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CasaDeWinn

Health & Fitness

4 Quick and Easy Tips to Lose Weight

Spring is here and my wedding is less than 4 months away!  This is post #1 in my special Spring Cleaning Week. In this post I will share with you my fool proof tips on weight loss without the expensive gym membership or hours spent on the breaking a sweat! People believe that cleaning can only happen on the exterior, but truth is it all starts from within. Now I am not trying to get “spiritual” with you I am simply sharing what to me is a fact. Yes a fact. What you think about, what you eat and what you believe in really do shape up to be what you look like, feel like, and what your life is like. In this first post I would like to share my tips on cleaning up and taking control of your body. I do not claim to be a fitness guru or health nut, I am however a very normal girl who loves food, who was raised on a rice and beans diet , who was NOT blessed with a fast metabolism who has lost and kept off about 45lbs without any “Diets”

This picture here shows my transformation from a chubby “Tortilla Girl” as I was once called to someone who still LOVES tortillas, but can strut her stuff in skinny jeans, run half marathons and not live on a lettuce diet. Ok so without any more complications I will answer the “How I Did It” question and share with you my full proof plan of how to cut the fat and keep it off.

1. Understand You Body Type
See we are NOT all created equal. Some people have big bobbies, others big thighs, some have a booty and others have big arms. Haven’t you noticed your friends are all shaped differently? Check out the pictures below and find your body type.

Many of us who have what I call the “Pear Shape or Type 2” are so adamant on being a “Type 1” or those of us who have broad shoulders or are not petite keep comparing ourselves to little 4 foot nothing girls. Let me share this with you… you will not and cannot look like the other person. Once you identify your body type you can identify what has to and can go and what your born with and should just learn to love. For example, I am a Body Type 1. I struggle with love handles. I eat a pea and it goes straight to my love handles! But I have slim legs and a decent booty. So knowing my shape I can work on those areas.

2. Understand Metabolism
Someone once told me “Your body’s metabolism is like a computer. When you do not feed it, it will go on sleep mode and on sleep mode it stops working and stops burning calories.” So because of this you want to get rid of the idea of eating 3 square meals a day. Breakfast, Lunch Dinner is old school. The way the fitness and nutrition experts recommend is 5 small meals day.
Try this:
Breakfast
Morning Snack
Lunch
Afternoon Snack
Dinner

Making sure each time you eat is roughly approximately 300 calories with 2 of those meals stretching to 500 calories.

3. Count Your Calorie Budget
Point #2 is connected to point #3. Do yourself a favor and visit http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Input all the information and find out what your ideal calorie count is and think of that as your “Calorie Budget” for the day. I suggest you begin to pay attention to what you eat and especially what you drink. It is shocking to learn that some drinks have as many calories as a burger! Yes that fancy frappachino you are drinking is loaded with calories and fat.

4. Beware of the 3 Ds – Drinks, Dressings and Desserts

I know I love all three too! Now I know some of you loooooooooooove your Cokes in the morning and your colorful fruit juices and loads of dressings on your salads. But I promise you this single step of eliminating these three items from your daily diet can make a world of a difference. Pay attention to what you drink. Sometimes these drinks can pack more sugar and calories than a cheeseburger! And that salad that was healthy, once you poor your ranch dressing on it is equivalent to the fat and calories in chili cheese fries. So follow my tips.

The only liquids I drink are:
1. Water
2. Coffee or Team
3. My favorite low sugar and calorie protein shake.
4. Wine
5. Non-Fruity mixed drinks…. Stick to Liquor and seltzer or tonic.

Dressings and Sauces …
1. Always ask for sauce and dressing on the side
2. When eating pasta choose a red tomato based sauce over milk and cheese based sauces.
Dessert
1. Know what satisfies your sweet tooth and find a healthy alternative to it. For example I LOOVEEEEEEEEEE ice cream so a low fat soft serve yogurt or sorbet does the trick with half the calories.
5. Sharing Is Caring and Also a Great Way To Maintain Your Weight.
We live in a “Super Sized” world. Everything is Ginormous…. So my trick is sharing or splitting. If I am out eating at a restaurant I either share my dinner or once I get my dish I immediately ask for a to go box. Eat only half and save the other half for next days’ lunch or eat it later that evening.

Lastly I want to remind you that everything in moderation is key and that these are simply my tips that I follow til this day. I enjoy great food way too much to completely eliminate one type or another. So instead I just keep up with these 5 simple steps and keep trotting along from great restaurant to great restaurant. Life is too short… eat dessert first!

