Traveling To And From The Gathering
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International Arrival in Thailand:
You will have to fill out an arrival form given to you on the plane. Put the following address on the form IF you are arriving on January 18 and the gathering is the first place you will stay in Thailand. Otherwise, give the address of the first hotel you will stay in.
Koh Yao Yai Activities Resort
106/8, Moo 3, Tumbon Prunai, Amphoe Koh Yao
Phang Nga, 83000 Ko Yao Yai, Thailand
Travel to Phuket and Group Departure to the Island January 18:
Plan your arrival flight to Phuket (HKT) airport. There are now many direct international flights to Phuket, but, if you decide to stop over in Bangkok before or after the gathering there are always informal activities and gatherings pre- and postgathering – ask in the WhatsApp group or on our Facebook page. From Bangkok to Phuket – the cheapest flights are from the budget airline airport, Don Muang (DMK) which is served by Nok Air and others. Budget airlines Thai VietJet and Air Asia now also fly from BKK.
All budget carriers charge for checked luggage and limit carry on baggage to 6-7 kilos. Bangkok Airways, Thai Smile and Thai Airlines fly from the BKK airport and generally cost more than the discount airlines but give you a 20 kilo luggage allowance.
Group Departure: If you are planning to travel with the group on Thurs. January 18 from the Phuket Airport to the island, please meet in front of the domestic terminal no later than 12 noon. The easiest/coolest place to meet no later than 12 noon is at the chairs just after you exit the luggage area and just before you exit to outside. Use the WhatsApp group and its handy location/GPS function to stay in touch if you are lost. At 12 noon we will take several minivans together to the Jianwanich pier for the 2pm-ish large ferry boat. If you miss the group departure you can still get there on later boats departing until 5pm from Jianwanich or Bang Rong piers.
From Phuket to Koh Yao Yai:
Our host on Koh Yao Yai is the Koh Yao Yai Activities Resort. If you are arriving late or otherwise need help finding a driver from the airport to the Jian Wanich pier, finding the correct pier in Phuket, or finding the island or the gathering site once the gathering has started call Mr. Wirote on 081.893.8901 or internationally +66 81.893.8901. You can also call Habibi via WhatsApp on +17189710560.
Koh Yao Yai is an island in the Andaman sea directly east of Phuket Island about 1 hour by ferry or 20 minutes by speedboat. On the first day of the gathering, at 12:15pm we’ll travel by minivan from the Domestic Arrivals exit of the Phuket airport to the ferry pier. If you are traveling by rail or bus, please plan to arrive at the Jian Wanich Pier in Phuket Town before 13:45 (1:45pm). Please let us know if you plan to ride in the van with the group. See below for maps to find the pier. Tell your driver or motorbike boy you are going to “Ta Jian Wanid” or the Jianwanid Pier for the Koh Yao Yai boat to “Loh Jak Pier”. If your driver or motorcycle does not know the pier please call John on the above number. The ferry boat takes about 1 hour and the fare is 200 THB (US$5) per person. There are two piers on Phuket with boats going to Koh Yao Yai: Jian Wanich Pier and Bangrong Pier. We recommend Jian Wanich pier as it arrives very near the gathering site. The boats from Bangrong pier arrive at the far end of Koh Yao Yai, 20 kilometers away from the gathering. In any case, if you are not traveling with the group, you will probably want us to arrange someone to pick you up at the arrival pier and bring you to the gathering site, so let us know your arrival plans.
From the pier to the gathering site:
The gathering site is about 5 minutes by car or motorcycle from the Loh Jak pier. Sometimes the larger, slower ferry boats arrive at Laem Yai pier which is about 10 kilometers away.
If you have luggage you are probably going to want us to arrange a car or motorcycle to meet you. Without luggage you can walk it in about 20-30 minutes. Walk off the pier and up the hill, turn right at the T-intersection and walk 15-20 min. Activities is on the right where the road has a left turn for Mangrove Forest.
Leaving Koh Yao Yai:
The speed boat from Jianwanich to Phuket takes 20 minutes. The ferry boat takes 60 minutes.
You will need a pre-ordered taxi or van to meet you and take you to the airport (45min.). Plan on 3.5 hours to get from Koh Yao Yai to the Phuket airport check-in. Don’t book a morning flight before 11am out of Phuket unless you are prepared to leave the gathering the afternoon before and spend the night in Phuket. You can also travel to Koh Yao Noi, a short longtail boat ride, then cross that island and take a ferry to Krabi.
Maps:
Jianwanich Pier on Google Maps is at http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=7.8822588,98.413836&z=18&t=h&hl=en
Loh Jak Pier and the bungalows on Google Maps are at http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=7.9328912,98.575231&z=14&t=h&hl=en
