5 Hoi An, Vietnam

It's pretty easy to live the good life in Vietnam. Twenty dollars in Hoi An will buy you a spacious hotel room with canopy bed and flat screen TV, and the food in town was plentiful and cheap. When we were lured into Cargo Club on our first afternoon by a mouthwatering pastry display case and entered into an elegant dining room with a second floor patio, we were sure we'd be leaving with empty pockets. But nothing cost more than a few dollars and their chocolate mousse was out of this world. Patrick himself ventured into outer space three times during our stay as we proceeded to frequent Cargo Club on a bi-daily basis for the rest of our stay.

It wasn't all croissants and baguettes for us in Hoi An. We took a private cooking class at Yellow Flower Restaurant and learned to make wonton soup, lemongrass chicken, sweet and sour pork, and some killer spring rolls. Do expect us to show off the next time you are our guests.

The town of Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and they don't let you forget it. The entire downtown is preserved, frozen in time, with a $4 ticket gaining you access to historic houses, assembly halls, museums, and of course temples. Though in most cases these tiny buildings obscured by countless shops catering to the many packs of roving tourists didn't have much to see once inside. The two standouts of the lot were the lovely Japanese Covered Bridge and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. The ticket also entitled us to a cultural performance of live music and women dancing with clay pots on their heads and silk fans. Not at the same time though, which sorely disappointed Patrick.Setting aside the charm of Hoi An's colorful streets, the main tourist activity is shopping. More specifically, shopping for custom made clothing and shoes. There are more than 200 tailors in tiny Hoi An that make the historic sites often hard to spot. The general drill is: a tourist walks in to a shop, points to one of the model garments on display, selects a fabric, negotiates a price, poses for some quick measurements, and 12 hours later returns for alterations to the essentially finished product. It's kind of like being a Project Runway model. In most cases the price negotiation also involves the commission of more clothes--the more you buy the more you save. A couple we ran into from our Halong Bay cruise had ended up with several suits, a dress, two pairs of jeans, and new sandals after three days in town. We, however, limited ourselves to a winter coat for Patrick and a silk dress for Katrina. The coat won't be needed for another month, and the dress has no use on this trip at all, but $38 for two custom garments is too hard to pass up. Even Nina Garcia would be impressed with the speed and craftsmanship of Hoi An's tailors.

View more pictures from Hoi An here.

5 Hue, Vietnam

We have taken a lot of overnight buses during this trip, but the ride from Hanoi to Hue was the coziest. Vietnam's sleeper buses have three rows of bunk beds front to back with two aisles so that everyone has a private sleeping area, but to maximize on space, in the very back is a single line of five beds side by side. Of course this ended up being where our seats were assigned, numbers 38 and 39, with a Finnish couple at the other end and a Vietnamese man sandwiched in the middle. It was already awkward enough to look over and see this guy's face inches away, but the man also had no qualms stretching out, draping his leg over Patrick's and getting comfortable. More comfortable for him, but less for Patrick, who slept with one eye open during the 12-hour ride south.

We were relieved to finally get to Hue and the town was a refreshing change of pace from the motorbike mayhem of Hanoi and the tourist-packed waterways of Halong Bay. We're not sure if it was the rainy weather or the spread out nature of the sights, but we were practically alone during our exploration of the Citadel--which just added to the abandoned feeling of Hue's old walled imperial city. The area is vast, filled with crumbling buildings and ponds covered in blooming lilypads. It's a maze to get through and ornate gateways lead from section to section.

The imperial tombs are several kilometers from downtown, but they are easy to reach by dragonboat ride down the Perfume River. It's a spectacular way to approach the complexes as the grand structures seem to arise out of nowhere. The tombs are incredibly impressive, but not in the jaw-dropping, Taj Mahal kind of way. They are serene and stately with a quiet beauty that suggests the emperors were thinking very strategically about where they'd want to spend eternity. Despite being a tourist attraction they've managed to remain unspoiled. Other stops included Thien Mu Pagoda and a Kung Fu demonstration which our guide described as what people in Vietnam used to defend their borders, before 1945 when "the Russians came and gave them guns."

