It was early January 2017.

Shops, restaurants, companies, projects, and deadlines all came to a close. China prepared to shutdown. People hoarded tickets for buses, ferries, trains, and planes. It was that time of year again: Spring Festival. Everyone was preparing for a time of celebration, festivity, delicious foods, and happy families.

But there was no joy in my heart, for I was alone in China. And Shenzhen will be deserted once everyone leaves for their hometown.

But I was wasn’t going to let it deter me from having a good time. I browsed the web for holiday spots.

As I sifted through pictures from around the world, I came upon some beautiful beaches with island rocks as backdrop. The skies were baby blue with traces of white clouds. It looked like it was some kind of prop straight out of a movie! Where was this? I did some research and the results led me to Railay Beach in Thailand, where the famous Beach movie was filmed.

Itinerary

I booked a round trip flight, reserved a seven-day stay at the Bhu Thani resort on Railay Beach, and bought a ferry ticket from Phuket to Railay Beach. There is also a famous beach called Patong on Phuket Island. I wanted to take a look so I added a reservation for my first overnight stay there.

Big mistake.

Patong Beach is on the west side of the island, but the ferry is on the east side. It means I had to taxi across the island at 7:30 am in order to catch the ferry.

Since it was Chinese New Year, the prices were a bit high. The room for one night in Patong was fair, but the resort in Railay Beach was a bit much. It was $166 a night. Once I exited Phuket Airport, I felt at ease. The warm air was comfortable, there was a light breeze, and tourists were scurrying about like rats. I bought a seven-day sim card so I could get internet access and phone service. I exited the airport terminal and saw a bunch of taxis waiting. Before setting towards your destination, the taxis will stop off at a small tourist shop. An employee will hop in and try to sell you some tourist packages. I had my trip all planned so I declined her offers.

Do not exchange money at the airport. Do it at the ATM machines in Thailand.

At this point, I had a lot of Bhat on hand because I did cash exchange at the airport. Do not do this because the exchange rate is much better inland. Even though there is a small initial fee at the ATM machines, the exchange rate is excellent, and you get a better deal from it.

Few hours in Patong

The taxi dropped me off at my hotel in Patong Beach, and I unpacked. Walking through Paton beach was an eye-opening experience. Everyone was on vacation mode. They were just eating, drinking, chatting and strolling about. It was late and I had to catch the ferry early next morning, so I went into a little place and ordered a beef curry.

The pace in Phuket is very slow. It’s island culture, so people move about casually. Most events are trivial. Deadlines are an unknown concept. As I waited for my meal to arrive, that island culture went on full display. I waited an eternity for my food. When it arrived, however, it was all worth it. The curry was home-made, the beef tender, and the rice cooked to perfection. The simple act of waiting slowed my mind and calmed my body. My mind wasn’t racing like it was in big cities. After dinner, I strolled back to my room.

At this point, I started to notice the Thai language. The standard Thai greeting would be “Sa wat Dee Kaaaaaaa….” if it is said by a woman. And “Sa Wat Dee Krap”, if said by a man. They would put their hands together and bow slightly. This gesture of service ties perfectly to their culture. Thailand’s economy has a strong tourist sector. From hotels to restaurants, kayaking to rock climbing, massage parlors to taxi services, it’s all about serving tourists. Most Thais at tourist spots were farmers. They migrated from their farmlands, the sunrise to sunset labor, the poor village life, and into the tourism sectors for a quick Baht. Since it is the tourism industry, it doesn’t take much education. Simple hard work would do. Tourist money is part of how Thailand maintains its pace into the 21st century.

I strolled through the streets, where ladies, boys, and even ladyboys would beckon you to try their massage. Street vendors showcased freshly made Thai cuisine, and shop owners welcomed you.

On to Railay Beach

I woke up nice and early the next morning. It was a cloudy day with overcast. One of the hotel staff drove me to Cassandra Pier where the ferry was waiting. It was a big boat and can seat about 50 people. There were Americans, Chinese, Brazilians, French, Indians, and a few Koreans. It’s amazing how I can accurately tell where they are from simply by listening to their accents.

It was a two-hour ferry ride and quite comfortable. I sat inside the cabin for the first hour, but was soon bored. I went out onto the boat deck for some fresh air. Since it was late January, the weather was quite cool, I’d say around 65F. The ferry floated through the cloudy ocean. The breeze was comforting and therapeutic.

