Sweet2Krabi @ Krabi (Day 3)
Our Day 3 plan was Full Day Jungle Tour. Not enough for water activities, we decided to sail through the jungle for more, the Hot Spring Fall & Emerald Pool. Continue with temple visit at Tiger Cave.
Jungle Tour @ Krabi (Day 3) – Nature Exploration
The selling point offer to us for the package was the following:
- Visit Emerald Pool, swimming and relaxing in the nature bath
- Visit Hot Spring Waterfall, enjoy & relaxing in the hot water (35-40 C)
- Visit Tiger Cave temple, the most famous temple in Krabi Province
Good morning Krabi!
Day 3 … 7.00AM … Get ready for breakfast
We were lucky to have stay in this resort with fulfilling breakfast everyday. Even though outside food are much variant, but normally morning rush would prefer take from resort itself.
Our lunch later was included part of our tour package.
Breakfast @ Krabi Resort … on the beach!
9.30AM … Jungle Tour begun
A van transfer from our resort to the destination started. Not only we were booking this tour, but quite few resort to stop by for picking up.
We reached the Emerald Pool entrance by 10.00am. A short briefing and expected time to return in 2 hours. For me, time wasn’t enough to spend there. Unless you go back yourself, you can have your sweet time. Very unlikely for us to know the direction of the place.
Private Tour transfer … can fit about 12 pax
This place was well kept with a “Welcome to Emerald Pool” display at the entrance. Not much time given to go around and snap photo. We only quickly move on to the trail towards the Emerald Pool, in order to save our quality time to enjoy the pool instead.
Walk to the trail … leading to the Emerald Pool
Very beautiful … can I do jungle trekking?
Jungle trail … was under construction
Clear drain water … great temptation
Estimated 800m … to reach the Emerald Pool
Toilet sign … only 20m to the left
Voila … sighted the pool in front
Slippery caution … along the wooden plank
A small junction … very near to the pool
Another short walk, we reached the amazing Emerald Pool, a greenish jade color plus some cooling effect I can felt. Under the hot sun in the noon definitely a rewarding to jump into the pool immediately.
An Emerald Pool … fallen in love
Shiny water … reflection from sun ray
But HOLD ON.
We were told that Blue Pool is a must visit as well. Due to time constraint, the temptation must HOLD first in order to give way to Blue Pool first.
There was a 15 min walk through the wooden plank up to the Blue Pool. However, swimming is not allowed due to soft sand under the water.
Continue walk on the direction given
Water flow to the Emerald Pool … contained rich mineral
Wooden plank get seriously damaged … be careful
Another 200m to reach … walking on the trail instead
Reached its platform … Amazing Blue Pool
Hidden gems … not elsewhere but Krabi
Walk back to Emerald Pool … another 15 min time
After visited this Blue Pool, not much time left for us to dip into Green Pool. We took our remaining time to enjoy the pool at fullest.
A slippery surface when we went down and up. But overall it’s refreshing to have a dip in this pool.
FUN but darn HOT the water … water temperature is kind high here
End of Emerald Pool tour … proceed to the NEXT
Next destination was to Hot Spring Waterfall. We were given only an hour to complete our visit and definitely not enough. According to the guide, dipping in hot spring shouldn’t be more than 20 minutes. It could be harmful because of the sulphuric water penetrates our body through the skin.
Entrance fees to this hot spring is 90 baht, but our package is included everything.
12.15PM … Hot Spring Waterfall
From the information board, this place known as Klong Thom Thermal Waterfall.
A short walk to the park … along with proper facilities & direction
Briefing about the advantages … do & don’t
Not my typical style to shower in hot spring … simple dip is enough
Stream from high to lower level … sulphuric smell
Hot enough? … look very enjoying
Relaxing up your body … again after Emerald Pool
Hot! … wonderful dip for us
1.30PM … Lunch at Krabi Town
Our day tour has passed half-day. The guide sent us to the town for lunch. It was part of our package.
Restaurant Up-2-You … settled our lunch here
Spicy delicacies … with white rice
Fruit served … had it all the time for this trip
2.30PM … Tour to Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple)
This temple is located 9km from north of Krabi Town. The inside of this cave features tiger prints captured in stone, and it’s in the middle of a lush forest, with enormous, ancient trees.
Again time given to spend our time was very limited. I can almost forget about the thousand staircase if only one hour given for our visit. Sigh!
Temple visit … need to record your name & country plus donation
History of the Tiger Cave
Tiger cave does have this staircase challenge. Having climb up 1,237 steps to the top. Five times more than Batu Caves 272 steps.
Before attempt this, I calculated amount time needed, about 20 min my speed to go up. Going down another 10 min. I don’t think I can make it around this amount of time, because of limited time given to us. I gave up.
Challenging activity … 1,237 steps to the top mountain
Try to walk up … impossible mission in 30 minutes
At this point of height 200 steps … I took 10 minutes
Forgot about getting to top of the mountain. I better go around for other places.
There are several other caves in the surrounding hill. As a hikers of my own, I prefer go into a jungle for exploration, be a cave or just simply a flora. But this place offer more than that. Inside the cave features tiger prints captured in stone & few ancient trees to visit.
Forestry Park … into the jungle trek and exploration
Starting point after an incline of staircases
First sign-direction … lures you into explore The CAVE
Another sign indication … BIG TREE comes first before THE CAVE
Saw the CAVE … missed out the TREE
Loogtanoo Cave … limestone cave I think
Another CAVE? … anxiousness arises, but others make a U-TURN
Saw another CAVE … don’t feel crawling in to check-it out
Pla Lai Cave … too dark, must use camera to know the name
Finally spotted BIG TREE … we found you
A creepy sound in the lush ancient jungle makes us worry about our direction. Would we be lost if just following the trail? Some trails had flooded with water, caused us to divert, instead following the correct trail.
Our time was up to return back but we were still in the jungle, looking the way back. The map telling us that we can get back to our starting point after one big round. We glad we return safely after struggling for exit point.
Overall, we late by 10 minutes and everyone was waiting for us.
4.30PM … Back to the resort, calling the day
Having ourselves through the jungle made us dirty and sweaty. We hopped on our van with some smell. Hope to get into water as soon as possible.
Once the guide dropped us at the resort, we noticed food stalls opened in front of our resort.
Varieties food to try … cheap and tasty
10 baht per stick … the sauce was quite tasty
Pancake again … nice to try because it’s famous here
We went to our room for clean-up after filling up our stomach.
Times for dinner date again!
Before dinner started at our preferred romantic location, we had another round of beach shot, during low tide, behind our resort.
Wet weather day … beach low tide was fun
Ladies were having fun at the beach … we just captured
Rain is coming … better take the umbrella together for dinner
7.00PM … Thai’s food delicacies for Day 3
Other than nature places, we also very much into food. As long as it’s tasty, we always wanted to try. Day 3 dinner was better than previous night because we know how to order now.
Cute decoration on food … their selling point!
After dinner, we tend to walk along this famous street again for souvenir and next day tour. Massaging was one of our targets for the night.
Since we’d checked earlier on the pricing, we decided to try this Princeville Spa (run by the resort). We managed to get 300 baht for Aroma Massage package.
The night befallen again.
Tiredness strike due to high volume of water passing by us during the jungle activities. We were dehydrated but due to acidic level were high in our body.
We look forward for tomorrow plan, James Bond Island + Canoeing. Cost us 900 baht per person.
Good night Krabi!
To be continue … Sweet2Krabi @ Krabi (Day 4) – Island Tour