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POSTCARDS FROM JOHN & JODY
| JODY JAFFE & JOHN MUNCIE | Postcards from
Yao Noi
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of
“postcards” sent to WDT Magazine publish-
er, Ron James, from veteran journalists and
friends Jody Jaffe and John Muncie as they
travel the globe. We hope you find them as
informative and enjoyable as he does.
Dear Ron,
You know how “amazing” is the most over-
used travel word around? Well, our boat ride
to the Thai island of Yao Noi was. . . .
We hopped a “long-tail” from Phuket’s Bang
Rong pier in late afternoon for the one-hour
ride to the island. “Long-tails” are skinny
wooden boats with a monster outboard in
back and a tiny cabin for the captain/stew-
ard/crewman. We were the only passengers.
We sat on deck, the wind in our hair and the
tangy smell of warm Phang Nga Bay (mixed
with diesel fumes) in our noses.
The sun set behind us and silhouetted the
famous limestone islets that jut dramatically
out of the Bay. A “National Geographic” mo-
ment come to life. (Make that a “Wine, Dine
and Travel” moment.) When we reached the
island, the sky had turned from bright Car-
oline blue to deep lilac, the western horizon
from yellow to red-orange.
The captain ran the long-tail right up on from the tourist destinations of Phuket to the west and Krabi to the east. Yao Yai is bigger
the rocky beach. He grabbed our bags and but Yao Noi has more amenities. And by “amenities” we mean a few miles of paved road,
we scampered over the side. A jeep awaited some restaurants, the obligatory coffee shop, a small strip of produce booths and beachwear
us, nothing else. No McDonalds, no shops shops and one ATM.
selling snow-globes. Just palm trees and a
mild sea breeze. Yao Noi is the antidote to Phuket and Krabi. It’s a great place to idle. And after the crowds
and craziness of Hong Kong and Bangkok, we need idle time.
Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai (“koh” is the
Thai word for “island”) are the biggest is- Love,
lands in the Bay and are roughly equidistant John and Jody
100 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014

