Better Beach Bound

Trip Start Mar 27, 2007
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Trip End Jun 10, 2007


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Friday, June 1, 2007

After a few days on Ko Phi Phi, I decided that I'd had enough and used my open ticket to get back to Rai Leh, one of several beaches in the Krabi area. The journey itself was a new and GOOD start. I boarded the ferry, choosing to remain on the outside of the boat, and looked down into the water to see needlefish and reef fish swim around. There was also an enormous school of minnows.

The hour and a half ride was amazing. The sun was bright and the boat sprayed water onto my legs, which were hanging off the side between the railings.

We arrived at East Rai Leh and disembarked onto a long tail boat. From there, it took us to a jutting pathway that served as the "dock" at low tide. The path, needless to say, was very slippery and I watched as people slipped and fell, taking my cue to be careful. The cheap bungalows were situated on East Rai Leh- which is a beach of mud and Mangroves. So I stopped in there and got a "treehouse" at the Ya Ya Resort. Nifty little place- all wooden bungalows built on top of each other. And the toilet was mini- about half the height of a normal one. Amusing... and I paid less than on Ko Phi Phi.

West Rai Leh, in contrast to its neighbor but only a 5 minute walk down the path, was beach paradise. It's a smallish beach with white sand, situated between limestone cliffs. The water was cool, the scenery beautiful, the sun warm. I spent my days reading and relaxing. My only complaint was that I tire easily of the sand and salt water- which seemed like it caked too easily with my sunscreen. Ick.

But the sunset on Day 2... it couldn't get better. It was getting dark... and then all the sudden, there were orange beams, turning everything orange. Overall, Rai Leh is probably my favorite beach in the world.
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