If you are keen on small islands but can’t afford a faraway trip to Hawaii, then come to Krabi. Krabi in Thailand is a nice option for a cheap journey where you can also avoid hordes of tourists.

A beautful view of Krabi, Thailand.

Located in the southern part of Thailand, Krabi has amazing small islands such as Koh Phi Phi Ley, Koh Phi Phi Don, Monkey Beach and Koh Lanta.

When coming to Krabi, the most enjoyable thing to do is rent a speed boat to go out to sea and randomly find a shallow area near one of the islands to go diving. The sea water in Krabi is so blue and clear you can see crowds of colorful sea fish everywhere.

Diving doesn’t require much swimming skill; even people who can’t swim at all can master it within 10 minutes. The captain and crew prepare whole sets of snorkeling equipment. For your safety, you’d better watch carefully what the captain does with the equipment before jumping into the sea.

First, you need to put on a life jacket, then wear the snorkeling mask. The mask covers you from your forehead to nose. You won’t breathe with your nose. Your mouth needs to bite the breathing mouthpiece on the air tube tight. Next comes the comparatively difficult part, learning to breathe with your throat.

When ready, go and start your sea exploration journey. You will have the opportunity to dance with flocks of yellow and blue fish. To add more excitement, the captain and crew on the yacht will throw pieces of bread into the sea, which immediately attracts hundreds of fish to flow to your side. Sometimes, a hungry fish may take one of your body parts as a slice of bread. The gentle bite of the fish gives you special surprise that makes you scream with joy. Besides all kinds of sea fish, you can also see other sea creatures such as sea urchins and sea shells. There are definitely no sharks or piranhas to bite you.

After snorkeling, you can either lie on the nearby beach for a sunbath or find a restaurant for a big Thai-style meal. Do as you wish!

Recommendation: (price varies from street food to restaurant)

Mango sticky rice (50-100 baht = $1.50-$3.00): Yellow mango with sticky rice, coconut milk and crispy corn tastes sweet and drives off the bitter and salty feeling in the mouth after snorkeling

Thai hot and sour soup (200-400 baht = $6-$12): Shelled shrimp, needle mushroom, bacon, ham and shitake mushrooms cooked with ginger slices, coconut milk, lemon juice, hot and sour soup base, cracked black pepper, crushed vanilla and cooking oil; tastes spicy and sour

After a long hour soaking in the sea, eating spicy food can help you remove body moisture and quickly awaken your taste buds.

By Yang Jie (China Daily Fujian bureau)