Phi Phi islands - getting a little bit too popular for its own good

  

Phi Phi islands are arguably among the best known landmarks of Thailand. At one point of time, what propelled them to fame was Caprio's movie "The Beach", which was shot in Maya Bay and its whereabouts. But you don't need a movie to be impressed by the Phi Phi islands. 

The key question a traveller needs to ask is whether he/she wishes to opt for a day trip to Phi Phi from Phuket or Krabi, or chooses to stay overnight. To my mind, the latter is an easy choice and I will explain why.

Travelling to Phi Phi from Phuket costs about 500THB, and 450THB from Krabi. The Phuket ferry starts from Rassada pier which is close to old Phuket town but a fair distance from almost everywhere else. Therefore, it will take you about an hour to reach the pier. Thankfully, the ticket cost includes transfer from the hotel. The journey to Phi Phi from the pier takes another 2-3 hours depending on the seas. The long journey time from hotel door and back is one of the reasons why I recommend staying over at Phi Phi for the night. If you are traveling from Krabi, the ferry starts at Klong Jilad pier. This one is close to the town and I felt visiting Phi Phi from Krabi more sense (the journey time is also shorter at ~2 hours), although the ferries from Krabi are mostly dilapidated and unwelcoming.

The highlight at Phi Phi is a little island close by called Ko Phi Phi Lee, where the Pi Leh lagoon, Viking caves and Maya bay are situated. As it is part of a National Park, the best you can do is a day trip on a longtail boat after paying an entrance fee of 400THB. Children younger than 10 years need to pay half the price. Most agents offer a full- or half-day snorkeling trip that covers Ko Phi Phi Lee with monkey island or bamboo island, with an option to stay longer and watch the sunset. The key attraction of staying till sunset is an opportunity to spot glowing plankton, but the experience is underwhelming. What you will probably see is equivalent to catching a glimpse of a couple of fireflies in a dark garden. The trip costs about 400THB per person including snorkels and minor snacks, and if you are a group of four people or more, you can hire a longtail boat by yourself for about 1,500THB (plus the National Park fee). Going with a group seems more fun though. Our boat was called "Freedom Team 9" or something like that, and I will highly recommend the guide/pilot. You can probably seek him out yourself at the longtail parking close to the Patcharee bakery and negotiate.

The Pi Leh lagoon does not offer much in terms of snorkeling, but it is an excellent place for a relaxed swim. And of course, it's beautiful. The Maya bay beach is nothing outstanding, but if venturing a little deeper into the island, you will come across unspoilt tropical jungle straight out of an adventure book. 

To commute within the island, rely on walking. If you are staying at Ton Sai, you wouldn't have a problem at all. If you choose to stay at some of the more luxurious resorts at other parts of the island, you will need to rely on longtail boats, which will not be available throughout the day. While Phi Phi Don is a small island, the roads are quite confusing, with multiple ones running parallel to each other. I ended up walking more than I should have. 

While Phi Phi markets close down at about 8pm-9pm, the island has a vibrant nightlife that can go unnoticed. After 9pm or so, just move to the part of the island opposite to Ton Sai pier and seek out the Ibiza party. You will be able to spot it because of the fire throwers and their antics. If that is not to your taste, the pubs around Ibiza are also bustling with action. Just walk towards the Dubliner Irish Pub and you will find plenty of options. You are also likely to come across vendors selling alcohol buckets at attractive prices in case you wish to go prepared. This is the second reason why I recommend staying overnight at Phi Phi. 

For an early riser, I would recommend taking a stroll around the island in the morning hours. You can carry across a snorkel, some snacks and a bottle of water. There are no proper roads so will you need to do a bit of climbing. The general direction will be towards the Viking beach and onwards, and it is easy to cover most of the island given the short distances. The white sand beaches are a pleasure to walk on barefoot if you get tired.

One of the best places to eat in Phi Phi is the Patcharee French Bakery. The only downside is that it is a bit expensive and serving size for some of the items is inadequate. Some of the fancier places near and beyond the Banyan Villa have prices only marginally higher than the cheap eateries, so I would recommend having your dinner there. The Pad Thai is generally the best bet in case you wish to save money, but other standard fare like prawns with rice also cost around 80THB.

To stay in Phi Phi, you can either choose cheaper hotels such as the Panmanee or P2 Wood Loft, or 4-star ones like Banyan Villa and CoCo Beach Resort. It is not an easy choice to make but this is what I recommend. If you are staying for just one night, go for the cheaper hotels as most of the time would be spent at Phi Phi Lee and the night party. You would probably check out early next morning so doesn't make sense to pay just for the bed. For a longer stay of 2-3 days, the CoCo Beach Resort seems like a great but expensive choice. The Banyan Villa is somewhere in-between. I do not recommend staying too far from the Ton Sai Bay.

