Holy Cow it took a while to get to Tonsai beach from Ko Tao. But it is traveling from an island in the Gulf of Thailand to a beach on the other side of the country on the Andaman Sea.
So I'm writing ex post facto about my time on Tonsai beach because now I'm on Bangkok and I've been here for a few days already! Sorry for the delay. There isn't much in the way of internet cafes on Tonsai Beach. It is removed from a lot of things ( I think they only recently got a few atms) and you can only get there by boat.
Well, for those of you who climb on rocks- Tonsai Beach, East and West Railay is really just as amazing as those pictures you've seen of dripping limestones over a beautiful beach and ocean in climbing magazine and rock & ice. Unbelievable. Sadly, we got rained out a lot, but it didn't prevent us from climbing completly. The climbing is so unreal there, it's hard to describe. You will see my pictures. But, in a few words, the rock is: friction, the inside of a cave on the outside, hard, tall, slings, threads, beautiful. Pete and I were both a little bummed we weren't in better shape because the amount of easy climbs are limited and the number of hard routes and cool multi-pitch routes are unlimited.
Tonsai also has a really nice and laid back atmosphere. Despite the rain, it still might be one of my favorite spots we visited. During the high season I'm sure it's totally nuts, so being there at an off time was actually kind of nice. We met some really friendly climbers which was fun...not only were we surrounded by climbers with whom we could be spazzes about the rock with, but making friends and sharing meals and beers with new people is fun. Tonsai is also the cheapest of the island spots on the Andaman side which was nice. East Railay is the runner up in cheapness, and West Railay is probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth when the weather is good. It was still beautiful, but just not as picturesque with rain clouds looming overhead. When the tide is low, you can actually walk from West Railay beach to East Railay beach by walking around an outcropping in the rock and trees. When the tide is in however, you need to follow a path that runs along the ocean, but it's slippery and steep. Lucky us forgot headlamps when were returning from East Railay to Tonsai beach. We were with some of our new friends who had walked the route several times already, but it was pretty funny that out of 4 people who have collectively had a serious number of hours in the backcountry or out on similar type excursions and none of us had a headlamp. The coconut, mango, and watermelon shakes we had that night at dinner were well earned.
And oh my...are the fruit shakes good here. Pure, blended fruit with some ice. No special vitamins, no added powders or sweeteners, no ice cream or yogurt- unless you want that kind of beverage. But a fruit shake- is really what it says it is. And it is simply devine. I order them quite often.
Our time on Tonsai was pretty short, but we really wanted to check out the world class climbing at see it for ourselves. We were really happy we came even if it was only for a few nights and some rainy days. I hope to go back there during my time in Thailand. Everything is pretty easy to get to, even if you have to take a night boat, long bus road, songthaew ride, and then wait for enouh people to fill a longtail boat. It took me a while to figure this out, but for your imformation- a songthaew is a pick up truck with benches put in the back and a cover put on top. While in America you might get a ticket for having someone just sitting in the back of your truck, here it is a regular and handy means of transportation. I've seen about 14 people filling one up if that's even believable.
I think that's all I've got for Tonsai. The pictures will describe it better than my diatribe here. As me and Peter's last real tourist destination, it was a really nice way to end our time together. That spot will always hold a special place in my heart for the friendly people we met and connected with, the friendly Thai people who live and work there, the absolutely gorgeous scenery and climbing potential, and sharing all that with my brother Pete.
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