A HONEYMOON IN THAILAND
Following our wedding in Orlando six months previously, in April 2017 my wife and I had our honeymoon in Thailand. Not being ones to sit by a pool and read a book for two weeks, we decided to visit a number of different places to get a flavour for the country. The places we visited include Chiang Mai, Elephant Nature Park, Khao Lak, Phang Nga Bay, Khao Sok National Park, Cheow Lan Lake and the Similan Islands.
Here is a video we shot with my GoPro Hero+ (Edited in GoPro Studio). Below the video you will find a full written diary of our trip.
Here is a video we shot with my GoPro Hero+ (Edited in GoPro Studio). Below the video you will find a full written diary of our trip.
Day 1 - 18.4.17
My watch told me it was around 5am, but I was so jetlagged I would have believed anything it said. After an 11-hour flight from Heathrow, having stayed in a very nice Radisson Blu nearby the evening before, Jennifer and I had just arrived in Bangkok airport and were awaiting our connecting flight to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, the first leg of our two-pronged honeymoon (the second leg being Khao Lak in the South), exactly six months after getting married.
After a short but sweet flight into the city we grabbed our cases and were greeted by our driver Sumwit, who welcomed us to the country and took us on a short drive through the bustling city and within the old city walls (the latest iteration dating back to the early 1800’s) to our hotel, the Tamarind Village Resort and Spa. The general manager welcomed us to this absolutely stunning boutique hotel hidden away in the centre of the city. Lanna architecture surrounded a pristine pool (which we immediately promised ourselves we would spend a great deal of time). In the centre of the ‘village’ sits a 200-year-old Tamarind Tree from which the resort gets its name. We were shown to our room by the delightful staff (seriously…I can’t praise the staff enough at this hotel) and immediately felt at home. It was still only around 11am, so we decided to head straight to the pool. After baking in the sun and losing half a kilogram in sweat, we headed back to the room to prepare ourselves for a bit of afternoon exploration. However, the plan was slightly interrupted by a nap first. We then headed out to explore the City. As soon as we left the property, we were within immediate view of some of the city’s finest Buddhist temples. We spent time exploring these beautiful buildings (taking our shoes off as we entered) and breathing in our surroundings. At one point an elderly gentleman beckoned us over to sit with him, he asked which country we were from and proceeded to wrap a thin red string bracelet around our wrist whilst chanting (what I hoped was) a Buddhist recital and ending with ‘Good luck England, good luck England”. He then asked for some money, which killed the magic slightly. We’d fallen into a tourist trap! However at what equated to around 50 pence each, it was still a nice experience. Once we had our fill of temples we went back to our room with the idea of having a quick freshen up before hitting one of the many famous street food markets in the city. We however made the mistake of lying on the bed briefly. We awoke at around 9:30pm and decided the best thing to do would be to carry on sleeping. Our fist day in Chiang Mai had already revealed a wonderful City populated by wonderful people. We were excited to see what else this place had to offer these two newlyweds. |
Day 2 - 19.4.17
We slept the entire night and eventually woke around 9am. Feeling somewhere between refreshed and groggy, we headed to breakfast. As we headed past the old Tamarind tree over to the pool area where tables and chairs were already set out I was reminded just how serene this place is, despite being in such a central location in the city. After a stir-fry breakfast and some much needed coffee I booked a taxi to take us up to the Temple.
Our plan today was to visit the Doi Suthrep Temple, which was situated high atop a hill just outside the city. Whilst we originally didn’t think we’d have time to visit this place and initially scratched it off our list, having seen so much of the city yesterday we decided it would be silly not to. I booked a taxi to take us up there and negotiated a return price. Our driver, a ponytailed Thai fellow arrived and we began our journey out of the city walls towards the outskirts of town. We passed the Chiang Mai University, which from the look of many of the faculty building names looked like it specialized in science and technology. The campus was bustling with students, many of which were wizzing around on mopeds. Our driver, whom when asked said his name was Nikhom, pointed out the campus football pitch and after finding out that we were English asked the obligatory question “who is your team?” Now, any English person whom has done their fair share of travelling is likely used to being asked this question, with that in mind I usually either say Manchester United (Sorry Dad!) as the go-to popular team, or Leeds (You’re welcome Dad!). Despite having absolutely no interest in the sport, I always try and have a little football chat up my sleeve when travelling abroad. Nikhom supported Liverpool and we both agreed that Chelsea were terrible (again, no idea what I was talking about). We left the campus and began to ascend up a windy mountain road. After what seemed like an eternity of very dangerous overtaking and getting higher and higher, we finally arrived at the top. Nikhom pulled over and said he’d meet us in an hour. The walk up to the Doi Suthrep temple consisted of 300 steps, which we climbed in no time past young children dressed in traditional Thai garb. At the top, after paying 30 baht to get in, we were greeted with not only the most impressive temple we had seen thus far in Chiang Mai, but a stunning panoramic view of the city, only then did it occur to me just how big Chiang Mai actually was. After around an hour of taking in the views of golden Buddha statues, Buddhist architecture and incredible, yet slightly smoggy views, we descended back down the 300 stairs back to Nikhom, who as promised was waiting there. |
Another equally windy and equally dangerous drive took us back down to the City and to our little hotel. Nikhom asked “you go swimming now?” with a smile on his face? You better believe it bud! We said our goodbyes and headed back to our room past the delightful little museum that lined the long corridor leading up to reception. The rest of the afternoon consisted of sitting by the pool, sipping very cold beers and cocktails and soaking in the immense Sun. It once again occurred to me just how hidden away this hotel felt, a truly relaxing environment.