After about two hours, the ferry dropped some passengers off at Ao Nang, which is a small beach town near Railay Beach. Once we were close to Railay Beach, a speed boat came and picked us up. The speed boat stopped about a few meters away from the beach and dropped us off. Everyone jumped out into the water, took their suitcases, and waddled their way onto the beach.

Bhu Nga Thani Resort and Spa

The resort’s design was excellent, and the entrance was very welcoming. The front lounge was comfortable as it had a few plush sofas for guests to relax in. There was freshly squeezed fruit juice, and the staff took care of my itinerary quickly. They took my luggage and told me that check-in starts at 2:30 pm. It was only 12:30 pm, so they advised me to go have lunch instead.

After lunch, I strolled through the resort and marveled at the design. The colors were light brown and white cream. There was a massage center, with huge vases at the entrance. Everything was clean and well kept. Opposite of the spa was a pretty nice pool. It overlooked the beach and had comfortable seats for relaxation. The hotel rooms looked new, and the roof looked like it was put together with neatly cut wooden blocks.

The rooms were spacious and clean, so I felt the price was worth it. I looked out the balcony and could see the ocean. I quickly unpacked my things and changed into my shorts and t-shirt. It was a gray day with overcast, so I decided to take it easy and explore the island a bit. I walked out of the resort and turned left onto the walking path. I kept walking and saw more resorts, eateries, cafes, and restaurants. There were small shops that catered to rock climbing, massage, tourism packages, and the such. I walked to the very end of the pathway, then back. I was hungry again so I stopped at a small restaurant and ordered some grilled shrimp and rice.

The meal portions were small. I ordered garlic onion shrimp. I was expecting sautéed shrimp and vegetables on a baseball mound of rice. When the plate came, I saw a small pile of rice. Then on the side, garlic, onions…and five shrimps. I unenthusiastically ate my lunch.

I lumbered back from scouting the island, and took a much needed nap in my room. When I woke up, it was already dark, so I went hunting for some dinner nearby. I devoured some tuna and rice. After I ate, I felt a food coma coming on, so I returned to my hotel, showered, and slept early.

Four Island Tour

I woke up early the next day and decided to take the longtail boat to Ao Nang. Around 7:30 am, I arrived at the beach, had a breakfast of pineapple roti, and hopped onto the first one heading towards Ao Nang.

The long tail boat seats eight people and at the time cost 900 Bhat per trip. Therefore, if they can find eight people, they’ll charge you 110 Baht a person. If they can only find six people, they’ll charge you 150 Baht a person. If they can only find four people, they’ll charge you 225 Baht a person. And if it’s just you, then damn, you’re left with the option of going solo at 900 Baht. It is something like that, I don’t quite remember. Sometimes, when it’s late at night and you don’t have a lot of people using the long tail boats, you may just have to go solo. So if you’re going to take one, make sure it is well before 8 pm. After that, you’re out of luck most of the time.

To me, it’s always exciting and cool to be in a little boat, zipping around the ocean to some distant land. We got off, and I walked around to see what kind of stuff there is to do. On the way, I met a family from Russia. The dad, with his wife and kid, kept telling me how horrible their stay at one of the resorts is on Railay. He then says he’s moving on to some hotel on Ao Nang, and then signing up for some island tours.

Well, now, the island tour sounds exciting. So around 8 am, we arrived at Ao Nang. I strolled around and found a small shop where I ordered the Four Island Tour. The package included something like a visit to Poda Island, Chicken Island, and some other places which I don’t remember. But basically you get to stroll around some small islands, hang out at the beaches, jump into a lagoon and look at cute little fishes swim around via snorkeling.

The problem again was that if you join a group, the price is obviously cheaper, but you’ll have to squeeze in there somewhere. You don’t really have the freedom to tell El Capitan how long you want to stay at certain locations. You have to move with the group and they’ll call you in like cattle. The schedule is a bit more stringent. But if you’re by yourself, the price is a bit more expensive, but you have total freedom and control of where you want to, how long you want to stay, and so forth.

The choice was easy. I was going singular.

Some guy picked me up in a truck and took me to the starting point. I hopped into my longtail boat, said hi to the skipper, and we took off. Sitting at the front end of the longtail boat, with the wind combing my fair, and the seawater splashing around me, was probably one of the best feelings in the world. It was getting warmer as the low clouds seemed to dissipate, so I took my tank top and wrapped it around my head via Life of Pi style.

Soon we arrived at a small beach, and the skipper told me to put on some goggles and go check out fishes near that beach. Now, I have never snorkeled so it was really fun. I didn’t know I was going to jump into the ocean and was wearing some Uniqlo casual shorts. I didn’t bring any kind of swimming shorts. But to hell with it, it has to be done. I strapped on my goggles, and slowly eased myself into the water.

