Mae Klong Train Market

Eila was telling me about the Mae Klong Train Market near Bangkok and how unique it is. She even showed me pics.

So during my trip to Bangkok last month we joined a tour because we were too lazy to find our own transport to the market. Cost of the tour was THB 1,100 which covered the Mae Klong Train Market, Amphawa Floating Market and a firefly colony (which is a boat ride from the Amphawa Floating Market).

Before I tell you the story about the train market, let me share with you another story about poor planning.

When we booked the tour with our hostel, the receptionist told us to be ready by 11.00am the next day.

The next morning we went to one of the stalls near the hostel for a breakfast of noodle soup.

As we were walking back to our room at around 10.30am, the receptionist informed that the guide would pick us up at 11.30am instead of 11.00am. We were happy because that means an additional 30 minutes to laze about and get ready.

However about 10 minutes later, the receptionist was knocking at our door to inform that the guide was already downstairs. We were annoyed and rushed to get ready.

By 10.45am we were downstairs and hopped into the waiting van. Geesh, talk about poor timing and planning. Maybe it was a communication breakdown.

According to Google Maps, the Mae Klong Train Market is a 1 hour 15 minute drive from our hostel in the Sukhumvit area in Bangkok. However if you join these tours organised by your hostel, be prepared to sit in the van for hours as the driver drives from one hostel to the next to pick up guests.

Be prepared to wait even longer if you're the first guests the driver picks up, if the driver can't find any of the other hostels or worst if the guest is still sleeping!

In the end, the supposed to be 1 hour 15 minute drive to Mae Klong Train Market turned out to be a 3-hour long journey, sigh ...

I snapped this pic at one of the hotels while we waited for the guests to come down:

I thought this was creative. Not sure whether these car lots are actually being used by the people mentioned :-)

Ok now back to the Mae Klong Train Market.

People casually walking on the tracks. When the train is about to pass the area, bells will ring and the traders will remove their shades to allow the train to pass.

The train passes the market twice a day at 1.45pm and 2.30pm (in the opposite direction). 

Note : The lady in black tights was not trying to commit suicide by jumping in front of the moving train.

After passing the market, the train stops at the Mae Klong Railway Station for a short while before making its journey back.

There were many people at the station that day. Maybe because it was the year end holidays. Photo by Angie Tan.

It was amusing to see people jumping onto the tracks after the train had passed to snap a selfie.

But while jumping onto the tracks or even standing by the side to watch, people forget that the width of the train is much wider than the tracks, thus putting themselves in danger.

This is how wide the train is:

Photo by Angie Tan using her new Olympus Pen. A point-and-shoot camera like mine will never be able to take such clear shots of a moving object.

Photo by Angie Tan.

We were told that just a few weeks before we went to the market, a tourist got dragged by the train because he/she was standing too close. Must have been quite a scare to be dragged like that. Luckily the person didn't perish in the incident.

So remember, don't stand too close to the tracks.

Langkawi (Telaga Harbour) to Koh Lipe

I was on the idyllic island of Koh Lipe, Thailand in January this year.

Since getting there was rather expensive, Jessica and I decided to stay for 5 days to get the most bang for our buck :-)

We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi and took the taxi to Telaga Harbour where the ferry departs to Koh Lipe.

Langkawi International Airport - Telaga Harbour (Langkawi) - Koh Lipe (Thailand)

The taxi ride from Langkawi International Airport to Telaga Harbour took about 20 - 30 minutes.

Remember to coordinate your flight into Langkawi to allow sufficient time to get to Telaga Harbour and to get your bottom onto the ferry to Koh Lipe. From the blogs that we read, you'll need to arrive in Telaga Harbour about 2 hours before the ferry departs as you'll need time to clear immigration matters.

We had bought our ferry tickets online way in advance from this website. A return ticket from Telaga Harbour to Koh Lipe alone will set you back from RM248 !!!

This is the building in Telaga Harbour that houses the immigration office. Here, the officer briefed us on immigration procedures before collecting our passports. We only got them back upon arrival at Koh Lipe.

