Saturday 24 January 2015

Chapter 3 : Bargaining for KRABI's Rooms! - How To KRABI Yourself with RM350



Previously in "How To KRABI Yourself with RM350",
  1. Chapter 1 : Senandung Langkawi
  2. Chapter 2 : Hat Yai City to Krabi
*** 

Krabi Bus Station


Both, Eeman and I; was asleep when the Executive Coach arrived in Krabi Bus Station. A navy sailor who sit next to our row wake us up and informed that we had arrived at our destination. Imagine this, a hot sailor wake you up from your nap and inform you had arrived in KRABI, the adrenaline rush is like both of us flying all over to the stars, moon, outer space, a different dimension and back! 

Eeman said to me, "Babe, we arrived babe! I can't wait the ocean breeze, sun-bathing under the hot warm sun and jump into the ocean!" We basically grab our handbag, put on shades, wear our head scarf and slip into our flip flop. I even brought out my lace-umbrella (purposely bought in KL to have the romantic ambiance while enjoying the sunset). We ran out of the bus, I'm screaming "Laut Eeman Laut - Cepat!" while I could hear Eeman scream, "Yeah!!!" out of her lung!

Krabi Bus Station

Boy oh boy, our joy crushed within  less than a mili-second. There is no beach, no warm summer sun, no ocean cool breeze. The bus already took off and out of desperation and feeling being cheated, "Damn, that navy really troll us up babe! I think this is the city between Trang and Krabi. This is not even Krabi!". I could see Eeman show her disappointment and we thought, How could we survived and bought another ticket from this city to Krabi with this kind of budget!

Helplessly, we drag ourselves and bags to the ticket counter and politely ask, "How much? Here to Krabi?". Eeman already activate her bargain mode, regardless what ever the amount being told for the ticket, she will start bargaining. That is our hacks in bargaining skills. The lady behind the counter answer, "here Krabi?" and resume with her duties. Desperately waiting and need an answer, I ask again and being given the same reply! I about to raise my voice and ask again when a Caucasian lady approach us and said, "honey, this is Krabi" and our mouths' jaw drop instantly. "Then why the lady didn't tell us we already in Krabi? Why does she keep on repeating our question?" I asked while pointing towards the ticket lady. The ticket lady point down as indication of "here" and said, here, Krabi". We forgot that most locals don't speak English fluently. Bugger. We had become the most smart backpacker to the most bimbo beyond Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie!

Travel hacks : As most Thais is not fluent in english, it is best that we Malaysian didn't carry on with our Malaysian'-style of communicating. You know, the one with lets-chat-while-all-eyes-glues-to-the-smart-phones-screen. It is best to do how the normal people chat those days; face each other, look into the eyes, short sentences and read body language. Body language is the key to ensure that both parties of communicating, you and the locals; are basically on the same page. 

Apparently according to Lynette, a Dutch who travel around Asia with her not-so-gorgeous-as-the-tourist-information-counter-officer-in-Hat-Yai Dutch boyfriend; the beach is located in Ban Ao Nang and it is about another 15 minutes top ride by Tut Tut from the bus station. She even told us that the beach is hardly 18 miles further from the city. I do believe that she even heard that before hand, I suggest to Eeman we walk to the beach area and enjoy the sigh seeing. 18 miles of walking with our bags - once done with the adventure definitely I will win any marathon in Kuala Lumpur! Again, another bimbo image being portrayed to the Dutch couple. (cry

Travel hacks : In Thai, the word "BAN" mean Beach. Krabi's most popular beach is call Ban Ao Nang, but it is a bay actually. Located about 18 miles and has some 83 islands scattered around. There are 4 other beaches in Krabi, Ban Noppharat Thara, Ban Railay, Ban Pra Nang and Ban Tubkaak. Ban Ao Nang basically being classified as the most developed beach attraction in Krabi. Hence, if you are not going to be camping in a tent, Ao Nang it is!

