Thailand's beaches

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Thailand was our last stop before settling down in Australia and marked the end of our travels.

After a late night flight from Delhi to Bangkok, that was more like an unruly school trip than an international flight, we spent some time recovering by our hotel pool. Then we left the city by train for our first Island, Koh Tao.

The crossing was very rough and a few of our fellow passengers were projectile vomiting before the ferry had left the dock side. By staring at the horizon during the entire journey, Tracy and I made it ashore without losing our breakfast and by the time we had found somewhere to stay the rain stopped and the sun came out.

The next few days were spent walking from one secluded, sandy bay to another. Stopping to swim in the warm, clear sea and dry off whist lying on the beaches. Our evenings involved great food and a few cold beers.

To get the most out of Koh Tao we signed up for a day trip around the island which allowed us to go snorkeling in areas inaccessible from the land. The sea life was rich and it was great fun chasing brightly coloured fish through rocky crevasses and under the boat.

From Koh Tao we took another ferry, this time the crossing was much calmer, to Koh Pha Ngan where I had spent some time partying ten years ago. Being older and wiser we headed to the quiet northern end of the island to avoid the beach parties around Hat Rin in the south.

Tracy's bargaining skills scored us a great room in a posh resort for ¼ of the listed price and we had the choice of swimming in the sea or swimming in the infinity pool over looking the sea. Many hours were spent lounging around, reading and tanning.

To avoid beach boredom we hired a scooter and explored the beaches around where we were staying and went down to the party beach of Hat Rin too. The simple beach huts I stayed in ten years ago had gone, all replace with up market resorts and jet skis for hire. The sand was still white and soft but now rows of stalls selling booze lined the beach in place of palm trees.

We left Koh Pha Ngan on a rainy day, crossed over the main land and arrived on Thailand's west coast in the rain too. Thankfully we had a sunny start to our day tour around the beaches and rocky outcrops. Although the end of the tour was marked by a tropical rain storm.

The rain continued as we left the mainland for the island of Koh Lanta and as always stopped once we had found somewhere to stay. After a romantic walk along the 5 km beach we were staying on we meet up with an old friend who was working on the island as an underwater photographer. Phil took us to an awesome beach party, complete with fire twirling and whiskey buckets. It was great to reminisce, laugh about old times and get completely smashed!!!

The next day was a complete write-off. Whiskey bucket cocktails led to terrible hangovers.

Phil's local knowledge helped us get another great value room and we spent days sunbathing and swimming in the sea. These were our finial days in Thailand and the sun shined for all of them.

Tracy insisted on interrupting my tanning time to go on a day trip to Koh Phi Phi, where the movie The Beach was filmed. I was not so keen to leave our quiet, relaxed beach for the crowded sands of Ko Lanta's neighboring island. Koh Phi Phi's beaches are beautiful but their beauty draws so many visitors that I was happy to return to Ko Lanta's less pretty but more peaceful beaches.

After weeks of sunbathing it was time to return to Bangkok and fly to Australia to start our new life. We had enough time and money to have one last shopping spree before boarding the plane to jobs, responsibilities and 'real life'.

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Photos

Long tail boats at Maya Beach on Koh Phi Phi
This is the beach that was used for the movie The Beach. It looks peacefull here but just out of shot are masses of people and power boats. Still a pretty picture.

Haad Yao beach on Koh Phan Gan
Our 1/4 price resort is at the end of this 1km stretch of sandy.

Relaxing on Haad Rin beach, Koh Phan Gan
This time I was relaxing. Ten years ago I was dancing in the sea at the full moon party.

Tracy on a moped
Not that she ever drove and and spent all her time on the back telling me to slow down ;-)

The table we had our last breakfast at over looking Ba-Kantiang Bay, Koh Lanta
The fun's over, back to reality :-(