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Published: July 31st 2013
This is the part of the holiday that I was looking forward too! Pure relaxation.
We left Pattaya and headed by plane to Koh Samui. On the way we went past a gold leaf Buddha outline on the side of a cliff. Pretty impressive, wonder how they got it there??
We arrived on Koh Samui, after a flight in a little plane (not my favourite part of the trip) at 6.15pm and then went looking for somewhere to stay. Eventually ended up in Lamai where the bus driver dropped us off at the Golden Sand Resort where we very happily dumped our bags and then went to sit on the beach for a much needed relaxing welcome drink. The rooms are little bungalows that line a garden path and at the end of the path is the pool and beach. Just wonderful and a good base to start our island exploration! Had a beautiful seafood dinner on the beach, which totally was out of the budget but it was a welcome to Koh Samui dinner!! More eating off the small stalls will be needed so I can afford the next two weeks.
The first day we got our
bearings for the island and where we were and then headed off to hire bikes! Of course, the only way to travel. We explored the south of the island and came across a small resort on a tiny beach with villa’s right on the beach and in a quiet and peaceful small resort. Just what the doctor ordered!! The beach is called Taling Ngam and it has about three little restaurants and resorts along the beach and looked just like paradise. So that was it, we booked for five days and were looking forward to some real relaxation and unwind time.
On the way around we found a small beach and had lunch
We rode on to Nathon for a look, I could have kept riding for days, it is such fun, sometimes a bit scary as big trucks and buses rush by you, but most of the time it is a great way to see the island and stop where you feel like stopping and of course find those special little spots along the way. We headed back to Lamai to get ready for the move to Taling Ngam. Went out in the evening to a small
street market and had dinner and the most amazing Mango shakes with Vodka, until we drank all that and had to change to the local rum!! Sat and watched the girly bars next door where again there were uninterested Thai girls trying to attract the Western men in for a drink.
We have decided that Mango shakes are the drinks of choice and so we keep sampling them at the different restaurants along the way, they are so yummy and at $2 they are great value. The food has been good as well with my favourite of course being Pad Thai.
So next morning up early and first call of the day, after breakfast on the beach of course, was to find the Post Office and get rid of some weight out of my bag. I bought stuff in Vietnam that really was weighing down my bag. Getting quite good at carrying things while riding the bike now, not as good as the Thai’s but managed a seven kilo parcel and the road so at least now there is more room for more junk!! No more buying of anything!!! Well apart from food and drink of course.
We then had the complicated procedure of getting all the bags and the bikes to the new resort as we had hired the bikes for five days. So we loaded a taxi with all the bags and I jumped on a bike and followed the taxi to the resort. Well the taxi sure gave me a run for my money, gone was the sedate drive looking at the sights!! But made if safely and checked into the most amazing room with 180 degree views through glass walls, and all that you can see if water, sand and palm trees. So hard to handle.
We then had to go back to Lamai to collect the other bike, so a new experience for me, the control freak, at being the passenger!! Hard not to be in control and glad it was only for one ride!!! Looks like when I get home I will be getting a bike, but this time a bit bigger than the last one so I can get out of the way of the traffic in Melbourne, but that is another story.
After picking up the other bike we headed the other direction to explore the north
side of the island. A big day of bike riding, discovering another beach restaurant and drink spots along the way. Found a market to buy some fruit, after buying yet another knife and plate (which is something I do every trip so I can have fruit whenever I want!!) Also had a strawberry shake which was yummy but soooo cold it gave me the frozen roof of mouth experience, not good while you are riding the bike!!!
Finally got back to the resort, after booking a snorkelling and diving tour for Sunday which should be great. It feels like all this holiday is about eating and drinking, well it does seem to work that way as every stop usually means a drink stop! We had dinner at the resort as we were exhausted from all the riding today and an early night was in order. Absolutely amazing lying in bed listening to the waves and having a sea breeze, definitely my idea of paradise!!
Next day I woke early, as I do and went for my walk. It is the best time of the day, no one else is on the beach and I walk and walk, trying
to get to the end of the beach. Silly it is an island, never going to get to the end of the beach, just walked for two hours to work that out!!
Came across some steps that just appeared to lead into the jungle, with no Private Property signs so it looked like a chance to do the 1000 steps in Koh Samui, so off I wandered up, and up, nearly a vertical climb. At the top of the steps was a burial ground for a Thai woman and I guess her Chinese husband. It is just amazing to find that in the middle of the jungle with this amazing view of the bay and Five Islands.
It has been a lazy, lazy day, went for another walk after breakfast and somehow it has got to 5.30 and I don’t know where the day has gone. Got rained in this afternoon, what a shame, spent it reading and sleeping, oh sorry hope you are not working too hard!!
More Koh Samui stories when I have something worth writing about, well more interesting than food, drink and lying around in the sun.
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Peter
non-member comment
Hi Sandra, Looks good, keep up hard work