Wild Waters and the Sydney Whale Watching Season

The deck tilts violently under my feet as I grip my plate in and stumble-run towards the relative safety of the railing.

All around me, less sure-legged sailors perform their own version of my uncoordinated dance as they jockey for the best viewing position. The boat climbs first up the steep leeward side of a towering wave before descending rapidly down its angry, green-grey slope and into the frothy trough below.

The sky, every bit as angry as the ocean it frames, is a bruised motley of blacks and greys that occasionally demonstrates its displeasure with gusts of freezing wind or, worse, fitful spurts of drizzle that cling to eyelashes and curls like tiny jewels.

Rough waters buffet the Sydney headland.
The towering cliffs and ominous skies made for a striking background for our maritime adventure.

In many ways, we are just like the whalers whose grisly industry nearly pushed the humpback whale to extinction. All of us eye the unforgiving water with a similar mix of enthusiasm and dread, and all of us are out here to do one thing: hunt whales.

But where the old days say these majestic creatures hunted with harpoons and nets, we’re instead hunting with inquisitive eyes and expensive cameras.

Contemplating this, I tuck into my potato salad and snags, my eyes scanning the grim horizon in search of movement that isn’t another towering wave.

Around me, others clutch paper bags in white knuckles and gaze out at the ocean with eyes set above skin a shade of green. The rough waters have taken their toll on quite a few of my compatriots, and the ripe stink of vomit and sour sweat wafts out from the upstairs lounge where they’ve chosen to quarantine themselves.

We’re out for a spot of Sydney whale watching, and nature doesn’t play along with timetables or idealised imaginings.

She’s making us earn our time with the whales today.

Stormy sky over Sydney Harbour.
The weather and the ocean were in no mood to cooperate with us.

On the Ocean with Oz Whale Watching

The above reads as dramatic and perhaps a little grim, but I found it all very exhilarating.

This was my fifth or sixth whale watching expedition in Australia, and while I’ll never profess to having become tired of seeing these vast mammals making their unfathomably long migration along the Australian coast, it’s safe to say that the rough seas and high drama of my recent excursion immediately made it my most memorable whale watching experience.

My day withĀ Oz Whale WatchingĀ had started out under ominous skies overĀ relatively calm Darling Harbour waters, but things had taken a turn for the exciting once our BBQ lunch had been served and we’d left the shelter of the iconic Aussie harbour.

The Oz Whale Watching vessel waits at dock in Darling Harbour
Our hardy vessel for the day’s expedition awaits us at dock. All aboard for an afternoon of adventure on the high seas!
Sydney Harbour Bridge beneath a stormy sky.
The weather turns ugly as we head out of Sydney Harbour.

The strong winds had turned the ocean angry, and while some might have felt the ill effects of the lurching boat, I never once felt unsafe as we cut through the sizeable waves in search of whales in Sydney.

Far from it – the crew handled themselves with the practised calm of those who had seen it all before. Our meal was served up while the waters were calm, the crew moved about handing out seasickness bags coolly as the water turned rough, and our fearless guide continued to shout his defiance into the teeth of the storm.

Or perhaps he was shouting whale factoids. I was too busy snapping photos of the towering cliffs and pounding surf to listen.

A humpback whale swims in the foreground while the Sydney headland looms in the background.
Throughout the Sydney whale watching season, it’s possible to spot the majestic humpback whale against the striking backdrop of Sydney’s towering cliffs.

The point is, the weather and conditions were completely beyond the control of Oz Whale Watching, but our experience remained firmly in their hands.

I had a tasty lunch, saw what I came to see, and felt safe while doing it.

I couldn’t ask for much more than that.

Experiencing the Sydney Whale Watching Season for Yourself

With whales passing by Sydney from April until December, Sydney whale watching is a near year round business that can be experienced on a whale watching cruise or from a number of more stable, land-based view points along the coast.

There is certainly no shortage of Sydney whale watching cruises available for you to choose from, but what I liked about Oz Whale Watching was their attention to sustainable, eco-friendly tourism.

A whale's tail as it descends.
The whale gives us a companionable wave as it descends. Photo by Oz Whale Watching.

While other cruises I have been on have approached the peaceful whales with all the subtletly of a drunken college boy approaching a pretty girl at a house party, our guide and resident whale expert would periodically shout instructions to our captain.

“Give them more room!”

