Introduction

I went to exotic Thailand on 3^rd February 2015. At that time there is great weather for holiday and dry season, and temperature is about 35°C/95°F. I left the Czech Republic alone with my backpack. I bought a super cheap flight from the Czech Republic to Bangkok with transfer in Moscow for € 200. In the rest of this blog I want to give you tips and tricks about what to do in Thailand for 7 days.

Schedule for my trip

Tuesday	Hranice-> Pardubice-> Moscow-> Bangkok
Wednesday	Bangkok-> Krabi town
Thursday	Railay beach, Cave beach (Phra Nang beach)
Friday	4 island tour (Top Island, Chicken Island, Koh Poda and Cave beach)
Saturday	Koh Lanta
Sunday	Koh Rok
Monday	Phi Phi Island
Tuesday	Phi Phi Island
Wednesday	Krabi-> Bangkok-> Moscow
Thursday	Moscow-> Pardubice

Tuesday- Travelling with stop in Moscow

As I said I bought a super cheap flight but other costs were not included (visa to Russia because I had to change airport, travelling costs between airports, etc.) so the final price of flight from the Czech Republic to Bangkok was of € 300.

My journey started on Tuesday in the Czech Republic and my first flight from Pardubice to Moscow took 2 hours. I had about 5 hours for the change of airport (Domodedovo to Vnukovo). There was not any direct connection, I used Aeroexpress which costs RUB 400/€ 5.5 and afterwards public transport and next Aeroexpress. I spent about 1.5 hours by this travelling. But for the rest of the time I had 3 great guides – my colleagues from the student organization BEST (Board of European Students of Technology).

I visited the Red Square and Kremlin and they showed me a cheap place with a traditional Russian meal (kind of soup borscht and filled potatoes).

Shopping center GUM

Moscow metro station

During killing time at the airport I met a French girl Gill and we were speaking for a few minutes and realized we had the same flight.

The best thing I experienced during my journey with Transaero Airlines was a seat number 55L (near the emergency entrance, with enough space for legs). You can also check the best seat on seatguru.com. 

Wednesday- First Thai experience

I had about 5 hours for the change of airport in Bangkok so I wanted to see Grand Palace and Wat Pho. Because of one hour´s delay in Moscow I had only 4 hours and it is not enough to get from BKK to DMK and also to do sightseeing. So I caught public transport to downtown, afterwards motorbike drive stop and it took me to Wat Pho for THB 100 (good price), tuk-tuk costs about THB 350 but you have bargains. I spent there about one hour and I had to go to the next airport. I bargained the tuk-tuk for THB 150 to the nearest metro station, afterwards I caught the bus to the airport – there is no connection to DMK yet, it is under construction.

Wat Pho

The biggest lying Buddha

I took flight to Krabi with Airasia for about THB 1.000, I was also thinking to go by night train (THB 500). Because I was there for a short time, I used the fastest way.

During the waiting for check-in I spoke to a Swedish backpacker who was heading to Koh-Lanta, I had not heard about that place before but he told me too many reasons why I had to go there.

I booked nights in a pack-hostel in Krabi through booking.com – it had great recommendations, and I also had one from a coachsurfer whom I contacted to sleep overnight. So I booked it.  Price was about THB 300, shared room with 8 beds. Quite expensive for Thailand, but the service and people were nice. If you travel alone, the best way to meet people is in hostels – I had also experience with stays in hotels which you can read in the next chapters. 

Thursday - Railay beach

I woke up at 7.30 a.m. and I went to buy breakfast and fresh coconut shake. On the way I met a Dutch girl Joel and we went together to the pier to catch a boat. Price was written to be THB 150 with no space for bargaining. We were waiting about 30 minutes for a full boat. Basically the first boat left at 9.00 a.m.

One of the famous places in Thailand is definitely Railay beach – and it is also very crowded. We had one recommendation to pass Railay beach and go to the next beach through the rocks. There were less people and also food and drinks were cheaper. I visited a restaurant at the end of the beach, THB 60 for a big Padthai, also the waitress was very friendly.

