Ever wonder where paradise is located on earth? If you’re interested in knowing and experiencing this utopia sight continue to read. You’re still reading? Okay, now promise me you will save up a few months and book a flight using because the place I am about to describe to you you won’t want to miss with your short time on this earth, Krabi, Thailand.

For those of you who are new to the blog or need a refresher, my husband, Denny and I did a backpacking trip this past February 2013 through Southeast Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Thailand) for three weeks.

Would you like to travel to paradise? You have two options:

 

Denny and I took two buses and a taxi from Penang, Malaysia to Ao Nang Krabi, Thailand.

The traveling service we went through said we would be in nice wide traveling buses, they were more like vans.

Bus Cost: 83RM per a person ($27)

The approximate travel time was 5 hours; it was more like 10 hours. The taxi from Krabi to Ao Nang was 400 baht because we were traveling during the off peak hours. The bus got there around 10:30-11pm. If Denny were to do it over again he would have flown but the bus van was definitely the backpacking experience-ADVENTURE. Denny and I met other fellow travelers from around the world during our transportation: France, Germany, Canada, Switzerland and more. The highlights were the bumpy roads, going through customs and seeing the countrysides of Malaysia and Thailand. The craziest thing was being a drug mule for our second van driver. It was dark and we stopped several times during our second leg of the van service.  When our driver stopped, he got out and handed a package to a stranger that would appear. CRAZY. Has that ever happened to you? You can’t really do anything when you’re in the middle of nowhere in a foreign land. Us travelers just looked at each other bewildered. Those were moments I was praying. ADVENTURE, right?

Travel Ideas for Ao Nang, Thailand

This article is great for dreamers, backpackers and travelers. I will discuss the hostel we stayed at, the beach life, our hiking experience, the street life, the local church in Ao Nang and our elephant excursion.

GLUR: Hostel

The first night we arrived to Ao Nang we stayed at a resort that were American prices. It was really luxuries but far from the beach. We relocated to a intimate modern style hostel called Glur that was walking distance from the beach and overlooked a local Thai bluff.

I love the modern architecture of this place.  For a night per a person it’s 600 Baht=$20 

 

Source

Glur has a restaurant near the front entrance that serves breakfast and hamburgers at certain times of the day. Denny and I enjoyed our breakfast and iced coffees overlooking this view. 

One morning I had the pleasure of watching this man while he was working. 

Swallowing a Gulp of Awesomeness: Perfect Beaches

Denny is business minded. A business group called the Dynamite Circle brought us to Krabi, Thailand. We met up with the group and took a day trip with them to a beach. To get to another beach you must take a Thai boat. (The cost one way per a person: 100 Baht) The boat ride took about 20 minutes. During the ride you saw Thai bluffs, rocks that emerged and caved along the coastline. When we hit the beach we walked to the other side of this peninsula. That was when it got really adventurous.

 

On the trail we saw monkeys up close climbing through the twisted and tangled trees. We saw caves and tourist rock climbing.

 

The view and journey to this other busy beach was very scenic. Once we got to the spot everyone desired we set up our stuff. There people swam and read. We did lunch, boat styled, similar to food trucks but it was lunch served on the beach/ water. The boats served Thai food and fresh smoothies. (Lunch was less than $4!!!)

 

One of the coolest things I saw on the beach, besides the sight, was Thai women giving massages on the sand for super cheap.

Hiking Thai Mountains

To hike a Thai Mountain it’s vastly different than the Colorado rockies or desert mountains in Arizona. Do you see that mountain ridge below? Well, like the picture the trails are vertical too. The hike was my most intense climb since age 10 trailing a prickly desert mountain. The trail was scaled by using the trees’ roots and a large thick rope that was placed for hikers. The trail was breathtaking; it was literally a jungle landscape with gnarly trees.

These are the impressive Dynamite guys we hung out with during the day.

Exploring Caves Kayaking

Denny and I spent an incredible afternoon kayaking on our own, adventuring the caves along Thai’s finest coast line. You can kayak with a group or on your own. We might have seen cooler things with a tour but just the same we enjoyed our time.

We saw jellyfish from our kayak. Yes, those beautiful creatures were the reason why I didn’t go on the snorkeling tours. A couple from the Dynamite Circle told me how their group got stung. I like fun with no pain. Weird, I know? Word to the snorkelers: Krabi is full of jellyfish.

 

The view was great. I could basically stare at this picture forever. Floating under this rock formation is a mouth full of “AWE”.

 

Thai’s Street Life

One of the most cultural characteristics that blatantly stares you in the face are two things: a truck with loud speakers drives through town advertising the MUAY TAI or the Lady Boys and seeing the Lady Boys in person. Also know that the streets in Ao Nang are paved with many to choose from tourist tours. If you stay at a hostel I would recommend checking tour brochures there because companies usually have a discount with them. Below I will just point out a few things that caught my eye on the streets of Krabi.

At night some tourist lit lanterns off the beach. It’s basically a mini preview of the movie Tangled.

The streets are lined with food carts, they look exactly how they sound (the best illustration would be a hot dog stand in America). Meals on average cost about 100 Baht each, less than $4.

Other prices to know:

Fresh chilled coconuts= 20 Baht (.70)

Fruit smoothies= 35 Baht ($1.18) Tip to the healthy consumers: before they make it ask for no sugar.

 

This art store was impressive. The painters are working on pieces throughout the store. There were a bunch of copies. Their style looked a lot like paint-by-number. It’s still impressive. I really like the eyes on this painting when it’s done. 

Since we were in Krabi for a week we went to the local international church, Ao Nang Community Church. We were welcomed with open arms. Their leaders are spectacular caring people. It’s worth checking them out.

 

 

Last but not least, the elephant rides, but since that is a lot to share I will have to tell it in another post. Here is a sneak peek. 

Thank you for traveling with me to Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand. I hope to hear about your adventures in paradise: Ao Nang, Thailand. If you haven’t visited would you like to? or is there another place you think is paradise?

 

10,000 Smiles

10,000 Smiles is a photography project that I am doing for the year 2013. Read more about why I am doing this project. You can vote for the picture that makes you smile by listing the number of the picture in the comment box at the end of the post.

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