“Let’s cut across the trough! We don’t want to disrupt their path”

This reluctance to intrude upon the secret lives of the cow and calf we’d come across was in stark contrast to other tours I have been on. We were not here to interact with the whales, but toĀ react to them. Their behaviour influenced ours, and I never once felt like we were distressing the exhausted mother and her enthusiastic, inquisitive young one.

While our time out on the water was ultimately abbreviated due to the rough conditions and a dozen or so passengers looking rather sick and sorry, we spent a good three hours out on the water observing all manner of whale behaviours. I certainly wasn’t unhappy to head in early given how sick some of my companions had become.

This is nature. It isn’t always pretty or idyllic. We got rough seas, but we also got what we came for – the privilege of seeing animals that, were it not for timely intervention, might well have gone extinct.

A humpback whale jumps out of rough waters.
The rough seas made photography a little difficult, but I did manage to snap this handsome devil out of the water.

Your Say

Have you ever been whale watching in Sydney or elsewhere?

Ever had the conditions combine to make an experience all the more thrilling?

Why Every Traveler Should Catch an American Football Game

A Growing Love of American Football

For quite a few years now, I’ve been a growing fan of American Football.

What started out as an innocent enough interest in fantasy football spawned by The League slowly developed into watching actual games and finding teams I liked or disliked.

I tuned in to watch my then girlfriend’s Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers from a beach hotel in Koh Phangan, Thailand back in 2013, and would start my Monday mornings in Australia last year watching whatever game the FTA networks deigned to share.

When I decided to plan my Great US Road Trip, one of my regrets was that we’d be arriving a month after the NFL season ended.

Expats playing American football in South Korea
A much younger CWB does his best to get up to speed with the complications of American Football.

Why the Interest?

Whether it’s a small town that closes up on a Friday night to watch the local high school team play; a stadium packed with over 90,000 fans to see an epic college match up like Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal; or a rivalry between two original AFL teams dating back over 50 years like the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, few experiences match the raw emotion and drama of a great football game.

Not only is football the most popular spectator sport in America, it has been that way for the past 30 years, according to the Harris Poll. In 2014, a combined total of 42 percent of those surveyed chose either professional or college football as their favorite sport.

College football fans showing their team pride.

Similarities to Rugby & AussieĀ Rules Football

Sports fans outside the U.S. who follow rugby will see some similarity between rugbyĀ and American football. There is some similarity between a rugby scrum and a running play in American football where the ball carrier attempts to advance the ball by running through an opening created by his teammates blocking or pushing defenders. If you carry the ball across the goal line in rugby, that’s called a try; in American football, it’s a touchdown. All three sports have some variation of a field goal where the ball is kicked from the field between two uprights.

One way that American football differs from the other two sports mentioned earlier is the use of set plays. Most plays are run from scrimmage, where the offense lines up across from the defense. A ball is ā€˜snapped’ where the center lines up over the ball and passes it underneath him to the quarterback, who then typically hands the ball to a running back or throws it to a receiver who is usually tackled, ending the play. Each play usually lasts only a few seconds of real time. In between live playing action, both defense and offense normally ā€˜huddle up’ to run a set play or call out a specific defense against it.

In rugby and Aussie Rules football, the action is more continuous, with less time between plays. Another obvious difference is that American football players wear padding while players from the other two sports usually wear little to no padding. In American football, each team has 11 players on the field; Aussie Rules has 18 players from each team, while rugby has variations with 13 or 15 players per team.

American Football/NFL is a hard hitting game.

Why American Football has So Much Emotion and Drama Behind it

By its very nature, football is a sport that can leave fans on the edge of their seats. Compared to other sports like basketball, ice hockey or baseball, football has a relatively small number of games. One loss in a 162-game baseball season probably won’t affect a team’s season much; for a football team playing a 16-game season, that one loss could be devastating.

Crowd participation is usually more intense with football than it is with other sports. When the home team is on defense, the fans often make a lot of noise, since offenses rely heavily on being able to hear the quarterback call out instructions known as ā€˜signals’ or ā€˜audibles’ to the rest of the offense.

Difficulty in hearing these signals can lead to plays being executed improperly and miscues that result in penalties. This can have so much of an impact on a game that many football teams often refer to a vocal and supportive home crowd as the ā€˜12th man’.

As is the case with any contact sport, the hard-hitting action of football appeals to many fans. A hard hit, whether it causes a fumble, prevents a receiver from catching the pass, or results in a quarterback sack or other tackle for negative yardage usually draws a visceral reaction from the audience.

Any sports fan visiting the U.S. should make every effort to include watching a game of American football on their itinerary. A little extra research on which games have the best rivalries, and some planning to include tailgate parties and other similar fun activities outside the game will make the visit an experience of a lifetime.

