Floating in the Hongs

 

Today is our last day in Thailand, and we head to Cambodia this afternoon for a week in Phnom Penh. Thailand has been so peaceful and relaxing, but I'm excited for the rush of craziness that will be waiting for us when we land in Phnom Penh. Then to Kampot, Kep, Battambang and Siem Reap for the next two weeks.

A Visit to the Floating Village

Yesterday morning we took a half-hour boat ride to the floating Muslim fishing village of Panyee. The village is a big tourist destination, with stalls selling cheesy t-shirts and plastic pearl necklaces, but the interesting parts came once you got past the vendors and in to the actual village. We saw salted fish hanging out to dry, ducklings and chickens kept in pens made from old fishing nets, and thousands of potted plants of every variety.

The entire village is built on stilts and docks, and the houses were beautiful; there was everything from bamboo shacks to cement villas with marble floors and satellite TV. We arrived early and spent the morning wandering the pathways between houses, and left just as the tourist crowds started flocking in for a seafood lunch.

Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

We've been cruising around Phang Nga Bay for almost a week now, spending the days kayaking, swimming, wakeboarding, and mostly eating. Phang Nga Bay is one of the most beautiful places on earth, with giant karsts (limestone rock formations that were coral reefs millions of years ago) scattered around the turquoise water. We've been buying most of our food from the little fishing boats that motor past, and having fresh prawns and fish, with lots of garlic, for every meal. It really doesn't get much better.

 

A Week at Sea

We got back from Thailand yesterday, after spending six days exploring the caves and karsts of Phang Nga bay. All the pictures I took are of the ocean, since we didn't set foot on land except to navigate our way through bat caves.

We went through at least four different caves, that twist and turn until you see the light of the landscape at the other end. Each time, I was terrified at the beginning, with visions of The Descent flashing in my head. In the biggest cave, we could see hundreds of bats clinging to the ceiling and occasionally swooping down to fly around the cave. It was at this point that our flashlight died, and we sat in the dark until another group with flashlights passed and we could see our way out.

Other highlights included scuba diving next to a giant sea turtle, and then with a banded sea snake that we later found out was ten times as poisonous as a cobra. But now we are back to the crowds of Hong Kong to spend some time on land, in a very different landscape.