What are your “stay in shape tips” share with us please, we would like to know.

Kitchen & Baths, Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom Remodel

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there is one place other than my kitchen where I needed to have plenty of space and all the perks was my master bathroom. I have always loved staying at nice boutique hotels for the comfy beds and the awesome bathrooms. Soaker tubs, perfect lighting, large shower heads and more! When I recently underwent a major home renovation the master bathroom was an area of focus for us to create our own 5 star hotel bathroom retreat.

First – Decide on your lifestyle needs. Are you someone who likes to take baths? Only showers? Shower with your husband or wife? Need a make-up and hair area? Low maintenance? For my husband and I having both a shower and a bath was important. We both like to take baths and a shower alone or jointly to conserve water … wink wink… were important to us. Another thing that I always wanted is the idea of a “getting ready space” . The idea of showering and stepping out to my closet to select my clothes and get dressed without having to walk across my bedroom  dripping water all over my wood floors to get to my closet seemed logical to me. Good ventilation and a separate toilet room are necessary for this layout.

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Next, Select the overall look and feel for your bath. Some people love a very traditional look, others a zen spa like look… for me I wanted something classic with a modern glamorous twist. I chose to stick to porcelain tile for the marble look because dealing with yellowing marble in the years to come was not what I was looking forward to. I selected Porcelanosa marmol carrara blanco because their tile is a large format which means few grout lines. Eternity white mini strip a beautiful accent strip that I would use as my niche, backsplash and tub surround. Lastly for my shower floor I used a natural stone to make it feel more spa like.

BeforeMasterBathSketch

During….

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The After!!

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Desserts, What's Cookin

Mexican bread pudding “Capirotada” Recipe

This recipe I am going to share with you is one of my favorites to make and eat during Lent. I grew up eating this and always loved it when my mom made it. Capirotada is traditionally a food Mexicans make and eat during Lent. After Ash Wednesday begins Lent. Lent is the 40-day (excluding Sundays) season that precedes Easter. On Ash Wednesday and all Fridays throughout Lent, most people fast and abstain from eating meat and a Mexican tradition is to make this bread pudding “Capirotada” Recipe…

The most popular food we eat during Lent is capirotada. Capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding made with cinnamon, piloncillo, cloves, raisins, bread, and cheese. Yes, you read it right…cheese. The combination of these ingredients make my mouth water!

The tradition of making this dish for many Mexican and Mexican-American families is as a a reminder of the suffering of Christ on the cross. The ingredients in this recipe carry a rich and symbolic representation. The bread is for the Body of Christ, the syrup is his blood, the cloves are the nails on the cross, the cinnamon sticks symbolize the wooden cross, and the melted cheese stands for the Holy Shroud. My mom has been making this recipe for years and below I will share with you this quick and easy recipe for you to try and enjoy!

Ingredient List

4 Bolillo rolls or French rolls (try buying them pre toasted if available)

Water

2 Piloncillo cones (Mexican brown sugar)

3 Cinnamon sticks

1 cup cheese (I prefer mozzarella) but anything that can be shredded

1 cup Raisins

1 cup Dried Prunes

4 tablespoons of Butter

** Preheat oven to 350 degrees

First
Dice your banana, shred your cheese, and have all other ingredients ready in bowls.

Mexican bread pudding “Capirotada” Recipe

 

2p

Next,
Combine water (about 4 cups), cinnamon, and piloncillo in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside.

3p

Then,

In your “olla” or a large casserole dish line the bottom of it with tortillas. This is so it creates a base so it will not stick.The begin the first layer of your toasted bread and lay it flat on the bottom. Do it like this:

2

 

You will then begin to layer on all the other ingredients. The bananas, peanuts, raisins, cheese, etc.

3

7

5

At the very end of your layers you then pour the syrup you made with the piloncillo. Drench the entire thing! Make sure it is very wet. You want the bread to be mushy.
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Lastly,
Stick it in an oven at 350 degrees and bake for about 2 hours.

This is your result!