Let’s just say even though the temperature is around 80 and humid, the water was damn cold. Maybe around 50F. The problem was, the beach was about 80 meters away. So I took my goggles, lowered myself into the cold water, and swam out there. At the time, I wasn’t a very good swimmer, so I swam about 50 meters and got very tired. Since I was gassing out, my form was suffering and it took me forever to swim the rest of the way. Swimming was harder for me then I thought because as you turn your head to get air, you have to take precautions not to breathe in seawater. I was also not wearing a life vest, and my Uniqlo shorts were kinda weighing me down. When I got closer to the beach, I started to see fishes. I quickly put on my goggles and dunked my head beneath the surface.

Wow, what a sight. Many many pretty fishes. Yellow ones with blue stripes. White ones with polka dots. They all swam in sync as a group. You can paddle around and try to swim with them, and it felt so cool. I see some bigger boats nearby, with loads of people on them. Most of them wore life vests and jumped in. Some stayed behind. Poor souls, they don’t know what they’re missing. After about an hour snorkeling, I returned to my boat. Luckily the sun was out and the weather was warm, I dried off quickly. However, keep note that since you’re doing a lot of island activities,

…always bring a towel.

Beaches, islands, sands, sea, chances are, you’ll get wet. Bringing a towel will help you dry off.

Now, I’m going to emphasize another important point here while traveling.

Keep your money in a purse with some kind of locking mechanism, and place it in an inconspicuous place in your bag.

The reason why the skipper stopped the boat 80 meters from the beach where the fishes are swimming, is because he’ll have time to go through my bag to steal money.

You see, I made the mistake of simply sticking my cash in the front zipper pocket of my little backpack nonchalantly. Being the person that I am, I have a very trusting personality, thinking the world is all rainbows, unicorns, and ice cream.

The reality is that there are many poor folks and they would do some questionable things in order to get a quick buck. In my situation, it was so easy to snatch a bill or two and I wouldn’t even notice. So while I was swimming towards shore, the skipper unzipped my bag and took about two or three thousand Bahts, roughly $60-$80. Also, it was because I was traveling alone. It is much, much easier to steal from a single person, than a group. I only noticed this when I got back to my hotel and did some accounting to see what I spent money on. I came up short, and it was then that I figured out how and why. Hence, next time you guys go traveling, it is okay to bring cash along, but make sure it is in a pocketbook or purse with a locking mechanism, and keep that cash bag in a safe compartment in your backpack. Then when you guys come back from your activity, all you have to do is check for your cash bag.

I want to make a note here about the sixth sense. While I lowered myself from the longtail boat and into the water, my sixth sense really rang to me about having my bag in the open on the boat. Yes, I was excited to be swimming in the sea and looking at fishes, but I wrongfully ignored it. Even after a full year after this incident, I still remember that sixth sense ringing in my body. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like an unsteady feeling that made me want to climb back into the boat and secure my things. Next time, I will listen to that voice. Even if the bag is flimsy with no safe compartment, I could of counted my money and placed it in a better position deeper inside the bag. That way, when I come back, I’ll notice if someone has rummaged through my bag. I can also count my money and make sure I don’t come up short.

Then we set sail towards the other islands. I don’t want to write too much about the other places because it’s basically all the same. You’re either on a beach, in a lagoon, strolling through some beautiful walkway, or climbing some rocks to get to a ledge and admire the beautiful scenery. The four island tour will take around 4-5 hours. Therefore, packing a meal is essential.

One of the most important things to do when going on a day trip is to make sure you bring food storage. Between laying around and snorkeling, you’d get really hungry and thirsty. I really wished I made a few beef sandwiches, pack and wrap them in foil, and brought them along with me. Thailand also has very good and fresh dried mangos. Be sure to bring a couple of packs of them. The weather also changes quickly, going from sprinkling rain to hot sun rays in a matter of an hour.

If I was to do it all over again, I’d bring a food storage with:

1) big bottle of Water
2) 5 beef/cheese sandwiches
3) 3 bags of mangos

Even though the day may be cloudy, the sun rays will cut through the clouds and you will get exposed to a lot of rays. Make sure you apply sunscreen, put on some good sunglasses, and wear breathable cotton shirts. Those shirts are readily available at the mom & pop shops. The going rate for them is 250-300 baht during tourist season, and definitely a lot cheaper and can be bargained for during the low season. However, even if it is tourist season, you can still haggle by buying more, and thus get a lower price for each. Make sure you jot down what you need and buy it all together, that way you discuss with the store owner for a discount.

