From Bangkok I go to Krabi and Railay Beach
From Bangkok I go to Krabi and Railay Beach
I just arrived on an epic bus journey from Bangkok to Krabi. Granted, the distance is long, but it took much longer than it needed to. The guidebook says it is a twelve hour ride, but in the end it took seventeen.
I took a tourist bus from Khao San Road. At 6pm, I was led from the tourist agency to a corner near Khao San Road, where there were many other tourists waiting for buses to different destinations. Occasionally air-suspension coach class busses pulled up with various cartoon characters painted on such as Snow White. After an hour of waiting I was asked where I was going and produced my ticket. This was swapped for another ticket and I was directed onto an Incredible Hulk bus.
The bus then went to a different part of Bangkok and waited for more passengers. After the seats were shuffled around for more passengers, we headed out through Bangkok traffic at about seven forty-five.
We stopped inexplicably for an hour at about eleven at night. We may have been waiting for passengers. The driver and crew were spotted eating hotdogs, unconcerned. Any attempts to speak to them in English were ignored. Then we stopped for thirty minutes for "dinner" at about 1am.
At 6am we were all told to get off the bus; this was Surat Thani. We waited at a roadside stand where there were snacks. People were headed to destinations in completely different directions such as Ko Pha-Ngan and Phuket. Everyone was told their ride would come at 7.40am. People began departing on various buses. A group of us going to Krabi were some of the last left at eight o'clock. The two-hour ride ended up taking about three-and-a-half, arriving after 11am.
So a twelve hour ride ended up taking seventeen. There are government buses that must actually take the twelve hours; I will look into them for the return journey.
In the morning along the road I see lots of coconut and rubber trees; sandy roads; and limestone formations jutting up into cliffs as we get close to Krabi.
I am about to take a long boat to Railay Beach. It should be an easy journey. Railay is supposed to be quiet and picturesque, with nice beaches and cliffs. It is a popular rock-climbing destination.
From Bangkok I go to Krabi and Railay Beach
