Kazurabashi of Iya

The Kazurabashi of Iya or the Vine Bridge in Iya Valley is a bit of an overstated tourist attraction. It is a small walking bridge that you pay to cross. They even built a pedestrian bridge on the side of the road so you can view the bridge.

Kazurabashi of Iya

Kazurabashi of Iya

The Japanese Wisteria (purple vine in the photos) smells extremely fragrant and although it is very common throughout Shikoku it set the scene very nicely by blooming right in front of the bridge. It smells amazing and pollinators love it so you can almost here their buzz over the crowds of tourits.

Kazurabashi of Iya

I didn't pay to cross the bridge because the view is nicer looking at it but it was incredibly busy and is quite impossible to get a photo without anyone on the bridge. There was usually a line-up to cross and the best was when there was a bit of a lull in customers and I had only a few people or people in dull colours crossing.

Kazurabashi of Iya from behind

The waterfall nearby the bridge is really really close and is just right on the side of the road. It is a small but nice waterfall flowing into a small pool and down into the main river. A lot of ferns, moss and marchanita growing on the rocks with bright green Japanes maples making a nice canopy made the spot look intensely green.

Marchantia

Waterfall near Kazurabashi of Iya

There was a Japanese Brown Frog by the waterfall  that was a lovely treat to see and photograph.  There are a lot of frogs in the genus Rana that look quite similar to this in Japan so I hope my ID is correct on this one. I have been using a Japanese field guide and google translate only works so well with it.

Japanese Brown Frog (Rana japonica)

Phang Nga National Park, Thailand

The accommodation at Phang Nga National Park was actually very impressive and way more than I was expecting from a park. We had good wifi, a kettle and fridge. The beds were very very hard but the room was spacious, nicely decorated and clean.

accommodation at Phang Nga National Park

 Our first day in Phang Nga National Park was quite lazy. We all had gotten sick from being on the shuttle with other people who were sick. We just relaxed and walked around the park a bit and then walked into the town of Tha Dan. The national park like so many others doesn't have a mantained trail and the only existing trail actually dead ends where a previously existing bridge over a channel through the mangroves collapsed. The entire trail is maybe about 200m max.

Phang Nga National Park, Thailand

Phang Nga National Park, Thailand

Phang Nga National Park, Thailand

 Food in the national park is good but Hotel Murano in town (Tha Dan) had better prices and more accommodating hours. Portions were smaller but it is still more than enough for a meal.

Tha Dan near Phang Nga National Park, Thialand

Brown Shrike

We weren't expecting to be so late in town so I made a rookie mistake and forgot to bring a flashlight but an owl flew overhead on our way back into the park! I was so disappointed in myself for not being able to find it again due to my silly mistake. Still even on the way in there were lots of birds including a Brown Shrike, Egrets, Swallows and Bulbuls.

The park at night had absolutely nothing. It was very very silent and I didn't find any reptiles, amphibians or owls until I got back to my room and found a treefrog in a little water dish I had set out.

Common Southeast Asian Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

An island tour is 1500TB for three people (not including park fee of 300TB each). You can negotiate a little on the price or length of time but they are all about the same. The lowest I heard of anyone going was 1300TB for 4 hours. The tour typically includes six sights, some of which you just drive by on the boat and other you stop at.

Phang Nga National Park Islands, Thailand

1. Khao Khien is a site with ancient painting on the cliff face from 3000 years ago. You drive past this is the boat.

Khao Khien, Thailand

2 and 3. Tham Lod and Koh Talu are caves under the karst mountains viewed from the boat. You can rent a kayak to go underneath and around Koh Talu but it is incredibly crowded.

Koh Talu Cave

4. Khao To Poo (James Bond Island) you actually get off the boat and walk around. There is a small trail over to the flowerpot formation and beach from the movie and some stands are set up selling souvenirs.

Khao To Poo (James Bond Island, Thailand

5. Also on the James Bond Island is Khao Ping-kan, a huge rock formation from a crack and sliding of rock at a fault.

Khao Ping-kan, Khao To Poo, Thailand

6. Koh Panyee is a island with a 200 year old muslim fishing village on it. You can get off here and enjoy restaurants and souvenir shops. Feel free to barter for the souvenirs and you can try to ask the guide for extra time to eat lunch  since sometimes they get paid by the restaurants for bringing people in.

Koh Panyee, Thailand

Koh Panyee, Thailand

Koh Panyee, Thailand