Opposite the immigration building were rows of yachts and boats that look so lovely against the blue sky. 

 If I had one of these babies I'd sail around the world. 

This is the ferry that sailed us from Telaga Harbour to Koh Lipe:

The journey took about 1.5 hours. The ride was smooth and thankfully no one threw up because of sea sickness.

It was my first time travelling from one country to another by sea and I felt like a refugee ;-)

Just before reaching Koh Lipe, the ferry dropped us off onto a floating barge where smaller sampans were waiting to ferry us to the island.

The floating barge located a few hundred metres from the white sandy beaches of Koh Lipe.

Passengers being transfered from the ferry onto the sampans. Koh Lipe, here we come!

The sun was scorching when we arrived on the island.

We were directed to the Immigration Check Point (located on the beach) where we waited patiently for the immigration officer to call our names according to country.

After collecting our passports, a staff from Mali Resort was already waiting to bring us to the resort where we spent the first 2 nights of our holiday.

Review: Pleasant Stay at Railay Bay Resort & Spa

There's only one word to describe Railay: AWESOME!

One of the reason the holiday was awesome was because of Railay Bay Resort & Spa.

I chose the resort simply because Groupon had an offer. Costs only RM798 for a 4D/3N stay for 2 in the Privacy Cottage with daily breakfast.

My first encounters with Railay Bay Resort & Spa were not great. First of all, our reservation was not in the system despite me making the reservation 3 months in advance via email. A few days before our trip, I called up the resort just to be sure, and that was when I found out they screwed up our reservation. Thankfully it was the low season and we were travelling on a weekday, so the Privacy Cottages were still available.

Secondly, I read many negative comments about the resort and the Privacy Cottage on Tripadvisor - that it's dirty and not well maintained, etc. So I discussed with TC and said that we would inspect the cottage first upon checking in. If it's not up to our expectation, we would ask to change cottage. Thankfully, our cottage was fine, although it's a bit rundown and could do with a refurbishment.

The Privacy Cottage certainly lives up to its name. There's a high wall surrounding each cottage that you could run around naked and no one would know :-)

Each cottage has its own jacuzzi, which is on the right of this pic. When I got home I realised I didn't take any pic of it :-(

The interior of the Privacy Cottage is spacious and woody:

I love the king sized bed!

The bathroom is big ...

 ... the shower cubicle looks rundown (which could have contributed to the negative comments on Tripadvisor):

Can sit and let the water fall on your head. Pity it was not a rainshower, or else I would have sat there for hours. And what a waste of water that would have been :-)

 This is the lane that leads to the Privacy Cottage:

Reminded me of Bali.

And this is the doorway to our Privacy Cottage:

Housekeeping would ring the doorbell every morning at around 9.30am to clean the room. We would tell them to come back later because we're on holiday and we want to sleep in, but not late enough to miss breakfast lah.

On our second night there, we couldn't get into the Privacy Cottage after dinner because the latch had accidentally fallen and bolted the door from the inside.

So me being the heroine climbed over the high walls to save the day :-)

Thank heavens my parents allowed me to climb trees when I was growing up in Port Klang. Never knew it would come in handy later on in life, hahaha.

TC pointed out that Railay Bay Resort & Spa needs to be commended for their attention to detail.

Ready in the room are a plastic mat for lazing on the beach and a torchlight which came in handy since we lazed on the beach till late and needed light to make our way back to the cottage. A rattan beach bag was also provided to carry our stuff like beach towel, camera and our other companions - Gin & Vodka, hahaha.

Who would think of bringing such stuff on a beach holiday? Moreover it would take up luggage space. But Railay Bay Resort & Spa certainly remembered to provide for their guests.

Just outside the row of Privacy Cottage is a lovely pool where we spent our afternoons lazing and reading before heading to the beach towards the evening to indulge in nude sunbathing :-)

This is the other pool at the entrance of the resort:

This pool is perpetually crowded probably because it's facing the beach.

Breakfast is served in the coffee house. The spread is good with a mixture of Asian and Western food to cater to their guests from both sides of the world.

