Tomorrowland 2018 Travel Diary

How is it that a song can coat you in goosebumps and make your soul dance? I guess, there’s science and there’s sensation – and Tomorrowland is an adventure for the artists, the dancers, the celebrators and the lovers…

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Dancing through from sunrise to the high moon and spending five days out under the wide-open sky really is a life for the dreamers.

It’s impossibly difficult to capture the energy of Tomorrowland and why it’s different to anywhere else I’ve ever known, but there’s a magic to the atmosphere that cannot be bottled…

However, the memories and the music have left me with the same goosebumps weeks later and that I can keep forever.

There’s a constant energy – a background crackling of electricity – that can be felt when people who love their life come together in one space. It’s contagious and wandering around the playground of Tomorrowland makes you feel inhibition- free from the moment your eager eyes open. Everyone you can see is living life fully on their terms, dressing how they want, dancing with everyone and living their life fully. There’s a freedom to Tomorrowland, and everyone is celebrating.

Here, the everyday is forgotten the moment you dance into the festival and instead, you’re surrounded by the unapologetically eccentric. There’s magic in the detail and every corner is a photograph, a glistening memory. Fragments of Alice in Wonderland can be found in wooded pathways, while each unique stage is embellished with details from the ocean to fit the underwater theme for this year.

You’re free to dance and kiss all day long and you do so sun-kissed and star-kissed, if just for the dusting of glitter that highlights cheeks and collar bones in the crowds.

We planned Tomorrowland as a once in a lifetime experience, and it exceeded all expectations. Yet, by day one I was desperate to return next year…

August 4th, 2018|Home, TRAVEL|Comments Off on Tomorrowland 2018 Travel Diary
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Bali Photo Diary

You can breathe Bali in, as much as you can walk on its earth. The spirit of Balinese culture is so distinctly sweet, I had to bring fragments of it home in my pockets. Of course, some of Bali’s magic still slipped through my fingers and for those moments, there are photographs…

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Truthfully, I couldn’t help but see Bali through a camera lens… When every turn looks like a storybook, it’s too sugary to resist. Since I have so many photographs and words to spill from Bali, there will be a whole series coming – starting with, of course, this photo diary, or, highlight reel. (Believe me, while Bali was dripping with magic, it definitely also had a sting in its tail – but more on that later)

I honestly don’t believe I have taken this many photographs on my travels yet, but when a story opens on The Jungle Book and turns to Island life on the lick of the next page, the shifting worlds have to be captured, before the page gets turns again.

We spend just two weeks in Bali and the nearby islands, dragging our backpacks to a new home every one or sometimes two nights, and oh my, did we stay in some fairy-tale worlds. There were outdoor baths shared with dusty pink petals and dancing geckos and even huts without walls. Actually, we stayed mostly in places that lacked the traditional four walls in favour of soaking in jungle sounds, scents and sights, day and night.

Very much an eclectic trip, we spend our days dancing to reggae at Bestival before biking around nearby islands, and swinging off cliffs above the deep jungle. Of course, there was a lot of chasing waterfalls too – as it turns out, our favourite waterfall on this blue planet so far was only a muddy and wet hike away, near a rupturing volcano.

Oh my, was it worth it though…

January 23rd, 2018|Home, TRAVEL|Comments Off on Bali Photo Diary
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A Girls-Trip to Greece’s Zakynthos Island

Much like Alice followed the white rabbit down the rabbit hole, following Jenna into Gatwick airport is a game with few clues and no instructions…

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Despite having known each other our entire lives, some-how we had never quite managed to tie up a holiday together (neither of us are very organised). So, in a very spur of the moment decision we decided to book a flight and rectify that. Having a lust for Greece and hearts set on an island adventure, we set off, mid-way between our birthdays, for Zakynthos Island in search of sun, tzatziki and more tzatziki…

Exclaimer: Boyfriends and family members were in a state of mutual concern as neither one of us was exactly the ‘mother goose’ type – but we made it back without a scratch and with both our passports, so congrats to us.

