Phi Phi Islands - Thailand's Lesser Known Paradise

Located near the southern tip of Thailand in the Andaman sea- between Phuket and Krabi - is a pack of small, mostly uninhibited, islands. While each small islet has its own name (Bamboo Islands, Maya Bay, Monkey Islands, James Bond Islands - where the bond film The Man With The Golden Gun [1974, Roger Moore/Christopher Lee] was shot), the pack together is mostly referred to as Phi Phi Islands (locally called as Pi Pi Islands or Ko/Koh Pi Pi). Initially, these islands were frequented by only those seeking adventure and only in recent years have these come on the radar of general holidaymakers. The popularity of these islands can be gauged from the fact that most of them are unidentifiable on Google maps and are mostly visited by the general tourists as part of a one day boat trip. However, a few like us, are lucky enough to be knowing these jewels before planning our trips (we were told, rather insisted, by a couple friend of ours who had visited these islands as part of a day trip, and boy, are we thankful or what!!).

Phi Phi Leh

Phi Phi Don

The largest of the Phi Phi Islands (about 25-30 sq. kms!!) are two identical twins called Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. When being approached by boat, these islands look like fortresses, as they are covered on one side by tall limestone rocks. While Phi Phi Don is the only inhibited island of all the Phi Phi Islands, Phi Phi Leh houses the famous 'Maya Beach' where the movie The Beach [2000, Leonardo diCaprio] was shot and is thus a famous tourist attraction. Adventure enthusiasts can hook up with some local agencies who can arrange a tent and some food on the Maya Beach for an overnight stay. For regular holidayers wanting to stay, Phi Phi Don is the only option. Although still lesser known compared to destinations like Koh Samui, Phi Phi Don has a variety of hotels across all budgets for those seeking an overnight stay in this  heavenly abode. Like most other beaches in Thailand, these places are characterized by crystal clear waters and pristine white sands; what differentiates them from the regulars though is that these are relatively less crowded and more serene.

Maya Bay

The Beach @ Phi Phi Islands

For the love of God, and Wildlife - II [Gir National Park / Wildlife Sanctuary]

The second part of our vacation was a trip to the Gir National Park / Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat. This was a rather unplanned trip as we had no idea as to how we were going to get to the Gir National Park from Palitana. The only thing planned for the trip was our place of stay – Hotel Anil Farm House.  With some asking around, we figured that there was no direct way to get to our second destination. Thus began our half day long road trip, starting at 5 in the morning with a cab from Palitana to Songadh, a 6 hour long bus ride from Songadh to Junagadh, and finally 3 hour (for a distance of 50 kms) auto ride from Junagadh to Sasan - the village around the Gir National Park. (click here to see the journey on a map). Normally, its much simpler to get to Gir from Mumbai – you either take an overnight train to Junagadh and then a bus (recommended over an auto-rickshaw) to Sasan or an early morning flight to Rajkot and then a cab/bus to Sasan.

Sasan, also known as Sasan-Gir, is the village near the Gir National Park and is located along the banks of the river Hiran. Most of the hotels in Gir are located in this village, and are thus along the bank of the river. While options are abundant from the Department of Forest’s Sinh Sadan to the Taj (which had been shut, but was to be restarted), there were two properties that we liked in particular and recommend to the budget traveller: (a) Hotel Anil Farm House and (b) Sinh Sadan. The latter is a property owned by the department of forest built in colonial British architecture, and is probably one of the cheapest properties around. Another reason why we like it so much is that no matter where you stay, you’ll have to come back Sinh Sadan for all your permits to enter the sanctuary, so then you might as well stay here – considering that you’d typically be entering the sanctuary at 6 in the morning.

For the love of God, and Wildlife

Planning a holiday can be quite a tedious task, especially when its a family affair. Parents like religious outings, wife wants to relax and enjoy the luxuries, and you like adventure - gosh, life can be so complicated with so many options. But then, as they say, where there is a will, there is a way.

I was in one such dilemma when I was planning my holidays during a recent annual leave. The idea was to accommodate it all - the pending family visit to the holy place, a quite & relaxing holiday and an encounter with wildlife. A little probing and some googl-ing a trip is planned to Gujarat: Mumbai - Palitana - Gir.

