Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand

Looking over the Railei Beach Peninsula

After days of high activity, roughing it in a tent on our own private beaches we headed across the bay for a change of pace.  We’ve heard only amazing things about Railei Beach and were directed to stay next door on Tonsai Beach by Kitty – some very good advice.  Railei Beach is rumored to be one of the best beaches in Thailand and is home to some fancy resorts.  Next door, though, and also only accessible by boat is Tonsai Beach.  The sand here is not as fairytale perfect as Railei’s, but the beach and the string of bars and restaurants offering space for relaxation beside it combined with the young, backpacker, rock climbing crowd make it a paradise.

Most people are drawn to this beach for the cliffs which surround it.  The tall limestone so common in the area is situated perfectly and beautifully around the beach and slice of jungle, creating a perfect climbing space.  The rocks are intimidating in size and stunning with striped colors and formation which look as if it’s melting.

Though rumored to have been quiet a few days earlier, we had a bit of walking before we found a room.  The Forest Inn turned out to be clean and comfortable and complete with pet birds (which are taken to competitions around Thailand and can be worth thousands, we learned), tasty banana pancakes, and pleasant host.

That first night we began exploring the beach bar scene at the Chill Out Bar (one of many throughout the country as Rastafai theme is inescapably popular) which offered Ladies’ Night and Fire Dance Show.  The Ladies’ Night “drink” was very disappointing, but the fire dancing was awesome.  Performances were quite casual, open to anyone (including a couple from Oregon) and not following any sort of schedule.  Each dancer used a gas-soaked ball at the end of light chain in each hand and afterwards we were offered a set of practice balls to give it a try.

I had thought this looked fun and was not disappointed.  We down to the beach, away from the bar and center stage.  I didn’t have any clue what I was doing, but did my best to keep the balls spinning and move with the music.  Carly tells me I had quite the audience at one point (even without flames) and I’ll have to trust her since I was too absorbed to notice any of my surroundings.  Then we were offered the real thing.  Another guest or two gave the fire balls a spin so I figured I might as well try too.  I may not have been experienced, but it may have been my only shot.  The flames were certainly intimidating, especially with a small audience, but I managed no major mishaps.  The flaming end knicked my head and my thigh a bit, but I have only a black smear on my jeans as a proud souvenier.

My Fire Dancing

All I can say is that fire dancing is SO MUCH FUN!  I like dancing, but am not at all talented and sometimes feel awkward.  Put some flaming balls in your hands, though, and you have something else to concentrate on and incorporate into the music.  I plan to make my own practice set as soon as possible…

The real ground-level activity of Tonsai is slack lining.  I regret not having practiced more with Carly last spring.  I could hardly make two steps, but Carly made a good show amongst some experience Austrians at the next bar over.

Carly swimming at Pra nang beach

The next day we hiked up, over, and around the peninsula to Railei and Phrang Nga Beaches.  Railei Beach comes with quite the reputation, but Phra Nang is supposed to be the very very best (Remember “The Beach” with Leo? This is it).  It is beautiful, though would have been better with a couple thousand fewer people packed onto it.  The highlight was swimming out under the rock overhangs and through the boulders and caverns nearby.  On the way back we scrambled up a canyon to see a bird’s eye view of the peninsula and reach a lagoon at the center.  This will count as my climbing experience at Tonsai.

That night we had a delicious dinner of fresh red snapper, salad, and baked potato (my appetite has been strong lately).  It was wonderful tasting, but not so wonderful feeling for Carly and Kelly later.  The restaurant had seemed fine, was crowded and I never felt bad (we ate all the same things), but they spent the next day recovering beachside.  At least we had planned that day to be a do nothing but sunbathe and read anyways.

Finally, we pulled ourselves away from Tonsai.  We’ve split up so that Carly can head to India tomorrow (to see the Dali Lama! etc) and Kelly and I head north.  We’re in a quiet, friendly town on the eastern seaboard now, but you’ll have to wait til the next entry to hear all about it.