After a while we headed back out into the City and visited one of Chiang Mai’s famous street food markets. Having done a little research we decided on the North Gate Market. It was an assault on the senses passing the various food stalls, some selling produce that looked and smelled delicious, others, not so enticing (the fruit and vegetable stands smelled terrible!). We’d read about a particular vendor where the food was cooked by a lady wearing a cowboy hat and after a while we found her. We were initially confused as to how the ordering process goes down in a place like this, but a friendly Thai asked us to take a seat on a row of tables under a makeshift blue tarpaulin. On recommendation from the local, we chose the shaved pork leg-which arrived on a massive plate surrounded by boiled eggs. The food was mind blowing and being surrounded by locals really gave us a feeling of being immensely far from home. I was in heaven, and Jen’s big smile suggested she felt the same. We then took a leisurely stroll back to the hotel as the Sun began to set, stopping off a few times along the way to check out temples we kept stumbling upon as well as the famous Three Kings Monument (dating back to 1924) One temple in particular, which I later identified as Wat Chiang Mun – the City’s oldest Temple, was a massive building from which we could hear Buddhist Monks beautifully chanting as they took part in evening prayer. It was a truly enchanting place to take a stroll. Back at the hotel we finished off the evening with a nightcap at the bar. We sat on a cushioned bench by the pool as a local group consisting of a lady on vocals and a young man on acoustic guitar played covers of Western songs. Normally I would rather hear local or traditional music relevant to where I am, however they were sang so beautifully it really added to the ambiance of the place. We were also joined by a lizard that was used the light against the wall to hunt flies. We both decided that Chiang Mai had seduced us and was definitely a great place to be introduced to Thailand, it’s culture and people. |
Day 3 - 20.4.17
I’ve said before, there are some moments in life that you already miss whilst you are actually living them. I didn’t realize as we woke up, that today would be full of those moments.
We’d booked ourselves a day trip to visit the Elephant Nature Park outside Chiang Mai. We always knew we wanted to do an elephant experience long before visiting Thailand, but it was incredibly important to us that we chose a refuge that was ethical, as we’d read how riding the elephants wasn’t good for them. We would soon learn just how right we were. After breakfast we were picked up at hotel by a young Thai guy named Deng. We got into a minibus and headed out of the city on a 1hr 20 mins journey towards the nature park, picking up a few passengers on the way. Along the way Deng briefed us on what our day would consist of as well as the work that the Nature Park does. We then watched a video that showed how many elephants in Thailand are put into the logging and tourist industries, both of which are very bad news for the animals. We saw how in order to break an elephant’s spirit and make them submissive (so that they can either work, or be ridden by tourists); the elephants are captured, isolated and in many cases physically tortured (seriously). It was a really tough watch, but then seeing the phenomenal work Elephant Nature Park does definitely made me proud that we’d chosen to support this great cause. |
After a brief stop by a motorway service station (with some interesting toilets) we arrived at the park. We walked down to a paddock past three beautiful elephants casually munching away at some vegetation and headed to a small shelter. As we put our gear in lockers and got changed into traditional Thai clothes, we started chatting to our group that consisted of a couple from LA (video game programmers working for Amazon on an upcoming title called Breakout), a couple from San Francisco (a paramedic and an orthodontist administrator) a couple from Hong Kong (the guy was called Jason, the girl’s name sadly escapes me as she didn’t speak English very well) and Sean from Massachusetts, who was backpacking around Asia.
We were on a day trip titled ‘care for elephants’, which meant exactly that, we would be preparing their food, feeding them, walking with them, feeding them again and bathing them in the river. Not a bad day’s work if you ask me. Our first task was to cut up watermelon and other fruits until we had around three baskets full. We were then introduced to the elephants, three beautiful ladies! Each one was rescued from a previous life in the logging industry. The girls were clearly ready for lunch so we got to work feeding them. They liked to either take the food from your hand with their trunks or you can place the food directly in their mouths. Either way was ridiculously lovely!