(That doesn’t mean that in one short week we didn’t nearly manage to get stranded penniless on the wrong side of the island, hitch hike our way to the tallest point and hijack a boat, of course.)

The Memory Highlight Reel

Zakynthos Island is a small Greek island that is most iconic for its Shipwreck Cove (that’s pinned onto every corner of the internet). Of course, we were always heading there, stopping off to swim with the turtles and bask in the calm, crystal waters…

We were based in a small, never-heard-of town called Keri (a universe away from Laganas, despite it being a short taxi ride away) and it really couldn’t have been more authentically Greece. Every morning we had the same elderly couple sat outside their house in the beating sun, smiling and speaking to (at) us as we walked past each day (we literally had no idea what they were saying but stand optimistic it was pleasant…)

Boat Takeovers and Crystals Waters
Everyone in the village was unbelievably friendly, and we were offered lifts around the island to save us money on the nearby tourist taxi services and we were even able to spend the day exploring the nearby island of Marathonisi (an absolute must) on a private boat for a fraction of the usual price (we felt like real bad bitches that day). It felt as if we were a part of the family for the short week we were there and it was very much the Mamma Mia fantasy we were both dreaming of.

From swimming in luminous blue waters as we watched the water dance off the white caves walls overhead to pulling up at a floating bar for a quick ice-cream top-up and even (badly) steering the boat back to land (or in the occasional circle). Truly one of the best days of my life.

Hitch-Hiking and Sunsets
We had heard that the best spot to soak up the sunset was at the very top of a very tall and windy cliff side and having literally been denied a moped (the owner very wisely decided we shouldn’t rent a scooter – we did consider briefly a tandem but in the end, we (read: Jenna) decided walking (read: hitchhiking) was the best idea for our collective travels…

Having optimistically started the low-key hike, it was beginning to dawn on us that we might just miss the sunset (we’re not hikers) and instead be left on the hillside, in the dark, with the goats. Before I breathed my usual “Jenna, no,” the girl already had her thumb out and was getting into a car with some equally rushing German girls – we made it.

Homemade Greek Cuisine in Lost Villages
We made two attempts to watch the sunset… During the first trip, the clouds were so thick the sun looked like the moon caught behind fog, which was beautiful in a strange, unexpected way. On our second attempt, we jumped out early to explore to village we were driving though, at risk of missing the sunset, after being drawn by the colourful, rusty buildings and the rainbow tapestries hanging from the walls. I hadn’t seen this on Pinterest, was this place even real?

We headed straight back for dinner after the sunset, to feed our tummies with home-made moussaka and freshly squeezed orange juice – all made out of the kitchen of a local women singing as she carried our oranges to her home. We were maybe one of three other guests there, sat out on the cobbled streets watching the other families enjoying food and drink around us. Sometimes the best moments are the complete accidents, and often the ones involving food…

January 8th, 2018|Home|Comments Off on A Girls-Trip to Greece’s Zakynthos Island
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London in Bloom

If you caught my post last week, you would have seen that I’ve got a bit of a thing for floral at the moment. The warmer weather has got me dreaming of cocktails in the sinking sun, white lace dresses, blush peonies, and every other spring-time cliché you can think of…

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London has really amped up its floral game this spring from the flower covered walls to the woodland wonderlands. It’s not often that I will post a blog with the featured image being a public bathroom… Yes, really. May’s weekend away to London, and a few more trips since then all seemed to have had one thing in common and that is the endless walls of vibrant flowers we walked into at every corner. Starting with the floral covered Ivy Chelsea garden, we carried on the floral theme with a trip the following afternoon to Sketch.

