Day 7: Island Hopping at Hong Islands

Determining day 7 was such a dilemma. Initially I was planning to do water rafting + elephant tracking. But since the past days I was so hooked on snorkeling, I’m considering to visit Hong Islands instead. In confusion, we even flipped coin to determine where to go ha ha…At the end of the night, the tour agent said that the water rafting is in different province where it will take about 2 hours drive (!); and since it’s not rainy season – there are not much of water in the river for rafting (???) Ian laugh imagining our raft stranded in the middle of the river :D So Hong Island it is. Plus, according to source, Hong Island is a national park (which means you have to pay 200 bath just to land on it cause it’s so special).When we got to the first island (this is a round of 5 islands – they claimed), well, the water is kinda greeny blue. When we took our mask and jump; errr how come I can’t see anything! The water is just too cloudy for snorkeling (plus, not much of coral nor fish!). AND the water was kinda makes your skin itchy (confirmed by dear husband). I thought, well, it’s only the 1st island. Maybe the save the best for last.Next one, the Hong Lagoon. Errr… well, basically a lagoon. More modest than the Pi Leh Bay or even the Ao Thalane we visited. Okay, still 3 more places to go. Hmmm. Next is to Pakbia Island that connected to another island during low tide (similar concept with Tup Island in Day 8). Well, it’s dirty and small. Again, not good to snorkel. Nor to swim – cause it’s itchy. Nor to sunbathe – cause the beach is so small and dirty.Next we’re suppose to go to Rai island – but THE TOUR GUIDE SKIPPED IT! Claiming that it’s high tide and we’ll not able to land there. But according to my tour agent the night before “You know that they name it 5 islands tour but you’ll only see 3 right?” O damn, she’s right :DI think this is the first time in Krabi where I just can’t wait just to get the tour over with. In the last island, before we land, the tour guide said “This is Lading island – land of paradise”. Errr.. another green sea, with small beach and cloudy water!!! Aaargghhh!!!Well, Ian and I ended up practicing our snow angel movement in the water (no it’s not an intercourse position ha ha ha, it’s basically floating with your back – staring at the sky). These 5 islands package was where I saw really small number of boats (guess not much people was “tricked”). I was surprised though when I saw a couple that (seems to) rent a private boat to go to this particular island. I guess there were on honeymoon or something cause they kept hugging and strangling each other with affection ha ha… Survey, survey, survey my friend – luckily love is so blinding. Otherwise she won’t smile that much ha ha…Final verdict: NOT WORTH IT. This package cost 700 bath (twice as much as the 4 islands tour) and the islands are just so so for that amount of money. Suggest you to specifically go to Bamboo island (one of the Phi Phi Islands) instead.O yeah, forgot to mentioned - the only good thing about this tour is you get the change to take picture feeding pretty big fishes in Hong Island :D In the other islands, the fish are too small to get captured in regular camera.Chubby Traveller’s rating : 1 / 5.

ETHNIC MINORITIES IN NORTH-WEST HIGHLANDS Vietnam

Hanoi - Hoabinh - Maichau - Sonla - Dienbienphu - Laichau - Sapa - Bacha - Hanoi Day 1. Arrival in HanoiGreetting by our guide at Noi Bai airport and transfer to hotel. Enjoy the brief excursion to visit the Old Quarters by Cyclo in one hour. Enjoy the traditional performance of water puppetry. Dinner. Overnight in the hotel. Day 2. Hanoi – Hoa Binh – Mai ChauDrive to Mai Chau – home of white Thai minority. Enjoy songs and dance show by Thai amateur artists. Dinner and overnight in a house-on-stilts in a Thai village. Day 3. Mai Chau – Son LaTransfer to Son La – home town of the Black Thai, Meo, Muong and White Thai, on the way you take the chance to overview of Moc Chau highland, stops for photos and visiting minority villages. Overnight in Son La. Day 4. Son La – Dien Bien PhuDrive to Dien Bien Phu via the Pha Din Pass. Upon arrival, visit the former battlefield. Overnight in Dien Bien Phu. Day 5. Dien Bien Phu – Lai ChauDrive through a various scenery to reach Lai Chau with stop over for photos and visit to ethnic villages. Overnight in Lai Chau. Day 6. Lai Chau – Sa PaTransfer to Sa Pa, discover some nearby minority villages of Red Meo, Thai, Dzao. Arrive in Sa Pa, a highland resort 1600m above sea level in the northen province of Lao Cai, well-known for spectacular sceneries and multi-cultural acticities of hilltribes. Overnight in Sa Pa. Day 7. Sa PaVisit Ham Rong mountain, down town to Lao Chai village to visit the Black H’mong tribe, going along Sa Pa valley to get to Ta Van village to visit the Dzay, Cat Cat village of Black H’mong tribe and the waterfall.. Enjoy the time and communicate with the people and you will be impressed on their hand-made products. Overnight in Sa Pa. Day 8. Sa Pa – Bac HaTransfer to Bac Ha for visiting colourful Bac Ha market on Sunday where the Black Dzao, Black H’mong, Nung peoples exchange their embroidery, silverware and handicrafts. Enjoy corn wine when trekking to visit Pho village – home to H’mong minority. Overnight in Bac Ha. Day 9. Bac Ha – HanoiLight trekking to further explore the rustic villages before transfer to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi Day 10. Hanoi departureEnjoy free time for shopping beforee transfer to the airport for departure flight.