HATYAI-KRABI roadtrip (18.1-23.1.13)

After absense of more than 2 yrs; i'm back to share my travelling experience...

18.1.13 : Left home at 6.10 am, just minutes before Subuh azan. Driving my PKG6050, leaving behind my longtime travel love..PDF.  This is my only 2^nd roadtrip in 2 years after leaving beloved Sabah. Road trips have been so nostalgic to me…

Reached Changlun at 8am (Penang-Changlun 1.5 hrs). After breakfast we left in 2 cars (the other being Haqul’s brand new Chevrolet). Filled up car tank; then stopped at Naluri Aman duty free shop; where we did our 3^rd party Insurans (RM14) & visa(WhiteCard)-supposedly free, but they charged (RM1).

Arrived at border at 11.30am. Took almost 1 hour to get pass Thai border due to inefficiency of Thai immigration.

Arrived in HatYai within an hour. Checked in to Emperor Hotel..don’t be deceived by the “grand” name.

Had lunch at restoran Kak Sah..where everyone there can kecek Kelate.

Then planned to see Ice Dome HatYai, but got lost to Songkhla town! Best part is none of those who met can give us direction due to language barrier..including varsity girls & Nissan sales girls! However managed to find our way back to Ice Dome in HatYai CityPark (which was actually only 5-6km away from our hotel)

Night, we went to Pe Thai (night market), as way to floating market seems too confusing. Pe Thai had nothing but some food stalls & stalls selling skimpy dresses… Not worth going! 

DAY 2

Woke up early & breakfast at Kak Sah. Went around looking for Map and got it at a7-eleven (RM12). Departed to Songkhla, visited the bronze mermaid at Samila Beach. Bought souveniers at the beach. Lunch at a stretch with lots of Muslim stalls. Solat at a nearby Masjid

Bronze Mermaid @ Samila Beach

Left Songkhla at 2.30. KRABI here we come! Via route to Phattalung (though not into Phattalung town). Then Trang –KhlongPhon- KhlongThom-Ao Nang. That is rite…not Krabi town…we are going to AoNang (16km away from town). Reached almost 8pm (after some series of lost directions) Then auntie at Ao Nang Miti Resort buat lawak la…kata ada 1 room only. After about 1 hour, baru la another person said they have another room..huh. Must be careful when booking via Agoda..

Checked in, showered & went for Dinner at an unnamed stall, where we had Keow toeow soup & Pancake! We strolled along Ao Nang beach where actually thing were happening (only about 5 minutes drive from our hotel)

Shopping @ Samila

On the way to Krabi. This girl can speak reasonable english

Bedroom in AoNang Miti Resort

DAY 3

Next day started late for us. Had American breakfast kunun at Hasna Palace before going for trip along AoNang beach. 11am sharp we left for Elephant trekking. The most enjoyable activity (for me) throughout my visit to Thailand! And I learned a new diagnosis “Elephant sickness” which hit one of our expedition member. Came back at around 1.30pm & had lunch in Hasna Palace. 2.30 we left to PAN Beach Bungalow in Khlong Mueng Beach (again only indah khabar dari nama!) Place was terrible..electricity only 6pm-6am), dogs are everywhere and tend to chase after cars & they might even swim with you if you go to the sea, toilets are way below standard! Only plus point was beautiful beach & sea scenery (mmg dia resort kat pantai), even which, was full with couples in swimwear..huh.

Had dinner (light) at A-Hud Seafood, before going to Ao Nang beach to book island trip..the agent we met was Ms.Azizah. The price we got was RM100/person. Again to town for sight seeing-went to Krabi Night Walk (ala2 pasar minggu at night- only open from fridays-sundays)

DAY 4

Left PAN at 7.30. B/fast at a new place (nice food). Our pick-up was already waiting at Hasna Palace. They brought to Nopparathara Beach where the pier is. Anyhow the boat only left at 9.30am.

The whole island hopping thing did not excite me. Basically only 2 islands to visit – Bamboo & Phi2. We stopped at Moonbay (a beachside of Phi2) & another place where we could take photos of baboons (The!!!) Had lunch at Phi2 Island..was nice. Well u could do some quick shopping too at Phi2 island.