You may know Sketch for its decedent pink tea room or its unusual (to say the least) futuristic pod style bathroom. However, when we arrived we were greeted by walls of creeping greenery and ceilings covered in exotic flowers from every corner. All in the name of Chelsea Flower Show – and oh, what a real Alice in Wonderland moment. Completely unexpectedly, we peaked through the doors at Sketch to find a hop-scotch chalked on to the floor that led into a deep, green woodland scene, all equipped with the echoing sounds of birds chirping (of course). We hop-scotched our way through the entrance where we discovered the most beautiful flowers overhanging the pink staircase and continued through to the Champagne Pommery Lounge where colourful blooms covered every inch of the ceiling. House goals has never been so strong.

We sat under a sky of roses, peonies and more, while drinking vanilla tea and falling in love with every macaroon. The salted caramel and the rose and raspberry flavour taste as perfect as they sound – trust me. We couldn’t leave without a peak at the bathroom pods which were dusted in even more greenery and bursts of florals for the occasion… Does afternoon tea get much better?

June 12th, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on London in Bloom
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Tea Cup Cocktails at The Ivy Chelsea Garden

There’s one way to top off a girly weekend and that’s with these two words; flower wall. You’ve probably seen the floral covered Ivy spammed on your Instagram and here’s a bunch more photographs (‘bunch’ get it?) for you to feast your eyes on.

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Over the bank holiday, I headed back to London for a girly weekend away with my friend Hannah (popular name I know) for 48 hours of cocktails, afternoon tea, flowers and more flowers. Via Oxford street (of course) we made our way to the Ivy Chelsea Garden for an afternoon cocktail under the unusually warm London sun. As you can probably tell, the already beautiful pub in Chelsea had been covered entirely in colourful and unusual flowers. Real flowers that is. Is there a better place for a cocktail in Spring? I doubt it.

The flower arrangement had been beautifully put together in celebration of Chelsea flower show. So as it turns out, we picked probably the best weekend to have organised a weekend in London. Literally, all the flowers.

The few seats out front were taken as we picked probably the most popular time to join the other flower-wall admirers so we headed to the bar and watched through the window as everyone snapped pictures of the display and just generally gawked at the dreamy flower arrangement.

The cocktail menu was equally impressive and the garden out the back was beautiful should you ever head to Chelsea with an empty stomach. I chose a cocktail that came in a pink tea cup (how very British) with a tiny milk jug of more cocktail should I run low – and it tasted just as delicious as it looked. I think It’s fair to say that the Ivy Chelsea Garden is a cocktail lover’s dream any time of year…

June 5th, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on Tea Cup Cocktails at The Ivy Chelsea Garden
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Exploring the Pastel Houses of Notting Hill, London

As someone who lives within an hour from London, it is shameful the little of the city that I have explored. So this summer I am making it a goal of mine to wander into London more often and explore the beautiful and quirky places to eat, drink and dance (the holy grail) around the city.

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First stop, the picture-perfect streets of Notting Hill. In no particular direction we headed down the quieter streets branching out from the hustle and bustle of Portobello market towards the tall, washed pastel townhouses, all sitting pretty like a page in a real life pop-up book. The string of sugar townhouses brightening up the grey London skyline, all framed perfectly with black iron railings and overgrown pink blossoms. So, of course the game of ‘pick your dream house’ began. Mine being a pink pastel house with a black door and creeping blooms (swoon). We even discovered the perfect blue pastel home with a duck egg coloured classic car out front. So yes, spoiler alert – the picture of Jenna opening her car door in front of her house in Notting Hill is in fact, all theatre.

We spent the afternoon swooning over the blush pink doors and celeb spotting. We even sighted Leonardo DiCaprio. That, or a man with a beard, sunglasses and a hat. Which, if we’re being honest with ourselves is exactly what Leo would be wearing in Notting Hill. We then went seeking trinkets and treasures and more importantly, food in Portobello market. As a newcomer the market shops were something from the beginning of a film. You know, where a curious stranger picks up a haunted Aztec treasure and then something dramatic happens. Neither myself nor Jenna disappeared into a puff of smoke nor have we been indefinitely cursed, however we did find some quirky finds like some beautiful old snake charmer cases and some vintage Dior jewellery. So that’s cool.