One of the problems with Phi Phi is that it is getting too popular for its own good. There is now a McDonalds just outside the Ton Sai pier. I don't want to be promised a faraway paradise just to see a global burger joint peering over my shoulder. This picture from the CoCo Beach Resort website gives you a fair idea of what is going wrong with Phi Phi. Just too many buildings and crowded streets. Despite that, what still works in Phi Phi's favour is that most of the crowd goes back to Phuket/Krabi after 4pm or so. The evenings, therefore, are still blissful.

Australia - a brief travel guide

Australia is huge. Any attempt to cover it in two weeks is extremely ambitious even for the most energetic traveller. While most of the activity and popular spots are on the east coast, I have heard great things about the isolated beaches on the west coast as well. Have a look at Australia's Instagram handle and the beaches north of Perth. Then there is central Australia and Uluru, which would take its own sweet time to cover. Bill Bryson writes a wonderful account of driving on the lonely road from Darwin to Alice Springs. That seems like a journey worth doing. Therefore, writing a travel guide for around two weeks is nearly impossible. You have to cover an entire continent. However, I am making an effort to cover the popular, touristy spots.

Sydney - Around 5-6 days are enough for Sydney. 

A place that I highly recommend is the Manly beach, travelling from Circular Quay by a ferry and spending an entire day there. For the athletic ones, try renting a bike and cycling up to the Sydney Harbour National Park for great views. The only interesting animal I spotted is the Echidna but the journey is worth it. I would also suggest having a salmon or a barramundi there. Personally, I prefer the bowl at Fishmongers, but you can check Tripadvisor for the best restaurants. The Pines is also a lively place serving great variety of beer. Perhaps when you come back in the evening, you can spend time on the Circular Quay or the Rocks Market. You will most likely get enough of the Harbour Bridge on this day.

You would need an entire day for the Blue Mountains. The journey is time consuming and takes about 2.5 hours by train from the Central station (choose a station that is closest to you) to Katoomba and a bus from there to Scenic World. Do note that Sydney transport is cheapest on Sundays, capped at about AUD 8.40, so try to keep the longest journeys on this day. Blue Mountains offers several treks, but the trip can get quite tiring if you choose to trek aggressively. If you are lucky, you will get a cloudy day without rain. In any case, make sure you carry plenty of water. I found the Blue Mountains underwhelming because they are similar to the Nilgiris and not as majestic as the Himalayas. For those who are the touristy types, Scenic World offers a cable car, rides, and a walk around the Blue Mountains that will give you enough opportunities to take pictures.

The day after Blue Mountains can be spent lazing around Barangaroo, Surry Hills, and shopping around Martin Place. Surry Hills has a good Indian food joint (Maya da Dhaba) and the locality is quaint. I loved the place. You can also get difficult to find Indian stuff at a shop close to Maya da Dhaba. Barangaroo has its own charm, and ideal to spend an evening. However, the restaurants here are expensive. For the aggressive trekker, there is an option of choosing the Harbour Bridge walk, which takes you almost to the top and offers great views.

The much photographed Opera House is somewhat overrated, although you surely cannot miss the landmark of Sydney. While visiting the Opera House, I would suggest spending some time in the Botanical Gardens, or the Museum, depending on what you prefer. A good day to visit the Opera House is when they have a performance. If you still have some time and energy left, visit Hyde Park and St. Mary's Cathedral on the same day. The latter is breathtakingly beautiful.

Do note that for all the souvenirs, one of the best places is Paddy's market. This is near Haymarket and offers Australian souvenirs such as kangaroos, boomerangs and magnet stickers featuring the Harbour Bridge, all made in China. 

For Friday evenings, you can consider visiting one of the pubs near Sydney Town Hall. It is perfectly OK to go pub hopping. The 3 Wise Monkeys near Kent Street is a popular one. I liked the PJ O'Brien's as well, especially around Christmas. 

If you like to get away from the hustle bustle of the city, save a day for the Royal National Park and the beaches nearby. It is close to Sri Venkateswara Temple and Stanwell Tops. A bus goes directly from the Stanwell station to the temple, but from there onwards, you will need to rely on Uber. This area has plenty of cockatoos, who are intrepid enough to perch close to you if you have something interesting to offer. The beaches here are generally better than Sydney. The wedding cake rock is close-by and ideal for people who like to post on Instagram (you can see why).

