I just got back from Phi Phi, Thailand. Again. I was traveling alone. Really spending great time there. I’m suppose to be broken-hearted, cause, you know. Yeah. But apparently no, I’m in love.
An implusive trip to Pulau Seribu, with couple of strangers, who turn out to be the most loveliest travel company model ever!
I must admit that these are one of my favorite serie of holiday pictures. Earth was collaborating with everything in it, altered into something gorgeously captivating, when we visit the islands. The water, weather, underwater visibility, current, nights with gazillions bright white stars, yes - 4 falling stars somewhere in the sky, the talk, the long distance call, the food, the company. Everything was perfect.
We’re planning to snorkel and dive in Bida Nok and Phi Phi Ley. And oh, please turn on the music.
Feels Like Home by Basement Jaxx (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)
Please tell me god, how can I leave this place?
It’s Bida Nok.
Sam.
Bok and Loh. There’s also Sid, another crew.
First spot.
I jump with Malkmus. Loh paired us because he’s paranoid, haha, no no, it was reasonable because water not very friendly that time. Current is wavy and it was a bit dark because the spot is hiding from the sun behind the rocks. So again, I don’t catch much.
I’m this close to the rocks, I do. It was great to have that feeling.
What life should be.
Where would that boat go from the cave? Wonderland?
Cabin.
Jinxie and me. Before lunch in Phi Phi Ley.
Malkmus.
Second jump. This time I jump alone because Malkmus prefer to sleep. I swim for a while, and Loh jumps too into the water, unexpectedly. This is where the word “I go with you” is becoming the sweetest word I’ve heard in Thailand. He’s over protective
I thought I was dreaming.
Loh. He dove in to the depth just to point me those colorful fishes.
Loh showed me a family of crab within the rocks. It’s too dark, I know, but there’s a family of crab hiding there. Really cute. Loh grabs my arm to make sure that I can take the picture steadily, but the wave is harsh and hole is too dark, so, anyway, Captain, kop kun kaah.
Last view before I go back to the boat.
Once you pick your head up, you see this in front of you. You’re alone, in the water. In the sea who never taste you before. Tell me what is that feeling.
I drop my heart right in this very spot.
Go back.
I decided to spent my evening in Loh Dalam Bay. It’s really the place where time does not exist.
Beachbums.
Yea baby, share the love.
Me and Jinxie shop for souvenirs in Long Beach market. Then we go back to hotel. I bunk in Bee’s terrace and watch half “Across The Universe”. Then before bed, I took a nightwalk alone, accidentally meeting a familiar face again. Here’s a song dedicated for my full-moon(struck) night in this island.
Chao Koh boat transport. The fee is 700 baht people, 700 (Mini shuttle bus from your hotel to harbor transportation is included in the price). Please do bargain, unless, if you’re rich, you can pay them 1000 baht. They wouldn’t mind.
Play the song, so you know what I mean. Blessed Brambles by Múm
Thank you Jinxie Rini for taking this.
We’re there!
Madame restaurant and Jordan’s Irish pub, 10 feet away from our hotel. (By the way, we’re staying in a sweet hotel, called The White, 2-min walk from Loh Dalam Bay, 2-min walk to the only Seven Eleven in the island, 10-min walk to Tonsai Bay, plus friendly assistance from its silly darling staff. Perfect. See review of The White hotel here)
Late lunch in Madame: Chicken cashew nut fried rice. Smashing.
The best seafood tomyam I’ve ever taste.
Loh Dalam Bay’s water is always low, starts from 4 pm everyday.
Arin.
Silly cliche macro. Sue me, I’m already happy anyway. Haha.
We rented a longtail boat, planning to see sunset from Maya Bay.
Friends and family, if one day I disappear, you might wanna check here because I’m planning to let myself lost in this very spot.
Bee and Vita.
Jinxie and Arin.
Viking cave in Phi Phi Ley.
Loh Saman Bay.
We snorkel here for a short while. The water is oily because Loh Saman Bay is one of the most crowded spot for boats to take tourists snorkeling, oil comes from the boat engine. My camera casing bear the impact. It’s becoming foggy and slippery.
Not much to see. I have to admit that my underwater photography mission in Phi Phi is successfully failed, because I’m too busy astonishing the view. Haha, I’m corny, I know.
Is it a coral or an animal?
Maya Bay, the beach they all have been talking about. I over estimate the beach apparently, lotsa knife-edged stones in the bottom of the sea, hurts my feet every time I took a step. I really crave for that diver rubber sneaker right at that time. The sand is perfect by the way. I can’t take anything good from my foggy camera’s casing (Thank you Loh Saman Bay!), so I borrow Jinxie’s photo.
The sunset.
Me and Bee. (Thanks Jinxie for being such sweet papparazi, haha)
This is why I love candid.
Going back to room to wash things up. I’m a stranger in her home.
Dinner. I don’t like Padthai.
Stranded whale. Haha.
Actually we chill out in some by-the-beach bar, really, Bee took us there off from the stone walking path, through the hidden beach by the rocks, and voila, the shortcut works. We enter the bar from the seaside. They put coffee tables and mat next to the sea and put some music. Singha beer is 80 baht. The place is nice.
Hi, we’re black and blue, burnt, yet still, buoyantly bubbly.
Good night, dreams.
Noran Bakrie