Once the food baskets were empty it was time to take a walk. One of the elephants had an injured leg so wouldn’t be joining us. We all began to stroll along the riverside and the elephants simply followed. Each of us was equipped with a shoulder bag with more fruit and we fed the elephants as we walked with them. They were allowed to go at their own pace and we let them set it. After walking by the river a little where two little girls played in a rubber ring, we headed into the jungle and walked along a narrow pathway up the valley edge, the elephants stopping occasionally when they found an item of interest, usually bamboo or banana trees. Once at the top of the hill we let the elephants roam free and do their own thing whilst we had a buffet lunch in a small shelter in a clearing. The lunch was both delicious and filling and we all had a good chat about what we did back at home, where in Thailand we had been so far and what everyone’s plans were. We really did have a lovely group and it was a lovely moment to share lunch in the middle of the jungle with new friends. After lunch we descended the valley down a narrow path (how the elephants made it down, I’ll never know) and headed back to the main shelter. We then got to work preparing more fruit for a second feeding and before we knew it, we were hand feeding our new elephant friends again. Once the food supplies were gone (seriously, these ladies could eat!) it was bath time. We headed back over to the river each with a small bucket in our hands. The elephants (including the third lady with her injury) sat in the river and we all got to work splashing the elephants to both cool them down and wash them (and occasionally splash each other). It was for sure the most fun bath I have ever taken, although it’s debatable whether I was any cleaner from it. |
With bath time over, it was time to say goodbye to our elephants and go visit the rest of the park. I cannot begin to tell you what beautiful, gentle and lovely spirited animals these elephants were and to spend the day caring for them was an experience I cannot put into words.
We strolled through the valley as a group and saw many other elephants and heard their stories including one beautiful 95 year-old Grandmother elephant who, as we approached, simply strolled over to me as if to say hello. I gave her a pat on the nose and my heart melted. This particular lady had taken my breath away. There were other small herds walking the park with various volunteers (including a few Westerners) and we made our way over to the main building. We paid for the day, checked out the rest of the place (which also included a rescue centre for dogs and stray cats) and it was sadly time to leave.
I cannot begin to express how wonderful this place and all its volunteers had been, the care and devotion they have to these wonderful animals truly warmed my heart and I cannot begin to sing the Elephant Nature Park’s praises enough.
We strolled through the valley as a group and saw many other elephants and heard their stories including one beautiful 95 year-old Grandmother elephant who, as we approached, simply strolled over to me as if to say hello. I gave her a pat on the nose and my heart melted. This particular lady had taken my breath away. There were other small herds walking the park with various volunteers (including a few Westerners) and we made our way over to the main building. We paid for the day, checked out the rest of the place (which also included a rescue centre for dogs and stray cats) and it was sadly time to leave.
I cannot begin to express how wonderful this place and all its volunteers had been, the care and devotion they have to these wonderful animals truly warmed my heart and I cannot begin to sing the Elephant Nature Park’s praises enough.
All I would like to add is that if you are planning a trip to Thailand and feel you want to ride an elephant, please do re-consider. You have no idea what a cruel industry you will be supporting. And take it from me; a visit to the Elephant Nature Park (or any reputable nature reserve) will be a much more rewarding, satisfying and enriching experience. It was truly one of the most enjoyable days of my life.
Back on the mini bus, we headed back to the city, passing the Northern Thailand Bypass, which Sean mentioned circles Northern Thailand in it’s entirety. We said our goodbyes to the group and our guide Deng (a seriously cool young bloke by the way). Back at the Tamarind Village hotel, we got showered and changed. After a while I left Jen in the room and went over to the pool and sat in our snug from last night, ordered a beer (that also came with nuts and banana chips) and listened to the same group from the evening before. It was once again lovely to sit there, have a beer, write a little and enjoy the music. We grabbed a taxi and headed out to the Night Bazaar. A short drive outside the city walls, this place was hectic and exciting. The roads were lined with what felt like hundreds of stalls all selling various bits and pieces. There were however only two things on our mind, food and drink. We followed the sound of what appeared to be a Thai Reggae band (Bob Marley is seriously popular here!) into what turned out to be the International food court that was lined with all kinds of street food and booze stands. After circling the place and seeing all it had to offer, we settled for a cheeseburger at the ‘Burger Box’, I also grabbed a large beer from a stand nearby and Jen had a cocktail that was served by a transvestite. Jen also had a weird Ice Cream desert that looked like it was prepared on a hot plate. Looking around the place there was a great mix of both Westerners from all kinds of countries as well as Thais, all sitting around, eating, drinking and enjoying the music. What a great vibe. With our bellies full and a slight beer buzz on, we decided to walk back to the hotel. Past the slightly rowdier bars complete with prostitutes swarming around middle-aged ex-pats - really clichéd stuff actually, but kind of hilarious nonetheless. Today had truly been a stand out day and an experience we knew we would never forget. It would be time to leave Chiang Mai in the morning and we walked past the Tamarind Tree to our hotel room with a heavy heart. We did, however look forward to the second part of what was already fast becoming one hell of an adventure. |
Day 4 - 21.4.17
The sun rose on our last morning in the City. We ate breakfast with a heart that was both heavy yet eager for the next adventure. I’d booked a taxi the night before to take us to the airport. We left the hotel, passed through the city gates and before we knew it (after arriving at the wrong terminal) were on a two-hour flight to Phuket. The flight was fairly uneventful other than the fact that we had a female pilot, which I thought was very cool. As we flew Southward, the Thailand mainland slowly turned into islands of varying sizes as we flew over what I assumed to be Phang Nga bay. We landed in a very busy and hectic Phuket Airport and eventually managed to find a man with a sign saying ‘Mr J Bonner’, a reminder that it pays to plan ahead when travelling, it would have been a nightmare getting out of this place otherwise. We waited outside the terminal as our driver brought a van round and once loaded up, we were on our way.
