Travel Eat Drink Like a Local

Not as soft as cloud-like sand in the Caribbean, but as white and warm as their Caribbean counterparts, even more curvy coastlines, secluded beaches and stunning jungle interiors with ever changing gem-tone clear waters with abundant ocean life that leave you mesmerized but question your selfish decision to be an intruder among masses that pollute this clearly endangered piece of paradise on earth. Some places are just meant to be left alone. Day 7: Koh Phi Phi Don We fly out of Chiang Mai to Krabi. It takes about two hours but land earlier than expected at about 1:30pm on Christmas eve of 2017. We had planned the day with Joy at Andaman Camp and Cruise . They whisk us from Krabi Airport to Ao Nang pier where the private charter manned by Beu and accompanied by his assistant Aong waiting for us. The overcast definitely kept things cooler and the rest of the day very pleasant. Somewhere in the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean Leaving Ko Poda and Koh Poda Nok (Chi...

Traveling along the southern coastline, en route to Thissamaharama, Yala National Wildlife Park or Kataragama,  you can take a detour to a major town named Hambantota. In the past, 30 years ago, we would always break journey here and spend overnight at the Hambantota Rest House before proceeding on to the next leg of the road trip. Hambantota Rest House is on a hill top, overlooking the natural Hambantota Bay and it had a long open veranda outside the rooms. Early in the morning you could watch the fishermen pulling in their catch ashore and in the night you could watch the hustle-bustle of fishermen heading out to the sea. All lit with hand held torches then. The place is in existence even today. To my great dismay it's an unkempt shady drinking hole now. The town that went through major destruction in 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, currently has been tuned in-out, upside-down and has gone through very serious developmental changes. It's home to a new sea port, an international a...