After Chalong, we sailed to Krabi and were looking forward to visiting the new marina development at Port Takola. The marina is built on 27 acres of redundant prawn farm ponds that are part of a private estate owned by the Na Nagara family. The father-son team, Surgeon Admiral Suriya (RTN) and Matthew Na Nagara have worked together since the beginning to make the marina project happen.
The Sail Thailand fleet was also invited to the wedding celebrations of the owner/manager, Matthew Na Nagara, and his beautiful wife, Liu. The event took place at the spectacular Port Takola Marina. We were grateful for the generous invitation and had a fantastic time with the rally participants. We would like to offer our thanks to the Marina manager, Sebastian – (a likeable Frenchman), and his dock assistants and also extend a thank you to Matthew for organising the amazing elephant encounter; getting up close and being able to touch them was a wonderful experience.
The next morning, we were scheduled to go on a tour organised by the rally organisers. The tour included a visit to crystal-clear pools and waterfalls, hot springs, and a challenging climb up 1237 steps to Wat Tham Sua Tiger Cave Temple, one of the most famous monasteries in southern Thailand. The Tiger Cave Temple, a Buddhist temple located north-east of Krabi, Thailand, is a sacred site known for the tiger paw prints in the cave, tall Buddha statues, and a long, steep flight of stairs to climb to reach the summit. We were with our friends Wayne and Debbie; the guys opted out of the climb and were happy to sit at the restaurant, enjoying coffee and ice cream. For Debbie and me, it was a strenuous climb to the top, and our leg muscles were overworked, but we finally made it. Once you reach the summit, you will be 278 metres high The experience was amazing, and the views from the top were breathtaking. There is a giant golden Buddha statue at the mountain’s summit, which offers a panoramic view of Krabi town and other temple buildings from the shrine at the top of the stairs. Please note that the temple grounds are inhabited by monkeys, who, while a delightful sight, can sometimes pose a threat. It’s essential to be cautious, as they can bite people and are known to steal food and drink.
Lastly, Port Takola offers some of the best sunsets. The sky transforms with vibrant colours as the sun sets, creating an amazing sight.