View Map

Traversing more than 2000 kms, this was probably one of the most exciting trips of my life. It was divided into two parts, with the first part - a weekend excursion - comprising of Mumbai - Palitana with parents and wifey. From Palitana, parents came back to Mumbai, while wifey and me carried on for a 5 day trip to Gir National Park - which was the second part of the trip. I'll talk about first part in this blog, and will follow it up with a blog on the other part later.

A Vacation Amongst Clouds; On Ground, In Air

About 110kms from the chaotic city of Mumbai, and 16kms form the crowded twin hill statsions of Lonavala & Khandala, lies a small town off the highway called Kamshet. While not as famous as the twin hills that precede it (considering you are travelling from Mumbai), Kamshet is a major paragliding destination in Maharashtra, often metaphored as the 'paraglider's paradise'. Surrounded by lakes, paddy (rice & sugarcane) fields and the beutiful mountains of the Western Ghats, Kamshet and its neaby villages offer an altitude of 2200ft above sea level and some of best landscapes one could capture.

The beauty of Kamshet lies about 200 feet above the town, a 13km journey, not easily traversable without one's own vehicle; and the village roads dont exactly make the drive joyful. However, once you cross around half the distance, and reach about half the elevation, the road will no longer be the focus of your mind - for your eyes shall be treated with some majestic views of the lush green fields outlined by lofty mountain ranges embellished with numerous waterfalls.

Weekend Break: 45 Feet Above The Ground

Lonavala has long been a favorite monsoon getaway for most weekenders in Mumbai and Pune. Situated amongst the picturesque western ghats, over 600 meters above sea level, this hill station is known for its waterfalls, dams, a candy-like sweet called "chikki" and a private city called Amby Valley.

While I have always preferred a weekend getaway to quieter, less populated places, Lonavala has been an exception. Its not the love for chikki or the huge dam (infact I have not seen the dam in the ten years of my holidaying in Lonavala) that take me back to this crowded hill station; rather its a small village a little before the amby valley called Jambulne. A little known place, difficult to traverse to without your own vehicle, it is home to a 25 acre forest land owned by the friend of a close friend's father. The first time I visited this place - I probably was a ninenth grader and knew little about trekking and camping in forests - I was spellbound with the beauty and serenity of the then huge forest land.

From then to about a few years back, I have been to the place (better known amongst us friends as the 'Farm') atleast once every year. Having born in a month that experiences peak monsoon, I have been lucky enough to celebrate many a birthdays in this heavenly abode just the way I like it - aloof. Three small tin sheds - a kitchen, a bedroom, and a toilet - was the only human construction initially, covering over a couple of hundred sq feet of more than one million sq feet of land available. The simplicity and closeness to nature - no electricity, no gadgets just some solar powered lights - was the main attraction of the place. It made the tedious travel to the place a looked after event each year. We would pack our bags with ready-to-eat food before taking an early morning bus from Mumbai to Lonavala. Upon reaching Lonavala, the first task would be to head to the market and shop for food, water and beverages before queuing up for a 17km ride in the local trax on a share-a-seat basis. The jeeps (or sometimes trucks carrying rocks for construction) would drop us at a junction from where we would walk up 4kms to reach the farm.

The Bollywood Brass Band's Rahmania

An unusual song from an ususual take on an age hold hero - yes I am talking about the song Tauba Tera Jalwa from the movie Dev D - has been topping the charts recently. A song sung and played a brass band - the ones that usually play during weddings - is an interesting concept, but has got little attention compared to its novelty. All attention, and deserving so, has been focused on A. R. Rahman winning the Oscars. But just like the brass band, Rahman has had too little attention in the past. The musician is a true genius - probably the best the industry has - and has been making the nation proud for quite some time. From the usual bollywood tunes, to the patriotic vande matatram and Jaana Gaana Maana, to the musical Bombay Dreams, to chinese movie scores to the Lord of the Rings - he's played'em all.

So whats common between A. R. Rahman and the brass band? Why would one want to talk about a little know brass band and A . R. Rahman?