Railay

Rayawadee

I spent the afternoon climbing to the viewpoint and lagoon, going there with flip-flops is not the safest option but many explorers did that. The path leads through the jungle with angry monkeys. It took me about 45 minutes to go up and down.

Viewpoint

I spent the afternoon on Cave beach, it is also very popular like Railay beach. On Cave beach you can watch climbers. One interesting thing there is Dick cave, it is because a boat with princess shipwrecked there and fisherman worshipped with handmade dicks in different sizes.

I ate dinner at the night market, a plate with mixed vegetables and rice for THB 50. I chose this place because I saw many local people there. There were also many different stands with fruit, food and spices. I loved at this market the fresh cut coconut milk for THB 25.

I received a message from the French girl and we would meet at Phiphi!

Friday- 4-island tour

I ordered a 4-island tour for THB 300 and at 8 a.m. a minibus was waiting for me in front of my hostel. We picked up the other passengers in different hotels around the town, afterwards followed a typical one hour of waiting, and then we started our journey on a long tail boat.

The first stop was at Top islands, it could be very nice, but without the 50 long tail boats. There was no point in going there in the morning. Anyway without people it is definitely a nice piece of nature, two small islands not far from each other, we could walk from one to the other and the water was under knees.

Top Island

The next island was called Chicken island because of the shape. We were snorkeling there for 30 minutes, the island was not bad, but also crowded. The guide surprised me as he put some soup to the water to beguile fish, they will kill all of them in a few months. I had chosen that trip because of the next stop Koh Lanta. The same story with many boats, but this island was bigger and I had a good companion Nina, a Croatian traveler. We went to the opposite side of the island as the boats came. White sand, palm trees – it could be really nice to be there overnight, you can book lodging in tents for THB 350.

Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta with Nina

Long tail boats

During the time on boat I spoke to two families from Norway and Sweden, they have been coming to Thailand every 2 years during the last 10 years and they said it is every time they come 2 times more expensive than during the previous visit. They also recommended me Koh Lanta, so I made a decision to go there.

Cave beach

The last stop was Cave beach which I visited last day. I loved it so I stayed there and left the programme of my tour because it finished at 3 and what to do in Krabi town if I could be on a beautiful beach. I spent the rest of the day there, watching climbers and enjoying paradise. On the way back to Krabi one fisherman stopped me and transported just me by boat for THB 150 back to town. I had my private boat! :) It was a very strong feeling, sunset with the noise of a 100 hps engine in the background. :)

Private boat for 150 BTH

 

In the downtown in Krabi there are every night many restaurants, many local people coming with portable kitchens and they cook local foods for good prices of THB 50-100. I was offered a coconut ice-cream at a stand, if you see that stand you have to try it, the best ice-cream for THB 35 each!

Saturday- Koh Lanta

The alarm clock woke me up at 6.30 a.m., I packed my stuff and I took minibus for THB 300 to Koh Lanta and after 2 hours spent in minibus and ferry I stepped on the nice peaceful island of Koh Lanta.

It is a 25 km long island, so I rented a motorbike for THB 150/day. I was riding around, stepping on famous places I had recommendations from families I met the previous days. I spent most time on bike exploring the island, the biggest surprise for me was a fisherman´s village, at the south-west, a very poor area without tourists and also very dirty.

The Last beach.

And the longest stop was on the southern beach which was called Last beach. I was almost alone on a 300 m long beach! The time went so fast and at 8 p.m. I had no accommodation. I made fire on the beach and wanted to sleep there. But after a few minutes in the dark I heard some noise, I checked the internet whether it was safe to sleep on a beach in Thailand without any covers. They said that Thailand has many dangerous spiders, snakes and scorpions, they do not recommend to sleep on the beach. I put out the fire and in a few seconds I was on motorbike on the way to civilization. I stopped in a few hotels and asked about the possibility of staying overnight for one night for a cheap price. Prices for double bedroom with AC were about THB 800. But only for me it was expensive (next time I have to travel all the time in two persons). After many tries I stopped in one and I bargained the price from THB 800 to THB 400 per night with AC.