View more pictures from Hue here.

6 Hanoi, Vietnam

We quickly learned that in Vietnam there is never a need to worry about transportation. The streets are teeming with people making offers, from taxis and trishaws to motorbike drivers with room on the back of their rides. And with the exchange rate of 18,000 Dong to one US Dollar, nothing ever costs very much either (withdrawing four million of a currency from an ATM is pretty fun). Zooming through the lively streets of Hanoi on the back of a single motorbike to Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the "Hanoi Hilton", was totally exhilarating for us, but a common thrill in town. We often saw families of four packed snuggly together. The trishaw ride to the Temple of Literature was a little more our speed, and the serene Confucian complex that greeted us matched the sleepy pace.

For the most part, though, Hanoi's Old Quarter is fairly compact and easy to navigate by foot. Just watch out for those crazy motorbikes whizzing by! We walked from the beautifully preserved Memorial House where we took in a slice of life from days gone by to Ngoc Son Temple perched out on Hanoi's central lake. On the banks of Hoan Kiem is Thang Long Theatre where we enjoyed a traditional water puppet show. The set was constructed around a square pool at the center with musicians playing exotic, traditional instruments stage left to accompany the colorful puppets as they danced over and through the water. Some puppets even blew smoke or squirted water for old school special effects.

Aside from a drastic drop in temperature another welcome change in leaving Malaysia and Singapore behind was Vietnamese food. Sure there was more noodle soup, but we at least got some new spices and type of noodles with the ubiquitous pho. We also loved the addition of baguettes to the standard street food fare and bakeries on many corners; thank you, French colonialism! But the best meal we had was at Cha Ca La Vong. The menu at this establishment consists of only one dish: cha ca, a sizzling pan of fish with greens and peanuts served over noodles. We knew we'd found a good place when both floors were completely packed with Vietnamese chowing down, and we understood why as soon as we took a bite. Of course the best compliment to any of this food is the local brew. Bia hoi, or draught beer, was available for around 16 cents a glass at most street corners in Hanoi.

It was clear from the signs at all the travel agencies in town that like Phi Phi Island from Phuket, Ha Long Bay was the top excursion from Hanoi. We booked a two day, one night boat trip and were enchanted with the idea of sleeping on a junk. The boat that is, not a heaping pile of trash. The bay was lovely, dotted with limestone islets that faded into the horizon. It all made for the perfect setting for a setting sun. Somewhat disappointing, however, were the visits to a garishly lit up cave and an "authentic" fishing village of floating homes that now gets a few hundred camera-toting tourists per day. But the worst was the fact that a majority of the tour time we spent being herded as a flock of backpackers, changing boats and waiting for rides. Mix that with some short-fused tour guides and it was the recipe for an angry mob of travelers that almost staged an uprising on the drive back to Hanoi! We chose to just smile and take in the scenery out the cramped minibus window, knowing a cold glass of practically free beer was awaiting upon return.

View more pictures from Hanoi here.

1 Singapore, Singapore

The streets are wide, sparkling clean, and devoid of the constant honking we'd come to understand as more a part of driving than the turn signal. Cars and pedestrians alike paid attention to traffic lights and walk signals. English was everywhere. Food stalls were not. If it hadn't been for the same muggy heat that makes you want to crawl out of your skin, we would have sworn we were back in Australia. Singapore still has the typically Malaysian cultural influences and cuisine, but its more like the five star deluxe property of Southeast Asia.
Or maybe it just felt that way because we were staying at a bona fide five star hotel. Courtesy of a successful Priceline bid, we enjoyed three nights of absolute luxury at the Conrad Centennial. Our large and well-cushioned bed was outfitted with high threadcount sheets, our 46-inch flatscreen TV aired the Celtics game, and the bathroom was all marble, mirrors, and hot hot water. We even had a pillow menu because the Conrad offers "an assortment of sixteen pillows to cater to your personal pillow needs."