The one hour and twenty minute drive up the coast towards Khao Lak was interesting to say the least as we did the usual dangerous overtaking, past families piled up onto small mopeds travelling at goodness knows what speed. We even spotted a few parents with children sat on their knees as they sped along the busy road. I also found interesting the almost complete randomness how the streets of Thailand were set out. In England houses tend to be grouped together, as do retail parks and industrial estates etc. whereas over here anything goes and the most random businesses would be set up in these tiny units behind which I assumed the occupants lived. The drive was also fairly rural in places, which made me slightly worried that Khao Lak might be in the middle of nowhere. This happily wasn’t the case as we arrived in a bustling yet touristy town and pulled up at our home for the majority of the trip, the Khao Lak Bhandari Resort and Spar.
The one hour and twenty minute drive up the coast towards Khao Lak was interesting to say the least as we did the usual dangerous overtaking, past families piled up onto small mopeds travelling at goodness knows what speed. We even spotted a few parents with children sat on their knees as they sped along the busy road. I also found interesting the almost complete randomness how the streets of Thailand were set out. In England houses tend to be grouped together, as do retail parks and industrial estates etc. whereas over here anything goes and the most random businesses would be set up in these tiny units behind which I assumed the occupants lived. The drive was also fairly rural in places, which made me slightly worried that Khao Lak might be in the middle of nowhere. This happily wasn’t the case as we arrived in a bustling yet touristy town and pulled up at our home for the majority of the trip, the Khao Lak Bhandari Resort and Spar.
We were checked in and shown to our bungalow by a lovely fellow called Kevin (probably not his real name!). The bungalow was very spacious and even had a shower/bath outside. We quickly decided this would be a good HQ for the rest of our adventure. We had a little stroll around the resort and then thought it rude not to check out the pool area and make use of the pool bar whilst we relaxed. I had the usual large beer whilst Jen sampled the smoothie menu.
As the sun began to set we left the hotel and strolled along the beach that was situated a stones throw from our bungalow. The beach was fairly quiet and had a lovely vibe. We spent time on the sand and on the homemade swings dotted around the beach.
With a rumble in our stomachs from all the travelling we ate at a local Italian restaurant up the street we had read about on Trip Advisor called Bella Italia. Whilst we felt like frauds eating Italian food in Thailand, as an Italian owned the restaurant, we convinced ourselves it was an authentic experience - plus the Pizzas and brochette were delicious! After dinner we strolled back to our hotel and bedded down for the night, ready for a day of relaxing the following morning.
As the sun began to set we left the hotel and strolled along the beach that was situated a stones throw from our bungalow. The beach was fairly quiet and had a lovely vibe. We spent time on the sand and on the homemade swings dotted around the beach.
With a rumble in our stomachs from all the travelling we ate at a local Italian restaurant up the street we had read about on Trip Advisor called Bella Italia. Whilst we felt like frauds eating Italian food in Thailand, as an Italian owned the restaurant, we convinced ourselves it was an authentic experience - plus the Pizzas and brochette were delicious! After dinner we strolled back to our hotel and bedded down for the night, ready for a day of relaxing the following morning.
