by Mark Butland | 11/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
A dawn hike to the Railay viewpoint paid off with a lovely sunrise. The trail is a steep climb using fixed ropes. We spent the rest of the day at Phra Nang Cave (the local “Princess Cave”, with its phallic offerings) and the Bat Cave. Phra Nang Cave is at the end of...
by Mark Butland | 10/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
Next stop was Railay Beach and the Railay Resort and Spa. You can only get to this peninsula by boat, as high limestone cliffs cut it off from the mainland. The headland has several beaches. Railay West is the main one, Railay East is where most boats come in, and...
by Mark Butland | 09/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
Our boat trip around the islands took in Viking Cave, Pileh Bay and the famous sands of Maya Bay. Maya Bay reopened in 2022 after four years closed to let the coral recover. We watched the sunset out on the open sea, then waited until it was completely dark to swim...
by Mark Butland | 08/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
We left the mainland on the ferry to Koh Phi Phi and checked into the ChaoKoh Hotel. From Phuket the crossing takes around two hours. The island felt different straight away. There are no cars, the bays are turquoise and clear, and everything moves at a slower pace....
by Mark Butland | 07/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
We hired bikes and rode the winding coast roads of Phuket out to the Big Buddha. The statue is 45m tall and covered in white Burmese marble. From there we wandered the pastel-coloured old streets of Phuket Old Town, where Thalang Road is lined with old Sino-Portuguese...
by Mark Butland | 05/01/2023 | Thailand 2023
Before we left Khao Sok we visited a local ethical elephant park where the animals’ welfare comes first, and it was very moving to spend time with them. Then we headed towards Phuket, calling in at more hot springs on the way. The evening couldn’t have been more...