We decided to stop for lunch at a little Italian pizza joint that drew us in with the classic car in the window displaying a boot full of freshly made mouth-watering pizza. We then wandered in the direction of Covent Garden where we discovered a ball pit in a shoe shop (obviously) before sneaking a peak at the chandeliers, macaroons and flowers at the glistening Savoy Hotel, and topping the day off with a pink cocktail at Radio Rooftop bar. Perfect.

So tell me, have you spied your dream house in Nottinghill? Or is it just me?

May 30th, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on Exploring the Pastel Houses of Notting Hill, London
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6 Dreamy Pool Floats You Absolutely Need This Summer

For Christmas, I brought my “boyfriend” the giant inflatable chocolate donut (read: I bought myself the giant inflatable chocolate donut) for our trip to Thailand back in December. The chocolate version is more boyfriend appropriate than the strawberry pink inflatable donut in my defence (for a boy who doesn’t wear too much pink at the pool). Now, as we’re itching closer to summer I’m finding myself creeping on over to Asos and scanning the inflatable range (yes there is an entire range of inflatable food and animal shaped items to scroll through – you can thank me later). With a flight to Greece booked next month, I’m tempted to add to my inflatable food family. This is acceptable, right? I’m feeling the inflatable pizza, although should I mix my (ahem, boyfriend’s) donut with a healthier fruit item? I don’t know. Maybe I need a more balanced diet of inflatables – any feedback welcome, this list is mainly food for thought (puns entirely intended). You just know floating around the pool or out to sea on a giant animal or delicious treat with a cocktail in hand, mirrored glasses and screaming ‘spring break!’ repeatedly is going to make everyone jealous. So what if you don’t spend your life on holiday and live London way, and nowhere near a beach (like me), I imagine all these items would also make great furniture when not on an exotic holiday. What’s not to love? I’ve put together my line-up of snazzy inflatables to inspire you to join me in spending your hard earned money in a totally ridiculous but beautiful way. So here you have it, my list of favourite completely non-essential summer essentials. Now I’m off to order a pizza…

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Sunnylife Inflatable Gold Swam, £55, Asos.

Big Mouth Inflatable Pizza Slice, £29.99, Asos.

Sunnylife Inflatable Pineapple, £45, Asos.

Sunnylife Inflatable Flamingo, £55, Asos.

Big Mouth Inflatable Watermelon, £45, Asos.

Big Mouth Inflatable Strawberry Donut, £19.99, Asos.

May 22nd, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on 6 Dreamy Pool Floats You Absolutely Need This Summer
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How you can travel more when you work full-time

When you think of travel bloggers or anyone who seems to have a particularly exotic social media account, it’s easy to assume that they have no need to ever know the day of the week or no one bed to go back to at night. Of course, there are many adventurers who choose the nomad life, but what about those who, you know, work full time and want to see an elephant or climb the occasional palm tree? We want it all. Here’s how you can do it…

Weekends and Bank Holidays are your new best friend

We often become obsessed with places the other side of the world and forget that there are people the other side of the world who travel to get to where we are. Ok, so London doesn’t have elephants or palm trees (sob) but it does have its own places of interest. Make the most of your weekends and bank holidays with road trips and long weekends exploring new areas. Granted, bank holidays are the best friend you love and hate, as they so kindly provide that extra freedom but at the same time, all hotels and flights triple in price. Very distressing. This is where I find Air BnB can be a saviour. Just be sure to book months in advance to score the best deals.

Travel at Christmas and Easter

Travelling over the Christmas break is how I managed to explore Thailand in three weeks. Economise on the holiday you already have and add two more weeks onto your time away from work and you can stretch out a longer-haul backpacking trip. In this case, plan your trip to ensure the best time-saving processes are in place, for example, I found it beneficial to take flights where possible over trains. When you’re ‘fast travelling’ you’re not in the group of people lounging in linen trousers with a cool beer nodding in unison about how life is about ‘the journey’. You, my friend, are amongst those who have a watch and itinerary in hand, and that’s ok.

