Krabi Beach (Ao Nang)

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Krabi doesn't really have a beach, unless you are into mangroves, but for a 50THB on the public tuk tuk (white with Ao Nang - Krabi - Etc - Etc) written on the side you can head to Ao Nang.

This would have once been an amazing beach but the constant stream of long tail boas kind of ruins the serenity (I am picky when it comes to beaches), it is also a 200THB round trip to Railay beach and jumping off point for a multitude of rock climbing adventures.

The far end of the beach (away from the longtail boats) also has some monkeys that you can feed, always be careful around wild animals.

While the other end is a bit noisier and crowded.

We had 5 people in a hotel room for 400THB each, some cheap street food can be found, and there is a small collection of bar's in a plaza that is opposite the beach, no where near as wild as Koh Phanang, or Ko Phi Phi (see my other posts) it is enough for a night out and a few drinks.

Ao Nang to Koh Phi Phi

A 2 hour ferry can easily be organised from Krabi at any of the travel agents for 300THB, if leaving from Ao Nang a public Tuk Tuk (will likely beep if your with your bags and has Ao Nang - Krabi written on the side) should set you back 50THB but drops you away from the pier so either organise in advance to pay extra or negotiate a taxi for 100THB.

If you get there early enough I would recommend getting on the roof and relaxing, like this:

Boracay

Boracay is the most well known beach destination in the Philippines, the white sand beach is one of the best I've seen and the scuba diving is also incredible.

Most of the lower end hotels and hostels don't have websites and quite a few of the people I've met here booked through an agents website and ended up paying triple the walk in rate. I wouldn't recommend this during Chinese new year or Christmas and new year but I had no issue finding accommodation.

Boracay

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Boracay is the most well known beach destination in the Philippines, the white sand beach is one of the best I've seen and the scuba diving is also incredible.

White Sand Beach:

Most of the lower end hotels and hostels don't have websites and quite a few of the people I've met here booked through an agents website and ended up paying triple the walk in rate. I wouldn't recommend this during Chinese new year or Christmas and new year but I had no issue finding accommodation.

My room is 1200 PHP a night a week before Chinese new year when prices are higher with no aircon or hot water.

Alcohol is incredibly cheap with a 375ml bottle of rum for 40php that's roughly $1. And double that for a 700ml. It's insanely cheap and doesn't taste too bad. Beers are around the same price.

Breakfast lunch and dinner can start at 100php for something basic or most of the restaurants do a buffet dinner or something similar from 250-600 php.

SCUBA diving for a boat dive was 1250PHP, here is a quick video of a sea turtle on a shipwreck I took on my first dive here.

Kuta Lombok

I imagine Kuta Bali would have been very similar to Kuta Lombok 20-30 years ago, the main attraction is surfing, or relaxing on the beach, its also a hot spot for domestic tourists and you can see why, white powder beaches:

Surrounded by lush green mountains and rice fields:

and even more greenery facing away from the beach:

The local sarong (50,000RP) salespeople, kids selling bracelets (10,000RP) and domestic tourists wanting to pose for a photo were the biggest concern and they were by no means a problem, "Tidak terima kasih" (No thankyou) was usually enough to get them to move on if you are not in the mood for buying anything.

We stayed at Ketapang Home Stay (100,000RP), which was basic but clean, the bathrooms had no basin and the water in the town was not very useful for cleaning anything but bottled water was 5000RP for a large cold bottle.

Ketapang is right on the beach but if you want to go surfing or enjoy some soft white sand you can rent a scooter (moto) for 50,000RP per day ($5) petrol is 5000RP a litre.

An incredible meal at Warung Bule (Foreigners Restaurant) is from 30,000-400,000 and is highly recommended. It's on the main road with signage at the T junction out of town, and is some of the best local food I have had (and an amazing chocolate milkshake).

Mushrooms here are cheaper than on Gili T at 20,000 per packet (currently in season) and can be found at some bars or the local bracelet selling children can get them for you, they are more expensive in a shake but obviously taste better.

$1-$2 for small Bintangs (local beer)

Gili T

Gili T is a chilled out island where backpackers and domestic tourists come to SCUBA dive, lay on the beach, snorkel, and party, no cars or motorbikes are allowed on the island so transport is by horse drawn carriage or bicycle, there are no police on any of the Gili Islands either.

"Magic" mushrooms are legal in Indonesia and are readily available, 2 packets of shrooms (10-15 per packet) in a pot of tea were $6 and tasted immensely better than shakes I've had previously. Weed is also readily available on Gilli T but is illegal and punishments are harsh.

The high wasn't as intense as Thai shrooms the euphoria was there but the enhanced visual experience wasn't.

A few quotes from the night:
"If there was a professor of flashing lights, it would be me"
"Pat the horse it's so furry, I wonder if they are all like this.... Let's find out"
"Do you think the staff are trained to screw with people on shrooms?"

Update: If you have more shrooms they are just as good as Thailand if not better.

Here is an amazing sunrise on Gili Trawangan:

Other available items $20
Dinner at food market $5.5 water, fried chicken, fried noodle, spicy chicken curry, two satay sticks.
Lunch at a restaurant coffee, water, nasi goreng $6
Bike hire $3 for the day
Shrooms $6
Beers, spirits, etc (enough to be happily drunk) $23

Bali to Gili T

Left Bedbunkers Hostel in Bali at 7:00am, overall a friendly clean and cheap place with very cheap room rates.

 

After leaving the traffic and chaos of the Kuta end of Bali we enjoyed scenic views of rice terraces, volcano's, and lush greenery on the way to Padang Bai, roughly a 2 hour journey.

 

After breakfast and some waiting around we board the fast boat and are treated to volcano's more lush greenery and rice terraces before getting soaked on the roof if the ferry and retreating below deck.

 

Gunung Agung rimmed by cloud

 

 

Arriving in Lombok we pick up a few more passengers and 10 minutes later arrive in paradise (Gilli Trawangan).

 

The remainder of the day is spent lounging on beanbags on the beach, at the amazing café below:

 

 

Fast boat one way $22 (some people were paying triple this by ordering online)

Breakfast omelette and coffee $3
Room on Gilli T basic with 2 fans Queen bed, western toilet and shower $25

 

I stayed at No Name Homestay and highly recommend it, its just off the main road if you turn at the Yoga and Freediving place. Agus the manager is awesome on the guitar and can also source cheap mushrooms for you and makes an incredible shroom tea.

Dinner at market BBQ squid, chicken wing, stay chicken skewer, fried noodles, small Bintang (beer), small water $6.5
2 x large water $1

$57.5 for the day