Lastly, you should visit Bondi beach, which is actually a full day affair. There is also a coastal walk around Bondi, where you can spot whales if you are there in the right season. For Bondi, I would just say go there and decide. Another option is the Glebe flea market. Pick that for a relaxed day. I am not sure if you would end up buying something, but a flea market has its own fans. If you have a spare day, you can consider the Manly Walk or Jervis Bay, both of them taking almost an entire day. There is a skydiving option as well close to Jervis Bay. Personally, I would not recommend visiting the Taronga Zoo. You can watch Kangaroos during the remaining part of the tour.

In Sydney, the Chemist Warehouse is a great place to get awesome deals on perfumes. The grocery stuff can be had from Coles or Woolworths (the former is better). For liquor, the best place is Dan Murphys, although the stores are difficult to find.

Gold coast - recommending 3-4 days here at best, because it is expensive and over-rated (looks great from the air though). 

The amusement parks can be skipped if you wish, as they would take up two days of your time. Among the amusement parks, SeaWorld is the worst and the one with the amusement rides is the best (Warner Bros Movie World). SeaWorld still seems to be stuck in the 1980s. They actually have a car and bike show which looks straight out of a Hollywood movie starring Chuck Norris. Movie World has two great rides. One is the Superman one, and the other is the DC Rivals hypercoaster, the longest and the tallest one in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Gold Coast is essentially a nightlife destination, so you can choose to spend your days visiting the touristy spots close by (there are plenty). Personally, I would recommend taking the surfing classes, which are immensely enjoyable. In three days, you should be able to get a decent hang of the surfboard. Gold Coast hotels are relatively expensive but choose a sea-facing one, close to the city centre. Do visit Infinity Attraction and do this very slowly, taking every bit of your time. Gold Coast also offers a transport card that can be used for unlimited travel. 

Cairns - I would spend at least 5 days here. My favourite destination in Australia.

For two days, you can take one of those tours where they make you stay on a boat overnight. You will spend the day scuba diving, snorkeling etc. You just cannot miss the Great Barrier Reef. Even though I spotted plenty of fish, a sea turtle grazing on the algae was the highlight.

You can choose the Daintree rainforest for one day. This is the oldest rainforest in the world and they might allow you to handle Koalas and feed Kangaroos. Later they will give you an option to have Kangaroo meat in your lunch. Extremely weird. Another option is to go for a crocodile tour. I stayed at the Travellers' Oasis, a lovely hostel, and the lady at the reception is a reliable guide. You can go by her advice. Do note that the sun is very harsh in Queensland and you would need to keep applying sunscreen and wear a rash vest when you are in the sea.

There are two great islands near Cairns - Fitzroy and Green island. You can choose to visit them both. I chose Fitzroy, which has among the best beaches in Australia, is ideal for snorkeling and kayaking, and is essentially a tropical paradise. 

Even otherwise, Cairns is a relaxed tropical town. You will enjoy every day that you spend here. If you are in a hostel like the Travellers' Oasis, you might come across a group who is singing and dancing. The market near the Esplanade is a nice place to spend the evening. Or for someone like me, you can just walk around the isolated streets, watching the sunset, the flying foxes, and experience the peace. 

Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road - You can cover this in one day, or spend 5 days here. I would recommend keeping 3 days for the Ocean Road on a hired car, and two days in Melbourne. You can get a hired car on an Indian driving licence. 

Go to the Twelve Apostles in the evening (any other time of the day does not work). You can also hire a helicopter here if you have money to spare. The area here is infested with flies, so you can carry some kind of a repellant. 

You should stay in one of those cottages that you find along the road. Technically, you can cover the road in one day, but go slowly, and stop wherever you like. Stay close to the Apostles on the day you visit those because it will be dark by the time you are done, and you might prefer not to drive then. The night sky is lovely if you stay in a cottage among the farms, although it can get frightfully cold once the sun is down.

For the next night, either choose Apollo Bay, Lorne or Port Campbell. Each coastal town has its own charm. If you choose a 3 day visit to the Ocean Road, you will spend the day either on the beaches around Apostles, surfing close to Angelsea, or trekking near Lorne/Apollo Bay. There are plenty of limestone rocks in this area and we were lucky to find a peaceful cave. Some people even spend a week on the Ocean Road, so the route has plenty to offer. Just pick what suits you best. I did not enjoy the trek near Lorne, where we hoped to spot Koalas at a close distance. Later on, near the lighthouse, we came across a baby Koala who was trying to get to the top of a tree. It was hardly two metres away! Somewhere on the small roads that branch away from the Ocean Road, we saw kangaroos grazing on a farm. The moment they spotted us, they leapt over the fence and vanished into the horizon with a few long jumps.

Uluru etc - Haven't been here but from whatever I have read, the drive here is mind blowing.

