Me posing on our tour’s long tail boat at the landmark three limestone karst rock formations on the Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)
Between the heat and the daily activities of traveling for more than a month, I was thankfully able to take a couple of days off to rest in Bangkok, Thailand, before beginning the next leg of my South East Asia tours with a new group and new discoveries to be made through south Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
I have so enjoyed the different groups of people that I’ve met on these tours and each time, it has been difficult to let those new acquaintances go, but by the same time, it’s also been fun to meet my new tour group members and new tour group leader and for this portion of my tour, that was still the case.
After Bangkok, it was time for my new tour group to board the overnight train to Surat Thani, Thailand, we stayed at one of the most incredible places of this tour, the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok. We spent Wednesday at the Khao Sok National Park on a long tail boat along the beautiful expanse of water in the form of Cheow Lan Lake. And then I chilled on Frog Island amidst the limestone karst hills rising into the air and surrounded by the sparkling green waters of Cheow Lan Lake
Back in Thailand, the first country of my South East Asia tour, having so far this year visited eight countries in my #20countries2020 quest with #intrepidtravel.
This is my new Intrepid Travel crew at the Bangkok Railway Station in Bangkok for an overnight train to Surat Thani, Thailand, to begin our further explorations of south Thailand and then into Malaysia ending in Singapore. From left: Lucy, Lorraine, Liz, Jo, Rob, Jan, Ruth and me. Our Intrepid Travel tour leader, Natthachai (Bud), went to check on our train. (March 9, 2020)This Intrepid Travel map shows the next portion of my South East Asia tour through to Ubud, Indonesia, until April 4 when I head back home to Texas.My new Intrepid Travel group boarding our train at the train station in Bangkok for our Monday overnight journey to Surat Thani, Thailand. (March 9, 2020)On board our 7:30 pm (19:30) overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani, Thailand. This train was older but had the bottom seats that turned into beds and the top bunk closed until the attendant came by to unlock it and prepare the beds. (March 9, 2020)Getting our beds made on board our 7:30 pm (19:30) overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani, Thailand. This train was older but had the bottom seats that turned into beds and the top bunk that opened after being unlocked by the attendant. Each bed had its own curtain for privacy. (March 9, 2020)Getting our beds made on board our 7:30 pm (19:30) overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani, Thailand. This train was older but had the bottom seats that turned into beds and the top bunk that opened after being unlocked by the attendant. Each bed had its own curtain for privacy. (March 9, 2020)Inside the overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani. Here I am with my Intrepid Travel leader, Natthachai (Bud), for south Thailand and Malaysia. (March 9, 2020)We arrived about three hours late from our overnight train to the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Tok, bungalows in the jungle. (March 10, 2020)My bungalow W9 at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. (March 10, 2020)My bungalow W9 at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. (March 10, 2020)Inside my bungalow W9 at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand. (March 10, 2020)Inside my bungalow W9 at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand, where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. (March 10, 2020)Me, inside my bungalow W9, at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand, where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. Some group members went to wash the elephants while other group members like myself decided to chill out and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings…and of course bathe since we could not do that on the train. (March 10, 2020)Poolside views from my bungalow at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok. (March 11, 2020)Views of the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand. (March 10, 2020)Views of the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand. (March 10, 2020)Views of the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand. (March 10, 2020)Views of the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand, where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. (March 10, 2020)Off for a group dinner during our fist night at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok in south Thailand, where we spent two wonderful nights in the jungle. From left: Our Intrepid Travel leader Natthachai (Bud), Lorraine, Jan, Jo, Ruth, Liz, Lucy, Rob and me. (March 10, 2020)Me at the Pra Kie Phar Cave island in south Thailand, a stop during my Intrepid Travel group’s long tail boat tour along Cheow Lan Lake. The lake, created in 1982 as part of a damming project to provide hydroelectricity, is part of the Khao Sok National Park. (March 11, 2020)The long tail boats lined up off the shore of the Cheow Lan Lake, part of the Khao Sok National Park in south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The long tail boats lined up off the shore of the Cheow Lan Lake, part of the Khao Sok National Park in south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Heading down to the dock to board the long tail boat for our daylong journey along the Cheow Lan Lake, a stop at the Pra Kie Phar Cave and time to have lunch and relax on Frog Island. The lake is part of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The limestone karst hills rising into the air surrounded by the beautiful blue/green waters of Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The limestone karst hills rising into the air surrounded by the beautiful blue/green waters of Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The limestone karst hills rising into the air surrounded by the beautiful blue/green waters of Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The landmark three limestone karst rock formations on the Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Me posing on our tour’s long tail boat at the landmark three limestone karst rock formations on the Cheow Lan Lake of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)A short hike from our long tail boat parked by the Pra Kie Phar Cave’s shoreline on the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)The limestone karst rock formation entrance to the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. Our Khao Sok National Park guide, Dit, spotlighting the colorful interior of the cave which is pretty far without headlamps, which Dit provided. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. In the top left corner are a slew of sleeping bats. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Inside the Pra Kie Phar Cave by the shoreline of the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Pulling up to Frog Island for lunch and relaxation or for the active swimming and kayaking off the Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Our long tail boat parked at Frog Island off of Cheow Lan Lake at the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Views of the beautiful Cheow Lan Lake at Frog Island of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Views of the beautiful Cheow Lan Lake at Frog Island of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Me with views of the beautiful Cheow Lan Lake at Frog Island of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)Views of the beautiful Cheow Lan Lake at Frog Island of the Khao Sok National Park in the Surat Thani Province of south Thailand. (March 11, 2020)
It was another horrendously hot day but we spent the earlier part of the day making our way to Ao Nang, a beach resort town in the Krabi province, on a private mini van. Our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express Krabi, is located on what is chiefly the main street which that’s dominated by restaurants, pubs, shops and other commerce aimed at tourists.