Getting to Ban Ao Nang


The presence of "ulat" in Krabi Bus Station remind me to Hat Yai bus station and railway station, but the numbers are not as many. We did asked for the rate from Krabi Bus Station to Ban Ao Nang to few taxi drivers and "ulat" (the word taxi is for the mini van). 3 drivers out of 4 informed us the rate is between 350 to 400 baht while the fourth informed us, "one-hundlet-baht". Suspiciously we asked again, he tell the same amount and take out his hand and show us FOUR fingers. We just smile and said, "That's FOUR not one"

Travel hacks : In order to go to Ban Ao Nang in the cheapest way possible (other than walking 18 miles) is actually by taking the government's tut tut. The fare is only 60 baht per passenger. The locals call it as "SHARING". That is the keyword, asked for "Tut tut SHARED" . It is a bit bigger than the normal tut tut that we usually see in Hat Yai or Bangkok. It could accommodate up to 8 passengers sitting next to each other. The tut tut will go around the city for a while while looking for other passengers. Don't expect it to go straight away to Ban Ao Nang from the bus station.

Remember, it is 60 baht! If they charged you a higher amount, simply walk away.
During our ride, there are 12 person all together. 8 seated, 3 standing at the back of the vehicle while one sit in front next to the driver. Luckily there  roller-blades is not popular in Thailand nowadays (I guess?!) or else the tut tut driver will ask them to hold on to the tut tut's railing. Like what we did before, in the early 90's during the roller-blade craze with bicycle. 

The driver will drive the tut tut to the Ban Ao Nang via Ban Noppharat Prata road. Along the way you could see dozens and dozens of Tsunami Evacuation Centre sign-age in every 100 metres. This also will be shared later in a different chapter!

Hunting for Rooms! 


We arrived and get out from the tut tut basically at 5.30pm Thursday 15th January 2015. If the journey was delayed for another hour, it will be a complete 24 hours journey from the moment I get out from my house! A lot of readers ask me why I choose to travel by land when I could easily took a flight to Krabi.

Once I did read somewhere in the internet, most flights will arrives in beach locations and cities before late evening. Hence, we simply assume that due to this matter, we could easily walk in into any guest house and start the bargain wars for the room rates. And indeed it works!

Travel Hacks : Once we arrived at the Ban Ao Nang street, first thing first that we did is actually scout the location. Do a bit of logistic. Here are the checklist step : 
  • Go to the beach and look around. Where is the main entrance and staircase to the beach. That will be the focal point and and it will be pack during the day. 
  • Find a halal restaurant first. As you know there are alot of halal restaurant along the beach. The price range for a plate of Pad Thai is mostly between 70baht to 90baht. Choose a restaurant that offer the cheapest meal!
  • Once you have choosen your favourite halal restaurant, then start to look around in a 360 spin. Look out for GUEST HOUSE / HOSTEL. Walk in and ask for the availability and rate!  

How to Bargain?


Travel Hacks : In order to bargain for room rates you need to have 2 players! In our adventure it is Eeman and myself. One will play the good customer while the other one will be the bad customer. The Good customer will start to ask for the availability. If there is availability, then he or she will continue to ask for the rate for a night. Regardless any amount the reception person said, the partner aka bad customer will step in and simply ask, "cheaper can?". Keep on bargaining another one or two time. Sensing the reception personal is almost annoyed, the good customer or me; will jump in and said, "sorry, we going to stay long time. 2 weeks. what your best rate?"

We did use this genius script and wallah! We managed to get our room for 500 baht per night instead of 700baht, deposit 300baht returnable once check-out. However, we inform the guest house manager that we will be paying on a 3 days basis. During your third day check-out simply pack your belonging and inform them that you need to go back to Kuala Lumpur for a family emergency. Kindly apologized, give your best smile and ask nicely for your deposit. (smart right?

Marina Guest House

Marina Guest House located above a massage centre in Ao Nang Street and it is about 150 meters from the beach's main staircase. Well it is a real genuine massage centre, not the hanky panky ones with happy endings. The payment counter of the massage centre also double as the guest house's reception. There are 3 floors upstairs and each floor has 3 rooms and a shared toilet. Its very clean indeed and the toilet is a personal one like those we usually find in a shop-house designs in Malaysia. Flush-seated toilet, hot shower, a sink and towel rack. The toilet space is quite big though, believe me, I danced  zapin during my shower, so it is big!

There is a shop renting out motorbikes beside Marina Guest House.
2 rows of colorful bikes to welcome you before you reach the guest house
The room is not as fancy as Singapore St Regis but trust me, it is very clean and comfortable. For the rate of 500 baht per night, the room provide you with the basic amenities : 2 single beds, 2 fans, a towel rack, and 2 electrical sockets. 