Day 5 - 22.4.17
Today would arguably be the most relaxing since we got to Thailand, and I think we were both looking forward to that. We let ourselves sleep in and then headed for breakfast. After a little bit of research we decided we wanted to give Khuek Khak Beach a try, just a little ways up the coast from our location. Once fed and ready to head out we asked at the reception how best to hail a taxi. They pointed us towards a rank not too far from our hotel. We saw a line of what are essentially small pickup trucks each with a row of benches in the back (the Thai’s call them Songthaews), a couple of guys were lying down under a shelter on the other side of the road, one of which approached. We negotiated a price for him to take us up to the beach and then hopped in the back. I’ve already spoken about how crazy the driving is over in Thailand, add that to the fact that we were essentially sitting in the back of a pickup truck and you have one hell of a fun ride. After around 10 minutes of driving north through Khao Lak, we pulled down a side road and arrived at a small entrance to the beach. As we faced the sea, to our left the beach stretched as far as the eye could see, and to our right eventually curved round into a small bay. We spent the afternoon sunbathing in the incredibly hot sun and then dipping in the turquoise water to cool off then eventually taking a stroll up the beach Northward past the various resorts into the bay. The whole area seemed very quiet and we had vast stretches to ourselves save for the occasional passer by. We eventually stopped for lunch at a small and deserted looking beach bar called Rim Lay II. Grabbing a seat under some shade, the owner – a lovely lady, but mad as a box of purple frogs – came out and took our order. We kept it simple with sandwiches, fries and cold beer. We mentioned to the lady how quiet it seemed and she confirmed that there weren’t many people in the area right now before making us promise we would come back. We obliged. After paying our bill and using a toilet in a small shack by the jungle without a flush (just a bucket of water and a cup to ‘flush’ the water down) we headed back onto the beach. We headed up to the point with every intention of walking around it to reach White Sand Beach just around the corner, but eventually gave up, as we simply couldn’t be bothered. We walked back to the bay, accompanied by dozens of hermit crabs just going about their business.
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We took another crazy taxi back down the coast to our hotel, were we took some time to relax in the bungalow and take a shower in our little outside patio area and eventually walked back up to town once again. Rather than eating at a restaurant, we were craving some street food. Walking up the road we stumbled upon a lady cooking up some Phad Thai on a small kiosk that is pulled along by a motorcycle. Amazing food! We camped up just outside a local supermarket and gorged on the local favourite (as well as a spring roll). By the time we were finished, the lady was packing up her stand, ready to ride off down the street. Despite having a relaxing beach day, we were tired and a little sunburned (something we’re usually very good at avoiding) and so walked wearily from the main strip back down the side street towards the coast where our hotel and beds awaited us. |
Day 6 - 23.4.17
Today was going to be another day relaxing at the beach, knowing full well that the next several days would be fairly full on with both a trip to Phang Nga Bay and our visit to the Khao Sok National Park just on the Horizon. With this in mind we had a leasurely breakfast after a leisurely lie in.
Once ready we headed to the usual taxi rank where the usual guys lazed around under a shelter by the road and once a price was agreed, we jumped in the back. This time we were heading further North than yesterday, into the next bay (which we failed to reach by foot yesterday) to hang out at White Sand Beach. The entrance to the beach was on the other side of a large beach bar, with various sheltered seating dotted around and customers munching and drinking away in the already baking sun. The beach itself lived up to its name, white sand, turquoise water, and despite a few people dotted around, wasn’t particularly busy. |
I was still fairly haggard from the pounding we took from the Sun the day before (and even a little burned, something I usually pride myself on being able to avoid) so found myself a nice shady spot under a tree, whilst Jen – the sun worshipper – laid out on the sand.
Despite being sat away from each other, we occasionally dipped into the sea to cool off, before assuming our positions on the beach. Around lunchtime our stomachs instructed us to go back to the bar and have some lunch, sat under a shelter and listening to a hilarious Australian old bloke having a loud Skype call with his family back home (“It’s full of f**king Germans here”), we filled up on food (Jen had a sandwich and I had Thai beef in ginger) and an obligatory cold beer. With our stomachs full we left the bar and headed down the beach in the other direction this time, past a number of fishing dhows. After a short while we headed back and I took shelter once again under my favourite tree, this time following the shadows as the sun moved across the sky.
As the afternoon sun began to weaken, we headed back to the road and awaited the next taxi that could bring us back to our hotel. Another fun 60mph drive later I took an outdoor shower in the secluded patio area behind our bungalow and really cooled off.
Despite being sat away from each other, we occasionally dipped into the sea to cool off, before assuming our positions on the beach. Around lunchtime our stomachs instructed us to go back to the bar and have some lunch, sat under a shelter and listening to a hilarious Australian old bloke having a loud Skype call with his family back home (“It’s full of f**king Germans here”), we filled up on food (Jen had a sandwich and I had Thai beef in ginger) and an obligatory cold beer. With our stomachs full we left the bar and headed down the beach in the other direction this time, past a number of fishing dhows. After a short while we headed back and I took shelter once again under my favourite tree, this time following the shadows as the sun moved across the sky.
As the afternoon sun began to weaken, we headed back to the road and awaited the next taxi that could bring us back to our hotel. Another fun 60mph drive later I took an outdoor shower in the secluded patio area behind our bungalow and really cooled off.