We were also found ourselves right in the middle of APEC action. When we arrived in town we saw banners welcoming the delegates of the 2009 APEC Convention, and not knowing what this was, we were hoping it might be as entertaining as the Anime Convention we happened upon in Toronto a few years ago. As we navigated through massive security at the Conrad we started to wonder if maybe this was something a little more high profile. And by the time we went to dinner, we'd pieced together that this was the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, and leaders from around the world--including President Obama--were in town for the event! Definitely cooler than the Anime Convention...though we bet their after parties are a little more entertaining.

If we'd learned anything from our time near the equator it was to take things slow. On our first day we got oriented and saw the Fountain of Wealth, the Padang and its surrounding historic buildings, the kooky Merlion statue and Fort Canning Park. Within the hill of Fort Canning Park is the awesome Battle Box museum, an old bunker which served as Britain's command post for the island during World War II. Rooms are filled with original equipment and (of course) dioramas recreating the scene on the night of surrender to the Japanese. Having spent a few hours out and about, we then returned to the Conrad for siesta. Night is when Singapore really shines anyway--accentuated by beautiful lights shimmering on the water which are easier to appreciate with the cooler evening temperatures. We took a pre-dinner walk down the river to Clarke Quay and watched the rich and the fashionable toasting champagne flutes and cocktail glasses on waterfront restaurant patios.
On our second day in Singapore we hit up the reliable ethnic neighborhoods that were standards at our Malaysian stops. We strolled through the temples of Chinatown and chowed down at the food stalls, sampling the specialty rojak, fried carrot cake, and sesame buns. We even gave the shaved ice dessert another try with a strawberry and milk concoction. It was actually enjoyable this time--minus the ABC's beans, corn, and bubblegum syrup. Little India had the standard sari shops and aromatic restaurants, but we decided it was far too clean, quiet, and orderly to deserve its name. Add some trash, livestock, and pushy salespeople and then we'll reconsider.

View more pictures from Singapore here.

7 Melaka, Malaysia

In Melaka we finally found the quaint, charming southeast Asian town we'd been looking for. The streets were full of colonial character, with narrow alleys and colorful shutters on the aging mansions and clan houses. We found a place in the heart of Chinatown, the Chong Hoe Hotel, that met all our feng shui requirements from an open courtyard to let the water in to potted plants marking the heart of the building. Plus our room had AC, hot water, and wifi--bonus!

The Chang Hoe is located on "Harmony Street", so called because of the three different houses of worship that live happily side by side. The mosque was intriguingly pagoda-like and Cheng Hoon Teng was another fantastically ornate Buddhist specimen. Just one block over is Jonker Street, famous for its antique stores and bustling nightmarket. In the evening we elbowed our way through the crowds and chose from heaping piles of dumplings, rice balls, fried chicken, pineapple tarts, and other hawker treats to fill our bellies. At night was also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Malaysian home life as many families open up the doors wide, probably as an attempt to seek refuge from the overwhelming humidity.

Nothing is very far in Melaka and a few minutes walk over the river is the central town square and colonial district full of museums telling the story of the city's sordid history. Control of Melaka changed hands five times between the 16th century up until the 1950s starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, then the Japanese occupation during WWII and lastly the British again just before Malaysia gained independence in 1957. There is a full-size reconstruction of the wooden, nail-free Melaka Sultanate Palace filled with dozens of Malaysians' favorite--the diorama. The large Stadthuys, also complete with costumed mannequins, is in its original form from when the Dutch built it in the 17th Century. We hopped from the hillside ruins of St. Paul's Church and the Porta de Santiago (the only two remaining structures from the Portuguese rule of the town in the 1500s) down to Muzium Raykat and it's beauty exhibit full of haunting pictures of scarring, lip plates, and feet binding.

One thing we just missed in Melaka was the 45th Annual Bowling World Cup--the opening competition was set to begin a few days after our departure. We hope the international bowlers enjoyed some great pineapple tarts and antique shopping.

View more pictures from Melaka here.

