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Published: July 30th 2015
We have spent the last month in Thailand and have been so busy…..everyday it has been like AWAKE, eat, walk, beach, read, swim, eat, read, swim, pre-dinner drinks, eat, ASLEEP. AWAKE, eat, walk, beach, swim, eat and so it goes on and on. Bliss!
We stopped in Bangkok for 3 nights to try out the backpacking area, a small block of restaurants, bars and shops. Nothing going for it, felt dirty and seedy to me. We wanted to try a food stall that was highly rated on trip advisor for dinner. As we looked across the road there was no sign of it being open yet, chairs normally on the pavement were stacked in the side alleyway next to the kitchen. Deciding if we should wait I looked into the alley way for any signs of preparing food and I spotted this huge rat strolling out of the kitchen across the alleyway – it was the size of a small cat! But the meal was delicious. Only kidding, we did not wait for it to open.
We stopped off at Koh Samui for 2 nights to see the ever changing Chewang Beach, and there have been huge changes in
last 3 years. The cheap local shops have all but vanished and replaced by an open air two storey mall. From our hotel, Nova Samui by the Ice Bar, it used to be at least 15 minute’s walk to the main road, now its 4 to the start of the mall which runs diagonally through to the main road. The local warungs along the beach where you could get cheap Thai food - gone. It’s now very commercialized but still a gorgeous beach with heaps to do! Just a bit expensive for the back packing budget now.
We caught the ferry across to Koh Phangan and as it was about 3 weeks before high season (only high season cos it’s the European holidays) we got some amazing deals with accommodation thankfully all purchased prior to NZ$ slide. I have blogged many times about Koh Phangan and it has not changed much. The blog on expenses when travelling in Koh Phangan that I did 3 years ago has not changed, the only differences we noticed is that things are at the high end of the scale now, internal travel seems to have doubled, although we could have got lazier, and
sensodyne toothpaste is now 160 bhat! The roads are all mostly concreted now and the old dusty dodgy dirt roads are all but gone, which now makes our 3 favourite places more accessible which drives tourists numbers up and, therefore, prices.. The biggest change will be when the airport is finished in 2016.
One funny thing we have noticed on the beaches in all countries are the dogs, whenever they see a local walk along the beach they get up and go and bark at them until they have passed by their patch of beach. Don't do it to tourists. One day there were some tourists standing on a bolder out on a point and this dog next to us gets up goes down to the beach and just barks at them non stop for like 10 minutes, like you could hardly see the people, we could not work out why he was barking. As the couple walked passed later, they were Thai tourists!
We stayed at a couple of places in Haad Son which is just a few walkable hills away from Haad Yao Beach, we go to this beach so we can eat the best hamburgers
ever from CRAVE. It is the season for low tide on that side of the island, so you cannot swim during the day, but we could afford accommodation with pools. The beach was deserted as were restaurants and bars. We got a fantastic bungalow up on a hill that had a deck with ocean views, 2 bean bags and 2 hammocks – so relaxing!
We visited Haad Son Resort and WOW best restaurant and bar I have ever seen in our travels, this guy gets it! They have leveled out rocks out to a point and setup a couple of bars encased by tropical trees, tables around the outside next to the water, sandy areas with swings and hammocks. At the end of the rocky point there are huge hammocks which swing over the water and you can jump off the edge to snorkel or swim. It’s an absolute must to visit, see pics below.
All the tourists here rent motorbikes, they are cheap like 200 baht (NZ$9) per day. We never have cos if it’s one constant thing you see every day are tourists with bandages and crutches. One guy had bandages around his head, knees, arms,
shoulder and ankle. He looked like a mummy! The island is so hilly and they go fast, so they come off. If you put even a slight scratch on the bike they will charge you exorbitant fines. They won't rent it to you without your passport, so they basically have you by the balls. If you will not pay they get the police in, who are corrupt, and they make you pay and take a cut! They never fix the scratches just take the cash. We were told of a European guy who rents bikes, better than renting from Thais
www.tnpestate.com.
We spent over a week at Thong Tai Pan Noi beach, we love this beach. We holiday alongside the 4-5 star resort tourists, the only difference is our accommodation is NZ$30 per night and there’s is over $400. We stay at the same bungalows each time, very rustic, and one week prior we could have got the same bungalow for NZ$14, but it’s now high season. Buri Rasa Beach Bar is where we spend happy hour each night then a short walk out the back of the beach are about 15 dinner options. Our favorite was NZ$4.50 for
a curry. Had a great night at the Sand Bar 100 bhat (NZ$4.30) cocktails, WOW her long island ice teas were potent! Took along a NZ couple we met who live in OZ and had a great time, even got Carl up dancing and left a bright yellow Kiel, Liam and Shelly painted boldly on the bar for them to come and find! Thanks Susie and Evan for the sore heads!
I was horrified to read about box jelly fish and how deadly they are, can kill you in minutes. Apparently a lot in OZ, obviously. A 5 year old died from a sting 8 months ago in Bottle Beach which is a divine beautiful beach. Very tragic. They say they need to contact skin so I am getting myself some pantyhose to swim in from now on!
Well Koh Phangan is the land of the Full Moon Party, Half Moon Party, Black Moon Party and every Moon that is an excuse to have a party. We have never been to the Full Moon Party, the big one, Carl has never wanted to go, thinks we are to old – never! So reluctantly he agreed, but we had
to go at 6pm and be home by 10pm! There was an Irish couple in the ride back home, I said “going home already as well?” “No” they replied “we just going to meet some friends at their hotel for drinks before we go to the party”. Stupid question Lynne!
Haad Rin was crowded with young people. Everyone getting painted in neon paint and wearing neon beach wear. Stalls all along the streets selling buckets of vodka bottles and mixers (150 baht). When we walked onto the beach, even that early, I said "WOW" when I saw all the drinks stalls lining the back of the beach, raised dancing platforms playing music with pulsating coloured lights and a fenced off piece of sand right in the middle for safe sleeping! We watched the fire skipping, thinking no wonder Kiel had sore feet the next day! We missed the fire limbo and slide. As we walked out the gate every one was streaming in and the were charging entry fee. We even left before they started charging people to get in! But we preferred buying some beer and going back to our pool villa. When we got back to the
hotel they were just starting to take their first lot into the party! Maybe he is right we are too old, my comment as we walked along was "they could do with more seats".
Although most people have a blast, it’s not all fun, there is drink spiking, pick pockets, rapists, muggings, and sometimes deaths, they say when you buy a bucket they pour it under the bench, you cannot see and they use local alcohol. So always pour your own drink, go in a group and get your hotel to drop you off and pick you up. You cannot swim in the beach for a couple after as you can imagine 10 - 30,000 party goers and I saw 4 toilets! Drugs, well sometimes they are undercover cops. They just announced that they want to clean drugs out of all the moon parties – good luck with that.
Here is a short video of the beach scene up to 10pm - be warned my day job is not a camerawoman - its a pretty crap video really but it will give you an idea of what I am talking about.
Jo K
non-member comment
Great reading
Loving the updates Lynne. Keep them coming. I am complete JAF.