When I got back to my hotel, I was starving. It was close to dinner time, so I showered, changed, and went hunting for dinner. I explored the back part of my resort and there is an area with a couple of highly-rated restaurants. I’m talking about Trip Advisor ratings, and they have all been very helpful. I decided to hit up this place called something like “The Family Restaurant” in West Railay. They have fresh fish laid out on the ice in the front. So you choose which fish you want, and they can steam, grill, or fry it for you.

When you’re picking fish, make sure these three points hold in order to ensure freshness:

1) The fish eye should be clear and bright.
2) Use your nose to smell the fish. There should be no smell at all. Simply nothing. If there’s some kind of fish smell, it means it has already begun to deteriorate.
3) Take your finger and press down on the body. The flesh should be flexible in feeling. It should feel elastic and resilient. This implies the fish was recently caught and its meat is fresh.

If all three points hold, the fish is fresh and can be chosen.

The other thing is, try not to get it fried. This is because the oil they use may not be the best. Steamed is good, but may be boring. Hence, in my humble opinion, barbecuing is the best choice. They throw it on the grill for a good 15 minutes, then stir fry some onion and garlic and toss it on there. Simple, tasty, and delicious. That night, I had the pleasure of devouring a sea bass with rice.

Due to the meals being mostly fresh seafood, veggies, and rice, I would often not feel full. This itself is a good thing as we should always consume up to 80% of our stomach’s capacity. However, since I am a very active person, I tend to burn food pretty quickly. Thus, while in Thailand, I always order the mango sticky rice for dessert. It is a piece of fresh ripe mango with rice cooked in coconut milk. So instead of using water to cook the rice, they use coconut milk, and the result is tender sweet rice with a rich coconut taste. It is my favorite dessert in the whole world.

Weather changes like how we change clothes

Out of nine days that I was there, two days were spent in my room because it would be pouring down like crazy. The rain would change from little drizzle to heavy torrent in a matter of minutes. When the rain dies down a bit, you quickly sneak out and try to have lunch somewhere. I would always use my trusty little Trip Advisor app to look for my next lunch spot. When the rain died down, I would hurry there, eat lunch, then order something to go for my afternoon snack. I’d also stop by the local market and pick up some drinks.

When it comes to drinks, since you’re on the islands, its better you drink fresh coconut juice. You can order them in restaurants and shops. If none is available, you can get then from the bottle. I would always bring a few bottles back to my room and stick it in the fridge.

Captain of the Banana Boat

The next day, I woke up to clear beautiful skies. I pushed apart the curtains and saw a gold ball rising out of the ocean. Its beams of orange hue grazed over my sleepy face. I knew I had to tackle this day early.

I quickly got my cell phone, money, some clothes and hopped out. I went to have an early breakfast of pineapple, fried eggs, and bread. I then zipped my way to the West of the Island and rented a kayak for the day. It was 800 Baht (200 RMB, or about 26 dollars). They give you a life vest, a paddle, a water-proof bag, and help you drag the boat at the edge of the beach, and there you go. Freedom.

Getting into the water at 8:30 am, strapping on a life vest, tossing your bag over your shoulders, and then rowing yourself out to sea, is probably one of the best feelings in the world. You’re looking out into the skyline of the ocean, the gentle breeze combs your hair, and the cool water inches your boat further and further out to sea.

Rowing out to sea isn’t a walk in the park. It’s fun, but it takes some strength and coordination because the tide tends to push you around if you’re not careful. You’d have to row constantly for a few minutes at a time, and if you run out of energy, you’ll be at the mercy of the waves.

It is recommended that you do some sort of physical preparation weeks beforehand so that you experience the best of what kayaking can offer. Jog a few miles, and do some light bodyweight exercises. Honestly, any kind of exercise will help. It’s imperative that you work a bit on your cardio, and improve your strength. That way, you’re not tired after a few minutes of rowing. If you’re tired, and you’re always resting, it is very difficult to reach your destination because the tide will be working against you. Sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively.

Another thing is to concentrate on doing abdominal exercises. You’re sitting in a kayak and using your arms to row water past your kayak so your stomach muscles are actually doing a lot of work to stabilize yourself. You’re there hunched over for hours at a time and your stomach will tire out quickly. Make sure you are prepared.

