We are back from paradise. I can not even begin to describe the beauty of this place that we went to. It is known at Rai Lay Beach near Krabi, Thailand. Although it is not an island, the steep cliffs around surrounding the peninsula make it accessible only by boat. This makes for a quiet getaway for thousands of lucky foreign (very few Thai people were there) tourists every year. We chose Rai Lay based on the description in our travel book (Let's Go Southeast Asia) and the advice of a friend. We were not disappointed in the least.
After a one-hour, US$1.60 boat ride to the beach, we walked around for a bit searching for a place to stay. At one extreme are some little huts for about US$6 per night with mosquito nets and no private bath. At the other end of the spectrum are some brand new units that go for about US$400. The later take up half of the land now, and the entire area is sure to be overtaken by these overpriced condos, so hurry now. We settled into the Rai Lay Village in a double room with good screens on the windows, a clean bath, and a great oscillating fan above the bed, for a mere US$18 per night, three nights.
The highlight of this island for most people is the crystal clean water and the quiet beaches. However, in addition to enjoying these luxuries, we decided to check out the rock climbing. It turns out that this place is known by rock climbers around the world as one of the premiere spots to scale a vertical. We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend two mornings with an experienced Thai guide. The equipment and four hour lesson ran us US$20 each morning, but it was worth it. After only climbing indoor once at home, we were able to do some pretty great things on these cliffs. The hand holds were perfect and the rope hooks were already laid out for us. Take a look at some of the pictures from this place; basically you HAVE TO GO there to believe this place.
Our return bus was much more air-conditioned than the job they stuck us on going down. We arrived back in Bangkok this morn at 6am and have spent the day seeing the famous "reclining Buddha" statue at Wat Pho. We leave again at 6pm this time for the north. We plan to take a trek into the jungle around Chiang Mai. If we are lucky we will get to see some hill tribes, ride an elephant, and play with some monkeys. Yes, we are tourists, but we are having fun. If anyone is thinking about coming to Thailand, don't hesitate. It is the greatest.