Hello, fellow travelers and food enthusiasts! 🌞🍴 Today we are sharing our memorable journey from Koh Phayam to Krabi over Days 14 and 15. These days were packed with early morning temple visits, beach explorations, and delightful café discoveries. Dive into our adventure as we navigate the transition from island serenity to the vibrant life of Krabi.

Day 14: Farewell Koh Phayam, Hello Ranong

Our last morning in Koh Phayam started with a pragmatic mission: luggage storage and motorbike return. Dropping our bags at Tom’s for safekeeping, we returned our trusty motorbike, costing us 200 Baht per day. The rental owner, ever so helpful, arranged our ride to the harbor for 100 Baht per person, ensuring a seamless departure. 🛵💼

Breakfast at Homemade Bakery

Next stop: Homemade Bakery (Homemade Bakery), a spot we’d heard much about but left us with mixed feelings. Arriving just before 10, we found the coveted croissants sold out, leading to a slight disappointment and a contemplation on the hype vs. value after shelling out 405 Baht for a simple breakfast. 🥐☕

Chill Afternoon and Departure

Seeking comfort, we retreated to Bamboo Bungalows (Bamboo Bungalows) for a few final hours of work and beach time before our 3 p.m. speedboat to Ranong. The boat ride, a smooth 40-minute transition, gave us time to book our night at the Iconic Hotel (Iconic Hotel).
And we used book-a-way again to arrange our next day’s bus to Krabi for 760 Baht for both of us, marveling at the ease of online bookings. 🚤💻

We had dinner in Ranong at Barnchuen – this is a restaurant, where a lot of Thais are eating as well. It’s affordable and the food was good. This is a recommendation to get some food there. It’s very basic, but solid. And we had “Bingsu” – a Korean dessert made of shaved ice. It looks amazing and comes in different flavours (Kit Kat, Oreo, Banana Chocolate etc.). It looks better than it tastes. We had the Kit Kat version and the ice was a mix of coconut milk with a lot of water. A Bingsu costs around 150 Baht and there are also hot Bingsus, although we don’t know how these look like.

Day 15: Getting From Ranong To Krabi

In the morning we had breakfast in the hotel, which was included in the price and which was very ok. We were picked up from the hotel for our 6 hours bus tour from Ranong to Krabi. The bus departs at 11:00.
You need to be at the bus terminal ca. 30 minutes before departure to get your tickets (you need to exchange the vouchers from book-a-way to tickets).
The bus turned out to be a bit older, but it was ok. The A/C in the bus was good, so we had a comfortable ride.
There are 3 stops during the tour, the middle one a bit longer (ca. 20 minutes), so you have time to get something for lunch etc.

Arriving in Krabi at Jack’s House

We arrived at Krabi and immediately went to a travel agency on the bus terminal.
It’s very common in Thailand to just go to any travel office you come across. They are well organized and can support you in getting from A to B very well.

We booked the boat to Koh Jum two days later for 1.000 Baht for 2 people including pickup from the hotel. We decided spontaneiously we want to stay in Krabi for two days because I wanted to see the Tiger Temple and Danja wanted to see Rai Leh beach.
Two days of Krabi ahead 🤩.
We took the taxi to the accommodation we booked which is called Jack’s house

Discovering A Bar From Outa Space Again: Jungle Bar In Krabi

Before we arrived in Jack’s house, we were passing by a bar called Jungle Bar. From outside it looked very interesting, so we decided to go there for dinner.
When we approached it, it was just like the hippie bar on Koh Phayam.

When you enter it, it’s like another world that you’re entering.
It’s a great atmosphere there. Choy – the owner – is an architect, and his story is really touching because he lost everything during the tsunami in 2004. 🥺
He’s a musician, and after having a great dinner and nice cocktails – they also have nice drinks – we ended that evening with Dana and him jamming around and playing a session where she was singing and he was playing the guitar.

The prices in the Jungle Bar are really good as well, and the quality is amazing, so definitely a recommendation. 👍

Late Night Talks With Kay About What To Do In Krabi

When we came back to Jack’s House, Kay – the owner – was waiting for us. We sat down with her asking her about the possibilities to get to the Tiger Cave Temple and she said she could do the transfer. And she could pick us up after that to get us to the pier for the long tail boat to Rai Leh for 600 Baht in total.
We decided to get up early to climb up the 1260 steps to the Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi… 💪

Day 16: Tiger Temple and Rai Leh Disappointment

With a 6 a.m. wake-up call, Kay and her husband escorted us to the majestic Tiger Cave Temple (Tiger Cave Temple), a spiritual ascent up 1260 stairs marked by an amusing detour and breathtaking early morning serenity. This energizing start cost us 600 Baht for the round trip. 🌄🏯

Our journey to Rai Leh (Rai Leh) for 100 Baht per person was met with disappointment; the east coast’s muddy waters and crowded shores contrasted sharply with our tranquil experiences. Seeking solace, Bark Railay Krabi (Bark Railay Krabi) provided a brief respite with good breakfast amidst the chaos. 🍳🌊

Escape to Aonang and Krabi’s Charms

Disenchanted with Rai Leh’s crowded beaches, we ventured to Aonang (Aonang Beach), only to find similar crowds. A gem among the bustle was Much & Mellow (Much & Mellow), where we indulged in exceptional coffees and desserts, a moment of peace before our public bus adventure back to Krabi, which, despite a 20-minute wait, was a pleasant and affordable 60 Baht per person ride. 🚍☕

Evening in Krabi At The Jungle Bar Again

Our return to Krabi was crowned with another visit to the Jungle Bar (Jungle Bar), where we unwound with delicious food and drinks for 700 Baht, reaffirming its place in our list of recommendations. 🌴🎶

Summary

Days 14 and 15 were a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences, from the highs of Tiger Cave Temple’s serene beauty to the lows of Rai Leh’s overcrowded beaches. Yet, the culinary delights and the vibrant life in Krabi and Aonang offered a comforting contrast. As we navigated through these days, the magic of travel – with its unexpected turns and discoveries – reminded us why we embarked on this journey. Stay tuned for more adventures from Dana & Wild! 🌍❤️

#KohPhayamToKrabiJourney #IslandAdventures #CulinaryExploration