water was a little murky. (Or is it the cloudy skies made the seabed less visible?)

    Journey back to the pier was only 25 minutes =) So we went back to prepare for dinner and enjoy the last night in Patong.

I would strongly suggest Pan Yaah restaurant, which was a 5 minute drive from Patong beach. Get one motorcycle for 200baht and head towards the north. Romantic environment (unexpected, was just looking for some good dining area) and good service. You could hear the waves hitting the shores. The view of the Patong beach must be a nice one, but I arrived there at 930pm =|

Some of the dishes - White chicken tomyam (I couldn't believe the amount of chicken inside it -- enough to make 2-3 bowls in Malaysia) and Thai Fried Rice - 330 baht. Totally worth it.

    We rented a motorcycle for 200baht. You should try it out as well. There are 3 main streets in Patong Beach and sightseeing on the motorcycle was a wonderful experience. It will be almost impossible to cover the whole Patong area only by foot. I reckon that would take at least 1 hour, not to mention the area where Pan Yaah is located.