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Published: January 25th 2011
Signs
in Hat Ton SaiCan we get Samui?
After diving in the Similan Islands and adventuring around Khao Lak, we were eager to discover southern Thailand’s beauty. People travel from all over the world to take in the splendor of the white sand beaches, crystal waters, and spectacular scenery of the places we have visited. We are constantly humbled by this experience. We feel so lucky that we are able to spend this time together as a young couple and explore a part of the world that has so much to offer yet is so accessible. We continually plan our future adventures while trying to appreciate and enjoy every step of the way. That being said, we left Khao Lak with ample suggestions of places to go and things to do, and in the taxi on the way to the bus station decided to make Krabi our next stop.
Krabi is a mainland town that acts as a jumping off point for several islands and beaches on the south western side of peninsular Thailand. When we arrived it was late afternoon and a storm was brewing, so we decided it would be best to stay the night. Krabi town provides basic comforts before
Hat Rai Le
from the long-tail boat going off the grid, so we grabbed a cheap bite, (we can never go wrong with Thai street food) and found an internet café. After the rain subsided, we went forth to check out the evening market and festivities which were a continuation from the New Year’s celebration two weeks prior. Food, drinks, carnival stalls, and live music were a few of our discoveries, and the locals seemed more than satisfied to drag out the holidays as long as possible. We were happy to join them.
Early the next morning, we went to the local boat dock and negotiated a ride to the beach on a long-tail boat. While bargaining skills are imperative to get a fair price, they don’t always get us where we want. The boat dropped us off at a beach short of our destination called Hat Rai Le (Hat meaning beach), where the fancier resorts line the water. Knowing that arguing wouldn’t help, we adjusted our backpacks, put our heads down, and readied ourselves for the thirty minute hike over the hill and through the humid, mosquito infested jungle to Hat Ton Sai. When we finally reached the other side, we were happy to find
Hiking
to Hat Ton Sai a place to set our bags down and cool off; after all it is difficult to climb up muddy inclines with flip flops, carrying three months of baggage on our backs. While the bungalow was a little too rustic even for us, the location within the tropical forest, amongst staggering limestone cliffs, and only a few minutes’ walk from the beach, compensated for anything that was lacking.
Ton Sai Beach, located at the foot of jagged overhanging cliffs, is a rock climbing Mecca. People flock from far and near to climb routes of varying difficulties, some hundreds of meters high, and all with a spectacular view overlooking the coastline. As we learned, climbing is a sport that can be done anywhere with the right conditions, but what makes Ton Sai unique is that there are set routes in the rock so that tourists can climb without bringing an abundance of gear. We were impressed by the technical difficulty and ability of these climbers, many of whom were practicing in what became a spectator sport for the other beach goers.
We observed Ton Sai to be a place for the international backpacker community to congregate, and where people climb
Trekking
over the hill by day and party by night. While we enjoyed our day there, we decided that this climber’s paradise wasn’t exactly the vibe we were looking for. With our Thai visa quickly coming to an end, we returned to Krabi town the next day, reworked our plan, and decided to see the islands on the gulf side of Thailand. We bee lined it across the country’s peninsula to enjoy our last few days in sunny Thailand.
After a few buses, tuk tuk’s and a ferry ride, we finally reached Ko Samui Island. It was on the recommendation of an amusing German guy in Krabi that we decided to check out Mae Nam beach. Once there, we had the good fortune to come across a quaint little bungalow only steps from the beach, appropriately named Silent Bungalows. It proved to be exactly what we wanted. While Ko Samui is a large and highly populated island, we found that it was an ideal blend of both international tourism and everyday Thai life. Moreover, Mae Nam was a peaceful place with a slow pace of life and relaxed people. Perfect!
Traveling is amazing, but it can also be hard work. Bouncing from
one place to another, living out of a backpack, and constantly problem solving for meals, transport and accommodation all while trying to stay on budget are things that differentiate an adventure from a vacation. For us, finding a place like Silent Bungalows was a delight and made the long trip worthwhile. We were fulfilled just taking in the beauty of our surroundings and relaxing on what felt like our own private beach. It was wonderful to doze to the sound of the waves lapping against the shore.
