Krabi, Thailand made me homesick

It's funny how you go far away from home for that "much-needed break" only to be haunted by what is familiar. In my case, it was a return to Krabi, one of Thailand's lesser-known, beautiful seaside towns. There are plenty of similarities between Thailand and the Philippines, where I am originally from, gorgeous beaches with breath-taking sunsets being some of them.

We were fortunate enough to stay at our favorite resort in Krabi, Rayavadee, five years after our last visit. If it's at all possible, the resort was even better than what we remembered it to be, and that's saying a lot as it has always been one of the best places we've ever stayed at in Asia. They welcomed us back like long-lost friends, pleased to see that this time around, we have not one but two sons making the trip.

The ecologicaly sound but luxurious villas are two storey, cozy structures topped with a roof that resembles a local wide brimmed hat. The hat, looks exactly like the "salakot" that Filipino farmers wear to ward off the heat of the noonday sun as they till the land. I see the local vendors wearing the hat as they ply the shallow waters, offering everything from henna tattoes to impromptu massages on the beach. I smile and think the scene is probably being repeated in Boracay or Mindoro at that very moment.

The villas are surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens, each unit seemingly dropped into its own private Eden. The paths are shaded by the ubiquitous coconut trees, thoughtfully shed of its delicious but hard-shelled fruits (you wouldn't want one dropping on your head, something that happens when the fruit is "old" enough). Coconuts are of course, practically our national tree, and seeing so many of them swaying in the sultry breeze brought back a lot of memories of endless summers outside the capital. I wondered if I can cajole one of the staffers to climb one for us - it was always the best way to get a fresh coconut drink back home.

Frangipani, birds of paradise and bougainvillea dot the gardens; the same flowers that grow in our yard in Manila. The limestone cliffs remind me of the towering ones in Palawan, and the fine sand make me think of Boracay's own powder that would glow in the moonlight. The snorkeling around Krabi was good, but that just made me wish for the even more vibrant marine life in Anilao and Cebu.

The friendly staff of Rayavadee reminded me of Filipinos too. They always ask me where I am from, as they are always startled to find out that I am not Thai. "We are the same," they always say, pointing to our caramel skin color. I smile my agreement. With each trip I make, I see more and more similarities with the world and its people, rather than differences. I tell them, if you visit my country, they will think you are Filipino too.

As we explore the beaches, I can't help but think about the Philippines and its own beautiful coastlines... The Philippines is, after all, an archipelago of over 7,100 islands. Looking at Thailand's pristine beaches make me lament my own country's treatment of its resources. I can't help but compare the progressive laws that the Thai government has put into place to protect its landscape while promoting numerous towns as tourist destinations. I'm amazed at what Thailand has been able to accomplish in the last few decades, putting itself on the map while remaining true to its culture and traditions.

I pined for "home," the Philippines, where I was born and raised but haven't lived in in almost a decade. I dream of its beaches, its mountains, its valleys, its people... my country with all its heartbreaking problems. I look at its neighbor, Thailand, and hope for good things to happen to it as well. It took a visit to a different locale, yet so similar a place, to make me yearn for home.