Mexican bread pudding “Capirotada” Recipe

 

 

Love & Marriage, Personal Growth, Relationships

Technology Free Time

Whether you are in a relationship or not. I felt that this tip of mine can be useful for ALL relationships, not just those full of sexual energy. We all have someone special in your lives, don’t we? One of the best things you can do is disconnect, to connect! Technology free time is what we all need!

no-technology

In today’s world we are more connected than ever! Mobile phones and social networks have made our lives almost feel like the Truman Show, where many times we forget that the only person you are putting on a “show” for should be you! So many times we are not enjoying the present for fear of not being able to “connect” or have a need to “share” it with millions of others. In a relationship learn to be present when you are together- Disconnect Yourself and have technology free time.
technology free time

A very close friend of mine in a successful relationship shared this tip with me. “Designate certain “technology-free” times, when you just spend time with each other — no cell phones, computers, iPads, tv, etc. Use that time to cook and eat dinner together, play a game, go for a walk, or do something else “unplugged.”” During these times are when you and your significant other should communicate. Have conversations about what you are going through. Share with them your thoughts and feelings. When I was dating a lot, the worst thing a guy could do is text while on the date. That rule applies not only while dating, but I also think during the times you’re with your significant other you should hold the same level of respect. Not answering your phone for 30 minutes while enjoying dinner or a walk with the dogs is not going to kill your business. And if it is, then what type of unsuccessful business are you running?

But the person you are with may not be just the boyfriend of girlfriend. What about time with your friends? Or your mother? The lesson here is disconnecting will help you connect better with the people you are around physically on this world with. You do remember that we are human beings made of flesh and have emotions and can talk and are more than a Facebook status or a virtual game..right?? SO act like it! 🙂

Personal Finance, Travel

How To Get Cheap Flights

How to get cheap flights is something everyone wants to do, but few people know how to. I recently booked a non-stop round trip ticket to Athens & return from Istanbul for under $700!! I will share with you 5 simple steps on what to do to help you to get cheap flights.

How to book cheap flights

How to book cheap flights

Now if you know me you know that I am very savvy with my money. I am not a cheap ass because I love to splurge and buy and live in luxury, but I also do not like paying extra for no reason at all. So unless I am traveling more than 9 hours I will 100% of the time fly coach class anything more then  see the need to sprawl out and fly first class. I just do not see the justification to spend extra when I could buy and use it for something else or help a sick kid pay for his hospital bills! Needless to say I am a sucker for scoring great flights for cheap and I will share with you what I do here.


1. Plan To Depart & Return on Tuesdays or Wednesdays    

Whether you are planning a family vacation or just going home for the holidays. If you  are able to schedule your trips for Tuesday and Wednesday departures and arrivals you can save up to $100 or more per person. Be a little flexible and realize that not all vacations needs to start on Fridays or Saturdays. If it is a matter of work days off, again see what coming in 2 days later to the office can do for you in terms of the money you will save.

how to book cheap flights

how to book cheap flights

2. Buy Flights on Tuesday Evenings EST

I read and researched this few years ago and discovered that in deed if I were to go online and search for airline tickets to buy on a Tuesday evening I would be more likely to find lower fares than compared to the same search on the same sites on any other night. Don’t believe me? Check out this study by Farecompare.com found this was the best time to buy airline tickets and shop for domestic travel.

3. Use Internet Sites. Avoid Travel Agents

Who uses travel agencies anyway… right? Well I like to use sites like Kayak or Flightfox to give me an overall idea of the best prices on the market. I do however once I find certain flights that can work I end up being loyal to my Expedia or Priceline site and buy directly from them. If you haven’t done so already make sure you sign up for an account so you can start accumulating points.

4. Trade In Your Rewards Points On Your Credit Card or Earn More!

I have earned free flights or had to pay as little as $60 for a round trip ticket just because I used one of my reward credit cards to purchase it. I currently have the CitiCard Thank You Network , Discover card and American Express Travelers rewards card. Anytime I need to spend more than $50 on something I usually charge it on the card. You would be surprised how much a little does. Once I have enough points I trade them in or use it towards my purchase. ** Please note you must be responsible when using credit cards and PAY THEM OFF.  🙂

5.  The 24 Hour Rule

Once you have purchased your ticket check the fare of the same flight on your airline and all others. If you happen to find a cheaper flight whether it is on the same airline or a different one often times the airlines will allow you to cancel your flight with no penalties and you can book the cheaper flight.

If you follow my steps this will never be the case, but hey if you happen to slip once and buy on a different night, then try it out.

Hope you have enjoyed these tips. Happy Travels!