On one of our nightly escapades, we made our way to a farang, or foreigner, watering hole called Jack Bar. The name drew us in, and we met the owner, Jack, who just happened to be a displaced Seattleite/Texan. The Jack’s (he and we) struck up a very interesting conversation about his perspective and experiences as an expat living in Thailand. He suggested that we go to one of Ko Samui’s many Lady Boy Cabarets. As we mentioned in our first blog about Thailand, transvestites, known as Lady Boys in Thailand, are quite prevalent. One of the most fascinating aspects of Thai culture is how accepting people are of Lady Boys. In
fact, some parents dress and treat their effeminate sons as girls from the time they are young and for a male to be in touch with his feminine side is not uncommon. A sex change operation is an option to those who can afford it, and it is certainly received well by most people. The refreshing way Thai people accept Lady Boys is seemingly representative of the way they accept people of different religious and cultural backgrounds, making Thailand an easy place to visit.
All over the world there are towns that appeal to the party crowd. Cabo San Lucas in Mexico for Americans and Ibiza in Spain for Europeans are two extreme examples of places where tourists go to party. The streets are lined with drinks to go, stands selling cheap t-shirts and sunglasses, souvenier shops, tattoo parlors and an endless supply of restaurants, bars, and dance clubs. Chaweng is just that; it is Ko Samui’s party beach for Thailand’s tourists. Even though local culture is drowned in drink, the party culture has evolved and provides for some great people watching. Therefore, with the advice to ‘proceed with caution’ by Jack, we took a motorbike the following night
over to Chaweng to catch a Lady Boy Cabaret and check out the scene.
Driving down Chaweng’s main drag, it was not difficult to find a cabaret. The Lady Boys were out on the sidewalk shaking their tail feathers and batting their fake eyelashes trying to entice passersby to come see a show. After being escorted to our seats at the bar, we sat timidly with our drinks wondering what to anticipate and whether or not they might be expecting our participation. The show commenced promptly with a big “Hallelujah, it’s raining men!” Out came a number of dazzling Lady Boys complete with feather headdresses, full makeup, and sequined braziers, dancing a choreographed number while lip syncing along. How fitting! It made for quite the spectacle, as the hour long show was something that could be found on the Vegas strip. Fortunately for us, no participation was necessary, only a few kisses were blown our way.
The desire to indulge in ‘party tourism’ was swiftly quenched with a small dosage of Chaweng. After the show, we meandered for a bit taking in the sights and sounds, while occasionally fighting back the tireless merchants. It quickly became time to
Limestone Cliffs
and the beach below withdraw back to the safety of our bungalow.
When traveling in a new place, we prefer to walk. If walking can’t get us where we want to go, we’ve learned that the next best thing is to grab a motorbike, saddle up, and hit the road without a plan. Ko Samui is the perfect place for this, as it is an island that can be circumnavigated leisurely in half a day and is full of great views and little towns. From the charming northern side of Mae Nam, through the madness of Chaweng, and on to the lesser developed western coast, we used a full day to see the isle. By this time, Aaron’s ability to drive on the left side of the road, dodge traffic, and stay safe had become second nature. The majority of discoveries involved scenic stretches of open road, breathtaking views of the sea, and countless resorts, hotels and restaurants. The wind in our hair, the sun on our skin, and the thrill of the journey made for a lovely day.
From the back of the bike, Laura spotted a sign for a Four Seasons Resort, the company Aaron worked for in 2008/2009 in
Seattle. Curiously diverging up a hill, we were greeted with the open hospitality that Four Seasons is known for. It was cool to see another property, especially one with such beauty and luxury; each villa had its own pool. Even though Aaron no longer works for them, he still enjoys learning about other employee’s experiences and trading stories. The property was quite impressive as well, with room rates in the thousands. Perhaps for another trip!
As with anything enjoyable, the time flew by. Unfortunately, we could not extend our visa again, and we had to say goodbye to our little piece of paradise. Ko Samui had completely surpassed our expectations and we were grateful to find place that fit what we were looking for. We departed Ko Samui in the evening and made our way to Surat Thani to catch an overnight sleeping train for Malaysia. While we loved our month in Thailand, we were intrigued by what was to come. Malaysia was a country we knew very little about, but we knew that wouldn’t last long.
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Alan Feinberg
non-member comment
WOW!
I have really enjoyed all your escapades vicariously! What a great idea for a launch of a beautiful relationship for the pair of Jacks and the world. Love, Uncle Alan