It was nice having sea breeze in my hair while I enjoyed my breakfast.

Tables are also placed on the beach for those who want to feel the sand in their feet as they have their breakfast.

Despite the negative experiences before the trip, Railay Bay Resort & Spa turned out better than expected, which was a pleasant surprise.

We had originally planned to head back to Krabi and spend our last day (4th night) there before flying back to KL. But since we were so cosy at the resort, we decided to extend our stay. We had to pay normal prices for that extra night since the Groupon voucher was only valid for 3 nights.

Railay Bay Resort & Spa will always hold fond memories for me :-)

Krabi Airport to Railay Beach by Public Transport

Travelling to Railay Beach by public transport is a piece of cake.

TC and I decided to DIY for the sake of a challenge (we love challenges!) and also to save money :-)

Upon arrival at Krabi airport, we took the shuttle bus to Ao Nang Pier (THB 150 per person) where boats leave for Railay Beach.

The shuttle bus journey from Krabi airport to Ao Nang Pier took about an hour. Along the way, the driver would make a few stops to drop off passengers. Ao Nang Pier is the last stop.

 If you're travelling in a group or prefer to be pampered, here is the price list to book a van/taxi:

This is the Ao Nang Pier:

Wang Sai Travel seems to be the only agent selling tickets to Railay Beach:

As you can see from the price list, the cost is only THB 100 per person. However, a minimum of 8 pax is needed before the boat moves. We only waited about 20 minutes for another 6 people to come. 

Here is the timetable and ticket price for various destinations from Krabi that was on displayed at the pier:

 Proud to see Langkawi on the list (second from bottom). 

I dread to think how long the journey must take to reach Singapore. You'll be cutting across the whole of Peninsular Malaysia, man ...

When there was enough 8 people, the boat operator called for us to board the boat.

Tip: Wear shorts and slippers since you'll be wading in thigh high water to get on and off the boat.

After about 30 minutes, we arrived on Railay Beach:

The boat guy dropped us off at the end of the beach, which was perfect since we were staying at Railay Bay Resort & Spa. So we only had to walk 2 minutes to check-in. But alas, we didn't see the sign (which was at an angle) and we walked to the other end of the beach, luggage and all. Thankfully we were travelling light.

Next: Review on Railay Bay Resort & Spa.

Muddy, Tough Climb to The Lagoon

The Lagoon is a hidden gem that you must explore when you're in Railay, especially if you like a good physical challenge.

Can you spot The Lagoon on the map? 

Now ... getting to The Lagoon is no joke. The climb involves getting on all fours in a rough and tumble muddy situation. At certain points, you'd need to use ropes (ready there) to haul yourself up the rocks.

Definitely not for weaklings.

Most people turn back because the climb is tough. With my phobia of ropes, especially after a bad experience in Bukit Tabur that left my elbow bleeding and confidence shaken, I kept telling myself that it's all in the mind. As what Franklin Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself".

After huffing, puffing and getting myself dirty, we finally reached The Lagoon. 

We removed our socks and shoes and left them together with our camera on the rocks and started wading across the lagoon. 

The water was muddy and my feet kept sinking in the mud. Half swimming and half wading did the trick for me. TC was wondering whether there were quicksands or not. 

Halfway across the lagoon, I realised that we didn't research whether the waters had snakes in it, hahaha. This is what I call kamikaze exploring. But none of us remembered reading about snakes in the blogs. 

After exploring the caves on the other side, we decided it was time to head back. 

While wading back, I realised that the water was getting deeper and my feet gradually couldn't touch the bottom. Panic set in and I quickly floated on my back - it's the easiest way to avoid drowning for a weak swimmer like me. 

So while floating on my back, I paddled my way back to the other side and realised that the water had indeed risen. Thankfully our stuff were not swept away as well. This means The Lagoon is connected to the sea and its waters rise and subside in tandem with the sea tide. It's definitely not stagnant water as what I had initially thought.

While heading back, there was a signboard that says Viewpoint. Since we came this far, why not explore this too.