5 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It was a stomach-turning, Malaysian pop music-filled, four-hour van ride down from the Cameron Highlands and we were greeted by a steamy day in Kuala Lumpur. First we settled in to our delightfully airconditioned room at the Mayview Glory. The hotel was excellently located across the street from the bus station, next door to inexpensive and reliable Restaurant Aji (where we would eat many a meal of curry mee), and just a few blocks away from KL's famous Chinatown. At Mayview Glory we came to terms with the fact that our Malaysia itinerary was not very original, as we ran into four people from our Cameron Highlands tour group the day before. It turns out that the tourist trail is a very worn, fixed route and this wasn't the only time we would spot familiar faces from past cities.

It wasn't long before we headed over to Petaling Street, Chinatown's main drag, which is closed off to traffic and completely taken over by a maze of stalls selling clothing, watches, and purses. Katrina took a turn refreshing her tired wardrobe, haggling for a Lacoste shirt and a pair of the ubertrendy Aladdin pants we'd seen everywhere since first landing in Paris. Just a few blocks north, representing another of Malaysia's primary ethnic groups, is Little India. It was a bit difficult for Patrick to return to the sights, sounds, and particularly smells of India--even in miniature.

We walked every corner of KL during our three-day stay--though sometimes it felt more like swimming through the dense humidity and scattered showers. We visited the strikingly modern National Mosque and the more classic Masjid Jamek, sprawling Merdeka Square, and the cold indoor bliss of Central Market (who cares what they were selling inside). On the far side of town we enjoyed the National Museum and the lovely orchid and hibiscus gardens just outside. Hibiscus is Malaysia's national flower and we'd be happy to trade them for the boring old rose anytime. Of course we couldn't leave town without a trip up the iconic Petronas Towers. Visitors get to go only as far as the skybridge that connects the two towers, a little less than halfway up, which is amazing since it's 42 stories high! It was incredible to think that the Prudential Building, which makes such a mark on the Boston skyline, would be a runt next to the Petronas Towers. Admission is free but we had to claim first come, first serve tickets in the morning for an afternoon visit and were made to watch a seven minute "3D" (Patrick says more like 2.5D) advertisement for Petronas before our ascent.

About an hour ride on local bus #11 took us to the Batu Caves outside downtown KL. We climbed 272 steps to get to the mouth and entered to find a scattered collection of Hindu temples built in to the nooks and crannies. Quite a dramatic setting for worship! There was also a large population of monkeys climbing around, playing with trash, and posing for pictures. We had way too much fun watching them eat bananas and drink soda from the can.

KL was full of fun opportunities to try new things. Our favorite was definitely the fish spa: a popular pedicure substitute where you stick your feet in a tank and special fish eat the dead skin off your body. There are separate tubs for small, medium, and large fish, and we were free to hop between them. The first nibbles had us giggling and squirming, but as time passed the weird and ticklish sensation turned into something very soothing and refreshing. Katrina even worked her way up to the big fish! By the time our 20 minutes was up we didn't want to leave.
Less of a hit was our experience with durian. We saw that the large, spiky, very pungent fruit was banned in our hotel and many other public places, so obviously our curiosity was piqued. Durian is not hard to find on the streets of Kuala Lumpur since you can smell its funky odor from blocks away. Unfortunately for durian and for us it tastes exactly like it smells...which is a weird mixture of sweetness, cheese, and old trash. We wish we could say we learned our lesson, but Patrick insisted on giving the offensive fruit another try in popsicle form. As you can tell from his expression in this picture, this was the end of our fleeting affair with durian.

View more pictures from Kuala Lumpur here.

2 Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Imagine a Boston summer day. Then imagine donning a winter coat and jeans and going for a one mile jog along the Esplanade. Follow that up with pouring a bucket of warm maple syrup over your head and then hopping on a jam packed green line train only to get stuck between Arlington and Copley. That would be about half as hot, sticky, and uncomfortable as walking outside for five minutes in Malaysia. Ok, maybe that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but there is a reason that cool mountain retreats are much appreciated in this country a few degrees north of the equator. We didn't realize just how much until we got to the Cameron Highlands.What we expected to be an idyllic collection of quaint towns perched in the hills was actually an oozing resort destination with highrise chalet-style hotels, golf courses, and even a Starbucks. Our visions of leisurely sipping tea on the plantations for which the region is known were quickly dashed when we realized we'd have to share those small verandas with hundreds of other visitors.

