🙂 Beautiful unspoilt beaches. AMAZING food!
🙁 All good….
Left the Garden Stay Hostel in Malaysia after a lovely pancake breakfast at 08h00. Took a taxi to the Thai border, Rantang Balau and walked across into Thailand at Kulong Songkai. SO hot and bags SO heavy. We changed money and boarded a bus to Hong Sai and then changed to another bus to go to Surat Thani!! Picturesque scenery with paddy fields everywhere. Stopped for food at a street market – no prices – definitely ripped off by locals
Arrived late at the ferry after a very rude lady driver dropped us – I was so relieved to get off as an annoying fat giggling Dane had sat almost on top of me for the duration of the trip. We had to put earplugs in so that we could sleep! Got on ferry and our bed mats were next to nice German chap and 2 Kiwis – slept fitfully and woke up as we arrived in port at Ko Samui.
Tout called Pean had approached us on the boat and transferred us to a nice beach hut in the North called Mae nam Beach for 100Baht.
Had a yummy fruit breakfast then hired a bike and did a whistle stop tour of the island including Budha and phallic penis rocks! LOL
Delicious Thai lunch – the food is SO good. Irish chap passed by and asked Trent whether he’d like to see some puppies. We chilled on the beach for a while but then became concerned as we couldn’t see Trent and Eon, the Irish chap … we walked to the other end of the beach searching with panic setting in … spotted them with the 4 day old puppies – Eon seem quite unphased that we were worried…very silly of us. We took Trent back with us. We walked to the Moon Bar with romantic low tables and paraffin lamps on the beach – a few other travellers joined us and we had a great Thai meal and good conversation….successful first day in Thailand.
Chilled for a few days on Ko Samui and then decided to head on to Ko Pha Ngan. The boat ride took 1hour and cost B125 each.
Landed at Thong Nai Pon North – only accessible by boat as no roads – idyllic! The beach huts were called Star Hut and owned by a lovely family. Stunning beach!
We had a ‘luxury’ hut on the beach with our own shower and toilet! DIVINE! There was a central dining area where everyone gathered to eat.
Lunch was the most delicious Thai Veg Curry with banana milkshakes – simply divine! Overheard some derogatory lower class Kiwis going on about the Rugby World Cup and how it should never have taken place in SA …grrrr … fortunately they left after lunch so I did not have to deal with their ignorance. We chilled on the beach – only disturbed by a horny homosexual dog trying to hump everything in sight! lol. Got chatting to a lovely English couple called Simon and Helen and Gavin. Trent enjoyed the beach. Went back to shower, school and another divine Thai dinner – yum! We also splashed out and shared a beer. Bitten by mosquitoes in our hut.
Up at 08h00 for a delicious breakfast and fruit smoothies – just cannot get over how good the food is! Went fishing with the owner and Paul got a big bite! He caught a nice sized cobia which we gave to chef to cook for lunch in coconut and spices! The water was so clear – lovely for a swim.
We chilled on the beach and chatted to our new friends. I had the most excellent Thai Massage – fantastic. The fish curry was just fantastic. Had more of the wonderful fruit shakes … the most chilled vibe on this island. Slept, read and did school. Wonderful sunsets…
Dinner was prawn toast – fresh! Sweet and sour veg – so good! It was Gavin’s birthday so we had a few beers and chatted until 1am. Paul killed a huge cockroach! Trent said he’d cycle, a killer cycle from hell – he meant psycho! lol.
We loved our stay on this little piece of paradise! The only down side was that every morning the little Thai boy would stand outside our hut calling, “Ten! Ten! Ten!” to get Trent to come and play with him … sooo cute but also annoying as it woke us up! We way overspent thanks to the beers! Very sad to leave this lovely place and welcoming owners…
Took a ferry back to Thong Sala Lafter – had first bad meal in Thailand which was a bland coconut curry. Bought two tops, pants and a hammock. Took ferry to Ko Tao to a nice little place called Sea Shell but it was not on the beach and quite expensive.
Swam, walked to Big Fish dive shop to book diving…also booked speed boat to and bus to Bangkok. Had pina coladas on the beach while Trent swam. Delicious ginger, pineapple and chicken curry and two beers – YUM. Trent played with a boy from the Netherlands. I got eaten alive by midges. Delicious breakfast at Sea Shell before dive at 07h00. Fantastic – clear, calm, great viz. Say 4 huge grouper, leopard shark and batfish. Great dive. Bought t-shirt and mask band. Enjoyed lunch and more pina coladas after the dive. Lay on beach, snorkelled.
Another peaceful island where we just chilled while the world went by … blissful…. Our next stop was Bangkok.
Go to: Thailand
