sunrise tour | Flights. Camera. Satisfaction.

Maya Bay is a tourist hotspot and at peak times you’ll do well to see the sand for the people. So we decided to take a sunrise tour of the Koh Phi Phi islands to try and beat the crowds. While it was made famous by its appearance in “The Beach”, our guide assured us that the bay had actually been very popular before the film cast a spotlight onto it. This allayed any feelings that we might be late to the party. I was skeptical that our departure time of 6:30am would give us much of an advantage, but I rested safe in the knowledge that whatever the outcome we’d made the best effort to get there as early as possible.

We really had no idea how busy the beach would be when we arrived. Our boat coasted up to the shore at about 7:45am and I counted only 10 people already on the beach. There was just one longtail boat parked up in the shallow water. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was! And for about 15 minutes it really felt like paradise. Fortunately I managed to get this shot before the barrage of other tourists came motoring into the bay just after 8am. It captures a moment I’ll not soon forget.

Have you ever visited Maya Bay? Taken a sunrise tour to beat the crowds? Was it successful?! I’d love to hear from you!

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Each and every morning we see the beginning of a beautiful new day as the sun rises over the horizon. Or rather, many of us don’t see it because we are still sleeping. I think I can probably count the number of times I have actually seen a sunrise on one hand. Shame on me! So when we decided to take a sunrise tour to Koh Phi Phi in Thailand I was really excited to see what I’d been missing out on all these years.

Not only does this shot mark the beginning of a new day, but also the start of our boat trip to Koh Phi Phi Leh. So I think it’s perfect for this week’s photo challenge. As we rode out onto the water from the Phuket Marina I realised that we would be heading straight into the sunrise for most of the journey. The choppy water made it difficult to get a good shot, but I’m glad I kept my camera out. It was an unforgettable morning and well worth the 5:30am wake up call. But will I be greeting the sunrise on a regular basis now? Probably not!

How often do you make it out of bed in time to see the sunrise? What’s the most unforgettable sunrise you’ve seen? I’d love to hear from you!