While geographically the area is quite small, the weaving mountain roads make it difficult to get from place to place. So we decided to join a half day tour that would take us around to many of the local farms. We enjoyed the best strawberry milkshake and strawberry tart at a strawberry farm, navigated through "Malaysia's largest indoor maze" at a bee farm, strolled through a rose garden, and stopped at an outdoor market. We even got to taste some tea at the Boh Estate and Factory; the setting was more commercial than we'd hoped, but the sweeping views of the rolling hills and the surprisingly strong, refreshing aroma of the tea plants that covered them made it a pleasant place to spend the morning nonetheless.

In the afternoon we headed out on our own to do a "jungle walk" up Gunung Brinchang. The trail was steep, muddy, and somewhat treacherous--but certainly atmospheric. The best part was that we didn't see another soul on the trail: finally the peace and quiet we had hoped for from the high hills of Malaysia. There are in total 14 trails in the area, varying in both length and difficulty. Back in town, we quenched the hunger we'd worked up with a steamboat--the make-your-own-soup meal that is offered at every Cameron Highlands restaurant. Think fondue, but instead of dipping delicious bread in bubbling cheese we had fish balls and jellyfish to cook in broth. Definitely an experience, but not one we are probably looking to recreate soon.

View more pictures from the Cameron Highlands here.

5 Penang, Malaysia

After a week and a half of rest and relaxation on Thailand's beaches, we were ready to pack away our swim trunks for a bit and put our sightseeing pants back on. Our first attempt was to visit a "typical" Thai town on our way south. Trang was typical, alright, with car part businesses greeting us as we disembarked our bus instead of tourist offices. Unfortunately we were more in the market for cooking classes than a new muffler and our search was not aided by the fact that unlike in the beach towns, the majority of locals did not speak English. It didn't take long for us to figure out that there wasn't much for visitors to do in Trang--save for slurp a bowl of noodles and join in some Thai karaoke--and we were back on the road the next morning.

A stop-happy bus, smelly van, expeditious border crossing, and another van (this time of the karaoke variety) later we were in Penang, Malaysia. The differences between Malaysia and Thailand were apparent shortly after clearing customs, certainly not night and day...maybe more like mid-morning and dusk. The four lane toll highway south, equipped with a Malaysian version of EZ pass, was a prime example of the country's modernity and the fresh, cookie cutter housing developments plopped in swampy marshland just off the road made it feel more like driving through southeast Orlando than southeast Asia. The other difference from Thailand that struck us upon arrival in Penang was the multiethnic makeup of the population, with Malays, Chinese, and Indians living and working in distinct enclaves that together created a unique urban tapestry.

One of the great byproducts of this patchwork of cultures is the diverse cuisine available, in many cases in hybrid form. And better yet cheap dishes were never more than arms length thanks to Penang's abundance of delicious food stalls. The elevator in our hotel even had a guy selling noodles! Okay, that isn't true. Our favorite spot to chow down was Red Garden Food Paradise, an upscale, open-air food court down the street from our hotel where we could pick and choose from dozens of different vendors who would prepare and deliver the selections to our table. By far the weirdest thing we ate was the popular ABC Special available all over town: shaved ice topped with bubble gum flavored syrup, a scoop of ice cream, nuts, corn, beans, tapioca, jello pieces, and who knows what else. About as delicious as it sounds, which is not delicious at all.

Penang's multiculturalism is further reflected in its unique and beautiful buildings. It was not uncommon to come across a mosque, Hindu temple, Buddhist temple and church within Adhan distance of each other. Must make for interesting block parties where alot of those "bar" jokes are told--you know, "An imam, a priest, and a monk walk into a bar..." The worn streets of Colonial Penang, the historic heart of town, are great for wandering, and Khoo Kongsi is the highlight. This Chinese clan house celebrates the lineage of hundreds years of Khoos in Penang's Hokkien Chinese community and to this day members' academic degrees are ceremoniously displayed in its halls. The lavish details in reds and golds were stunning.