We spent our first evening in Ao Nang with a walk through a farm with an eye toward a rubber farm, considering Thailand is one of the world’s three largest producers of rubber, before a home made dinner.
Me getting ready to stuff my face after my travel companions assisted in the preparation of tonight’s home cooked dinner of southern Thai culinary including stir fried mixed vegetables, stir fried red curry beef, sweet and sour chicken, rice and more Thursday night at the home of the Bandae family in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Before dinner we took a walk to a rubber tree plantation that our host family harvests for local use in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Walking through the rubber tree plantation that our host family harvests for local use in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Our host, Mr. Bandae, demonstrating how he makes a diagonal incision on the tree for the milky-like substance, called latex, to drip from the tree at the rubber tree plantation in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Our host, Mr. Bandae, demonstrating how he makes a diagonal incision on the tree for the milky-like substance, called latex, to drip from the tree at the rubber tree plantation in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)The milky-like substance called latex is collected from the incised rubber tree and into a small bucket at the rubber tree plantation in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)The home of our hosts, the Bandaes, in Krabi, Thailand, where we had our traditional dinner and members of my Intrepid Travel tour group assisted in preparing our traditional Thai meal. (March 12, 2020)Our Intrepid Travel group helping cut the ingredients for our home cooked dinner of stir fried mixed vegetables, stir fried red curry beef, sweet and sour chicken, rice and more Thursday night at the home of a family in Krabi, Thailand. From left: Jan, Ruth, Jo and Liz. (March 12, 2020)Our Intrepid Travel group helping Mrs. Bandae cut the ingredients for our home cooked dinner of stir fried mixed vegetables, stir fried red curry beef, sweet and sour chicken, rice and more Thursday night at the home of a family in Krabi, Thailand. From left: Jan, Ruth, Jo and Liz…with our guide Bud looking on. (March 12, 2020)Lorraine, one of my Intrepid Travel mates, stir frying the chicken, while Mrs. Bandae, whose home we are visiting looks on as our Intrepid Travel guide, Natthachai, let us know that several generations of the family live under one roof in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Ruth, one of my Intrepid Travel mates, and Mrs. Bandae working together to prepare our dinner at Mrs. Bandae’s home in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Mrs. Bandae sharing her Thai cooking techniques with our group at her home in their outdoor porch kitchen in Krabi, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Walking back to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, after our home cooked meal along the beachside main street in Krabi Ao Nang, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Walking back to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, after our home cooked meal along the beachside main street in Krabi Ao Nang, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)Walking back to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, after our home cooked meal along the beachside main street in Krabi Ao Nang, Thailand. (March 12, 2020)
During Part 1 of my travels through Thailand I got to see the temples and now during Part 2, I’m getting to see what truly makes Thailand so beautiful, it’s stunning landscape. Even though I’m not a beach person, I enjoyed the long tail boat ride across the beautiful Chenoweth Lan Lake to the little beaches and Frog Island. I also enjoyed staying at the Cliff and River Jungle Resort in Khao Sok and now the kayaking adventure at Thailand Bay in Krabi. Yes, the heat was daunting and draining but in this case, I loved every minute of it.
I spent Friday morning kayaking at Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. This is not my first kayaking experience but it was definitely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on water. And, at first I was going to pass on the kayaking where myself and a friend had to do the work, was not, and I repeat NOT, fun even though we were kayaking down the Dordogne River in France at the time. But this kayaking experience was completely different because this young man, Kung, did all the work and I just kicked back and relaxed. The cost to hire this wonderful guide was 300 Thai baht, less than $10 USD. I would have definitely paid more for this experience so tipping him for introducing me to what he calls ‘his office,’ was indeed worth it. (March 13, 2020)This is A, yes that’s his name, A with Sea Kayak Krabi providing our group with safer lessons and how to use the paddle during our kayaking adventure through the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Because of the morning low tides we were able to walk along the chocolate mud to our awaiting kayaks at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)A sliver of a beach area still visible during low tide at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)A sliver of a beach area still visible during low tide as our group disembarks from our kayaks to enjoy the warm water and hot sand of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Hot and sweaty but still enjoying my beautiful surroundings on this sliver of a sandy beach at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)A sliver of a sandy beach at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Kayaking through the limestone canyons of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Kayaking through the limestone canyons of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Kayaking through the limestone canyons of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)A group stopping to enjoy an a small offshore inlet surrounded by the towering karst limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the canals of mangrove forests and impressive limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Me and my kayaking guide, Kung, enjoying the beauty of what he calls his office amongst the canals of mangrove forests and impressive limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)The mangrove forests of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)The sighting of a macaque monkey in the mangrove forest of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand, gets everyone’s attention. (March 13, 2020)A close-up of a baby macaque monkey in the mangrove forest of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the canals of mangrove forests and impressive limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)A rock path to a hidden lagoon of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the canals of mangrove forests and impressive limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Gliding on our kayaks through the canals of mangrove forests and impressive limestone formations of the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Another small beachfront stopover for a playful group selfie at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. From left: Lucy, Liz, Ruth, Rob, Jan, Jo, Natthachai and me. (March 13, 2020)Back to where we began but this time it’s high tide and there’s no sign of the chocolate mud we walked through earlier in the morning before setting off on our kayaks at the Thalane Bay in Krabi, Thailand. (March 13, 2020)Sunset views of Krabi Ao Nang, during our last night in Thailand. Next stop, Penang, Malaysia. (March 14, 2020)
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