Thailand Holiday: Southern Islands
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So after Bangkok, night train to Chumphon, boat ferry to Ko Tao we arrived in paradise!
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We stayed in the beautiful Wind Beach Resort on Sai Ree beach.
The room felt like a honeymoon suite! Big bed, large flat screen TV, beautiful bathroom with open air shower, lovely view of the lush greenery and the ocean. Downstairs at the restaurant the bar led right up onto the beach, where you could sit on the deck and just relax under the palm trees. We went snorkeling and played some paddle ball in the knee warm water.
The relaxation was engulfing! So much so, that we didn’t realised we had to check out on the last day. This was a bit of a shocker as we also had to catch the morning boat ferry to the next island. In 40 min we had to pack up everything, check out and get to the other side of the island to catch the boat. We made it to the peer on time, but discovered we still had to pick up the ferry ticket as what we were holding in our hands was only the hotel receipt. We eventually got on and the journey wasn’t too long.
But because the catamaran was very fast it was also very bumpy and Mark was taking a greenish turn.
Second stop: Koh Samui. Here we skipped the middle island, for now, and went straight to the big (228.7 sq km) island of Koh Samui.
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We stayed at the gorgeously quirky Varinda Garden Resort. Perched on the side of a mountain with a lovely view of Lamai cove.
We walked around and explored a bit and one evening we went to Chaweng, the busy beach for some shopping and dinner.
Oh boy... this photo was taken just before my poisoned food arrived. We went to a rather fancy nice looking place on the main strip for dinner. And after a few hours later spent the next six hours vomiting and having diarrhea. Eventually landed up in hospital. If only I could remeber for sure the name of that restaurant...!
As far as hospitals on an island go, this place was absolutely stunning. Looked more like a high end resort on the outside and from what Mark tells me (because I was pretty much out of it) the staff and facilities were all pretty top notch too.
Third stop: Ko Pha Ngan. Even though Sandra wasn’t totally recovered yet, we had to keep moving as we had already paid in advance for all transport and accommodation. So onto a boat ferry again and backtrack slightly to the middle island, Ko Pha Ngan.
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That said, reading between the lines left little to be desired in this slump. Don’t know what the rest of the island really looked like, but where we were in Baan Tai beach, there is little there and no reason to stay here. The beach was pretty foul. Seaweed was churned up in the water and laying thick on the sand. later in the day it began to rot in the heat and really stink.
Our travel agent booked it for us for the Black Moon Party in the forest, but after our hospital stint there was no way we could go on with it. Also, I believe the agent may have gotten it wrong because the Black Moon Party was a beach party, and the forest party was the night before we got to Ko Pha-Ngan. Oh well....
Fourth stop: Koh Lanta. We left early, 6:30am, to take another boat ferry to the main land. From there a bus then a ferry again to get from the east coast to the west coast of the country. Had we known the distance was so great and the travel time so long (12 hours) we wouldn’t have agreed to broadening our trip to include the west coast.
When we finally reached our accommodation at “New Coconut Bungalows Resort” in the evening it looked like a squatter camp. We went through quite a lot of bush/jungle to get there and then there was just building rubble laying about everywhere and grass shacks. Even when we walked out to take a look at the beach it was all just ugly rocks. Shocked and disappointed after a long day of traveling we retired to the room which we were surprised even had air conditioning and a fridge. The bathroom though was flooded and stank.
Ok! The next day things didn’t look so horrendous. The ugly rock beach turned out to be extreme low tide and in the day is a great wave-free beach with a snorkeling area among the rocks. So we swam and had cocktails on the beach chairs. All was getting better again.
Fifth stop: Ao Nang, Krabi.
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Due to this, we didn’t do much ‘beach-ing’ but instead used this opportunity to go watch some Muay Thai Boxing at the local stadium. It was amazing to see kockout fights. Sometime the ritual dance the fighters would do beforehand could last longer than the first round as they can be noked out in only a handful of blows or kicks.
We also went sea kayaking in Ao Thalane through the canyons and the mangroves. Awe inspiring mountains of sheer cliff jutting out of the water, with thick jungle covering as much as its roots can anchor into.
Unfortunately Mark and Sandra will not be joining any Olympic teams for rowing. Poor Mark had to counter steer every few strokes and we had to strike a balance of taking photo’s, keeping the camera dry and trying to find a paddling rhythm. Sandra has one left turn only.
Lastly we had to travel over land by bus to Surat Thani, then back up to Bangkok via night train again.
We had a day to waste in Bangkok so we booked a little hotel near the airport and went to a big shopping mall to browse around.
Lots of things were on sale at that time, but seeing as we were severely over budget we didn’t buy much. We only bought some spices and herbs which we had set out to do so since the beginning. At least back home in Korea Sandra can make some delicious Thai food for a while!
***This post is preceded by Thailand Holiday: Bangkok. Go check that out first.
Although a lot happened while we were in Bangkok we were actually only there for three days. Which was enough, as most people will tell you. This next part of our holiday is actually the reason for choosing Thailand as our holiday destination, as all we wanted to do was chill on the beach with a cocktail in hand and nothing else to do.