We rounded off today by walking into town and eating at Spinach, a busy restaurant just off the main strip that Jen had found online a while back. We both indulged in a stunning curry (mine was a Massaman Curry, Jen’s a Green Curry) along with the best spring rolls I had ever tried. With full bellies, we walked back in the direction of the hotel. However, on the way we passed a small ‘motorbike’ street food vendor where an elderly lady was making all kinds of pancakes with all kinds of ingredients. Jen had a Nutella and Coconut pancake, which was really fun to see prepared by the lady.
Back at the room, the day ended with a slight critter encounter in the form of a cockroach that had entered the room through one of the many gaps throughout. I’d had an encounter with a cockroach in LA a few years back and knew how difficult to kill they were (really living up to their reputation), thankfully a James Cameron-esque battle wasn’t necessary as the roach eventually scuttled through a tiny gap in the bathroom flooring and wasn’t to be seen again. With my small victory achieved, it was time to hit the hay.
Back at the room, the day ended with a slight critter encounter in the form of a cockroach that had entered the room through one of the many gaps throughout. I’d had an encounter with a cockroach in LA a few years back and knew how difficult to kill they were (really living up to their reputation), thankfully a James Cameron-esque battle wasn’t necessary as the roach eventually scuttled through a tiny gap in the bathroom flooring and wasn’t to be seen again. With my small victory achieved, it was time to hit the hay.
Day 7 - 24.4.17
We woke up to another beautiful Thai morning, headed to breakfast in our usual spot and get ready. Today we had booked a day trip to see Phang Nga Bay and the main highlights of the area. We had arranged transport and a guide through Khao Lak Explorer and waited outside the hotel. Today was going to be another hot one.
At around 8am a minivan showed up and our guide Nat greeted us. We hopped in and were met by two French couples that were also joining us. The van drove us inland away from the coast into the higher ground passing countryside and jungle as we slowly made our way South East towards Phang Nga City. The driving was crazy as usual and this time sound-tracked by some very fun Thai pop music. Passing the various small settlements along the way, I once again found myself fascinated by the complete lack of pattern or logic as to how streets are organized. Each building its own little shack, store out front selling some random wares or service and living quarters out back. The neighbours always selling something completely different and irrelevant.
At around 8am a minivan showed up and our guide Nat greeted us. We hopped in and were met by two French couples that were also joining us. The van drove us inland away from the coast into the higher ground passing countryside and jungle as we slowly made our way South East towards Phang Nga City. The driving was crazy as usual and this time sound-tracked by some very fun Thai pop music. Passing the various small settlements along the way, I once again found myself fascinated by the complete lack of pattern or logic as to how streets are organized. Each building its own little shack, store out front selling some random wares or service and living quarters out back. The neighbours always selling something completely different and irrelevant.
The jungle eventually gave way to reveal the edges of Phang Nga City. As we made our way towards the centre of town, a stunning juxtaposition of Thai and Chinese culture and architecture revealed itself. Nat explained that a large number of Chinese men came to the city many years ago to work in the then prevalent tin mining boom in the 15th Century. They then naturally began to marry the local Thai women. Islam and Buddhism act as the two main religions here. Two very different religions existing in what appeared to be complete peace next to one another. Not for the first time we noticed lots of black drapery, banners and flags, once again part of the National mourning for the recent death of the King. The main government building of the city was even draped in black.
We passed through town and the buildings began to thin out once again. After some more time driving through the countryside we reached a small clearing by a body of water. We left the van and got into a traditional Dhou boat, around 40ft long and beautifully coloured. We all sat in rows of two and set off into a network of water surrounded by vast tangles of mangrove. The mangrove began to give way after a while to reveal a colossal bay surrounded by gigantic islands. This was the iconic Thailand that I had seen in all the brochures, and just like many wonderful places on earth, the pictures don’t do the breathtaking scenery justice.
We passed through town and the buildings began to thin out once again. After some more time driving through the countryside we reached a small clearing by a body of water. We left the van and got into a traditional Dhou boat, around 40ft long and beautifully coloured. We all sat in rows of two and set off into a network of water surrounded by vast tangles of mangrove. The mangrove began to give way after a while to reveal a colossal bay surrounded by gigantic islands. This was the iconic Thailand that I had seen in all the brochures, and just like many wonderful places on earth, the pictures don’t do the breathtaking scenery justice.
We eventually reached a small island that boasted a tiny cove, just outside the cove sat a very tall thin rock. The island was the location of villain Mr Scaramanga’s secret lair in the James Bond movie ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ and had since become known as ‘James Bond Island’ by locals and tourists alike. As our dhow reached a small beach overlooked by intimidating cliffs Nat explained that we had come here first to beat the vast crowds that arrive every day. She advised us to head up a small cliff-side pathway, which would take us to the small cove. We spent some time taking in this beautiful natural landmark (and taking pictures whilst it was still quiet) as well as another vast wall of rock that towered and leant over you as you entered a small crevice (another location from the movie). As we headed back to the boat after a while, the crowds that Nat had warned us of were beginning to arrive. By the time we reached the dhow again more and more boats were showing up, mooring next to one another on the pebble beach.