Over in Chinatown, its a vibrant indigo that attracts visitors to another Chinese landmark, the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. At night the mansion looks like something out of Cinderella and by day it is open for guided tours. Our energetic host related the original owner's rags to riches story and told us more than once that he was known as the "Rockefeller of the East". Even more interesting to us was the crash course in Feng Shui with the 38 room mansion as text book. We are fully prepared to set up our next home in Boston with good ch'i.

On the outskirts of town, Penang Hill is a celebrated retreat from the heat and bustle of the city. We took a crowded funicular to the top and were excited to see the much lauded views, but instead found ourselves stuck in the clouds. As advertised, though, it was a few degrees cooler. A short taxi ride away is the sprawling kaleidescope of Kek Lok Si, the largest Buddhist complex in southeast Asia. The Laughing Buddhas were joined by congenial animal statues, and with more gift shops than places for prayer it felt like how Disney might do temple. That being said, the colorful palette and impressive seven-story Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas certainly made it a sight worth seeing in our sightseeing comeback.

View more pictures from Penang here.

7 Krabi, Thailand

As our ferry from Phi Phi pulled up to Railay Beach, a longtail boat came out to meet us and bring us ashore. Or as far in as low tide would allow--we were left to wade in the rest of the way with our luggage on our backs. The empty beach that greeted us set a new relaxed tone for this Thailand stop.

Railay is a small peninsula jutting out from Thailand's west coast, its towering limestone cliffs completely cutting it off from the rest of Krabi and making it feel more like a remote island. West Railay, where we first landed, is a long, welcoming strip of sand studded with a handful of unobtrusive waterfront resorts. Less than a ten minute walk along a paved pathway takes you to East Railay; the mangrove-dominated shore is murky, which matches the vibe of this very chill, almost too hip little outpost where the shrines were not to Krishna or Buddha but Marley. Restaurants with pillowed patios for reclining, bars built on stilts so when the tide dramatically came in we found ourselves lounging on top of the sea. And it was easy to relax with everything on the menu--from dinners to frilly cocktails--costing around $2-3 USD.

At the very tip of the peninsula was our favorite beach: Phra Nang. With protective limestone citadels jutting out on one side and the sea flowing into the mouth of a cave on the other, the setting was spectacular. And the women selling fresh fruit, grilled corn, and the best chicken satay in Thailand from their personal barbecues made it an easy place to want to stay. Unfortunately the water was a bit prickly, full of some invisible jellyfish-like things that insisted on stinging us whenever we needed to cool down. This turned from nuisance to pretty unbearable as we drifted into the ovenesque temperatures of high noon, so we spent the rest of the day back at our hotel.

Diamond Private Resort is a sprawling collection of bungalows up just about a million steps from East Railay. At the top of the towering, rickety staircase is their real gem: a delicious swimming pool that overlooks the ocean. We had it almost to ourselves the afternoon we were escaping the heat and sea life--and we were very appreciative to be able to park ourselves in water that didn't sting us. Our bungalow was far to the back of the resort, behind the newer, more elegant looking facilities, but we got a great deal paying $24 USD/night for a huge if simply furnished room and access to that pool.