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Ayutthaya day tour for under $40

If you are planning a trip to Bangkok area visiting the ancient original capital of Thailand may be something you want to do. I will share with you how to plan an Ayutthaya day tour for under $40!  With most tours starting at $80 per person this is clearly an easy way to save some money and best… do things on your own terms and time! You can accomplish this tour for much less per person should you be traveling in a group of 4. Ayutthaya was the original capital of the land known as Thailand and still complete with many ruins and a well deserved day visit, but I was not so enthusiastic about spending an entire 8 hour day with a buss full of people so I search for a less expensive method to visit the city on my own terms and time and will share how.

First hope on the very easy to use MTR and head to the National Monument easily accessible via the MTR. Exit National Monument and head towards the outer rims of the square to look for ticket stands and white minibuses.

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Just ask anyone for the bus to Ayutthaya and someone is sure to point you to the right bus.
Fully air conditioned,  clean and seat about 12 passengers the round to Ayutthaya will set you back 60  baht ($2 USD). Minibus looks like this:

bangkok_minivans

We hopped on and were met by a group honeymooning also from Spain a father and son traveling from France, a loan woman traveling from mainland China and 3 other locals headed back home. After about an 1 and a half journey you will be dropped off in what seems a rather shady little stop in Ayutthaya where there is likely to be a tuk tuk driver or two. The tuk tuk drivers charge $200 baht per hour to drive you around.  That is the going rate. You can try to negotiate less, but hey 200 baht is already a steal!  The tuk tuk fit up to 4 adults comfortably do not attempt to squeeze in more… You will hate yourself for it.
Although these drivers are NOT tour guides they know the area well enough to guide you to the must see ruins. You can either do your homework before your trip or guide yourself by the English written signs outside each ruin.
All the attractions have a fee to enter and vary between 20 to 100 baht.

Ayutthaya is a big city.  I do not recommend trying to view everything by foot as everything is spread out quite far.  I also do not recommend viewing by bike on any of the hot months…  Walking around alone makes you sweat as if you are in a sauna let alone peddling on a bike! Scooters are at your own risk. I found the rounds to be too risky with drivers driving however they wanted and at speeds not recommended. Best bet is to hop on a tuk-tuk and be driven around everywhere you want to go.

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Enjoy Ayutthaya!!  Travel Often!

Entrepreneur's Corner, Health & Fitness

Making The Most Of Your Morning

Mornings, you either love them or hate’em. Here is Making The Most Of Your Morning. I have always been a part of the team which loves mornings. I remember even as a kid growing up in the southern California coast, I enjoyed the cold, crips, dewing morning walks to school. Of course like many of you I too hit the snooze button…. Several times and I want to stay in bed and snuggle, rather than get up.

And on cold mornings I don’t even want to think about leaving the warm blankets, but it is not about not wanting to sleep it is about how you start your day. Today, I realize more and more how important it is to not only learn to enjoy mornings, but really devise a plan to make sure your mornings are enjoyable and start off on the right track.

I do not claim to be a ball of sunshine every morning, but I will say I am 99% more likely to have a kick butt start to my day vs. the rest of the world, so cannot hurt to see what I do to make sure my days start in the best possible way. Making the most of your morning starts here. Here are a few things I do to make sure I start my day out right and you should try them too!

Never Go To Sleep Upset or Unsettled
There is nothing worse you can do to your state of mind and wellbeing than to finish your day in a bad mood. I have done that before and it eats ya up! Maybe you had a fight with your significant other or got some bad news whatever it is the worse thing to do is “pretend” to “let it go” and “fall asleep”. I use quotations because we all know if you have done this before, your mind really does not shut down. You stay up restless in bed and cannot fall asleep.

So how do you get out of that mood? Try to solve the problem or talk about it to someone. Sometimes simply sharing what is bothering you with someone whom you respect and cares about you is extremely helpful since they can add a perspective you may not have seen and offer help or advice.

Always Plan Out Your Day The Night Prior
I learned this habit and tip years ago and have adopted it in my nightly routine ever since. If you find yourself waking up and not really knowing what to do with your day, lollygaging around the house or you are so stuck in your “Go to work routine” you hop in your car or on the metro and ask yourself “How the heck did I make it into work today?” Then you are running on auto pilot and have no plans to accomplish anything new.

So do this, hake a list of things you want to do or accomplish the next day or even add things for the week.

There is no right or wrong way to make this list, just start writing and make it. I will share more about How To Make A To Do List in future post, but for now write down anything even something like “Pluck my eyebrows” or “pay my cell phone bill” like I said anything and everything you need to get done.