Starting from the West Beach, I rowed about a kilometer out towards the southeast direction. There were two small rock islands, and behind them was a lagoon and another part of the beach where people relax. From 8:30 am – 10:30 am, it was relatively easy because there is no tide. You can methodically row, and you’ll cover a good distance.

I quickly made it to the rock islands and I noticed a rope hanging there. I wanted to take a break and swim in the sea. It was something I have always wanted to do so I thought it’d be a perfect place to anchor my kayak and swim around. I jumped out of my kayak and tied the rope to the nose of it so it wouldn’t drift away.

The sea temperature was okay, a bit on the cold side. The water was salty to the point of bitterness. What fascinated me most was the ocean ripple. It is the ever-changing buoyancy that gives the ocean its visual characteristics. Like the scales on the back of a dragon, the water ripple dips and rises methodically, reflecting the sunlight. It is sporadic, and it is beautiful.

The ocean ripples would come wave after wave. At first, it seems like I would drown beneath them. As you look at the oncoming wave, it rises above you, and the water then would consume your face. But after a while, you notice that even though waves are coming at you, they are also carrying you. You float with it, you move with it, and you are being carried by the small waves. In essence, you become one with the ocean. All you have to do is turn your head the other way, towards the direction the ripple is going, and you’ll notice that you’re taking it for a ride. You have to glide on the dragon’s back, maneuver through its scales, and be one with it.

Swimming in the ocean is much more difficult than swimming in a pool. In an Olympic size swimming pool, the water is calm and nice, you can use your legs and motor-kick yourself across 50 meters in a little over a minute. You feel like Poseidon as you freestyle yourself through 100 meters in a minute and a half. But the ocean has a temper. Depending on the time of day, it may feel like you’re swimming through a vacuum turned to high power. The waves are always working against you and you must take precautions with every breath you take. Or else, you’ll be drinking seawater. If you get tired, you can’t hinge onto a pool wall and take a rest. If you’re tired in the ocean, you must learn to stay afloat, catch your breath, and not let the oncoming waves take you down.

After I swam about and took some pictures, I was ready to climb back onto my kayak. Little did I know, it is one of the hardest things I will ever have to do. As I lifted myself out of the water and onto one side of the kayak, my body weight was too much and it pressed one side of the kayak down. As the kayak rotated 80 plus degrees over to one side, it naturally toppled over. The kayak turned upside down and perfectly covered my head in the process. I ended up inside it. Kinda like wearing a Banana hat while floating in the ocean.

At that point, it was a bit scary because you’re neck-deep in the ocean, with an upside-down kayak on your head. All I saw was the inside of the kayak, and then I saw my bag. I quickly strapped it over my neck and dived beneath the water surface so I can swim out of that space. Once my head popped out of the water, I am looking at the belly of the kayak. I see my paddle floating away. I quickly retrieved my paddle and pulled it close to me. I tried flipping the kayak back and boy, it was heavy. It wasn’t like I was standing on solid ground and can use my leg muscles. I swam directly under one side of the kayak, right at the midpoint. That is the point where you should lift. Anywhere else is much too heavy. I collected all of my energy pushed with both my arms and kicked with my legs. I did it again and again. But to no avail.

I then swam back into the concave created by the upside-down kayak and tried another tactic. With one arm, I started pushing one side of the kayak up, and with my other arm, I pulled down the other side. The kayak slowly started to turn and finally flipped over. I was ecstatic. I then threw my paddle onto the Kayak and prepared to climb in.

At the time, I had no idea how to climb back into a kayak if I’m in the ocean. Your head at sea level and the edge of the kayak is much higher. If you try to lift yourself, you’ll only end up flipping it over.

Okay, so the standard way of getting back onto a kayak is to be at the side of it, and then start kicking your legs so that your body becomes parallel with ground level. Kinda like how when you’re a kid, and you first started to learn how to swim. The teacher had you grab onto the side of the swimming pool and kick until your body started to float. In our situation, do the same thing but grab onto one side of the kayak. Then use your arms and reach over to the far side of the kayak. The idea is to get your body to glide onto the kayak by swimming. Your body will move forward and slowly glide over the Kayak. After that, its up to you on how you want to turn, flip, and do whatever to get back into a seating position.

However, at that time, I didn’t know this is how it’s done. I had a life vest on and I was just floating in water perpendicularly, staring at one side of the kayak.

Then, I had an idiotic idea! I took hold of where the rope was bound to the head of the kayak and dragged it towards where the rope is hanging from above. I positioned the kayak right underneath the hanging rope.

