Fourth Day In Phuket

Today we were picked up by a mini van from the hotel and drove across the island to the north east coast to Ao Po Pier. We were going sea kayaking with Andaman Sea Kayak Company. I have done this trip with them twice before and it is spectacular! This time there were 15 Australians, 2 South Africans and the two of us from the US. The hour long boat trip on the "escort boat" brought us to Phang Nga Bay National Park. This is a natural art gallery full of majestic limestone formations.

We were split up with 2 persons + a paddler (local) for each kayak and started to explore these wonderful islands with its caves and hongs (Thai for "room"). To enter the sea caves or tunnels, it is almost like a dream and you feel pretty small. You have to enter when the tide is low as the tunnels fill with water at high tide. The caves (tunnels) are 20 - 150 meters long and at several points you have to lie flat in the kayak or you cannot get through! In one cave, the skirt of my bathing suite got stuck and my boobs touched the roof! Mind you, inside these caves there are bats hanging above you! Not for the faint of heart! Parts of the tunnels are of course pitch black and you have to navigate with a flash light. We visited 3 different islands with caves and hongs. Inside these hongs some of the walls are covered with vegetation, others sparkle like diamonds. We also saw some monkeys and walking fish. They look like a mix between a frog and a fish. While on the big boat we saw a lot of eagles, rather small and reddish and they were diving in the water for chicken bits thrown from our boat.

After the cave exploring we once again got onboard the big boat and lunch was served. The goal this time was Naka Yai Island where there was a beach with a bar and Kim had a Pina Colada served in a coconut. We spent about an hour on this beach and then we went back to Ao Po Pier and then returned to the hotel in the minivan.

Back at the hotel we once again witnessed the sunset dance and then went back to our apartment to shower and change for dinner. Tonight we managed to get a table at the Thai restaurant. Delish!