Buy back holiday days

It’s one of life’s great frustrations that while travellers can escape the constraints of time, they can often find themselves cash-strapped while full-time workers can watch their bank balance rise with no real time to invest any of it in travel. This is where buying holiday back can help aid your wanderlust as a full-time worker. Many jobs will allow you to deduct your salary for a few extra days holiday. If you’re passionate about travelling while working a full-time role with limited holiday; this could be the solution that enables extras trips to be taken throughout the year or an extension on a longer-term travelling adventure. With only 20 or so holiday days a year, buying back holiday is a simple solution to seeing more of the world while working full time.

Work remotely

Negotiating with your boss regarding the option of working remotely (from home or elsewhere) means you are less bound to one location. If you can work remotely a few days a week you can work from wherever you choose, enabling greater travelling reign. You can extend on weekend trips and catch flights with greater ease. This is dependent on your field of work, and of course your role. Another option is volunteering your availability to travel for work meaning that you can explore new locations as a part of your full-time job. If remote working doesn’t enable the long-term flexibility you need or isn’t an option for your field, why not opt for a sabbatical?

Take a sabbatical

If you decide that fast travel isn’t quite reaching your wanderlust inch, liaise with your boss and see if it’s possible to arrange a sabbatical, whereby you take a leave of absence from work. This will give you the freedom to travel for a longer period of time, and you can be content in the knowledge you can return to your job after your travels. It’s important to strike a balance in life and invest in different goals and interests. A sabbatical enables you to invest time in ‘slow travel’ without having to be a gap year student or nomad.

Do you have any other ways in which to squeeze travel in around a full-time career? Leave your thoughts in the comments…

 

May 15th, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on How you can travel more when you work full-time
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9 Must Do’s In Chaing Mai, Thailand

The last stop on our three week Thailand adventure; Chaing Mai sparked a shock to the senses as we transitioned from the blue on blue landscape of the southern islands to the mountainous northern city.

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Located: Thailand’s largest northern city, Chaing Mai is a 1-hour flight from Bangkok

Don’t leave before visiting: Doi Suthep Temple & Doi Inthanon National Park

Best for: Temples, markets, wildlife & culture

The sun was cooler on our skin, the beaches were traded for murky rivers and lush jungle greenery, and a new backdrop of cloud skimming mountains surrounded us. The unofficial second capital after Bangkok, Chaing Mai is a bustling northern city with markets stalls lined one after another laid with trinkets and sizzling authentic foods.  Similar to Bangkok in terms of its vibrant contrasts, Chaing Mai is a forefront of bustling markets, eateries and pop-up bars, nestled in front of endless rural jungle and historical monuments. A city built in tradition, Chaing Mai offers a densely cultural and religious experience. A city known foremost for its glistening temples and its rich history.

Discover trinkets and treasures at the Sunday Night Market

Thailand is known for its eclectic and eccentric markets that stretch from the early morning and often carry on throughout the night seducing bustling city dwellers and evening wanderers with treats to taste and trinkets to adorn themselves with. Although Chaing Mai offers a calmer and more laid-back atmosphere to Bangkok, Chaing Mai’s walking night market leads the way in terms of a bustling and vibrant shopping culture. If you’re looking to scour Thailand for unusual and authentic trinkets to take home with you, head to Chaing Mai’s Sunday Market (as long as swarms of people don’t bother you) where you will find hand-crafted colourful journals, delicate and vibrant anklets and intricate crocheted clothing.

