1) Night Market

If you’re in Krabi over the weekend, you’re in luck. Head down to Krabi Town, where there’s a night market. From Ao Nang (assuming you’re staying there), it’ll take quite a while to get there even with a tuk tuk. But hey, the wonderful street food you’ll find at the night market will make that journey well worth it.

The night market is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and you can start heading there early in the evening.

p/s: Here’s the distinctive traffic lights you’ll see in Krabi Town!

2) Island Hopping

There’s really nothing much to do in Krabi (which makes it a good place to just chill and unwind), so island hopping is a must. Two recommended tours are the Four Island Tour – which we went for and Hong Island Tour. The Four Island tour was so much fun, and took about half a day, while the Hong Island one is said to take the full day.

You can make your tour bookings at any of the local tour kiosks which are quite rampant along the sidewalks.

3) Emerald Pool

The Emerald Pool is really worth a go, as long as it’s not during the peak seasons (think school holidays/national holidays) because then it’d be really crowded. We went in early January, so there wasn’t really a crowd. Really nice to dip into clear waters

4) Avoid waterfalls/hot springs

Why avoid? Because it’s quite a disappointment of both counts.

This was supposedly the waterfall fueling the hot springs. Perhaps it was a matter of expectations, but I wanted to see a HUGE waterfall.

It was really not much of a hot spring. Too small, and with a lot of people going there, it just wasn’t convenient. I didn’t even step in. We were there just because it was part of a day tour we were part of.

5) Tiger Caves

My tip for the Tiger Cave is that only go for it if you’re really fit and ready to climb hundreds of steps UP. Most of the flights of steps are VERY steep which made it really tiring. FP and I gave up halfway (seriously).

Check out the steps:

Here’s a view from the highest point we got to (before giving up and making our way down). It would have been such a pretty sight at the very, very top but we just couldn’t go on.

So those are my 5 points on what to do in Krabi.

Here’s a bonus tip: when waiting for your flight home at the airport, make sure you’re equipped with books/games/an ipad/whatever because it’s a really small airport and departure area with only a coffee shop, a snack shop and a random jewellery shop. So yes, be prepared to self-entertain! But there’s always something good in everything, and for the Krabi airport, it’s this wonderful view of a mountain – seen from the departure terminal:

Check out this bouquet: a mix of turquoise and purple roses with sprinkles of pink rosebuds:

Of course a lovely bouquet like this has to be accompanied by boutonnieres for the groomsmen:

.. and pretty corsages for bridesmaids:

I really love this set as it’s unconventional and s bright and cheery!

Have you liked Twirl’d on Facebook yet? You can also email me directly at twirldbysha@gmail.com for enquiries!

Getting there
If you’re not into taking cabs from the airport, you could be adventurous and take the train from the airport and stop at Ratchaprarop station. However, unlike Baiyoke Sky, you’d need to walk a fair 15 minutes to the hotel (which involves going up an overhead bridge and crossing roads) but it isn’t all that bad!

One tip: when checking-in, try to request for a non-corner room. I’ll show you why. We’ve had the pleasure of staying in both a corner and non-corner room, and it makes all the difference in the world!

We first got a corner room but due to a fault with the air-conditioning, we got shifted to a non-corner room at a higher floor! All amenities are the same so I’ll get to that later, but I’m just gonna show the rooms first!

Corner Room

This was our first room. Despite the comfy king-sized bed, it was rather small. The bathroom was hidden in behind a door.

Also, there’s this arm chair, which was also cozy – but you’d prefer the one in the non-corner room.

Non-corner Room

By the time we got a new room, it was already night time, so no more natural light when snapping these photos (boo!) But check out how much more space a non-corner room has!

And a glass-wndowed bathroom! Those of you who have read my previous hotel reviews would know I’m deeply in love with glass windowed / open concept bathrooms so this was a real PLUS. So much love for this room.

One more thing to love: these lights at each side of the bed are so convenient for a late night reader like me

Also, check this out. What was only an arm chair in the previous room, is now a sofa in this room:

(Mini desk can be rotated to be a coffee table. How versatile!)

Other side of the room:

View when I wake up on our third morning there:

Bathroom

There wasn’t a tub, but with the glass windows, it was enough to make me happy. There was a rain shower and a normal shower:

And a sink + mirror:

Toiletries (love the packaging!):

And towels that can be replaced daily if you’d like it that way:

And if you require anything else related to personal care, you can always call the Housekeeping for it:

Where’s the toilet you ask? Well, it’s tastefully hidden behind a close door in the bathroom!

Room Amenities

Amenities in the room were pretty satisfactory. Bottled water is replenished daily and there are also other chargeable drinks/snacks in the pantry area.

Beer anyone?

Condoms sitting comfortably with packets of food, heh.

There are also “practical” amenities such as the safe:

Slippers, iron and ironing board:

p/s: the bathrobes are so comfy and are a must when the AC gets too cold!

Room Service Menu
It’s a rare occasion where we didn’t have the need to order room service in the middle of the night (because in Bangkok you don’t really go hungry) but here’s the full room service menu for your reference:

Breakfast Area

Here’s where we had our breakfast during our stay: at The Square

Here’s our table and the decor at our side of the restaurant:

So sorry but we didn’t take any food photos, but rest assured the breakfast buffet is more than satisfactory. Worth waking up early for

In conclusion
What draws me most about staying at Novotel is the hotel staff. I haven’t seen hotel staff so friendly and genuinely kind and oh-so-smiley since our stay at Metadee Resort in Phuket. And I think the staff at Novotel took the phrase “service with a smile” to another level. They are always making small talk with us whenever we get back to the hotel. It felt like coming home

Novotel Platinum isn’t perfect, but the genuinely friendly staff makes up for it.