With all my strength, I hauled myself out of the water by climbing up that rope. With every pull, I got higher and higher until my waist is out of the water. Then I sprawled my leg over onto the kayak. I threw my other leg on until both legs were positioned onto the kayak. Using my feet, I positioned the kayak directly underneath me and I slowly lowered myself onto it. I then grabbed the paddle, placed my bag into its compartment, untied the kayak, and breathed a sigh of relief.

After kayaking around the rock islands and exploring some hidden caves, I was hungry and decided to head back to land for some lunch. It was around 11:00 am so I started to paddle back towards shore. Unfortunately, the tide has started and it’s pushing everything away from land. I hauled ass trying to row my way towards shore, but I was moving like a snail. Sometimes, I would make some good gains. Other times, it seems like I was going backward. I think it literally took me a full half-hour of hard rowing until I started to get close to land. I finally made it to the beach and hopped out.

I dragged the kayak onto the beach and took off my vest. I took my bag and headed towards a beach restaurant and got a nice little seat facing the beach. I ordered a pad thai and fresh coconut. I devoured the pad thai and washed it down with the coconut. Both were delicious. I then rested and watched beach-goers scurry around. Since I explored the east side of the island, I now wanted to explore the west side, where it connects a small town called Ao Nang.

I headed back onto my kayak and started rowing out. I kayaked along the edge of the island. The afternoon tide is strong, but by now, I know how to maneuver it. I kayaked through some torrents, some rocky concave, and soon found myself in a clearing. I looked ahead and can see Ao Nang’s beach. It was a quiet little area of the island. There were some low caves, a high rock island nearby, and the tall mountainous structure of it blocked the sun. It created a nice shady area where I simply kicked back and took a little nap.

It was so nice and relaxing to be floating around in calm water on a kayak. I laid down with my arms behind my head, closed my eyes, and listened to my surroundings. I heard birds chirping, the quiet flow of the water, the far off sound of tourists. I dangled my leg over one side of the kayak, dipping it in water.

I laid like this for a while and really took in the nature of it all. If I had it my way, everyone should be able to experience this once a day. Psychologically, it replenishes the tired mind. Physically, it slows down the body. Mentally, it massages the brain.

Spider Manning up the Mountain

I woke up feeling pretty good. Except now I am sunburned pretty bad around my shoulder areas.

Therefore, don’t forget to apply sunblock before you leave your room. My personal recommendation is the Nivea SPF 50. You can find them in any of the convenient stores in Phuket, noticeably 7/11.

My skin was begging for a break from the sun so I went to see what there is to do inland, in the shade. I went down and had my usual breakfast of pineapple, eggs, and bread. Then I walked towards the shops and found a place where they advertise rock climbing. What an excellent idea! You’re next to a vertical slab of a mountain, you’re in the shade, and it would be a fun experience!

So I signed up on the spot. They gave me a pair of shoes, and a belt with a bag of white powder hanging from the back. The white powder is to make it easier for your hands to grip the rocks. They then gave me a bundle of rope. The instructor is a nice Thai local. He’s got a sinewy build which is perfect for climbing and was very helpful in getting us started. We went in a group.

We walked to a location where the walls of the rocks scale up to what seems to be about a hundred stories. Each slab of wall looks like a mural, where the painter has drawn ghosts and scary faces on there. If you look at it, there will be many little holes and crevasses, like eyes and mouths of small little ghosts, etched into the mountain walls for eternity.

I bought the beginner package, so there is a total of five spots. In reality, you climb up about ten to fifteen stories, roughly 150 feet high. Once you touch that point, the instructor will safely lower you down. Then you go on to the next spot.

I have to say, rock climbing, to me, it one of the hardest activities I have ever done in my life. I didn’t really know how to use the large muscles on the body to climb. From a beginner’s standpoint, it felt like I only used my hands, and a small portion of my feet to hold my body weight up. Then you have these TINY ledges for your feet to push on. For your hands, you have these EVEN TINIER crevasse to hold on to. To make matters worse, because you’re hanging on by the hair of your chinny chin chin, your body is sweating like a pig! This makes your hand slippery and it adds to the degree of difficulty.

As I edged myself up this mural of ghastly ghost faces, I began to think that it wasn’t such a good idea anymore. Because the higher I climbed, the scarier it got. The word I guess would be vulnerable. So for those of you who have a fear of heights, I suggest you DO NOT DO THIS. There is absolutely no protection, no seats, no platform, nothing. You’re just hanging on by a rope. The scariest part of it all is when you can’t hold on anymore. The body will fatigue, and it will need to let go. So make sure you keep your instructor well aware of this situation.