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Whilst we waited for the rest of the group to return, Jen and I began speaking to Nat. She was originally from North East Thailand and moved to the region around twenty years ago. She said she was thinking of returning home as the city was starting to become too populated (like Phuket) which she didn’t particularly love. She also told us that traditionally, the youngest sibling returns home to look after their parents once they become elderly. It sounded like she was gearing up for this, but didn’t seem to be looking forward to it too much.
We set off once again out onto the water. Eventually a large boat came into view, which we pitched up to. We moored up and climbed aboard. (It’s worth mentioning that we didn’t really know the full itinerary of the day, so this was all quite a surprise). We were told that we were going on a small canoe trip through the mangroves. We climbed onto a small canoe and were paddled towards one of the large islands by a fellow who told us his name was James (yeah right). We paddled around the islands and through some very tiny caves, some of which we had to lay down just to fit under. James then took us through the mangrove network. We stopped every so often in quiet corners and coves, simply taking in the natural beauty and peaceful silence. James even pointed out a ‘mudskipper fish’ that crawled along the mangrove branch – incredible.
We set off once again out onto the water. Eventually a large boat came into view, which we pitched up to. We moored up and climbed aboard. (It’s worth mentioning that we didn’t really know the full itinerary of the day, so this was all quite a surprise). We were told that we were going on a small canoe trip through the mangroves. We climbed onto a small canoe and were paddled towards one of the large islands by a fellow who told us his name was James (yeah right). We paddled around the islands and through some very tiny caves, some of which we had to lay down just to fit under. James then took us through the mangrove network. We stopped every so often in quiet corners and coves, simply taking in the natural beauty and peaceful silence. James even pointed out a ‘mudskipper fish’ that crawled along the mangrove branch – incredible.
Once back at the large boat, we disembarked from this back onto our dhow, ready for whatever the next location would be. ‘Khao Lak Discovery’ indeed.
The next stop on our trip was possibly one of the most unique and fascinating places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. The Muslim stilt village of Ko Panyi. This mesmerising place was originally founded by Indonesian gypsies who settled in the area around two hundred or so years ago. Nowadays the men go out to fish whilst the women (and children) stay behind and sell souvenirs and other shite to tourists who arrive by the boatload each day. We approached on a long jetty and walked into the village, what we were greeted with was a floating shanty town made up of shacks all pretty much bolted together. We walked into the town past children trying to sell us various things, then into a labyrinth like market place, each building its own unique build, with gaps in the floor showing the water ten feet below. |
The sights and smells were an assault on the senses and left me open mouthed with wonder. Sure, it was dirty and disgusting, and of course pretty touristy. But such a unique setting and one completely alien to the Western world. It was another moment where I realized just how far from home we really were. In a good way of course. We ate a meal of fish and rice at a local restaurant and eventually met Nat again at another jetty. The weather was starting to take a slight turn and before we new it a heavy rainfall started. We boarded our Dhow once more and headed away from Ko Panyi (passing the Muslim mosque and small island that the village is pretty much built around) and back through the mangrove to the mainland.
Our next and final stop on the tour was Wat Tham Suwan Khuda – or ‘Lying Buddha Cave’. Which was essentially that, a cave that was home to a very impressive Buddha statue. The cave entrance was surrounded by monkeys much to the delight of visitors young and old. Nat told us the temple was around 150 years old and was one of many cave temples in the area founded by monks who would live in the forest. They would come to the cave for shelter and to meditate. The cave itself went very deep and led back out into the forest at one point before reclining back into another cave with a steep rockface. A number of steps, etched into the rock over time allowed us to climb right to the top to hang out with the many bats that called the cave their home. Very cool indeed.
Back out at the entrance among the monkeys, we met Nat and got back onto the Van. Thus began the long (and equally crazy) drive back through Phang Nga province to Khao Lak, where our hotel awaited. I would thoroughly recommend Khao Lak Explorer. The price wasn’t too bad, it was incredibly well organized and we covered a hell of a lot in one day. |
Our bones tired from exploring, we chilled in the hotel for a while before heading out into the evening. We ate at a small roadside street food joint named ‘Go Pong’ where we feasted on another fabulous Phad Thai. Then across the street to a great bar named ‘Monkey Bar’. We pulled up a couple of deckchairs, ordered beers and cocktails and sat back and watched the house band, led by a dude with a straw cowboy hat, singing all kinds of western popular songs - Billy Joel, Bob Marley etc. I naturally made up a wild west name for them – Sheriff Teepee and the Hard Bandits.
