Tuesday morning (January 26), we took two ferries and a van to get back to Krabi town. It was a beautiful day and many restaurant owners and shopkeepers had hung their birdcages out near the street so our search for a hostel was quite melodious. Staying in Krabi is a lot cheaper than staying on the islands and we found bunks for about $1.50 each.
While we explored the islands we had talked to many travelers who had recommended a place called Rai Leh beach and so we were anxious to visit it. After about a 30 minute longtail boat ride from Krabi we arrived at an incredible and unusual beach. When we pulled into the beach there were cliffs filled with climbers busy scaling incredibly high limestone peaks. My guidebook said that this place was known as one of the best places to climb and I can see why.
Sean and I walked around and were impressed with the environment. The beach wasn't your typical sunbathing/napping/reading/white sands beach but rather it was a beach filled with caves, cliffs and hidden lagoons. The crowd was all young, rather hippy and athletic people, most of whom walked around with their climbing gear still attached. Though I had climbed a few times in the past, Sean had never done it and was eager to try.
We signed up for a 1/2 day climb and were paired with a Thai guide and another climber, Mike, a Canadian who happens to be the light director for the band, The Killers. After showing us the basics we got a chance to climb. Each of us did 3 different climbs and by the end of it I was exhausted. To keep your endurance, you are supposed to use your legs as much as you can but it is so easy to forget (in fear and panic) while so high up and I always overuse the muscles in my arms to the point that I can't even stay on the cliff any longer.
Climbing was exhilarating and it was so much fun to go so high outdoors on a natural rock face overlooking a beach. Our guide-with-long-dreadlocks was really helpful and while constantly rolling his own cigarettes he would shout up advice or suggest an alternate route or handhold. Sean and I both did ok and had a lot of fun though we used muscles that had been dormant for a bit too long.
While waiting for our longtail boat back to Krabi town we enjoyed a "sweet ice" and then had pizza back on the mainland. Everyone seemed to be gathering at a nearby bar so after dinner we went to check it out and were rewarded with a Malaysian reggae band. The crowd was loud, happy and getting into the music. Everywhere you looked you could see dreadlocks, tattoos, tanned bodies and hippies. I was so tired from climbing that I was practically falling asleep at the table but the music was a good way to end the day.
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