So I planned on the tuesday to go to the Tiger Temple and Bridge over the river kwai on tuesday. But missed booking the trip through an agent, so decided to do that later on in the week and to get out of the city and get some beach time. I didnt know where I wanted to go or how to get there or where to stay but thought ide make it up as I go along, very unorthodox of me, but felt like a mini adventure so just went for it.
Friends had suggested Pattaya which is south of bangkok so I pencilled that in, but looking through the lonely planet guide I had, I chose a small Island south east of Bangkok called Ko Samet. Reason I chose it, was I initially chose Ko Chang because of photo of a really simple beach hut on the beach and imagined myself there kicking back in a hammock with a beer and the breeze... However I got mixed up and ended up taking a bus to Ko Samet instead, which im glad happened as I had an amazing time.
So I shared a minibus with a dutch family down to the port where we caught a boat trip over to the island, great people who were really great company throughout my stay on the island.
After ariving at the dock, I grab my bag and head to a small bar sat on the water on the mainland alongside the jetty to have a look through my book and decide on where im gonna take a room for the night. After looking at the map and choosing Ao Phai, I join the guys from my bus and a whelsh guy who lives on the island for a few beers.
So Ao Phai is about a 20 minuite walk along the east coast from the port of Na Dan (see the map above), which you can walk but with bags and flip flops and dirt roads ahead I opted for the local taxi. Me and the guys jumped on the back of this truck and hit the road along the coast.
After a short trip through the jungle, past a reggae bar, various shops and beach goers, I jump off in Ao Phai and walk along the beach road checking out the different bungallows on the way. After checking one after the after, some with air con, some more simpler with fans, but after I checked out a few and kept on walking I found myself on a smaller beach resort past some rocks and tree's in Ao Phutsa. I couldnt be bothered with walking all the way back and checked out my options here and decided on one small hut very close to the water, simple but ok for my first night. With the option of upgrading or moving the day after.
View as I walked from Ao Phai Beach to Ao Phutsa Beach
My Accomodation for the first night.
So I dump my stuff, change clothes and go for a walk around, grab some food and see whats going on back in Ao Phai as where I was was a little more quiet and tranquil where Ao Phai seemed to be where its at for restaurants and bars. After bumping into my friends for the bus, we go grab a bite to eat and what I think ended up being over 50 beers (collectively) between us. A great night and as I said before, great company.
As we sat along the beach talking and joking, fireworks were going off at the next beach along to the right, fire jugglers to the left of us and locals selling small lanterns they lit and sent up into the stars. It was a really great welcome to koh samet and left me buzzing all evening.
As it got to 11pm and the place we were eating at was closing up, we moved to the now buzzing Silver Sands Bar and continued to party on until the early hours. Im not much of a dancer at the best of times, but after everyone was getting involved it seemed rude not to, nothing to do with alchohol ofcourse!
The island and I guess thailand as a whole, has loads of dogs and there was a small family that were allways playing around near the bar we were in, with 3 of the craziest little puppies never more than 3 foot away rolling around in the sand and chasing each other up and down the beach.
So the next morning, feeling a little worse for wear I wake up and walk out onto the decking of my hut...
After going in my bathroom, I find this little fella waiting to welcome me...
I walk along to the small beach bar/cafe and grab some breakfast with some incredibly relaxing views all around...
The next day I decide to upgrade my accomodation and pimp my bungalow for the next two nights, I had such a great night the night before and loved just chilling on the beach with the crystal clear sea and the amazing views, I scrapped the plans of going to pattaya. Ko Samet was doing the job and really created the feeling of being on holiday.
Below is a few randoms from the island...
A small shrine to budda just outside the first bungalow I stayed in.
Up and down the beaches, thai massages were on offer for really cheap at around 3 quid for an hour and full body massage. Compare that to thai massages in the spa's in dubai at 100-150 quid and its quite a big price difference for the same thing...
When in rome!
I really like these photo's below, it was as we were sitting next to the beach one evening. Its a little blurry from when I zoomed in, but to me it looks a bit like a painting.
On the thursday, the day before I left the island I was killing some time and hired a scooter to have a look around the island, I ended up going down into the town near the port we docked in and two hours later, came back with this badboy... click here
I had a truely amazing time in Koh Samet and wished I could have stayed longer, if Ide done my trip to the river kwai and tiger temple the day after I arrived instead of rebooking it for the saturday, I would have stayed another two nights and explored the rest of the island. It was a truely blissfull getaway, even when it was raining in the evening we all ran onto the beach and went swimming in the rain with the lightning flashing in the background, it was one of those memories that will be remembered forever.
I met some really great people, shout out to Janice, Case, leigh and mathew for the great company and late night drinking sessions!
Ive vowed to visit ko samet again one day and to travel to more of thailands coastline as if its all as fun as this time, I cant wait to see whats in store the next time.
Not long before I left my battery died on my camera and like a top notch lemon, I didnt take my charger so missed out on loads of other snaps. However Janice & the fam made sure they took a few before I left, so when I get those, I'll post them up. In the mean time I used my phone for my last few days in Bangkok.
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