You will not find such terrain anywhere else in the world, and Uluru is breathtaking. It is highly recommended to drive there, taking your own time, instead of opting for a quick visit via a flight. Uluru is sacred to the Aborigines and has been handed over to them. I have also heard that the west coast of Australia is very pretty, but it is a long way off. You can try looking up the pictures and if you find them convincing enough, plan that along with the Uluru visit. 

Don't go to Canberra, even though it is tempting, being near the east coast. Instead, it might be a good idea to spend a day in one of those small Australian towns. Some people prefer to spend time in the wine growing areas of Australia, which are close to Sydney, such as the Hunter Valley.

That is all for now, but I will keep adding when I remember something. 

The Gulf of Thailand islands - Ko Phangan

 

If you are not in the prime of youth and not a party person, then visiting Phangan during the 'off-period' might be a very different experience. The island has emerged as a place for healing, yoga, and co-working. Phangan has distinct hippie vibes, very different from the other islands. At most places, the island is covered in tropical jungle, and you frequently come across millipedes, snails and frogs (also snakes sometimes). I came across a snail bigger than my fist. Koh Phangan gets exceptionally busy during the full moon and the half moon party days, which also drives prices up. Even though the party is held on Haad Rin beach, it could get difficult to find a hotel even close to Haad Yao, at the diametrically opposite end of the island. 

Travelling to Phangan from Samui costs about 350THB, and 600THB from Koh Tao. The latter is definitely expensive but Lomprayah runs the only service on this route as of now, and they are making hay while the sun shines. Phangan has an exceptionally poor service from the pier to the hotel, relying solely on open taxis that charge about 100-200 THB per person for a fairly short distance. The fares are open to negotiation but you will have the weaker hand because of lack of options. I found Mr Yu (0656463364) to be among the more reasonable ones.

To commute within the island, a scooter is the best choice, although with caveats. One, scooter scams are common so it is advisable to take a video of the scooter before you rent it out. The charges for scratches and damages can be exorbitant, running into thousands of bahts. Two, Phangan is a hilly island, so driving here can be tough. Some of the gradients are more than 45 degrees, needing exceptional control and expertise. Rentals are around 200THB for a 125cc scooter. Despite the steep slopes, 125cc should suffice for two reasonably heavy people. While Phangan was extremely hot and humid during the day, it was very chilly in the night due to the dense vegetation, so I recommend carrying a jacket while travelling on a scooter. 

Among the beaches, I visited Haad Yao, Haad Salad and the Secret Beach. The latter is relatively tiny and unremarkable, although preferable if one wishes to spend some solitary time. Between Haad Yao and Haad Salad, it is difficult to decide. Yao is the more commercial one and livelier, albeit marked with too many resorts that somehow spoil the landscape. From whatever I heard, Haad Rin is popular only during full moon parties - a tourist told me that 'Haad Rin is dead'. Perhaps because tourism has just started to pick up and the parties too are yet to reach their former glory.

Secret Beach

The town part of Phangan is in Thong Sala, where the pier is. This area of Phangan is completely avoidable. Most of the eateries closed down at 9pm, and even the ones that are open late offer mediocre food. There are plenty of these near the slumber party hostel. The only one that stands out is Outlaw, although it has a very meat-heavy menu, especially steaks. The Phantip food market and the food court are uninviting, perhaps catering to low-budget travellers. However, I would recommend the roadside fruit vendors, where you can get dragon fruits, mamelos and coconuts for a reasonable price. I personally liked Tee's juice shop, which is near the Haad Chao Phao beach area. The ginger turmeric shot and the star shake were particularly good, although the mango based drinks seemed equally popular. I found the Thai mango not as tasty as its Indian counterpart, but you can give it a try in the salad bowl.

Tee's Juice Shop

There are plenty of cheap places to stay in Phangan, although the area near Haad Yao seemed to be dominated by resorts. I liked my hotel, the Sunset Hill Resort, because of the views it offered from the hilltop. The manager, Elaine, was also extremely helpful. The best part of the hotel was the Infinity pool that offers great vistas of the green blue seas. In case you visit it just for the restaurant, you can surely try the green curry. Overall, for the stay the hotel is a bit expensive and you might prefer other options in case the stay is Phangan is for more than three days. A lot of the hotels are literally next to mangroves, so do carry an insect repellant. 

My hotel's restaurant

View from my hotel

Between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, I found the former to be better. You will find most people on the internet saying that it is a tough choice, but for me, Tao is an easy win. It is more beautiful, more lively, a better night life, and has far better eating places. Its not that I am writing off Phangan. I would definitely prefer it if I wanted some time out with myself, just relaxing and reading, or striking conversations with fellow travellers. The island offers enough for physical and mental detoxification.