Is it possible to get there and do an afternoon kayak trip and return to Krabi on the same day? If so, how do I go about it? Thank you, Ahmed
Q: I will be staying in Krabi on a business trip and have one free day, which I’d like to spend on Phi Phi island. Is it possible to get there and do an afternoon kayak trip and return to Krabi on the same day? If so, how do I go about it? Thank you, Ahmed
A: Phi Phi is located about 40 kilometres from Krabi. Ferries depart from Chao Fa Pier in Krabi town at 10am and 2.30pm. The trip takes two hours and costs Bt150 per person.
On the return trip, the ferries leave Phi Phi at 9am and 1pm. However, a one-day trip is offered by speedboat from Ao Nang. It takes only 45 minutes and the trip usually runs from 9am to 5pm. It’s easy to arrange through a tour operator and includes hotel pick up. Once you arrive, there are many kayak places and I would think it will be easy enough to arrange some kayaking, as this is a popular sport on the island. Alternatively, ask the tour operator to arrange this for you as part of the deal.
If you go directly to a tour operator in Krabi town, you’ll find options for both half-day and full-day sea kayaking at Ao Thalane, Ao Leuk and to Hong Island. They are all interesting places well worth exploring.
Q: My friends and I have made plans to go to Ladakh in mid-September, travelling by road from Manali to Leh and flying back from Leh to Delhi. However, last week’s natural disasters have left us wondering whether we should go. Please advise. Thanks, Vichuta
A: Anyone with a trip booked to Ladakh is asking themselves the same question. As most people have a pre-planned itinerary and have paid for their flights, they are finding it difficult to reschedule.
A week has passed since the heavy downpours of August 5 and 6 that caused the flash floods and mudslides. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, some 200 lives were lost and thousands of people were injured and displaced. Crops and livestock have been lost causing total devastation for this beautiful land. Assuming the weather stays stable, some of the infrastructure, including communications and power supply, should be up and running in the not too distant future.
The 475-km-long Manali-Leh highway - one of highest motorable roads in the world - is still closed to traffic, and hundreds of vehicles, including oil tankers, light vehicles and buses from Leh-Ladakh region, are waiting for the road to reopen. It usually takes two days and one night to get through this highway, and with so many people stranded there for such a long period, I would imagine that most places along the route are out of supplies.
With the weather so unpredictable and the fact that there is very little time left before winter arrives in this part of the world, I think it will be a long while before the road is completely open or, if it is, in a safe condition.
If you really want to go, I would recommend you wait for a few weeks and then reassess the situation. In any case, it would be much safer to cancel your plans for an overland trip from Manali to Leh and fly to Leh instead. Or you could go to Manali then enquire about the situation locally.
Alternatively, consider changing your destination to elsewhere in India and give time to Leh and Ladakh to get back on their feet.
Some people may feel that by continuing with their trip, they are assisting the local people by contributing to the economy. While it’s true that tourism is important to Ladakh, there are also different and better ways of helping, for example through NGOs. The key right now is to not get in the way of rescue and relief operations. That said, it’s impossible to know what will happen next, so keep yourselves updated on the latest news from the region.