PhuketTrip-Day5

Day 5 - 26 Feb 2009, Thu.
"James Bond Discovery Tour (sea canoe), bought from travel agent - 1200 Baht"

This tour was started a bit late. We woke up around 9am and van already arrived after I just came out from guest house not more than 10 minutes. We did not expect driver will come on time or earlier. I ran up and informed my friends that van was ready. We were the 1st group in the van.

From Karon to Phang-Nga Bay around took us 2 hours... long journey. 2 hours can bring me from Penang to Ipoh already. The 1st station we visited was Suwankuha Temple (Money Cave). We thought this place is located in one of the island... need to take boat or what. Never think that this is in the mainland. This tour guard very cute. She call JING JING. Jing jing means girl in Thai language. She told us don't call her only 'Jing'... because Jing means money. So must call her Jing Jing or Pretty... haha! Monkey cave... of course got a lot of monkeys. The monkeys were visible as soon as we stepped out from the van. Visitors can buy some bananas to feed the monkeys from the stalls. You will become a Monkey Super Star if you holding a bunch of banana, they will come forward to you, surrouding you... Inside the cave, there has a few big Buddha statues in gold...color. Went in further, we can see the 'bat cave'. To me... who from IPOH, of course all of these were nothing for me! :-p

After that, we traveled to Kasom Pier by longtail boat and do some sightseeing at Phang Nga Bay National Park. I think we were only the Asian on the boat. Can see that Phuket is the favour of western. Think to have my own motel and rent to the travellers... as my retiring job.

After around 30 minutes, we arrived Koh Panyee (Sea Gypsy Island), a Muslim Fishing Village. We can see a Mosque, but I don't know where is the entrance of this mosque. No time to explore. There has quite number of same type restaurants. Where we had our lunch was called Panyee Restaurant. Since this village is floating on the sea, we may think that their wash room is simple and crude...maybe smelly. If you think like that, you are totally WRONG! Their sanitation of wash room better than our local 3 star hotel... don't play play ahh. The foods were nice: tomyam, fried chicken, fried prawn, fish, vegetable, fried egg... yummy! Tell you, this table only had 4 of us and 1 family... father, mother & daughter. I think they are from Rusia. Their daughter never touch any foods on the table, only drink Coke. Her mother only eat a bit... her father better, can try and eat the Thai foods. I think they not use to eat Thai foods. Pity them... empty stomach whole afternoon. But, good for us. We almost 'sapu' all the foods...hahaha! Don't order any pork or beer ohhh... remember, people here is muslim. After having lunch, we 'window' shopping at local panyee market which only behind the dinig area. This market is link with other restaurant.

Next activity - sea caves canoeing at Talu Island! This is the main program of the day... to me. This trip too many peoples. Not only our trip, still have trips from other. Can see a lot banana boats... some areas/ways were narrow expecially after entering to the cave... cannot stay there longer because other banana boats are coming in. There also has a boat selling some soft drinks and coconuts. Actually we can request caiquejee to let us rowing since we gave him some tips.

After 20 minutes sea conoeing, we arrived James Bond & Koh Ping-gan... 1974, James Bond movie "The Man With the Golden Gun" was captured here. This island is very small. The entire area surrounding this island with its signature rocky pinnacle is indeed spectacular. There also has few stalls which selling souvenir and drink.

After visiting James Bond Island, again, we took 2 hours journey back to our hotel. After arrive our hotel, Alfonso and me moved like a rocket, change to the swim suit and walked to the beach... Sunset coming so fast, we only swim for 15 minutes and stayed at beach saw sunset.

This is last night in Phuket, so we went to restaurant and ordered western foods. Staff here was nice. I tried to order honey lemon juice since I had sore throat. No honey lemon juice in their menu. Anyway, they tried to make 1 cup of drink which can 'softening' my sore throat. This dinner spent us >600 Baht... only one set of steak, bear, soup and 1 small cup of my drink. Why only 1 set main course? because I already eaten 1 plate of local chao kwei theoy when we walking back to hotel after swiming.

After that, we went to massage. This time we took Foot Massage... only 300 Baht/hour. This massge include 45 minutes for foot, 15 minutes for hand, shoulder and head.