On the bright side, it definitely gives you a rush of adrenaline and you certainly feel very much alive. You could save a few bucks by skipping coffee. I can guarantee you, rocking climbing will wake you up much better than coffee ever will. Though you’re not really moving all that much, the fact that you’re hanging by your fingers and toes really makes your body sweat. I remember beads of sweat dripping down from my head to my shoulders, from my shoulders to my elbows, and collecting at the lowest point of my elbow before it took a death dive onto the ground below.

When you can’t climb anymore and your body is shaking from exhaustion, let your instructor know you want to fall. Your instructor will naturally tell you to go ahead and just let yourself fall. At that moment, you have to trust yourself, your instructor, and whatever supreme being you worship to. Just believe and have faith that you will be okay and let yourself fall. Don’t worry, your instructor is using his weight to counterbalance you. You’ll feel yourself free fall for about a foot, and then, you’re dangling 20 stories in the air. You look down, and you’ll cringe because you are so far up.

What makes matter worse is that it’s one of these elastic ropes. It is built to withstand a lot of weight, so don’t worry about that. But the sound it makes is just terrible.

Like in a movie, when a poor guy is at the edge of a cliff, holding onto a thin rope for dear life. The hero is holding on with all his might, and the rope starts to stretch and tear. The rope starts making that stretching noise, and that nasty stretching noise is making the audience bite their nails in suspense. No one wants that poor guy to fall to a certain bloody and crushing death below. Thus, for a long of people, that rope sound is excruciatingly painful to hear. As you dangle there, you keep hearing that noise and it really seems like the rope is going to rip apart any second.

Keep calm, it won’t. Look straight ahead at the rocks, and latch yourself back on. Think about how you will place your hands and feet. And pretty soon, you’ll get to your goal.

For us, we had to touch flags that were set on the walls. To me, it seemed awfully difficult. Many times, the instructor was kind and kept pulling on the rope to help further me up the wall. When you get to your goal, make sure you look back and admire the ocean view. Take some pictures while you’re up there but please careful about the camera. Let your instructor know you want to take a picture so that he can accommodate you and tell you how to place your limbs.

Needlessly to say, rock climbing is thirsty work! So make sure you bring plenty of chilled coconut water. We finished around 11 am and I was starving. I returned the equipment, thanked the instructor, and picked out a red snapper for the grill. It was delicious, and I washed it down with another fresh coconut. After that, I ordered a mango sticky rice for dessert and hauled my ass back to my room for a well-deserved nap.

Standup Paddle Board

Want to feel even more free while at sea? Then I suggest you try the standup paddleboard! You stand on top of a board and…well, that’s it. Oh, you also get a skinny little paddle. Then you just balance yourself on that board, grip that paddle, and row yourself out to sea. I needed a break from my harrowing rock climbing experience. So I rented a paddleboard for four hours and went to the beach first thing in the morning.

Word of advice, even though they give you a life vest, make sure you are a good swimmer first before you try standup paddleboarding. Since you’ll be falling into the ocean quite often, it is imperative you are a capable swimmer. I’m talking about being able to swim 100 meters without stopping for a break. It doesn’t matter what style, doesn’t matter how fast, but you need to be able to swim for 100 meters without the need to rest.

Wearing my swimming trunks, I got onto the board and rested on my knees. I paddled about 80 meters out to the ocean, and that’s when I tried standing up.

So the trick is to feel like you are one with the ocean. You are one with the waves, the buoyancy, and that you are part of it all. Put both your hands onto the board. Yes, you will look like a dog on all fours. Then, slowly put your feet onto the board. One on the left, one on the right. You’ll feel a bit shaky and it is completely natural. Relax, and breathe. I actually got pretty lucky and managed to be on the board and rowing for about 10 minutes. Soon after, I lost my balance and fell into the water. The thing to remember is that when you fall, make sure you throw your paddle in the opposite direction. Falling with your paddle is fine and dandy, but there is a small chance that your paddle may hit you somewhere and it won’t be very comfortable. So always make sure before you fall, that you just toss your paddle somewhere else.

After about an hour, I started to get it. It seriously isn’t that hard because 90% of it is just to learn how to keep balance. Once you learn how to balance, then you’re pretty set. In order to get it moving, you simply row it like how you would a kayak. The concepts are all the same.

