Phuket and Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Because of the travel advisory for Bangkok, we wanted to get out of the city as soon as possible so we took a short flight to Phuket, Thailand’s biggest and most visited island.  We only stayed in Phuket a couple nights as we were anxious to spend more time in some of the less developed, less touristy beaches in Thailand. 

Phuket

 

 

Ko Phi Phi

To get to the island of Ko Phi Phi, it was an easy 2 hour ferry boat ride from Phuket.

As there are no roads/cars on this island, if you don’t stay in the main part of the city, the easiest way to some of the outlying resorts is by long tail boat.  We decided on staying in a cheap resort about 20 minutes (walk) from town. 

Pulling up to our bungalow village by long boat.  We decided on giving a “fan” room a try, rather than springing for an air conditioned room (lodging on this island was much more expensive than we were used to paying).  Along with a fan, the room was equipped with a mosquito net, as it was in true fashion of a bungalow (there were no sealed walls, so many bugs/lizards easily found there way into our room).

We did have a nice balcony with a hammock, where another orange kitten would visit with us daily.  We would keep our “sausage” from breakfast (which was actually just a hot dog) and feed it to the kitten when we got back from breakfast.  He also liked oreos…..

 

 

The lodging also had it’s own private beach, we would often find we were the only ones on the beach.  You could walk out about 100 feet into the clear blue water, and it would still only be up to your knees.

 

 

 

We think this kitten had Vietnamese roots…

 

Beachfront restaurant

On the ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi, we met a couple on their honeymoon, Nick and Kristen. With them being from LA, it was comforting to speak with people that completely understand everything you say!  We had such a great time with them, and would end up hanging out in the next town together as well (to be mentioned in the Krabi post)

 

 

Fire show on the beach (just one of the many fire shows in the south of Thailand)

Our last night out in Ko Phi Phi with Nick and Kristin

Bangkok, Thailand

We first arrived in Bangkok back in early April after leaving Nepal. Upon arriving, we learned of the growing unrest among the Thai people and the resulting protests by ‘The Red Shirts’. The protests were taking place in and around the popular Khao San Road district (as we would find out personally), so we focused our sight-seeing on other areas and figured we would see more when we came back to Bangkok after going to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

However, when it came time for us to return to Bangkok (a few weeks ago), the city was still in turmoil (US embassy closed and travel advisory in effect, mandatory city-wide curfew, etc.) so we ended up scooting right through the city once again and heading to less turbulent areas in the southern part of Thailand.

All the pictures and stories we have are from our first, brief visit back in early April…

Royal Grand Palace

The side walls of one of the Wats is painted with depictions of battles and other notable periods of Thai history…

Gold leaf inlay on some of the paintings…

Wat Arun

A 46 meter long, 15 meter high reclining Buddha

The feet of the Buddha inlayed with mother of pearl

Another one of the many Buddhas we would see in Thailand

Red Shirt Rally

After going to the Grand Palace and a couple Wats, we began walking towards Kho San Road and found ourselves close to one of the Red Shirt protests that would plague the city for weeks to come. As the protests were non-violent at this point, we felt safe observing from a distance. However, after about 20 minutes, everyone in the crowd near us started running away from the main square… and we followed! Watching the news later that night, we learned that several Red Shirts and Thai military were injured when things turned violent.

Lumphini Park

On recommendation from one of our friends, we spent a morning at Lumphini Park… the main city park in Bangkok. It was beautiful, relaxing and a bit off of the main tourist track.

Morning Thai Chi

Bangkok skyline in the distance

Huge monitor lizards crawling out of the canals winding through the park

Our first attempt at eating “street food”… pad thai made fresh to order on a road-side stand.

Statue of The King

Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

We arrived in Siem Reap after a 5 hour bus ride from Phnom Penh.  Siem Reap is the jumping off point for visiting the many temples of Angkor, the remnants of the Khmer empire that flourished there from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries.

As there are literally dozens of sites spread over many square miles, we hired a tuk-tuk driver, Brannak, to cart us around for a 3-day tour.  (map of temples).

Using our guidebook and Brannak’s extensive knowledge of the sites, we started with some of the older, less-preserved ruins on Day 1 and worked our way up to the real gems by Day 3--Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom.

We kept a good record of which places we visited on what days/times, etc… but it will take us quite a while to sort it all out once we get home.  The pictures below are a little of everything, intermixed…

Our Itinerary (and links for more background)

Day 1:

Bakong

Preah Ko

Lolei

Tham Neak

Chau Say Tevoda

Ta Keo

Ta Prohm (featured in the movie Tomb Raider)

Banteay Kdei

Sras Srang

Eastern Mebon

Pre Rup (sunset)

 

Day 2:

Banteay Srei (30 km outside Siem Reap)

Ta Som

Preah Neak Pean

Prasat Prei

Preah Khan

 

Day 3:

Angkor Wat

Angkor Thom

Bayon

Terrace of the Leper King

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Thom North Gateway:  one of a handful of intimidating entrances to the massive walled compound of Angkor

Our tuk-tuk driver, Brannak

  

The palm tree landscape between temple sites…

 

And flooded fields of rice, with water buffalos…

 

We’re constantly amazed at what can be transported by motorbike

The town of Siem Reap

 

 

  

 

Nature reclaiming the jungle after hundreds of years

 

 

 

Kids riding home from school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brannak picked us up at 4:30am on Day 3 so we could watch the sunrise over some temples.

 

Sunrise over Angkor Wat

 

At 6 in the morning, our shirts are already soaked with sweat… it was HOT!!

 

 

 

 

A family of monkeys playing in a nearby field

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bayon complex

 

 

 

 

One final picture with Brannak… we would be heading back into Thailand the next morning.