Thursday, July 31, 2008

James Bond Island Tour

Second tour on the next day morning, the one day James Bond Island Tour. The minibus pick up and sent us to the Ao Por Pier at around 8:00A.M, which about 45 minutes from the hotel. The tea & coffee are served at the pier.
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We departed from the pier to the James Bond Island together with another 40 plus persons in an Escort Boat at around 9:45A.M. Unlimited soft drinks & mineral water are available on the boat for free.
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Water Village? A view from the Ao Por Pier
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The first island we dropped by was the James Bond Island, an island located in the Phang Nga Bay. It is originally known as Ko Tapu (or Kao Tapu) Island and has become a popular tourist attraction since it was featured in the James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun" in 1974, and the later James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1997. To get to the James Bond Island, we have to change to use the long tail boat.
a Arriving to the Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) in a long tail boat
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A scene at the James Bond Island with a row of local handicraft stalls.
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Leaning Rock or rock entrance (James Bond Island)
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Nail Island, and nail-shape island (James Bond Island)
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Scene at Nail Island (James Bond Island)
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Pier of James Bond Island

Pier of James Bond Island
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Next we arrived the Hong Island, the place we had the first sea canoeing activity. We explored & had the sight-seeing in the caves around the Hong Island on the canoe. Although we might get wet during the canoeing session, but no worry, we still can bring along the expensive belongings (e.g wallet, hand phone, camera and etc) with us as they will provide us the life bags which are water proof.
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Arriving the Hong Island for canoeing activity
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The cave entrance around the Hong Island
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Scenery of Hong Island
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Lucy & SChee on the canoe (Hong Island)
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Cave formation (Hong Island)
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A view inside the cave of Hong Island
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A view and rock formation in the cave (Hong Island)
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Later we stopped and sight-seeing around the Panak Island by using the canoe. We parked the canoe on the beach once we reached the entrance of Mangrove Cave, and then walked through the cave to explore the Mangrove forest inside.
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Rock formation in the Mangrove Cave, Panak Island
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Mangrove trees with stilt roots (Panak Island)
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Group photo in Mangrove forest, Panak Island
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Whilst riding to the next destination, we had the buffet lunch on the Escort Boat. We took a break at the Lawa Island for swimming and relaxing, of course for canoeing as well. Lawa Island is the last stop of the tour, we return to the Ao Por Pier and to the hotel at around 4:30P.M.
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At the night time, we went for the Phuket Fantasea Shows. I'll mention about it in my next post.
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Remark: To be continued.
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Posted By amei79 in MY, Swak at 9:14 PM 8 Cheer(s)

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Phi Phi Island Tour

Phi Phi Island Tour that we selected is an one day tour by speed boat. The package price was at 1950 Bath (RM195) per person, this included the transportation from the Deevana Patong Resort & Spa to the Phuket International Airport on the last day of the trip on 17 July.
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Their van came to pick up and transferred us from the hotel to Sin Sangrat Pier at around 7:30A.M. The pier is about 45 minutes from the hotel. Tea and coffee was being served at the pier before boarding. If you worry you may experience the seasickness on the bumpy speed boat, it is better that you obtain the medicine of anti-seasick at the pier for free.
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The view at Sin Sangrat Pier
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We departed from the pier to Phi Phi Island in a speed boat at around 9:30A.M. Well, the agent promised us the 3 engines speed boat, but she didn't make it, it was actually a 2 engines speed boat. What is the different? Of course the different is in the speed.
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Whilst traveling in the speed boat, the soft drinks, mineral water & fruits (mainly banana) are served to all the passenger's. The most enjoyable thing to do on the boat is sigth-seeing of the nature creatures like islands, rocks, beaches and etc. E.g as shown in the picture above and below are a mushroom-liked rock and rock with a "Ninja Turtle" face... :p
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Sometime we should rise up our head & staring into the blue blue sky too, see how the clouds scattered throughout the sky in different forms & shapes. As shown in the picture below, I saw an aeroplane, can you imagine it? Can you see it?
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The boat took around 45 minuted to arrive the Phi Phi Lay; And is time for the boat captain to bring us to the explore the breathtaking lanscapes of the Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, Pi-Leh Bay, Monkey Island & Viking Cave as scheduled.
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One of the sight-seeing point is the Monkey Beach. The boat captain parked the boat close to the beach for "snapshot" session only, he didn't allowed us go down to the beach to have a close touch with the monkeys, as he said that the monkeys were very hungry at that moment, so to avoid any unpleasant thing happen, we are advised to stay on boat.
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Another sightseeing & photographing point nearby the Viking Cave. Heard that this cave produce the very expensive "bird nest" of the swallows. We only past by this cave, didn't have chance to explore the inner part of the cave.
aThe next viewing point was the Maya Bay. As told by the boat captain, this island or beach has became so famous since the "The Beach" stared by Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed at here in 1999. We had a short snorkeling here; nothing special under the sea water, only few small fish species found, and so sad the coral not in the view. [ mask, goggle & life jacket is provided ]

