From Koh Phi Phi we went to Krabi Town where to my delight we stayed in the Chill Chill Hotel which was only £13 per night but Pip was happy with it (there is a constant battle developing when we choose accomodation).

We did a kayak trip while in Krabi and after an hour or so by van to get to the venue we were amazed to find that we were the only people expected that day. Given the fabulous weather we were even more surprised to learn that we were our guide’s first customers for 3 weeks.

Wow, there were some fantastic sights and downs over the next 3 hours, from the mangroves to caves leading into hidden lagoons that felt straight out of Jurassic Park. There was also a National Park area with caves and drawings from thousands of years ago. What was most surprising was that there were 2 guys sat at the entrance where tickets were purchased just playing cards. Our guide confirmed that the park had not had any visitors in June so those guys had literally been paid to sit there for weeks with nothing to do.

Krabi Town has a walking street on a Friday which, in addition to z huge array of good, had a bar making cocktails and serving then in bamboo, don’t mind if I do.

This was also the moment I fell into the trap of thinking I am a younger man again and succumbed to the leather bracelet…..Pip is just grateful there is no chance of me trying to grow long hair!!!

Kao Sok is a man-made lake, formed when they built a huge hydro-electric dam in the 80’s. We booked a trip which included a night in a cabin in the forest then a long-tail boat across the lake and an overnight stay in a floating bungalow plus a walk through the rainforest. Now, it lived up to its name, as it absolutely threw it down while we were trekking through, but I suppose it only makes the experience more natural.

We would definitely recommend visiting this area as the views on the lake were stunning, plus we got to see lots of monkeys in their natural habitat.

After Kao Sok we headed to Ao Nang which is the main beach resort in Krabi province. Not somewhere we would return to, just a commercial resort, although we had a great night watching England play DR Congo in the World Cup. The Boogie Bar had a great band on that people were really enjoying while also watching the football, so there were moments during their set that must have confused then when everyone went nuts halfway through a song.

One noticeable thing about Ao Nang is that most of the restaurants seem to be Indian owned, as there is a longstanding and growing Indian population there. It did change the dynamic of the place as you walked along as the guys outside those restaurants were much more loud and in your face than the usual Thai style. Perhaps it wasn’t surprising that our favourite became The Family Restaurant, which sold only Thai food.