This is me. Not the "Amah"
A personal balcony at the end of the floor as the smoking area and where you got to hand your clothes dry. Wifi connection are available in the sitting area. he connection is quite fast, even faster than some Unifi's speed in certain areas back home. And by having the connection only in the communal area actually give us an opportunity to mingle with other travelers, exchange notes, play games and selfie with the gorgeous one and try to make friends back home jealous after you upload it
 in your instagram account! 

The view from our balcony aka smoking area.
Overlooking the ocean
Travel hacks : Unlike in Malaysia, the electrical sockets in Thailand is complete different. It is a 2 pin socket and the size ois a bit smaller. Hence, if you  never been to Thailand before, it is wise for you to buy one. The electrical pin is available at most stalls along the Ao Nang street for 100 baht. However, if you go to any 7 Eleven or Family Mart nearby you can buy one only for 49 baht!


The 49 bath electrical pin. 
There are alot of budget hostels and guest houses in Krabi, Ban Ao Nang especially. Therefore, if you ask me which one provide the cheapest rate with high value, every single one does. If you follow the checklist and the correct method of bargaining, trust me, you will be staying in a place where you could easily call it as, My Krabi Home.

Expenses

Tut Tut     = 60 baht
Room       = 750 baht
Total       = 810 baht

Balance    =  Thai Baht 1094 and RM38.00

*** 

Next : Chapter 4 : Pasar Malam Pasar Malam in Ao Nang - How To KRABI Yourself with RM350.


14 comments:

  1. The bigger tuk-tuk is called songteaw which mean four wheels.

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    Replies
    1. really? thanks! kiteorg tak tanya pun bende tu :)

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  2. Waiting for the next chapter. Thank you sis for this entry. I got question here.do you take any island tour during your time at krabi? How cheapest we can get ya? Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. hi naddy!

      no we don't since our #richbimboonbudget. lol. the longtail boat are basically start with 100bath per trip. all ao nang activities which i couldn't afford (sob sob) hacks will bw shared in episode 7 :)

      Delete
  3. eh, u'olls pegi Krabi bila ni?

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    Replies
    1. last 2 weeks. masa 15 ke 16 january. kenapa uols?

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    2. oh, i see..then where's next part?
      i eager nak baca coz i'm planning to go to Krabi next April

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    3. by next week. this week busy shooting uols. selagi drama ni x habis, selahi tu kuar umah kuk 5pagi balik 12mlm. T.T nangis jab demi sesuap nasi

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    4. ops..confuse sikit..bilik tu 500bath per night per person ke 500bath per room? total berapa?

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    5. bilik tu 500 baht per room untuk 2 org. so sorang 250 je

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  4. great entry babe.... very useful for those plan to Krabi like u did..
    btw, u shld try ke atas skit like i did recently..remember i told u i went to Bangkok-Koh Samui-Phuket via KL-Hatyai..i told u in IG... just like u did, i also travel on cheap budget,but the experience is priceless...turun naik train, bus (tayar bus siap meletup), ferry, boat penambang, tuk tuk, songteaw, skuter...u name it lah..semua i cuba and naik...

    siap jalan kaki dgn heavy backpack for 6km sbb tuk tuk driver salah drop i masa kat koh samui hahaha...

    anyway, jom try utara thailand plak ...chingmai..then masuk vietnam via train! jom...huhu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. wah teruja i u baca blog i. bangga oj. i ada few soalan utk u...

      1. tayar meletop sbb u berat sgt?
      2. tuktuk salah drop bg jln jauh so kurus sikit?
      3. u ckp jom tu u nk blanje i ke?

      #kbai lari jauh2 hahagaga

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  5. So one night is 500baht if bargain or total nights? Besides how oong you stayed in krabi and berapa bidget? Thanks sis

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  6. Hi,
    tut tut shared dari krabi town to aonang beach tu.
    1.Macam mana nak naik adakah tahan yang sedang bergerak atau yg tengah berhenti.
    2.Macam mana dengan bayaran adakah naik dulu bayar setelah sampai atau bargain dan bayar terus?

    Terima Kasih

    ReplyDelete