The emerald isle of Krabi and the seas around it offer an off-the-beaten-track

As the affable Air Asia executive Boom Dan told us, legend has it that ask for a wish here, and when granted, one must retu and bring the goddess and Buddha an offering. The sun shines on the emerald waters below as green, blue, silver fish frolic along with you. Hidden in between a few rock faces, was a plethora of swimming armies, each taking you to their place of residence, as if welcoming you in, and then making an about face to disappear into the sea-green unknown. There is a picnic area here, with enough place to swim, read a book, swim some more, snorkel or just converse with the ocean. Krabi is one such emerald isle in Thailand. This is a Thailand that’s a far cry from the "One Night in Bangkok" routine; quiet, untouched and serene. Walking on white sand, we reached the mammoth rock face, where some gravity-defying rock climbing happens. Krabi — named after a sword and a monkey — is a haven for water babies.Snorkel happyThe speedboat took us to a small cove where we jumped into the ocean, to ogle at sea urchins, large incandescent blue and yellow fish, smaller spools of differently-hued fish. This is a great place to unwind, or you can climb the small rocky faces for a vantage point for photos. The most exclusive and expensive of resorts (Rawadee) lies on this stretch of white sand, which is open to island hoppers like us.Le Whaek or Miracle Beach, which links Thap Island, Kai Island and Moh IslandAt high tide, this appears as a large island in the midst of pristine water, a vast expanse; but come low tide, many islands appear, beckoning you to paddle onto them and enjoy a stretch of white sand all to yourself. Wholesale swimming pool pump Manufacturers The Ao Nang beach area invites you to forget your worries and dive right in while the many islands offer a peek into the fishing community life, and chances to snorkel, swim, rock climb, walk, etc. Kayaking is also an option here.

The emerald isle of Krabi and the seas around it offer an off-the-beaten-track experienceThere are a few things about a beach and an island-hopping sojou that clears the befuddled air. And we will be back, whether or not the wish is granted! The writer was invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Air Asia, to Krabi and Bangkok. Hopping into a speedboat with our talkative guide for the day, snap-happy, we embarked upon our rendezvous with the surf. We passed the mainland, saw Beyond Resort Krabi from afar, glanced at the King’s Palace perched high up, and passed the Chicken Rock, limestone islands formed over millions and millions of years in marvellous shapes and sizes. So, we made our wish. It’s striking rock formations make for many a selfie, and this archipelago of 12 islets is great for an adventure walk. You can also get a look at the rock face of Chicken Island rock face and marvel at Mother Nature’s bounty. We couldn’t wait to splash into the blue-green sea!Mu Kong Hong islandHere is a bit of snorkeling heaven. The large lagoon embraced by surrounding mountains is absolutely stunning. On the boat, we feasted on Thai basil chicken and fried rice with egg, and cleaned up so that the beach is left untouched. A visa on arrival with a "fly through" on Air Asia makes the jouey easy, no check-out and check-in at Bangkok, but straight on to Krabi through a transit area. As you lie face up to the heavens, small fish nibble at you, limestone rocks create a peaceful vista against the blue sky while the sound of the ocean calms you. Hat Rai Le (Rai Le Beach) Rai Le beach and Pranang Caves were our favourite. There is also a shrine of the goddess, and Buddha, where you can light incense sticks