Your Say

Have you ever been to an NFL or college football game?

What sport do you think is unmissable for any traveler?

Our group poses at the end of one of the piers and tries not to look as exhausted as we feel.

A Cycling Tour of Koh Yao Noi

Our group poses at the end of one of the piers and tries not to look as exhausted as we feel.
Our group poses at the end of one of the piers and tries not to look as exhausted as we feel.

Something Different

I’ve mentioned before my desire to find some different things to do in Phuket this time around. With my last tour mostly made up of Pad Thai, tourist attractions, and lounging about on the beach (and one unforgettable day spent using Thailand as my toilet) – I wanted to get off the beaten track this time around.

When I found Amazing Bike Tours, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. None of the normal tourist attractions and, most importantly, no poor elephants being abused.

While the company offers a variety of tours that cover Phuket itself, the owner encouraged me to instead get off the main island and head to idyllic Koh Yao Noi.

So far largely untainted by the flood of Australians, Russians, and Chinese who have turned Phuket into sin city – this small, rural island still generates much of its income through rice paddies, rubber plantations, and fishing.

A visit sounded like just what I needed after a few days feeling dirty in Patong.

Getting There

Departing from Phuket’s beaches early in the morning, it was a bumpy 30-45 minute ride across to the island’s east coast.

fishing boat phang nga bay thailand

From there we boarded a longtail boat that acts as a ferry between Phuket, Koh Yao Yai, and Koh Yao Noi. On a normal day, the chance to drift through the stunning karst formations of Phang Nga Bay might have grabbed my attention, but a day after spending the entire day out among the islands annulled me to it somewhat.

I slept.

phang nga bay koh yao noi
Window seats get just a little wet. Good way to get the sleep out of your eyes!

Upon arrival on the island, we’re given a quick briefing of the day ahead. Where we’ll be riding, how to use the bikes, and what we can expect ahead of us.

Our ride would take us to a rubber tree plantation, through a rice paddy, to a fishing village, up two steep hills, and, eventually, to a delicious Thai lunch.

koh yao noi fishing village

It all sounded good, but those two hills were already at the back of my mind. I’d heard the ride described as ‘challenging’, and it had been a while since my experience biking the Everglades way back in 2012.

Biking Koh Yah Noi

It all starts off innocently enough. Our motley crew comprises an older Aussie couple, a pair of Belgian lads on a post break-up tour, and a pair of experienced cyclists from Poland.

Somewhere in the middle of the pack, a long way from the days when he ran a cheeky 10k 2-3 times a week, is little old me.

bike tour koh yao noi

It’s a 32C day and sunny as hell, so it isn’t too long before I’m drenched in sweat.

We wind our way through quiet streets without the massage parlours and Australian bars that now riddle Phuket, and then it’s a sharp left into a rubber tree plantation.

Our first stop is a rubber tree plantation, and I don't think a single one of us complained.
Our first stop is a rubber tree plantation, and I don’t think a single one of us complained.

From there it’s all a bit of a sweaty blur. The pace is never uncomfortably fast, but the competitor in my can’t stand to have the four other lads on the tour ahead of me for long.

We whiz through quiet fishing villages, down shady lanes, and through the steamy heat of a rice paddy before our next stop.

kohyaonoi (8 of 9)

koh yao noi rice paddy

It’s shortly after the rice paddy – air rich with the scent of Asia’s staple – that we stop off for our next break.

The local lady gifts us with a toothy grin as she uses a machete to split our coconuts with casual ease. After a dozen or so kilometres in blistering heat, each of us has already drained 2-3 bottles of water, and the coconut water is a welcome change.

Few things are quite as refreshing as fresh coconut juice on a hot day.
Few things are quite as refreshing as fresh coconut juice on a hot day.

We also got to sample a local snack,Ā canom ja – a sweet and chewy treat made with coconut mik, flour, and brown sugar. Not half bad!

From here it was on to tackle the first of two ‘challenging’ hills. They weren’t particularly steep or anything, although one of them was frustratingly long and reminded me of Heartbreak Hill in the City 2 Surf.

I gave both of them the old college try, but found my fitness sadly lacking.

Pride was put aside as first three of us (myself and my fellow Aussies) and then six of us got off our bikes and instead trudged up the hills in the scorching mid-afternoon heat.

sweaty koh yao noi

Kill me!
Kill me!

Our reward at the top of the second hill?

