Watching it pour down on Ao Nang
Trip Start
Oct 11, 2002
1
7
20
Trip End
Nov 04, 2002
Ao Nang,
Thailand
Thursday, October 17, 2002
We arrived in Ao Nang to lots of construction on the road and footpath. We were dropped off at a cluster of guesthouses but went to check out the Phra Nang Inn which was too expensive so we went back to Jinda House where we got a twin room with shared bathroom for 150B.
We quickly dumped our backpacks and headed off down the street intending to go down the street first but we ended up getting a 50B longtail to Hat Tham Phra Nang to check out the Princess Cave. We passed some amazing limestone formations jutting out of the sea and falling as sheer cliff faces into the water. The water was a beautiful turquoise colour, a kind of greeny blue you only ever imagine to find in paradise.
The line of longtail boats along Ao Nang rocked against the waves. Their anchors holding the bow facing out to sea. There was no competition for customers - all boats were part of the association of longtail boats and they all wore blue long sleeved t-shirts saying this and displaying a sponsors logo.
The longtail boats have a long pointy prow, curving elegantly forward, some have mid sections with canopies for protection from the sun, and a bamboo slatted floor. At the stern there is a platform that the captain stands upon, clasping the tiller for the motor, and the prop shaft was long and resembled a whipper snipper.
We were dropped off at Hat Tham Phra Nang away from all the other boats. We walked along the beach which was very quiet, down to the end where we thought the caves were. There was a trail leading around in between the only resort on Hat Tham Phra Nang and the limestone cliffs. This track took us to East Rai Leh beach which had so much construction going on. It was not very pretty and had a mangrove type feel at low tide. This beach was lined with bungalows and had rivers of water eroding gullies into the beach which you had to jump over.
We had breakfast at YaYa's - mine was a very lovely heart shaped pancake! - and then headed down the beach to the diamond cave. We first started up a path that was for the Diamond Cave Bungalows. Only when we reached a dead end did we realise that we should have taken the adjacent path. When we got to the entrance of the cave, we looked around the visitor centre and then paid our 20B admission to the cave. We almost got away without paying. There was a sign that said you had to pay, but there was no one to pay it to, so we edged closer to the cave entrance and a guy bounded out from a hut nearby and asked for our 20B which we reluctantly handed over.
The Diamond Cave had a walkway built through it. Just inside the entrance was a waterfall which was so perfect that it looked man made. The main cavern wasn't what I expected. I had expected it to be further into the cliff and be longer, with smaller grottoes and caves branching off from the main cave. It had only been recently discovered and I was expecting something much more hidden.
As we walked back along the construction zone of East Rai Leh beach we saw a boat anchor and drop tourists off far out into the water. They got out of the boat, strapped their packs to their backs, or lifted their suitcases up and waded through knee deep water in the direction of the beach. There was a concrete path leading them to shore, however I'm sure that they were expecting a slice of paradise, only to find East Rai Leh to be an ugly blotch. All they needed to do was walk around to Hat Tham Phra Nang and they would find a perfect piece of paradise.
We walked back along the path through the limestone cliffs trying to find out how to get to the lagoon we had heard about, but it remained hidden so we headed back to Hat Tham Phra Nang where it was much more lively. We climbed some rocks and got a good shot of the beach and cliffs. Some Thai boys were playing in the sea at the very edge of the beach. Their clothes were flung over the rocks and they were playing in the sand and then splaying into the water, their brown bodies squirming and squealing and laughing.
As we got into the longtail to head back to Ao Nang, we saw a storm coming over from out at sea. Visibility was decreasing and the boat ride was much choppier - waves were splashing over the boat getting us wet and getting saltwater in our eyes.
Our boat anchored with a little difficulty and we jumped out. We started walking along the road towards the shops and we ran into the English couple we had met at O'Malleys who were on a day trip to Ao Nang. We told them about the beach at Hat Tham Phra Nang and they continued on and we continued to the shops.
Nicole and I bought a couple of shirts and I bought a new pair of sandals and also a beautiful pair of leather thongs which we were told were handmade by the shop assistant's brother. They had lots of unusual leather sandals, one pair was shaped like a wolf and another like a foot with a hand flapping over it.
It started to bucket down with rain so we sought refuge in a cafe. Sipping on lemon shakes we watched the rain set in. We had an excellent view of the storm coming in from sea. When we saw a break in the rain we dashed out, got a copy of the Bangkok Post and went back to our guesthouse to sit on the balcony watching the rain turn to shine.
We ventured out again to check out the street our guesthouse was on. There were lots of places to stay and eat and also shops open late. Nicole bought a picture from a deaf stall holder. We spent some time emailing friends and then had dinner at Chanaya's a Thai-Dutch restaurant. I didn't really like my meal so I didn't eat it all. Our waiter was very friendly and he took a bit of a shine to us, saying we were beautiful and asking when we were coming to Ao Nang again.
After tea we had a drink at Midnight Bar. Nicole was tired and she tried to leave with her soft drink in a bottle but they called us back as the bottles are all recycled from the place of purchase. It probably explains why the bottles are smaller, because people have to scull them down quickly if they are in a hurry!
Back at the guesthouse we booked our tickets to Phi Phi and went upstairs to our room. It was so noisy. Other people were out on the balcony outside our window, across the road workmen were still working on the building site (until well after 10pm) a nightclub seemed to start up nearby but then mysteriously stopped at 10pm and there was road noise from the motorcycles on the road. Let's hope I'm tired enough to sleep through it all!! (I can't believe I'm still hearing the angle grinder on the building site over the road at 10:30pm!!)