Next, have somewhat of a plan of when to do some of the things listed. Not all will be able to be completed the following day, but maybe some you can knock out at your lunch break or in the evening. Do it and you will find you will be more restful when you sleep.

Sleep In Something Comfortable or…. Nothing at All.
Worst thing to do is go to sleep uncomfortable, so invest into some comfy jammies or if you prefer the Birthday Suit then by all means, sleep naked! Some people like to sleep with socks on others don’t. Some like sleeves others don’t. Wear what is comfortable to you.

Invest Into A Great Pillow or Someone To Snuggle With
A few weeks ago I was given this stuffed animal bulldog as a gift. It isn’t very big or the most elaborate fluffy animal, but man oh man it is very comfortable! I booted my pillow and when I sleep alone lay my head on his butt and that becomes my pillow! So maybe you need a fancy pillow or your own plush animal or my favorite a nice chest and someone to snuggle with. Where and how you rest your head is important in having a great night sleep, so go on and get yourself something or someone to lay on!

It Is Better To Sleep Alone Than In Bad Company
My mom taught me this at a very young age. She used to always say “it is better to be alone than in bad company” and this extends with who you share your bed with. If the person you fall asleep to nightly no longer is the one you want to snuggle up against and wrap your arms around them and instead you find yourself laying at the edge of your bed wondering how the heck you don’t fall off it, then there is more to consider. I have always said to myself, “the person I fall asleep with every night has to be someone who makes me want to jump their bones and want to wake up to see the next day with.”

Wee Hours Of The Morning Sex (If Applicable)
Ok, ok so whether it is early morning sex or night sex or quickie sex or all night long sex… my point is pretty clear… make sure you are having sex…. protected safe sex that is. And please people do not take this the wrong way I have to set out my warnings this does not mean I feel you should go around sleeping with everyone giving them a turn. I am talking about the humanistic, health and mental benefits of a good, happy, loving sex life. If you are blessed to have a partner then great for you, the challenge here is how to keep the sex great and enjoyable. If you do not, then listen we are all human beings and our animalistic urges cannot and will not be stopped suddenly so without getting to much into details figure something out, there are plenty of helpful “tools” to help satisfy that area of our basic human needs.

Pleasurable Morning Sights and Sounds
What you see and hear when you first wake up plays an important role in your morning so if you have one of these annoying or scary fire alarm sounding alarms… change it! Try something that is a little more pleasant, but yet loud enough to wake you up. Who do you talk to in the morning? Are they someone who makes you feel good or upsets you? Is your room bright? Do you have nice sights surrounding you? Maybe post up some pleasant pictures or landscapes.

Have some morning tips you would like to share with us!

 

Entrepreneur's Corner

How To Make A To Do List

To do or not to do, that is the question. Find yourself constantly forgetting to get things done? Credit card bills are always paid late, not because you cannot afford the minimum, but just because you forget? Weeks and months go by and you still have not signed up for the gym?

A To Do List can do wonders!!

Above is a picture of an example of one of my list.. as you see not too fancy just on a post it note! I started having or making To Do list because I was just so dang forgetful! I would have so many thoughts and things I would be working on that I would completely forget to do things. My credit score used to be terrible because not only was I unable to afford the minimum payments, but once I was able to, I would still forget to pay it simply because I would forget.

For those of you who do not know me well, I am a big competitor. everything I do I treat it like a sport, so I call began calling my “To Do” list a “To Accomplish List”. Having “To Do” something was just so mentally draining like knowing I had to do it, made me NOT want to instantly. So I tricked my mind to make it seem more like a mission or a game to me. Will it work for you? Not sure, but you can do whatever you feel will help you. The point is to start with something and have some sort of a plan. I have always thought in the world there are two types of people:
1. To Do List People
2. No List People

Clearly if you do your own survey I am sure that you will see how the later, fall short of everything they do in their lives and are always guided by the “To Do” or as I like to refer to it as the “To Accomplish” People.
One of my favorite business philosophers, Jim Rohn (R.I.P) use to say the formula for success was “Could, Should, Do” while the formula for disaster was “Should, Could Don’t”. When people know they should do something and could do something, but they just don’t… that leads to failure and disaster. People “should all over themselves”.

So to become someone who accomplishes things, simply start with this and today there are a ton of neat products, websites and tools to help keep track of things for you. I have found some to be very helpful and others to be too complicated. Here are some of my favorite To Do efficiency tools that really help.

