Phi Phi - is it really that bad?? And has anyone stayed at Golden Hills?

Right and its not always just about the money , some people find the traditional Asian style A frame bungalow a nice exerience and something that not available in any other part of the world . That northern european family I think like staying bungalow style for its own sake and the way it blended in with the surrounding nature rather than them not being able to afford anything else.
Of course thats all in a decline and the clock can't be wound back , but originally the beaches of Krabbi were regarder as an unspoilt alternative to places like Ko Samui.

Sounds good - you maybe saw the pix of Yao Yai Resort and its beach abt 35% down my YY page http://tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot.com/2008/12/ko-yao-yai.html - your resort report and some more pix would go real well.

If you get a chance, wander 10 minutes back up the road inland to Yamalia's Heimat Garden Restaurant - there is a pix just under the one's mentioned above. This restaurant is a bit of a hang for island expats and long timer travellers and you can get some good conversation going. Yamalia is a fountain of knowledge about the island and can organise some good hiking trips. She also has kayaks although your resort is sure to have these. I never got to send her a url of my page but tell her her place is featured (even though I didn't get to stay in her nice rooms).

Cool - I'll visit Heimat Garden - thinking of hiring a bike - look out yao yai - but today their website (Yao Yai Resort) seems to be spitting the dummy - We might have had a slight change of plans - looks like Ally is going to be in Phi Phi after her Burma trip - (we travelled in Vietnam and I've been dying to travel again with her even if it's only a few days) so instead of going Phi Phi Krabi we are now going Yao Yai to Krabi/Railay and there's only one 7.00am from Yao Noi - guess I can convince Moneypenny to do a 5,30am start from Yao Yai trip OR maybe go late in the arvo to a Yao noi place near the ferry stop - what do you reckon?

Bugger it I reckon we hire a boat to take us from Yao Yai to Railay bugger the dicking around just get straight there -

There is a speedboat goes from Bang Rong on mid-north Phuket to Yai's northern pier and then to Ao Nang. Google Heimat Garden - the website has details of this and the slow boats from the northern pier to Ao Thalen to the north of Krabi town.
But yeah, a direct boat from Yao Yai south to Railay would be great although it would cost a bomb - where are you and Moneypenny when I'm looking for someone to share something like this?

Just had a thought - the speedboat may be high season only. Anyway once on the island you will get info from the locals. I'm sure there will be a low season slow boat from Yao Yai - it is for locals and the locals need to get to the Krabi district fairly often.

Dissmiss everything heinekendrinker says, just an angry man with a hateful billjones agenda! Grrrrr! LOL =)

Ok so I've ditched the northern trek idea and going to spend my 16 days on the beaches!
Lanta looks great and think it'd be rude not to check out phi phi even if just for one night. If anyone has any ecommenations of places to stay for when I arrive in Krabi much apprecaited - would be good to go somewhere wher I oculd meet fellow travellers as I will be a lone traveller!
Thanks

Huzza.....dicking around? You's a girl.........

Captain Knob doesnt have a clue about Krabi.

I know the place very well and 800 baht places in low season are better than what you get in Bangkok.

"Does that mean there are rooms for 150 baht or less in Ao Nang as there are in Bkok."

So you want to stay in a dump near a beach?

Most people on beach holidays want to stay someone decent and $30 a night is cheap.

In the Pacific Islands prices are much much higher.

"Around a 1000 B was about average"

Incorrect. The average spend for tourists in Thailand is double that.

1000 baht a day is bare bones.

"Whether families or individuals , some people put a higher priority on the surrounding aesthetics than having a "decent or nice" room , after all if thats a big priority one can get it in Miami , Sth of Spain or Surfers Paradise . "

People will pay hundreds a night in those places for a nice room. Krabi much less.

Phi Phi is pretty nice away from Ton Sai.