We’re traveling through the southern Thai peninsula as last time we were in this wonderful country, during the ‘round the world trip, we visited only the capital and the northern regions. Krabi province is very popular with foreigners as is the small, resort town of Ao Nang with its many beaches and islands.

The high tourist season here starts sometime around December and lasts until March with most visitors coming from cold countries – particularly Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands. Apparently the most active period is around the Christmas holidays but we find everything busy enough and beaches are pretty crowded. We did luck out when we were the only clients on a tour of local hot springs, the Emerald Pool and a temple – but there were so many other tour groups that all were crowded.

It’s been hot and humid – with temperatures hovering at about 95˚F/34˚C. It takes a while to get used to the tropical weather again: we didn’t really experience it in Costa Rica where it rained for the six months we were there. It’s wonderful to see everything in flower and the beaches filled with people – it’s just that it takes a few days to get used to the high temperatures.

The afternoons are too hot to be outside so we, like everyone else, tend to do things in the mornings and evenings. Other than the many tours available to nearby islands and their beaches, there are also jungle tours, scuba diving and snorkeling tours and visits to local temples. There’s an area just off the beach in Ao Nang that is dedicated to – I kid you not – at least 20 massage huts all in a row.

In the evenings, tourists have hundreds of shops and stalls as well as restaurants and bars to visit. Weekend nights were noisy with parties in all of the bars but the music didn’t go on all that late and, even though our hotel is in the middle of everything, the noise didn’t bother us.

Photos of Ao Nang, Krabi, Southern Thailand (click on a thumbnail to see the full image & a new page will open):

WHAT’S NEXT: We’re off to Bangkok for a week then Hong Kong for another week for the visa process. In only two weeks, we’ll be moving into our new home in Wenzhou, China.

NOTE: My “This Expat Life” & “Writing on Wednesdays” blogs are on hiatus until we settle down in Wenzhou in February 2010. Between now and then, I’ll be writing only about Baby Boomers Traveling. Hope you enjoy coming along with us.

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