Smell the flowers in Chaing Mai’s Gardens

Chaing Mai is adorned with beautiful temples, mountainous backdrops, and lush gardens. One of the most vibrant and visually enchanting areas you can travel to, Chaing Mai’s beauty is undeniable. Wonder around the city’s sky-high gardens and surround yourself with the spectrum of vibrant and beautiful flowering plants. A perfect place to start is The Doi Inthanon National Park where you can take in the view of meticulously designed gardens overlooking the whole city from the mountains. While we also stumbled across the most stunning cascading garden landscape visiting the Hmong Hill Tribe.

Take in the views from the mountain top at Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon National Park is situated at the sky-scraping heights of the mountain peaks. On our way down from the highest point in Thailand (a disappointing venture in itself as the trees shielded any real views) we were blown away instead with the views from the King and Queen Pagodas. Nicknamed the ‘roof of Thailand’ the peak soars to 2565m above sea level. The blue sky bled into the blurring pastel mountain silhouettes and it was in that moment we realised why we had left island life behind us.

Wander the glistening temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

There are hundreds upon hundreds of temples in Chaing Mai, with the most popular being Wat Phra That, located on Doi Suthep (mount Suthep), a beautiful sacred Buddhist temple situated amongst the mountains. Intricately designed, vibrant and glistening to the eye, the Thai architecture is truly unique. Every detail is meticulously designed even before you reach the temple with an impressive 309 stairs flanked with a mosaic serpent to climb in order to reach the temple gates. Quietly explore the sacred space as Buddhist visitors peacefully light candles and display rows of flickering light throughout the temple.

Immerse yourself in local hill-top tribe culture

Chaing Mai sits next to Chaing Rai, where the indigenous long-neck tribe reside. During our short four day visit we didn’t make the fairly lengthy trip from Chaing Mai to this area, however, we did visit a nearby hill-top tribe known as the Hmong Tribe. It’s a unique moment to witness different cultures and experience a new way of life first handed. We also discovered the most beautiful gardens and views from the Chaing Mai hill tops. Northern Thailand offers the perfect opportunity to discover new cultures and learn about Thai tribe tradition, an essential for the curious traveller.

Care for a friendly giant at an elephant sanctuary

We missed the opportunity to visit the Elephant sanctuary in Chaing Mai as we had found ourselves visiting the gentle giants elsewhere in Thailand and wanted to soak up as many new experiences as possible during our stay. However, from talking with other travellers it seems that the most fulfilling, eco-friendly and sustainable way to get up close with these beautiful creatures is via the Elephant Nature Park or Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chaing Mai. Sanctuaries dedicated to caring wholly for elephants, you can help wash, feed and care for them first hand – a truly rewarding experience not to be missed.

Cook up authentic pad-thai at the Basil Cooking School

The floral scents and the spicy notes found in Asian dishes are world-famous, so whether you’re home-cook-challenged or a pro in the kitchen, spending a day learning about Thai cuisine is a must. We took a class at the Basil Cookery School, where we slaved over a hot stove, grinding herbs and smashing garlic to create six courses. Your arms ache but your taste buds are dancing. As an inexperienced chef (my hands are up) I enjoyed the opportunity to create authentic dishes from scratch. The day began scouring ingredients at the market and ended with full bellies and a recipe book to take home. We are yet to have whipped up any Thai dishes since returning but if we ever appear on Come Dine With Me – this is your spoiler alert.

Climb the wild waterfalls

I agree with TLC on the no scrubs deal but when in Chaing Mai definitely do chase waterfalls (sorry – couldn’t help myself there). A highlight of our time in Chaing Mai, we visited two natural waterfalls (Wachirathan and Siribhume) both of which were breath-taking for different reasons. It’s the untouched, out of plain sight natural treasures that I find most beautiful. If you choose to visit the powerful sky high Wachirathan waterfall shun the selfie with the sign crowd and climb down into the rock pools where the water comes crashing down. Jumping from rock to rock and dipping your toes into the flowing stream with the sound of crashing waters behind you creates a far greater memory that watching from the sidelines.