Fire on the beach, preparation for sleep.

Sunday- trip to Koh Rok!

I met a local man and he said I had to go to Koh Rok. I googled and it looked so good. I ordered a one day trip. I wish to believe everything I have seen on the internet. Thai people are killing their nature! During snorkelling I saw many dead corals and just a few nice fish. It used to be a paradise some 5-10 years ago.  Anyway you must see Koh Rok island, we spent there about 3 hours, I went to the viewpoint – there were high steps and nice paths with a view to the other islands, but I think it is not very popular because I had not met anyone from about 10 boats during my tour exploring the island. There were many lovers, taking pictures on white sand with pure blue water.

Koh Rok 

Koh Rok 

We came back to Koh Lanta at 4 and I spent the rest of the day on my favorite last beach. On the way back I stopped in a Thai restaurant near road, I ordered again my favorite pad thai and went to sleep full of expectations of Phi Phi island.

Monday- Phi Phi with 3 amazing girls – Best day in Thailand

It is written everywhere that when you go to Thailand you have to visit Phi Phi. Nice beaches, palm trees everywhere, but during the last few years it started to be popular because of the parties and movie The Beach with Leonardo di Caprio.

I was looking forward to seeing Gill (French girl) all the morning but on the way to Phi Phi Island I met other great people (Erica and Elizabeth), both of them working in Milan. We had no exact plan, so we decided to spend time on Phi Phi together. They found accommodation at Coco accommodation, there was working a girl from Slovakia and she gave me a lot of tips of what to do on Phi Phi island in just 2 days. The first stop was on a nice beach, we walked there for 45 minutes from the pier, it was quite a far way, but we were there almost alone and it was definitely the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. You can get there also by fastest way – you can take a boat taxi. I did not use it, but price can be of THB 300 for a ride.

As we followed the Trip advisor, we went to the viewpoint. It took about 50 minutes from pier and about 50 minutes from the beach where we were. At the viewpoint there was a lady who was taking the entrance fee of THB 30. Do not forget to take enough water. J And at the end of the amazing day we visited the Papaya restaurant which is recommended by everyone. After a few beers we came with Erica to the conclusion that we would go to the peak to see the sunrise.

Me and Gill had accommodation at a garden bungalow, we paid THB 400/person with fan and many beats. We did not like that place but we survived, it was in the center but not very noisy like all party places and also the price was very friendly.

Tuesday- Phi Phi

I agreed with Erica to wake up at 5.30 a.m. and go to the viewpoint. But I could not wake up because of the last night. We visited a few bars and I was very tired.

We took a private boat at 7.30 and we went to the most famous places there (beach, monkey island, lagoon). We preferred to go earlier because usual tours started at 9 and we wanted to have peace and not to be in crowd. Before the stop on the beach the fisherman stopped the boat about 300 m away from our stop and he asked for other 200 THB per person as entrance fee there, but we did not want to pay, so he gave us discount for THB 100 to his pocket. But we did not agree with him, so we did just snorkeling there. We skipped places which we did not like and at places which we liked we stayed as long as we wanted to. We finished at 11 and went to the beach near Vikings apartments, there were not too many people there and it was a long beach. It is not so famous, but there is a shadow and a nice view to the pier.

Pih Ley bay

Monkey beach

Monkey beach

Monkey beach

At 3.30 my boat left back to Krabi, it took about 2 hours, I laid on the top floor and I fell asleep. I woke up at the pier in Krabi, about 3.5 km away from Krabi town, the center where pack-up hostel is situated. I decided to walk there and explore Krabi from the view of the locals. On the way there were shops for locals by 30% cheaper than usually. They did not speak any English and they were also very nice. I found real Thailand. 

Special holder for milkshake. 

People changed and hostel as well, but they were very nice again. Many travellers, many people with different backgrounds. I had in my room 6 girls and we went for dinner together. At that time there was some traditional festival, super cheap food and music concert. I bought some food for my next travelling back to the Czech Republic. And it was my last day so I bought my last fresh coconut and sat and was watching that different nice culture.

If you are interested in more information, do not be shy and send me a message.