A delicious Thai feast served on the shores of the serene bay, and an hour of ‘free time’ to spend dozing in hammocks or dangling our feet in the blessedly cool water.

I won’t make you guess which one this unfit lad opted for…

Heaven is a hammock on a hot day.
Heaven is a hammock on a hot day.

After lunch and a much needed rest, we returned to the dock for our afternoon ferryĀ back to the main island.

Legs afire, skin radiating heat despite being lathered in sunscreen, and ass feeling sore and sorry – we took our last photos, said our goodbyes, and returned to the hustle and bustle.

A Fantastic Day

Gripe though I might about how tough those hills were, they weren’t anything you wouldn’t expect to find on any cycling trip. Anybody with moderate to good fitness isn’t going to have a trouble, and we certainly weren’t made to feel bad because we got off to walk.

bike pier koh yao noi

The Thai feed was delicious, the two guides were warm and accommodating, and it was a really enjoyable day away from the crowds on Phuket.

I’d like to thank James and the Amazing Bike Tours team for inviting me along and giving me the opportunity to see Koh Yao Noi.

They also provided any of the photos here that include me that aren’t obviously selfies. All part of the tour package!

I think I found the island I’ll be escaping to next time I’m in Thailand. It was absolutely lovely!

rice paddy koh yao noi

Your Say

Do you like to get out and explore new areas on a bike or scooter when traveling?

sossusvlei dune 45 namibia

Sunrise over Sossusvlei in Pictures

sossusvlei dune 45 namibia
A climb up one of the dunes of Sossusvlei is a tiring but unforgettable experience.

What is Sossusvlei?

Located in Namibia, Sossusvlei (dead-end marsh) is a region of the south African country renowned for its ancient, towering red dunes and the flat areas (pans) that exist between them.

Some of the oldest and tallest dunes in the world, Sossuvlei’s towering sand mountains cut a striking figure against the country’s impossibly blue skies.

The ominously named Deadvlei is one of the world's most unique landscapes.
The ominously named Deadvlei is one of the world’s most unique landscapes.

Nearby Deadvlei, made famous by the filmĀ Cell, is a striking mixture of bone white clay, skeletal black trees, and the eye-catching red of the dunes.

Together, Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are one of Namibia’s most popular tourist destinations.

Sunrise Over Sossusvlei

Due to the fact it lies at the heart of one of Namibia’s many sun-baked deserts, it’s best to visit Sossusvlei and its surrounds either early in the day or late in the afternoon.

With a long drive back to Swakopmund ahead of us, we opted for a sunrise drive out to Sossusvlei to see the sun as it set fire to the already crimson dunes.

Roads in the area are rough as guts, but the bouncing about will ensure you’re good and awake when the first of the dunes comes into view and you realize the scale of the things.

They’re not mountains like many of us might be used to, but they’re towering in comparison to insignificant creatures such as ourselves, and that becomes more apparent the closer you come.

With the sun cresting the horizon, we stopped the car and stepped out into the chilly dawn air to snap a few pictures of the dunes as they changed colour.

The first light of day paints the dunes of Sossusvlei in new colour.
The first light of day paints the dunes of Sossusvlei in new colour.

Dune 45

The first (and often final) stop for most visitors to Sossusvlei is Dune 45 (pictured below).

Dune 45 is the most famous of Sossusvlei's dunes, but it's not the highest. Still, you get a sense of their scale from this picture.
Dune 45 is the most famous of Sossusvlei’s dunes, but it’s not the highest. Still, you get a sense of their scale from this picture.

Often mistakenly labeled as the tallest sand dune in the world, this isn’t the case. In fact, it’s not even the tallest dune in Namibia.

It is, however, the most accessible of Sossusvlei’s dunes and therefore its most popular.

While we did stop off at the iconic dune to snap some pictures, we decided against joining the huge crowd of Korean and Japanese tourists clamoring for their chance to climb up the dune.

We had slightly smaller, quieter fish to fry.

Climbing the Dunes of Sossuvlei

Once we got away from the crowds with their too large cameras and too loud voices, we sought out a quieter stretch of desert to explore on foot.

This area is Sossusvlei proper – the small corner of the park that lands the entire area its name.

Setting out from the world’s bumpiest road, we trekked over the barren moonscape until we came to a dune that climbing would be within our mixed levels of fitness.

You don't realize how tough sand is to walk through until you're ankle deep in it.
You don’t realize how tough sand is to walk through until you’re ankle deep in it.
This early in the morning, the night winds have crafted stunning patterns in the sand.
This early in the morning, the night winds have crafted stunning patterns in the sand.
One of my party brings up the rear on the hard slog through the sand.
One of my party brings up the rear on the hard slog through the sand.

