08:27 a.m. Breakfast time at the same place I had dinner yesterday. The choice for breakfast is very limited, and I eat to charge the batteries for the day rather than for the culinary experience. I skip the coffee though, as it seems it was boiled for a few hours before being served. Bitter, did I say bitter?
So today I am checking out and I will be going to Phuket. But about half way, I will be stopping for a cruise around Phang Nga Bay. That promises to be yet another awesome experience. But the minivan is all ready for me. Time to go!
So we drive for a while, and the transport stops in front of a range of small shops: some pieces of clothing ware displayed there, as well as flip-flops, hats, cold drinks, souvenirs and so on. I am not too sure why we stopped here, but as I don’t like to sit too long in the minivan, I just get out and take a look at the surroundings.
The shop is bigger than I thought, and I see my guide going towards the end of the place and asking me to follow her. In the back, there is like a storage area, and then we pass through a large kitchen and exit on the other side of the shop. We keep on walking and arrive in an open space, with piles of life jackets. Quite a few people are there already, including my Korean friends! The open space then leads to a deck that leads to a pier, where a long tail boat is waiting for all of us people!
After grabbing a life jacket each, we make our way towards the boat. I Must say that’s a very unique way to bring customers to a boat, and quite a clever marketing strategy too!
The day is hot and sunny, so I’d better cream up before going onboard!
The long-tail is very long this time; quite a limousine! The canal is narrow and there are many other boats around us, but our navigator makes its way smoothly towards a larger canal bordered by the mangrove.
This is definitely a major place for boat trips to Phang Nga Bay!
Now take a look at the engine of our boat. Amazing, isn’t it?
OK, let’s go!
Our boat is speeding on the canal, direction: Phang Nga Bay! After a while, the canal is blocked by a mountain, but our ship doesn’t seem to slow her course. Is our pilot trying to give us a thrill? It is only as we get closer that I see the small opening: a cave is actually going through the mountain!
The day is definitely full of surprise, and everything that happened since the morning happened in the most unexpected way. Amazing Thailand!
As our boat speeds along a bunch of islands, we suddenly see… houses! On the sea. Not just one or two, no; a whole village! Houses on stilts that seem to be floating on the lagoon. We are arriving at Panyee Village!