So I rowed for a while and it was fun. When I reached a nice little place with shade, I’ll lay on my board and just relax. I’ll take some pictures, watch some clouds, and swim around in the ocean. In my opinion, paddleboarding is the most fun in smaller areas and with friends. That way, when you guys reach a nice spot like a lagoon or a small patch of beach, its very convenient to just plop down and chill.

The cons of paddleboarding are that it is very hard to cover a lot of distance. Even though you’re literally walking on water, moving around takes a bit of effort. It is much slower than kayaking and changing directions and all that is a bit difficult as well. Don’t get me started on trying to go back towards shore. I was so frustrated by the tide because I couldn’t row myself anywhere. Hence, I strapped my paddle onto the board, tied the paddle board’s ankle strap tightly onto my ankle, and jumped overboard. I swam all the way towards shore with the paddleboard tied to my ankle. Just make sure you take breaks as it can be very tiring.

Ao Nang

Ao Nang is a little beach town just west of Railay Beach. You can reach there by longtail boat in about ten minutes. Once you get off, you’ll on the main road. Whether you go one way or the other, it really doesn’t matter. You’ll be greeted by 7/11 convenient stores, restaurants, gift shops, hotels, markets, road stands, cafes, and outdoor markets. You can get anything and everything. If you’re interested in the nightlife, there is a place called Ao Nang Center Point. It is basically a plaza surrounded by bars, some restaurants, and a whole bunch of souvenir markets. It is towards the west side of Ao Nang Beach.

Speaking of Ao Nang beach, I can attest that it has the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. It is so beautiful that it brings back memories of my grandmother, and how I wanted to bring her here to see it with me. It was really nostalgic and a bit sad.

If you go towards the east side of the beach, you’ll come up to more restaurants. On this side of the beach, you’ll find more shops that sell tourist packages. You can go ride elephants, watch tigers, see a snake charmer jump into a snack pit, zip around in a forest canopy, and lots more.

In Thailand, there is a sizable Indian population, as well as Muslim Thais. Hence, you’ll be able to find some of the best Indian food around. I checked on Trip Advisor found a few nice Indian restaurants. No complaints here. All homemade, all fresh, all delicious. Since most of the restaurants are located on the main road, you can enjoy it while doing a lot of people watching.

A word of advice: in Thailand, not a lot of people really understand the rules of the road. They are novice drivers and are not completely competent in understanding how traffic works. Therefore, you’ll get a lot of crazy drivers and motorists. By all means, while in Thailand, always look both ways, and be patient. It is not worth risking your life over.

While walking around Ao Nang Center Point, you’ll see a huge statue of a swordfish. It is a great place to take pictures. Make sure you buy some snacks and just chill there a bit. Its really nice to see tourists stroll around, take pictures, and enjoy the ocean breeze. You’ll also notice some tall ladies in fancy dresses carrying signs. They are advertising for their cabaret show. They are actually ladyboys. Born as male at birth, they grew up as female. They work for a company called Blue Dragon and three times a night, they’ll sing, dance, and entertainment to your heart’s content. Yes, Ao Nang is home to the famous Blue Dragon Cabaret show, where all the performing members are ladyboys. They will do famous tunes from around the world. It is suitable for all ages and in my opinion, a must-see attraction.

Return to Phuket

I left on a day that was sunny and beautiful. The tide was low and the 2-hour ferry ride was perfect. It was my first time in Thailand. And experiencing so many great activities, eating so many delicious foods, and spending my Chinese New Year in such a paradise will always be cherished in my memories. It will always be special to me. I felt nostalgic as I watched Railay Island disappear.

When I got to Phuket Island, I stayed in Phuket town. It was the weekend so there was an outdoor market festival going on. Lots of snacks, souvenirs shops, and food stands were all laid out over two street blocks. There were musicians at every block, playing their favorite tunes. I had scallop and pasta for dinner. Of course, mango and sticky rice for dessert. I strolled through the night markets until I was tired, and I retired to my hotel room early.

The next morning, I woke up and checked out of my room. I went to have lunch at a pretty authentic Thai place. I ordered crab with onions and ginger. It was actually fresh crab meat, sautéed with onions and ginger! Just like what the menu claimed! It was really delicious and I was thoroughly impressed. I then ordered a Thai Iced Tea. The condensed milk they used was overpoweringly sweet, and I thought I was going to blackout. But it was delicious all the same.
I then took a bus towards Phuket International Airport and boarded my plane soon after. As my airliner shot out of Phuket Airport and glided across the ocean, it banked east towards China. From the window seat, I see the setting sun bestow its light over the ocean, making it glimmer with joy. The water glistens and waves a reminder for me to visit in the near future.