From the moment I arrived on Koh Tao I was ready to make it my new home. Granted it’s a bit far from the States; but if I had to be an expat, there are worse places. Scuba-central, great climbing, snorkeling, hiking, good restaurants, bars right on the beach…you’re getting the picture. Its vibe is like Pai, but on a beach and with all the outdoor adventure stuff I love.
We met up with Lena and some of the people she was traveling with to celebrate St Patty’s day. The islands were full of Aussie’s, Brits, Swedes, Canadians, Norwegians, and the like; making St Patty’s a multi-cultural bonanza. Even my Lithuanian blood couldn’t handle all Guinness and booze flowing! After a long night of bar hoping, we spent the next day relaxing on the beach and took a slow (aka hungover) kayak ride to a nearby island preserve. The guide told us it should take 30 minutes, I think we took at least an hour, but I was more into enjoying the scenery and the sun than actually paddling the kayak. That night we planned to go out for dinner somewhere in town, but couldn’t bring ourselves to get off the beach. There were mats and pillows everywhere, fire shows, great drinks, and banana pizza…why leave?! I just stared at the stars scheming for a way to stay forever…
The next day we decided to be more productive, and booked a hike with Goodtime Adventures. Our guide, Andres, took us through a coconut tree grove and up into the hills as we walked clear across the island. We eventually made it to a secluded beach for some cliff jumping and snorkeling. Now, I would say I have a sense of adventure, but wouldn’t necessarily call myself a dare-devil. And yet my companion, who is known for careening off cliffs on skis, had to be coaxed to jump 15 feet while I treaded water and maybe almost drowned out of exhaustion. I haven’t seen him ski yet, but have serious doubts about this Figgy person and his mountain antics. Always up for a challenge, I went on to conquer all three leaps, even managing to plunge off the tallest one (30 feet). I’d like to say I was calm, but truthfully my heart was pounding through my chest. After the jump we went snorkeling before going back to town. All in all, it was one of my favorite spots in Thailand, and definitely my favorite of the three islands. On to Koh Phangan…
About to jump in Koh Tao!!!Koh Phangan, home of the full moon/half moon/black moon/there’s a moon party, was like the Brittany Spears of the island chain. You know there’s beauty there somewhere, but just can’t see past all the trashiness. First, the town welcomed us with a few too many hospital advertisements, indicating a few too many overdoses regularly occur there. With billboards like, “Probably the best hospital you can trust” I’ll PROBABLY avoid having to go!! I like a little more certainty in my health care. Second, the beach was chock full of booths closed-up yet eagerly waiting for the next full moon party where they can serve bucket drinks. Similar to pitcher cocktails in the States, bucket drinks contain a lethal combination of cheap booze and mad-eye inducing energy drinks. Yet, just like Brittany’s synthesized voice, Koh Phangan has a way of grabbing you and making you love her.
For me, it was the amazing views from the room and the pool, and feeling like I should be spending $200/night instead of $20. For Jon, I think it was the restaurant that showed five back-to-back episodes of Seinfeld and served up that crazy little appetizer called no-name vegetables. A deep-fried mix of assorted vegetables, we should have known what to expect when the hippy from Goodtime Adventures recommended we try them. Both of us had the most wacked out dreams that night! So, while I do hear the moon parties are quite the rage, that appetizer was enough hallucinogenic for me, and I was happy to chill out, pina colada in hand, and take dips in the pool to cool off. I know, it was rough.
View from the pool Our last stop in the islands was Koh Samui. It has a major airport, a Dunkin Donuts, and a Tesco Lotus shopping mall complete with glow-bowl. Not exactly paradise, but we were there to see the Marine Preserve and fly back up to Bangkok. To me Koh Samui is Europe’s answer to Waikiki Beach: easy to get to for a week if all you want to do is lay out and stay at a resort. It’s beautiful, the sun is warm, the beaches are nice, and the international airport has direct flights. However, Euros usually mean a slightly different view of what is acceptable beach attire. Two words: banana hammock. Considering most Thais swim fully clothed, I was surprised at the indiscretion in swimwear by some…yet Jon didn’t seem to mind ALL the time.
Look closer...
While in Koh Samui, I really did enjoy the Marine Preserve and the slightly treacherous hike to get to the amazing view at the top. There was a rope marking the trail, because otherwise you’d swear there is NO WAY that is the actual ROUTE. Plus they had the kindness to provide a telephone number in case of emergencies, because clearly cell phones work in the middle of the jungle. 
My last photo in Thailand is modeling the way all Thais greet you when you enter a place of business, shown here with a slightly American touch. One (more) night in Bangkok, and then it’s off to Cambodia!!!
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