So after a short walk which lacked proper signboards, we reached the Viewpoint:

Railay East and Railay West in one photo.

Despite the cuts and bruises, I was proud of myself for making it to The Lagoon, a place where most people couldn't because of its rocky terrain.

And here are my marks of achievements :-) :

I did it!

Sunset in Phuket

And so the sun sets on Kamala Beach in Phuket ...

I'm heading back to KL early tomorrow morning and straight back to the office, sigh ...

Review: The Palms at Kamala in Phuket, Thailand

I'm currently spending the Chinese New Year hols in Kamala, Phuket. It's also a double celebration as last Thursday was my birthday. Don't ask me how old I am as it's not polite to ask a lady her age ;-)

We're currently staying at The Palms in Kamala, Phuket.

It's a lovely 2-bedroom apartment with a spacious living room with cable TV and wifi ...

... with a nice kitchen where we prepare our breakfast every morning:

The Palms has an inviting pool where you can laze in the sun all day ...

... and also a gym where I burn fat on alternate days:

I was at the gym the other day and one parent brought her toddler daughter to play with the exercise ball while she worked the machines. Luckily I was the only other person in the gym who was working the treadmill. I can imagine if some guy were to use the dumb bells and the little toddler comes near him, the poor little thing may not live to see the next day thanks to her mum with stupid parenting skills.

The Palms also has a Fusion Restaurant where you can pig out on the buffet that's going for 299 THB per person. I didn't take a pic of the restaurant cause I'm too lazy to take photos, must be the Phuket spirit of laziness ...

Another thing I like about The Palms is that it's centrally located in Kamala. Just step out of the apartment and everything is within walking distance.

The beach, restaurants, bars, convenience shops, taxis and what not are all located at the doorstep of The Palms.

The tsunami monument is also located nearby:

During the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, Kamala beach was one of the hardest hit, and this memorial is a remembrance of that horrifying day in history.

The explanation of the sculpture is interested, here, look at this pic:

Click on the photo to read the explanation.

And last but not least, here are rates at The Palms together with contact details and all:

Click on the photo if you can't read the text.

Alternately you can also check out the website here.

Now excuse me I need to get into my bathing suit, laze by the pool and do lots of reading :-)

Looking for a Ping Pong Show in Phuket

I've always wanted to see a Ping Pong Show after hearing the stunts those girls could do with their pelvic muscles a.k.a. vagina.

When I was in Phuket last month, I made it a point to look for a Ping Pong Show, and found it on Bangla Road where the nightlife of Phuket is.

This is Bangla Road in the daytime. At night it turns into this:

Girls rubbing themselves on poles, much to the delight of male customers ;-)

We saw many guys standing along the road holding laminated A4 paper with a list of shows available. We approached one of them and he brought us to a nightclub that looked like this:

The place was dark when we entered. There were a mix of men and women in the audience who were seated around the stage. Some were seated on cocktail tables a little towards the back. A few girls were performing completely naked on stage.

We took our seats, paid the entry fee of THB 800 which includes one drink, and I was excited!

I wish I could show you photos but photography is strictly prohibited in the area. My travel partner whipped out her camera to snap a photo of our drinks and the bouncer immediately told her to put it away.

Soon the real performers came on stage and the show began.

Unlike the previous performers who performed in extremely tiny bikinis or in the nude, these Ping Pong Show performers were fully clothed. They wore sleeveless tight fighting tops with a wrap around mini, mini skirt with nothing underneath of course. And when they performed, you can't see their privates, unless maybe if you're sitting at the foot of the stage where you have a visual advantage.

The stunts they could do with their pelvic muscles includes:
(a) blowing a dart from a straw to burst a balloon.
(b) pulling a string of razor blades out from it; and
(c) shooting a ball into the air.

Makes me think that the vagina is indeed an underestimated body part.

During the show, a few guests were called on stage to assist the performers. All of them cringed when asked to touch items that have made contact with these ladies' vaginas. I couldn't help laughing!

So I returned from Phuket with another "been there, done that" ticked off my list.