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The second snorkeling point was at Loh Samah Bay. Just like Maya Bay, nothing special under the crystal clear sea water, the same fish species found with no coral too. Ya, a bit disappointed, this definitely defeat the purpose of the snorkeling.
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After the snorkeling session, the boat captain brought us to another sight-seeing and photographing point, called Pi-Leh Cove. There were visitors from other tour agents having the snorkeling and swimming activities here. But we didn't go down to the water.
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High rocky wall at Pi-Leh Cove
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So what come next? Well, we arrived and landed on the Phi Phi Don Beach / Island. We were free for our own activities here, like swimming & snorkeling in the crystal clear sea water, sunbathing & relaxing on the white sandy beach, photographing & exploring the lanscapes of Phi Phi Don Island
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The last but not least, we had our buffet lunch in the Phi Phi Don Ree Restaurant. We ate dry TomYam chicken in cashew nuts, sweet & sour fish, seafood soup, mixes vegetables, fish cakes and noodle with sourness sauce, and salad.
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"Jia Pa Boh Su Cio", took a couple photo at the boat head at Phi Phi Don loh!
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After the lunch, we proceed to the last stop of the tour, the Khai Nai Island. Once arrived, we saw a group of people playing the beach volley-ball on the sandy beach. Well, Khai Nai Island is far far nicer than the Phi Phi Don Island. The view & scene here are much more wonderfull & breathtaking.
aArriving to Khai Nai Island
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I love its long white sandy beach which with few rows of beach chairs & umbrellas. A straw-hut-liked pub, a palm-hut-liked cafe, few handicraft stalls are availabled on this island too. This is another paradise of sight-seeing, relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling and etc.
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Long white sandy beach with crystal clear sea water
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Beach chairs & umbrellas rows on the island
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Close view of the beach chairs & umbrellas which facing to the beach & sea
aNice view on Khai Nai Island 1
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aNice view on Khai Nai Island 3
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Good time & happy hours past by like a rocket, is time to say good bye to the Khai Nai Island. We leaved the Khai Nai Island (Phi Phi Island) and return to the pier at around 4:00P.M, and we reach the hotel at around 5:30P.M.
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Group photo with 4 English, 2 Singaporeans upon arrived the pier.
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After shower in the hotel room, we went out for the traditional Thai massage at Oriental Massage & Spa Centre, which is just few steps far from the entrance of the Deevana Patong Resort & Spa. The Thai massage is quite cheap, 600 Bath (RM60) for 2 hours. You can either have the massage in the hotel room or at their centre, no addition charge imposed. Between the centre will give discount of 50 Bath (RM5) for the Deevana Hotel's guests.
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Remark: To be continued.
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Posted By amei79 in MY, Swak at 11:30 PM 1 Cheer(s)

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