For the most part we got that right. But we landed up moving from island to island every two or three days. Here’s the outline: Koh Tao -> Koh Samui -> Ko Pha Ngan -> Koh Lanta -> Ao Nang, Krabi.
Although a lot happened while we were in Bangkok we were actually only there for three days. Which was enough, as most people will tell you. This next part of our holiday is actually the reason for choosing Thailand as our holiday destination, as all we wanted to do was chill on the beach with a cocktail in hand and nothing else to do.
For the most part we got that right. But we landed up moving from island to island every two or three days. Here’s the outline: Koh Tao -> Koh Samui -> Ko Pha Ngan -> Koh Lanta -> Ao Nang, Krabi.
So after Bangkok, night train to Chumphon, boat ferry to Ko Tao we arrived in paradise!
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Once considered exclusively a dive destination, these days Ko Tao is nearly as popular with nondivers as it is with scuba enthusiasts. Small (it measures just 21 sq km) and laid-back, it’s become a haven for those seeking the beauty found on big sisters Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan without the chaos.
We stayed in the beautiful Wind Beach Resort on Sai Ree beach.
Second stop: Koh Samui. Here we skipped the middle island, for now, and went straight to the big (228.7 sq km) island of Koh Samui.
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[Samui] has become the Asian travel market's most enigmatic chameleon – as attractive to fire-twirling backpackers as to flashpackers toting Louis Vuitton.
On the map alongside places like Goaand Bali, Samui has polished its reputation as a hippy island paradise that remembers to provide the best of the creature comforts from home.
We stayed at the gorgeously quirky Varinda Garden Resort. Perched on the side of a mountain with a lovely view of Lamai cove.
We walked around and explored a bit and one evening we went to Chaweng, the busy beach for some shopping and dinner.
Third stop: Ko Pha Ngan. Even though Sandra wasn’t totally recovered yet, we had to keep moving as we had already paid in advance for all transport and accommodation. So onto a boat ferry again and backtrack slightly to the middle island, Ko Pha Ngan.
[*]
Ko Pha-Ngan is famous for its ability to party, attracting a crowd of nature lovers and shoestring wanderers – the kind of folks happy to sleep in a simple reed woven bungalow or in a hammock strung between two palms. Ko Samui’s rebellious little sister attracts backpackers like no other place in Thailand for its no-worries attitude and famous Full Moon parties.
That said, reading between the lines left little to be desired in this slump. Don’t know what the rest of the island really looked like, but where we were in Baan Tai beach, there is little there and no reason to stay here. The beach was pretty foul. Seaweed was churned up in the water and laying thick on the sand. later in the day it began to rot in the heat and really stink.
Our travel agent booked it for us for the Black Moon Party in the forest, but after our hospital stint there was no way we could go on with it. Also, I believe the agent may have gotten it wrong because the Black Moon Party was a beach party, and the forest party was the night before we got to Ko Pha-Ngan. Oh well....
Fourth stop: Koh Lanta. We left early, 6:30am, to take another boat ferry to the main land. From there a bus then a ferry again to get from the east coast to the west coast of the country. Had we known the distance was so great and the travel time so long (12 hours) we wouldn’t have agreed to broadening our trip to include the west coast.
When we finally reached our accommodation at “New Coconut Bungalows Resort” in the evening it looked like a squatter camp. We went through quite a lot of bush/jungle to get there and then there was just building rubble laying about everywhere and grass shacks. Even when we walked out to take a look at the beach it was all just ugly rocks. Shocked and disappointed after a long day of traveling we retired to the room which we were surprised even had air conditioning and a fridge. The bathroom though was flooded and stank.
Fifth stop: Ao Nang, Krabi.
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Ao Nang attracts the two-week jet-set pack to its showy resorts, which outshine the beaches. Sadly, the beach is nothing spectacular and the wide ‘European’–style esplanade that tourism-boosters boast about is really just one large mall with souvenir shops, tailors and restaurants.
Due to this, we didn’t do much ‘beach-ing’ but instead used this opportunity to go watch some Muay Thai Boxing at the local stadium. It was amazing to see kockout fights. Sometime the ritual dance the fighters would do beforehand could last longer than the first round as they can be noked out in only a handful of blows or kicks.
We also went sea kayaking in Ao Thalane through the canyons and the mangroves. Awe inspiring mountains of sheer cliff jutting out of the water, with thick jungle covering as much as its roots can anchor into.
Lastly we had to travel over land by bus to Surat Thani, then back up to Bangkok via night train again.
We had a day to waste in Bangkok so we booked a little hotel near the airport and went to a big shopping mall to browse around.
Lots of things were on sale at that time, but seeing as we were severely over budget we didn’t buy much. We only bought some spices and herbs which we had set out to do so since the beginning. At least back home in Korea Sandra can make some delicious Thai food for a while!
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