Our climb, although short, was an arduous one. Every step through the deep sand was like five or six on dry land. It was like running through the surf.

Still, the view from atop the dunes was something to behold.

sossusvlei panorama
With thanks to Tony Grant for editing out my idiot shadow.

Perhaps the most transformative thing of the whole experience is the near completeĀ silence that hangs in the air. Aside from your own ragged breathing and the mournful howl of the wind as it scours the desert, there’s not a sound.

No birds cawing or cars growling.

No tourists shouting.

Just you, the desert, and the sense that we’re so small in the grand scheme of things.

Descent into Deadvlei

With our time in Sossusvlei short, we hurriedly made our way down from our lofty perch and into the baked pan of Deadvlei.

Its alien landscape is like nothing else I’ve seen in the world, the ashy bones of trees clawing at azure skies from a pan of sun-baked white set against a fiery backdrop.

Deadvlei is a truly unique landscape
Deadvlei is a truly unique landscape

We had scant minutes to take our photos and pray at the altar of the desert’s harsh beauty before it was time to return to the cars.

Bidding our farewell in reverent tones, we ended our all too brief pilgrimage and slogged back to the car.

As long walks back to the car go, this one wasn't half bad.
As long walks back to the car go, this one wasn’t half bad.

Visit Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei and I have unfinished business, and my camera’s brief love affair with the starkly beautiful corner of Namibia has only just begun.

I was lucky enough to tour the region as a guest of the Namibia Tourism Board along with Pack Safaris, and I’m already planning to my return trip.

Sossusvlei may not be a name everybody recognizes, but it remains one of the most hauntingly beautiful places I have ever been.

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James Bond Island as seen from behind. Much less crowded.

5 Different Things to do in Phuket

Phuket: An Accessible Beach Escape

Back in 2013, I came to Thailand to escape the bitter cold of a Nanjing winter.

At the time, I was mostly looking for sun and good food, and I found both of those in spades over the course of two weeks split between Phuket, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Koh Tao.

It was a fun trip, but it was a terribly touristy one as well. I went to James Bond Island and fought the crowds for a chance to snap the iconic monolith, got sunburned snorkeling on Koh Phi Phi, drank my weight in fruit shakes, and even got food poisoning eating dodgy Mexican.

James Bond Island as seen from behind. Much less crowded.
James Bond Island as seen from behind. Much less crowded.

A year or so after the trip, I wrote about 5 Things to do in Phuket (aside from getting drunk), but I was never really happy with the list.

While I didn’t get falling down drunk on that 2013 trip, I also didn’t really get off the beaten track either. All I needed to complete my stereotypical Aussie in Phuket story was to buy a suit, get a happy ending, and see some poor girl fire ping pong balls out of her nether regions.

So, whether you’re flying straight from home or taking the bus from Bangkok to Phuket, here are five ways to get off the beaten path in Phuket.

5 Different Things to do in Phuket

On this trip, I once again found myself in southern Thailand’s den of inequity and debauchery, but I was determined to see more of Phuket than just its beaches, night clubs, and more obvious tourist attractions.

There’s more to the island that Aussie bars, happy ending massage parlours, cheap tailors, and crowded beaches.=, and while I didn’t manage to check off all six of the below, all six would be on my list of different things to do on Phuket.

#5 – Explore a Different Beach

Depending on where in Phuket you’re staying, chances are you won’t venture much farther than the Patong, Karon, or Kata beaches.

While I’ll admit that Karon and Kata both have their charms (while Patong is a lifeless stretch of sand and tepid bathwater), Phuket is an island and that means there are considerably more than three beaches on the island.

A rare quiet moment on Karon Beach.
A rare quiet moment on Karon Beach.

Thankfully for you, the bulk of tourists tend to congregate on these three beaches, so why not rent a scooter or hire a tuk tuk and head to Freedom Beach, Kata Noi, or Nai Harn?

It’s perhaps no surprise that only Kata Beach rates a mention on Into Phuket’s Top 10 Phuket Beaches.

#4 – Embrace Buddhism with Visits to Wat Chalong and Big Buddha

It’s easy to get lost in the crowded streets of Phuket with their restaurants, souvenir shops, bars, massage parlours, and 7-11’s and forget that you’re in Thailand.