Our stay in Railay happily coincided with Loy Krathong, a holiday celebrating the full moon of the 12th month of the lunar year. Like Diwali in India, the festivities were all about lights. Every restaurant in town was doing something to celebrate and we chose to spend the evening at our new favorite: The Last Bar (named so because it is literally the last bar at the end of East Railay). There were fire twirlers, a band--though we use that term loosely, and all the materials to make our own krathongs: small rafts of banana tree trunk adorned with stylized banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense sticks. Katrina was shocked to see the heaps of orchids and other exotic flowers free for the taking like tortilla chips at a cantina (anyone else who has recently planned a wedding will understand). It was clear that everyone else, like us, was very proud of their personal creations, and tenderly displayed them on their tables throughout the evening. Just after midnight we all lined up to light the candles and incense, make a wish, and set our krathongs asea. It was really special to watch everyone's glowing, flower-laden wishes light up the ocean.
It was a little sadder the next morning seeing the dilapidated, wave-beaten remnants bobbing around on our longtail boat ride to the mainland. Krabi Town is not much to speak of on its own, with a small city center whose highlight for us was the Italian-owned Pizzeria Firenze. There is a small night market that closes down around 9pm, probably so that they can rest up and get ready for what is supposedly the largest morning market in the region--unfortunately for us we did not manage to tear ourselves out of bed before 8am. We were completing our non-AC experiment with a fan only room at Good Dreams Guesthouse. Verdict: what were we thinking?

View more pictures from Krabi here.

5 Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Every other storefront on Kata's main drag advertised trips to Phi Phi Island--from all-inclusive getaways to simple ferry transfers. It's obviously THE destination. So we were delighted when Katrina's stepbrother and girlfriend sent us an email with the details of their wedding gift to us: a luxurious stay on Phi Phi Island with itinerary recommendations from their 2006 trip. (Thanks Josh and Nicole!) Three and a half months into our trip, it was a lovely reminder that this is not only a fantastic adventure but also our honeymoon, and some pampering is definitely allowed.We figured we'd start out frugally by getting to Phuket's pier on our own and buying ferry tickets there directly instead of paying for an agent in Kata to reserve our tickets and arrange a transfer. Big mistake. A sawngthaew (pickup truck turned public bus) took us to Phuket Town, and from there a taxi driver informed us that the pier was several kilometers away and he would take us there for a small fee. Once deposited at the in-the-middle-of-nowhere pier, we were appalled to learn that tickets go for twice as much as the travel agents were asking--and the agents were offering free, air conditioned, direct transfers to boot! We sulkily forked over the cash, since at that point we had no other option, and boarded the crowded, stuffy boat.

But things got back on track two hours later when we arrived in Phi Phi. We were whisked from the boat to the tourist information center at the end of the pier, where an employee personally escorted us to the hotel of our choice to check out the rooms. The first attempt was a winner: our bungalow at Phi Phi Bayview had an elegantly outfitted room and a private deck with cushy lounge chairs from which we enjoyed uninhibited postcard views and the soundtrack of soft lapping waves against the shore mixed with the hum of longtail boats as they crisscrossed the bay. It screamed honeymoon.

The ideal thing about Bayview's location is that it's on the far end of town from the pier, just beyond where the paved sidewalk ends and the remote beach hideaway feel begins. Bungalow B114 was just steps down to a small cove with a patch of sand, some shade trees, a wooden swing, and a handful of beach chairs. The water was crystal blue and just cool enough to be refreshing. We never had to share the beach with more than ten other people. And it definitely ranked as one of the most amazing beaches we've ever visited.

Phi Phi is actually a collection of islands, with Phi Phi Don the largest and only inhabited one. Neighboring Phi Phi Leh was an impressive silhouette from our balcony, and we hired a longtail boat to take us there for an afternoon trip. The snorkeling around the boulder-like island was fantastic: fish in cartoonlike colors against a lattice of dramatic coral. The fame of Phi Phi Leh, however, is the beach from the movie "The Beach" tucked into a fold of the island's cliffs. Leonardo, as the locals refer to him, doesn't know what he did to the reputedly idyllic hideaway: while the setting is dramatic, the crowds coming through make it noisy and littered. It doesn't help that it's the last stop for day trips before boating out to a sunset viewing spot; visitors seem mostly to be killing time. Our boat driver was surprised when we asked to leave earlier than he planned. "But too long until sunset!," he protested. We said that was OK, we were happy to watch the uncut version. And thus we closed out our Phi Phi adventure with the sun slowly settling on the horizon with a show of pinks, purples and blues, and a similarly hued moonrise lighting up the Halloween sky.View more pictures from Ko Phi Phi here.