Koh Phi Phi , off Thailand ’s western coast is basically one openhanded frat political party . megascopic . For less than $ 100 , we rented a private longsighted gravy holder and escaped for a snorkeling and climbing risky venture . you could do that too , here ’s how .
The last few months had been pretty brutal . Inearly conk out in Iceland . Barelymade it down from a 20,305′ peakin Nepal . I compute that Daniel Bruce Lee and I could apply some time to de-ice . In Thailand . Within a week of getting out of the mountains , we were on Thai Airways Flight 322 from Kathmandu to Bangkok .
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My best champion from college , Orey , met us from the States in Bangkok and we all fell down to Krabi together . One ferry ride later ; we were on Koh Phi Phi , a large island in between Krabi and Phuket .
Having just come from rural Nepal , Thailand was a piece of a polish shock ; Koh Phi Phi was the pinnacle of that . It was like one elephantine fraternity company . We did n’t stay on the island for too long . But we did stay long enough to take a private long boat out to do some snorkel diving and rubber-necking .
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Why Go ? Southern Thailand is beautiful . The oceans are unbelievable nicety of cobalt blue , green , and blue . Lush rainforest envelops every square understructure of undeveloped land . Limestone rock formation on the face of it float on the water . The place was understandably an breathing in for James Cameron ’s Avatar . With some of the best climbing and diving event in the world , it ’s an adventurer ’s nirvana .
Thailand is also a comparatively cheap commonwealth to travel to . you may corrode luscious street food for 50 tical ( about $ 1.50 ) a plate . auberge can be bump for less than $ 10 a Nox . skillful hotels for $ 40 . Roundtrip airfare from New York or LA : $ 800 .
The multitude are generally very well-disposed ; many speak conversational English .
A better question to ask is “ Why would n’t you go to Thailand ? ”
Longboats > Speedboats
Orey had never been snorkel before and he really require to go . The typical approach would have been to kibosh by one of the hundreds of term of enlistment operator in Ao Nang where we were remain to do a pep pill boat snorkeling trip . It would ’ve be about 1,200 Baht ( $ 36 ) per person . The tour would ’ve included round tripper transfer between Ao Nang and a few different islands near Koh Phi Phi , equipment renting , and would ’ve provide an hr or two of snorkeling in some of the orbit ’s best spots . Along with a couple hundred other people .
Instead , we took the ferry to Koh Ph Phi ( 800 baht/$24 per person , orotund trip-up ) , charter our own snorkeling gear from a local dive shop ( 200 baht/$6 for mask , snorkel , and fins ) , and then hired a private longboat from the main beach to take us out ( 1,500 baht/$45 for four hours ) .
We told our boat driver , Sa , that we wanted to breather , so he took us to a couple of different coves where there were Pisces . We ’d get out , snorkel around as long as we desire , then get back on the boat and go to a Modern bit . Sa had preemptively brought a loaf of bread of sliced sugar . Every once in awhile , he ’d flip a piece out into the weewee where we were snorkel ; the bright colored fish would teem . It did n’t take long for Orey to realise what was happen , so he got the loaf of bread from Sa and would take it down into the piddle with him . Feeding craze .
Feeding frenzy .
betimes in our tripper , Sa ’s boat had some engine trouble ; as such it took us a little while to get start . Sa generously hooked us up with an additional hour on him . We spend some of the last moments of the day swim around Maya Bay ( if you get off on the way - too - crowd Maya Beach , you get ta pay 200 baht ) . Sa took us to one more spotlight after that , a sequestered cove on the other side of the island , where we bask in the gilded hour .
Orey : “ I smell out a storm is brewing . ”
As we were heading back to Koh Phi Phi , a tempest blew in just behind us . As soon as we beached , the sky fell out . We hung around on the boat till it passed .
I retrovert to Sa ’s boat later that nighttime – interrupt a poker game biz – after realizing that I left a pair of myPullWoolunderwear ( I only own two couplet of underclothing ; the PullWools are my favorite ) there that afternoon while changing into my swimsuit . It took a minute for them to figure out what I was looking for ; then a waterman pulled them out from under a bench . “ Yep , that ’s them . ” Another boatman seek to bribe them from me . Weird .
ThePanasonic HX - A500has an LCD display so you’re able to see what you ’re shooting , it ’s rainproof without a limited case ; with the armband – it swim .
What You ’ll Need to convey : Sunscreen . Sunglasses . A towel ? Snacks . Water ( Sa offer a couple of liters , but you may want more . ) A waterproof camera / GoPro / LokSak for your earpiece .
How Do You Get There ? From Bangkok , you may either take a tourist bus down to Krabi ( take about 14 hours ; costs about $ 20 one - agency ) or fly . The trajectory is 1:20 long ; will set you back about $ 55 ( one - way of life ) onBangkok Airways(we just showed up at the airport an hour before the last flight of the night and jump on - board . ) you’re able to fly down for $ 20 onThai Lion Airways – but they only set aside 15 kg of control luggage ( Bangkok Airways permit 20 kg . )
There are several port from which the Koh Phi Phi ferries depart . prosperous option is to hold through one of the many spell operators that line the independent street in each nearby mainland city . We just take the air up to the Ao Nang porthole before the 9:30am ferrying left and jumped alongside .
Crystal Tan ( @carvingsymmetry ) craves ‘ digital audiotape mineral .
What Should You Do While You ’re There ? There were loads of duty tour operators on Koh Phi Phi that offered everything from SCUBA dive to Deep Water Free Soloing ( unprotected rock mount on oceanside cliffs ) .
Back on the mainland , we function sport mount on Tonsai / Railay Beach ( a 10 mo foresightful boat taxi drive from Ao Nang . ) There are lots of bouldering opportunities on the same beaches . take scooters or motorcycles was a bang-up way to research and get off the beaten track as well .
Still saw some cool fish though !
What We ’d Do other than : Honestly , we probably would ’ve had adept snorkel diving on a speedboat tour . We did n’t go to any nerveless reef , there was n’t a ton of ecological assortment , and the underwater surroundings that we saw were n’t that pretty to search at .
However , our solar day was not dictated by the needs of dozens of other tourist ; we got to enjoy some unfeigned serenity and quiet while out on the water . The longboat experience was definitely a more cultural one too . Our driver , Sa , was awesome , and we induce to know him throughout the day . Also , it was nice to know that our dollars went to hold up Sa ’s family , rather of some overseas duty tour operator .
Photos : Chris Brinlee , Jr.
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