We were back at hotel (Hasna Palace) by 4.30pm. Night were well spent at Krabi town

DAY 5

Sungai Krabi

We left Ao Nang at about 12 noon & found a place to stay in Krabi town at about 2.30pm (City Hotel). Went for Krabi River cruise (not forgetting the “noname” Cave which we had to pay extra RM2). The trip cost us RM40/boat. Went around town to do some shopping. Had a good dinner at a stall in night market (Gerai Ibrahim) where the boss & all his workers can speak reasonable English. Cost us only RM4/head. Went to Ao Nang again, had our Last Supper in Thailand at Shareefah’s stall.

DAY 6 (final)

Went to morning market alone, as the others were still asleep. Checked out by 9am. Had breakfast nasi campur. Fuelled up our cars (B750) & off we go.

Along the way, stopped by at Hot Spring Waterfall (RM9/entrance);  Khlong Phon town to get some durians (RM10/2 bijik). Took home 6. Trang was were we stopped for lunch & Jama’ Zohor-Asar.Then there was no more stopping till we reached border. But we did stop at Dannok town for our Last Tomyam in Thailand. It was 8.30 Malaysian time when we reached border. 

Then Haqul parted ways with us; he has got another 450km to drive.huhu. We stopped at Gurun R&R to Jama’ Maghrib-Isya’. I reached home at 12MN. Haqul was at Tapah at that time (reports from Whats App)

EXPENDITURES

       Tranportation   

-          Fuel                    
– RM 280

-          Insurans (Siam 3^rd party) RM 14

-          Fee to Enter & leave Thailand – RM 2

      Accomodation (shared by 3 persons)

-          Emperor Hotel (HatYai) RM43.50

-          AoNang Miti Resort RM128.00

-          PanBeach Bungalow RM102.00

-          Hasna Palace RM160.00

-          City Hotel RM120.00

         Activities

-          IceDome (HatYai) RM30

-          Elephant Trekking RM 7/pax

-          Island Hopping RM100

-          Krabi River RM40/boat (RM15/pax)

-          Hot Spring Waterfall (RM9)

ALL in ALL I spent about RM950 for everything including food & souveniers)  

TIPS

• Pastikan tank minyak keta penuh sebelum masuk Thailand 
• Park your car at a parking space on your LEFT just before u reach immigration lanes at Thai border; as if u don't, they will make u make a U-turn at a point 500m away. 
• At Thai border, must queue twice (one is for individual visa clearance; another is for the car customs clearance) For visa, if u did not make earlier, pls fill up the"white card" first at the immigration office at the border.
• Make sure u prepare the 3rd party Thai car insurance bfr u reach border (can do at the Naluri Aman  shop in BKH)
• HatYai - can visit IceDome at Municipal Office Park. Eat at Kak Sah. Shop at Diane Shopping Centre.
• Songkhla - nothing much...only Samila Beach (where the duyung is), Songkhla Zoo (xtau best ke tak)
• Sepanjang jln ke Krabi (in between Trang-Krabi) ada banyak fruit stalls...jangan lupa singgah.
• Also we u want to have lunch, stop at Khlong Phom (easier to find halal foods compared to in Trang)
• Krabi - make sure u stay in AoNang, not Krabi town (if u plan to see the beaches)
• Krabi - ACTIVITIES available

1. elephant trekking. 
2. Canoeing - sea & stream.
3. Island hopping...got few trips (James Bond Island, Phi2 & Bamboo Island and 4 islands visit) Famous one is the Phi2 & Bamboo. In my opinion..not so exciting, as nothing much to see & even snorkelling at only 2 places.
4. Cobra & monkey show
5. Go-kart (told to be quite expensive) 

• Krabi - pls do shopping at Krabi town, NOT Ao Nang town, as things are much cheaper at the former place.
• Carry a map & reliable GPS with u. 
• Learn some basic Thai phrases to make your life easier & stay more pleasant :)
• Bring along Stemetil & Maxolon if u might experience "elephant sickness" - something like motion sickness.

Haqul Jr & Sr

in Ice Dome

Mind your language

Nezam with aweknya

 

                       Emperor Hotel in HatYai

Pancake ala Thai

Stalls along Ao Nang beach

Nezam being "harassed" by some aunties

CENTER POINT - centre of hedonism at Ao Nang

Elephant show at Ao Nang (some 10km away from AoNang beach)