Google Calendars– Have somewhere to go, do or be at? Simply enter into your calendar and you can set alerts and reminders that can be emailed to you or sent as notifications directly to your phone.

Mobile Phone Alerts– Iphone, DROID, Blackberry I laugh every time people engage in the “cell Phone Wars” debating about which phone is best…. Ugh, ugh… Iphone baby! Hahaha. Whatever you use I know one thing, they all have fancy things you can set where you can type in your To Do List and set reminders for you to do them.
Good Ol’Paper and Pen – Really this is my favorite way. I just simply always have a list somewhere. It usually isn’t too fancy. Sometimes it is on a post it note, a scrap piece of paper or on a napkin… really.

Above is a picture of an example of one of my list.. as you see not too fancy just on a post it note!
Making Your List.

I keep it very simple. I either number things or just make little checkboxes. Always start with listing the action or thing that needs to be done the soonest. It may not be the most important, but it has a deadline. Write these down. Then write items that are important. A helpful way of writing it is to split your list in two segments. Personal things and work/business related. Or maybe Highly Important vs. Non important. Find whatever way works best for you.
Beware of the scroll looking To Do list; you know the one that runs on and on and on.

Most importantly here it is: It is OK if you DO NOT complete everything in a day or two days or three. It is ok, just keep it on the list, but do complete it at one point.

Have some To Do tips you would like to share?  

 

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

How to get to Sheraton Hotel Towers Hong Kong for Under $10

Hong Kong is synonymous for skyscrapers, crowded streets & intimidating transportation, but getting to this hotel is as easy as 1,2,3!
airport-express1

The easiest and least expensive option is to take advantage of the Sky Train. Airport sky train signs are located throughout the departure zone just follow those to the kiosks where English speaking customer service can help you.

Buy a 1 way ticket for or a round-trip for $90HK prices as of August 2015.

The train is extremely clean and plenty of room for you and your luggage.
Airport_Express_Interior
You will take the airport express train to Kowloon station where you will get off and take the shuttle bus labeled K4.

Be sure to present your airport pass as it is a complimentary service with any airport train pass.

The K4 bus makes its first stop at the Sheraton Towers Hong Kong. Wahlah! You have arrived and now it is time to enjoy beautiful and innovative Hong Kong.

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

3 Day Itinerary at Beyond Krabi Resort

Our first stop in our 2 week visit to Thailand included 3 days in the beautiful scenic area of Krabi. Here is my 3 itinerary for Krabi. If you can spend an entire week lounging on the beach then that is great, but being from Southern California we decided to just stay 3 days and head to other areas of Thailand, But Krabi stayed in our hearts and we loved it!

While in Krabi we decided to stay at a resort located about 3 miles from the Aonong center. We stayed at Beyond Krabi Resort and so glad that we did. The resort is on a beautiful property landscaped perfectly and the rooms well kept and clean. The lobby is spectacular as it overlooks the Adaman Sea and the resort is fully stocked with a gorgeous infinity pool and lounge chairs. Check out this hotel!
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Staying here means you are not walking distance to the Aonong downtown if you are into more of a touristic feel then you may want to opt to stay cost to Aonong. The hotels near downtown seem a little more dated and the amenities are not the same. From Beyond Krabi Resort you can easily take a tuk tuk for about 30p bhat or taxi for 409bhat. We decided to rent a scooter for 300bhat all day to go around the beach town. TIP: leave a cash deposit instead of your passport.
scooter

We rode our scooter to Aonong and then for 100 baht took a long tail taxi about a 10 minute ride to Railey Beach. I loved Railey beach! Very calm beautiful warm waters. Walk to the east bay via the main road and then walk through the monkey trail to get to Phrang Nang Bay another gorgeous beach! Here you can eat great food right on the beach from one of these little beach long tail cafe boats. Fully stocked!

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Enjoying our yummy Thai chicken!!!
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Second day we reserved a snorkeling tour to Phi Phi Islands which we reserved through a local tour guide located right outside of our hotel. The tour made a stop at Maya Bay where the movie The Beach was filmed and then a stop at Emerald Bay for snorkeling.. Both were breath taking!
Once we finally reached Phi Phi I was greatly disappointed… It was a run down, over crowded tourist trap. It was dirty and there was little to no charm… all the other islands and beaches were much more prettier than Phi Phi Islands.

Our third and final day we spent it at our lovely resort enjoying of Thai massages on the beach, cocktails and complete relaxation!

Happy Travels!