Experience a sky of lanterns at the Festival of Lights

Sadly, as we visited Chaing Mai in January, we missed the annual Festival of Lights, which takes place every year in November. Nevertheless, the festival had to make into onto this list of ‘must-dos’ as it’s such a unique, and cultural Thai experience. The Yi Peng festival as it is known, sees the sky turn ablaze with glowing jelly-fish like lanterns floating gracefully into the night sky to sit alongside the winking stars. Signifying the ‘letting go’ of problems and worries, the Festival of Lights is a religious ceremony like no other and a symbolic tradition of Chaing Mai culture – a reason in itself to visit the culture-rich northern city.

Have you visited Chaing Mai before? What were your highlights?

May 8th, 2016|TRAVEL|Comments Off on 9 Must Do’s In Chaing Mai, Thailand
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3 Reasons to Add Ao Phang Nga National Park to Your Thailand Bucket List

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The largest primary mangrove forest in all of Thailand, Ao Phang-Nga National Park is renowned for its iconic karst scenery.

Nearest to: Phucket & Krabi

Explore by: Speedboat/Longboat & Kayak

Best for: Nature, Wildlife & Caves

Larger than life vertical cliffs jolt out of the still sea casting shadows over the quiet waters. The park encompasses 42 small islands sprinkled across the green ocean, many with angular white caves and others dusted in overgrown vegetation. The caves (known as hongs) are often semi-submerged and only accessible at low tide. These small tidal channels exist as a transport system for fisherman and locals who share the mangrove with local exotic creatures who swim, crawl and climb the land-before-time limestone rocks and murky turquoise waters.

Swerve around the limestone cliffs & take in the views at

Phang Nga Bay

Arranging a day trip with a tour company (we booked via our hotel in Phucket), or even hiring a personal longboat and guide to weave you around the national park will be sure to inspire you. We arranged a trip via speedboat which did just this, gliding us through the marine park, where we could peacefully take in the views of the prehistorical landscape and snap sun-drenched photographs. If you choose to travel by speedboat, shun the main seating area for soaking up the sun at the open air front seats. The journey is part of the experience, and why spend any time closed off from the views and the beaming sun? Breathe in the peaceful atmosphere and untouched scenery. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for two eyes peering out of the water back at you, rare birds flying overhead and ever curious creatures clumsily climbing the limestone karsts.

Kayak through the semi-submerged island caves

Get up close and personal with the dramatic limestone islets. As well as gliding the waters via speedboat, we also clambered into a two person Kayak (plus driver) to dip in and out of the sporadic hongs (caves). A spectacular vision, the hongs (meaning ‘rooms’) are so small and intricate that we were often directed to lay back completely flat so that we could squeeze into the private space. Not as claustrophobic as it may sound, once inside, the caves are much larger and provide a more than worthwhile vision of the vibrant waters dancing on the darkened, stone walls. The views from inside the cave looking out across the park frame the picturesque landscape perfectly – a truly unmissable experience of Thailand waters.

Visit Khao Phing Kan and discover the unusual and iconic Ko Tapu

The small island of Koh Phing Kan is an iconic Thai landmark. The striking vision of Ko Tapu – the triangular shape islet that guards the bay steals the attention of every explorer. The setting for James Bond’s The Man with the Golden Gun, the island itself is unsurprisingly a buzzing tourist spot, so unfortunately, the area becomes overrun by selfie stick wielding visitors, especially during high season. We learnt this on arrival, where there were ques forming to sit at the best view points and overrun market stalls made some areas near inaccessible. Therefore, if you have plans to make this trip – which oh you should- try and arrive as early as possible. Beating the crowds is sure to make the experience that bit more personal and breath-taking for you.

Have you been to Ao Phang Nga National Park before? If not, do you think you’ll be adding it to your bucket list?

May 2nd, 2016|Home|Comments Off on 3 Reasons to Add Ao Phang Nga National Park to Your Thailand Bucket List
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