With that, I give it..

10 years ago, at this time, I’d just gotten my A level results, still unsure of what to do with my life. I was sorely disappointed into not getting into “the coveted University” and was wondering if I should pursue Law as I’ve always planned.

And now, my career has finally stabilized with quite a solid resume (if I should say so myself) and couldn’t be any further than my love of Law – which I truly wanted to take on since my schooling days. To say that my career is relevant to my degree won’t be quite accurate too. I mean how does someone who took up Mass Communication end up doing techy stuff like SEO, Pay-Per-Click and develop a strong interest in digital media?

Somehow things have worked itself out rather strangely, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. And throughout my progression from a lost A Level Cert Holder to Uni Student to Struggling Fresh-grad (who couldnt get a job for the life of her) to landing my first proper job to my down-est moment in my career and finally to an Experience and Established Career Girl – the boyfriend has been there all along. To hold my hand, to guide me through, to give me the extra “push” when I needed it.

Just like how I’ve been there for his Polytechnic graduation, Army Days, 1001 different hobbies that he got bored off as quickly as he got passionate into them, through his career with the government – which consisted of 3 different “chapters” so to say, his decision to take up a part time degree. What I’m trying to say is that we’ve grown up together in the past decade. Today we met after work – him in proper office wear, and me in a dress with a cardigan and flats – and it made me think back of just how much we’ve grown up – individually and together as a couple.

Where were those two kids who had little money, unsure of their future, who wore casual clothes (I wear casual to work almost everyday now, but today I didn’t and it seems especially poignant), who were happy just eating cup noodles and people watch? We could only dream of taking frequent vacations, or even getting nice gadgets/things/clothes. And yet, we were happy.

We’ve somehow become these “adults” with financial stability, who can decide their next holiday destination in a split second, who own nice gadgets bought with our hard-earned money – and most importantly stay happy together throughout it all.

We still hold hands when we walk, and tell each other “I love you” ever so often. We laugh and joke everyday, often laughing at ourselves (and at each other). We make up silly and utterly nonsensical nicknames for each other on an almost daily basis. Strangely, everything still feels so new. Sometimes, even though we speak in English, other people just can’t “get” what we’re on about simply because for a lot of words, there’s a double, even triple meaning to us. It’s as if we made up a new language within the English language. Language-ception, heh.

When we first started, I couldn’t imagine we’d come this far. Not surprising considering my past relationships didn’t even go beyond a year. But we took the leap and without us realizing, 10 years has passed. I know that realistically, we ought to already been married and have a couple of kids by now, but it still hasn’t happened – but I’m happy now. He makes me happy and I’m truly blessed to have been paired with someone who is the polar opposite of me in so many ways, and yet puts me on a pedestal and adores me. Some people are married with kids but are not happy. We can’t predict happiness.

Of course with true love comes a whole load of challenges. And that has been very true for us. But we braved through each and every one of those challenges, holding to each other tightly and came out stronger than before.

I wouldn’t trade the past ten years for anything in the world. And I’m glad I’ve given the best years of my life to you. Thank you for always taking care of me, and loving me that much. Here’s to many more decades ahead. I love you

1) Red Head Alert

For the first time ever, I ‘got my hair did’ while travelling. I get nervous each time I do something to my hair even with my usual stylist, so you can imagine what I must have been feeling getting my hair done in Bangkok. To make it worse, I was extremely busy that week before leaving for my trip, so I didn’t really have time to decide what I wanted to do. So colouring it a shade of red is something completely impromptu.

I got it done at Moga Hair Salon at Siam Paragon (they also have a branches at Terminal 21 and Central World) and am pretty happy with the result!

p/s: Do ask for this stylist named J. He did my hair and I’m pleased with it!

2) Foot Massage

Another first in Bangkok: a foot massage! This was done on our final evening there, and it was such a sweet, sweet relief after days of hardcore walking. 90% of whatever discomfort there was previously were gone! Well-worth the 200 Baht for the hour

An embarrassing incident happened towards the end of the session. I was told by my masseuse to turn around and sit on the foot stool so she can massage my neck and shoulders. Somehow over the hour that I was seated, the back of my dress had somehow folded up and rode itself up. So when I stood, I was exposed to at least 6 people, to which I said a loud “whoops!” to and quickly sat my butt down on the foot stool. So that was.. embarrassing huh?

(Aside from this massage, we also went for a Spa session on our second day. Let me decide if I’m gonna do a separate blog post on that)

3) Failed Ombre Nails
I’ve known exactly what nail design to have way, way before this Bangkok trip. But alas, I was too ambitious (and hopeful). It should have been a sign when there were whispers on how to do it after I showed them this photo:

It should also have been a deterrent for me to change my mind and switch to another design when they didnt have the pastel blue I wanted. But I gave the girls a benefit of my doubt. And that, my friends, is how I ended up with these nails:

While these, at a glance may seem like nice funky nails, it is not really. Once you know what I was really going for. But oh well, at least I tried!

4) Shopping

Needless to say, a trip to Bangkok = shopping paradise. And these are my hauls:

And here’s me wearing two more additions to my weird headgear collection:

Which do you prefer: the quirky cat hat or the pretty flower crown?

5) Food!

Apart from shopping, Bangkok is also a synonym for food central. Too many photos of food to be posted up here, but here’s a few:

Coconut ice cream with toppings – a MUST when shopping in Chatuchak.

The food court at Platinum serves really, really decent pad thai.

Mango sticky rice. What’s not to love?

And to end it all, on our final night, this was the finale of finales: a massive street food feast!

You can read more on Bangkok street food in one of my older blog posts!

That’s it for now! Perhaps I could do bite-sized snippets on my previous travels too!