Oh, you’ll hear people speaking Thai and still spot the distinct cultural quirks that make Thailand such a fascinating country, but you might as well be in any crowded city in the world.

big buddha phuket
Photo by Marco Streggato

While you’re not going to escape the tourist crowds with a visit to Wat Chalong or the island’s famous Big Buddha, you’re still going to find a measure of serenity that you can’t when an Indian guy with a thick Aussie accent is telling you how good you’ll look in a suit.

wat chalong
Brightly coloured Wat Chalong is Phuket’s most well known temple. Photo by Lee Phelps Photography.

Wat Chalong is even said to contain a splinter of Buddha’s bone, which makes it the most significant of Phuket’s 29 Wats (temples).

#3 – Take a Phuket Heritage Walk or Cultural Tour

Promoting responsible cultural tourism, locally owned Phuket Heritage Trails aims to introduce visitors to Phuket to something beyond the crowded streets through two different guided walking tours.

Their day long Meet the Locals tour features visits to the island’s oldest Sino-Portuguese mansion, delicious food, temple visits, and the chance to visit a traditional fishing village; while their half day Heritage Trails tour takes you through the heart of Phuket Town to see how the locals live.

The Phuket Heritage Trails site also advertises two upcoming tours that are sure to be every bit as culturally immersive.

Editor’s Note: I really, really wanted to fit one of these tours into my recent visit, but the next activity wore me out on the eve of my only free day. Next time!

#2 – Take a Cycling Tour of Koh Yao Noi with Amazing Bike Tours

Amazing Bike Tours offers a number of guided cycling tours around Phuket, including a number of overnight tours and a day long, 50km trek that takes you to some of the island’s less known corners.

In my case, I opted to tackle the 30km tour of Kho Yao Noi, a nearby island where tourism has yet to have the impact it has in Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. Indeed, while the island is home to hostels and cafes, there are still locals living without electricity amid their rice paddies and rubber tree plantations.

It was about 5km into the 30km exploration of Koh Yao Noi that I began to fear I'd bitten off more than I could chew.
It was about 5km into the 30km exploration of Koh Yao Noi that I began to fear I’d bitten off more than I could chew.

Over the course of one blisteringly hot afternoon, our small group whizzed through these rice paddies and rubber tree plantations, stopping along the way for local Thai snacks, a delicious seaside Thai feast, and a pair of arduous uphill climbs that I’m not ashamed to say I made on foot.

Away from the usual tourist crowd, it’s possible to really appreciate not only Thailand’s natural beauty, but the simple beauty of life before tourism brought in the big bucks.

Sleepy fishing towns built on stilts, quaint shacks with gap-toothed owners, and oblivious water buffalo all combine to transport you back to a simpler time when crowds of Aussie bogans weren’t messing things up.

#1 – Explore Phang Nga Bay’s Secrets with Phuket Sail Tours

No visit to Phuket is complete without spending a day or more out in the breath-taking karst formations of Phang Nga Bay, and there’s certainly no shortage of local tour operators who are only too happy to cram you onto a boat and ferry you between the more famous tourist attractions such as James Bond Island and Monkey Island.

Phuket Sail Tours eschew all of that. They avoid the crowded islands, they cap the number of people on their spacious boat, and they instead take you out to see things that other tour companies can’t or won’t.

My day long exploration of Phangnga Bay’s ‘secrets’ was without question my favourite experience in Thailand so far. I canoed through serene mangrove forests, swam in isolated coves, sunbathed on quiet beaches, indulged in one of the best Thai feeds I’ve ever had, and did so while making friends with the other 15 people on my tour.

How's the serenity? A stretch of unspoiled mangrove forest all to myself!
How’s the serenity? A stretch of unspoiled mangrove forest all to myself!

The smaller numbers and quieter route make for a totally different side to the often over-crowded bay, and you get a better feel for its natural beauty when you’re not being jostled by Chinese tourists or selfie-stick wielding Russian super models with their bulked up boyfriends.

It was a far more intimate exploration of one of Thailand’s most beautiful spots.

And did I mention the food with a view?
And did I mention the food with a view?

Your Say

Have you got a favourite off-the-beaten-path activity when in Phuket?

What little known secret do you wish more visitors to your city or country knew about?

More Different Things

Looking for more different ways to experience a famous city or country?

DISCLAIMER: I was invited by Amazing Bike Tours and Phuket Sail Tours to come along as their guest, but all opinions are my own.

Looking for more different things to do in Phuket? Check out Top 25 Things to do in Phuket by Crazy Tourist!

If you’re looking for the best hotel in Phuket, Karolina & Patryk have you covered too.