Paradise Lost

(Delayed post. Date of writing: Monday 19th September)
Ever since Leonardo Dicaprio lit his first cigarette as he collapsed onto pure white sand in the movie 'The Beach' back in 1999, Phi Phi Leh has become a pilgrimage site for backpackers all over the world.
Yesterday, we set out to explore this island for ourselves, something I have been looking forward to for a long time. However, we learnt pretty quickly that paradise isn't just handed to you on a plate and a trip to Maya Bay is not for the faint hearted, leaving the young out of their wits and the old clinging to the longboat for dear life.
We brought our ticket for Phi Phi Leh for 350 baht each - not more than 7 pounds and it included a longtail boat trip around the island, stopping off at numerous beaches and snorkel hotspots before finally reaching Maya Bay for sunset. We boarded the boat in glorious sunshine along with 5 other passengers and set off, stopping first at a rocky pinnacle for some snorkelling. Our friendly Thai driver thrust us our masks and ushered us into the water. As we all jumped in and put our heads below the surface he yelled 'Shark Point! This is shark point!'

I nearly had a heart attack. While some people jumped back onto the boat immediately, I told myself not to get out until I'd at least seen one. Our Thai guide jumped into the water himself and I decided to stay pretty close, following him around the pinnacle. He dove down to the bottom and steadied himself by holding onto rocks beneath him. As he scanned the waters he turned to look at me and slowly placed his index finger to his lips before moving it in the direction of 3 black tip reef sharks. I froze, and watched the sharks at a safe distance before my nerve finally ran out and I decided to head back to the boat.

It was like something from a 'Jaws' movie. I had been so preoccupied with the sharks that I hadn't noticed it had begun to pour with rain. I put my head above the surface and the noise was unbearable. Cue the numerous shark fins bobbing in the distance and I practically sprinted back into the boat. Once we'd all calmed down, it was time for our first beach - 'Bamboo Island'.

Again, this was no easy ride, as getting there involved braving 2 metre waves in our unstable longboat! The rapids were enough to make you feel sick. A fellow passenger from essex pitifully strapped herself into a life jacket while huddling on the floor, all while our friendly Thai grinned to himself while steering the boat with his foot.

The beaches on this trip were sensational as expected, and once the sun was back out we could all enjoy ourselves. The snorkelling spots were also far better than expected, with hundreds of fish everywhere! My pink bikini happened to attract shoals of black and yellow fish that swarmed me until I swam away, and the parrot fish were huge, feeding on coral and tiny plankton in front of us. But we were all holding out for Maya Bay...

On the way there, we stopped at one last place.... Monkey Island, a small bay home to dozens of scary looking monkeys! Obviously associating the longtail boats with food, they flooded the sand and playfully begged, before turning vicious, howling and grabbing at us until we retreated back onto our boat!
The ride approaching Phi Phi Leh was spectacular, as we were able to admire the towering cliffs and caves that covered the island. It really was no wonder that Alex Garland chose to set his movie here, as the scenery was idyllic.

The boat stopped in a small bay of turquoise water and our Thai pointed in the direction of a dark cave covered in ropes. He yelled 'Maya Bay..... You walk!!' Great.
Of course this meant all expensive cameras had to be left on the boat as first we had to swim for it. So I left my SLR in my bag, but gripped my small nikon digital between my teeth and braved the water. (There was no way I was going to miss a photo opportunity!)

After climbing through the extremely rocky cave (the ropes had been put there to stabilise yourself as it was extremely slippy) we ran through the jungle at the other side and finally, witnessed paradise.... I won't use the regular clichés to describe what I saw, but what I will say, is that it was perfect. If you don't believe me, watch 'the beach' and see for yourself!
After an hour of fun on the beach and posing for a few cringey photos, our Thai guide came rushing onto the sand pointing at the horizon. 'STORM! The storm is coming'. Dark clouds were beginning to descend on the island and our friend from essex let out a pitiful squeal.... We all knew it would be a rough ride back....
Today I head to Khao Sok National Park, a jungle on the mainland great for hiking and getting up close to nature! Sadly, the boys also leave for Singapore. Its been great having them around for the past 2 weeks to enjoy Thailand with me, but now begins the most exciting adventure of all.... Going it alone!!
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