After a few beers it was time for bed. Today had been full of surprises and we had seen and experienced a lot. We were about to spend the next few days in the Khao Sok National Park – I had no idea what we were in for. |
Day 8 - 25.4.17
Today would mark the beginning of what have been possibly the coolest few days of my life so far…
We had booked a trip to head inland (and up-hill) into the Khao Sok National Park. Starting with a night in the middle of the jungle at a place simply named Our Jungle Treehouse. After breakfast at the hotel, I took a walk up to the supermarket to pick up some supplies, water, bug spray and sun lotion (the latter two being pretty expensive!). Once packed up and ready (although quite honestly, we didn’t fully know what we were packing for at this point) we waited outside the hotel for our ride. I had booked us a transfer up to Khao Sok Village with Khao Lak Explorer– the same company whom our previous day’s excursion was with and a van arrived at 11am just as planned. What followed was an hour long drive through the countryside up into the Jungle, with the similar mix of chaotic driving and beautiful scenery all the way. We eventually arrived in Khao Sok Village and after the driver had got out an asked for directions twice, we eventually drove down a narrow mud road and arrived at our destination. Our Jungle Treehouse is a number of raised (you guessed it) tree houses and shacks situated right in the middle of the wilderness, complimented by a reception area, restaurant and bar. We instantly got the feeling that we were very far off the grid. A feeling that we were both looking for on this trip. Our tree house was not quite ready yet so we had lunch at the beautiful on-site restaurant sat in an open sided shelter underneath the bar above. I treated myself to a phenomenal Phad Thai whilst Jen had a sandwich. As we ate we were joined by a little ginger cat. After a little while we were led down a long and windy raised footpath, the jungle singing to us on either side, eventually we reached a small wooden sign that said ‘Half Moon’ pointing directly to our raised tree house up a steep flight of stairs. The tree house was amazing, fairly basic with a bed (and mosquito net), an outdoor shower and a broom, which we later learned was for sweeping away bugs and spiders. The highlight was the stunning balcony with views directly into the jungle with a small river flowing below next to a colossal 600ft limestone cliff, which started out as coral and shell over 250 million years ago. I all of a sudden felt very far away from the rest of civilization. The power was out, which we were told was common, so we just hung out on the balcony. We read up on the place in the welcome book. The place was founded and is owned by Richard Sandler and prioritizes eco tourism. You can read more information about this amazing place here. After a while we noticed a family of macaque monkeys making their way across the base of the cliff along the river, effortlessly moving and swinging along, checking periodically to see if the rest of the family was keeping up. We headed out of our tree house and decided to check out one of the Nature Trails listed on a hand drawn map we were given. I’m not sure what we expected but it was pretty intense, a narrow windy path through thick jungle, bugs everywhere. At one point I noticed (yet tried not to) that the floor was literally covered in small spiders. All in all pretty unpleasant! Eventually we reached a clearing and stumbled out onto a path looking a little haggard. A sympathetic couple pointed out another family of monkeys grooming an infant high in the trees above. |
We strolled back to our Tree house and spent more time on the balcony, this time watching more monkeys (8 or 9) ascending the limestone cliff in the distance.
Eventually we headed down to dinner at the restaurant and had a great Thai meal, accompanied by other guests from other tree houses, as well as a number of lizards hinging out on the ceiling above us. At one point a large Toad casually hopped in too. Above the restaurant was a covered bar, we headed up and sat on some cushions. Jen ordered a honey cocktail and I had beer. We were joined eventually by a cat, which an American guy (who was camping out in the Jungle) said was named Cocktail. Hanging out and listening to the now booming jungle noises whilst sipping beer brought me to two conclusions. One…This was probably the best bar I’ve ever had a drink at. And two…This was possibly the most enchanting place Jennifer and I have ever visited. We wearily and somewhat drunkenly ambled back through the darkness to our Treehouse and headed to bed. We lit coils to keep the mosquitos at bay. But as the only air conditioning was in the form of a fan, that was blocked by our mosquito net, we were in for a very hot night.
But wow, what a day. |
Day 9 - 26.4.17
We were not prepared…but more on that later.
After a hot night (which included one early hours trip to the outside toilet together) we awoke at 7am to the sounds of the jungle. After showering in our outdoor patio shower we headed down to the restaurant once more for a pre-booked breakfast. I had a ‘hiker’s breakfast' and Jen had French Toast. We headed back to our tree house to gather our things before checkout. Today we would be leaving behind Our Jungle Tree House and heading deeper into the National Park to stay on Cheow Lan Lake on one of the ‘lake houses’ for one night, before then heading back to Khao Lak for the remainder of our Honeymoon. Back at the tree house, we began to gather our things ready for the trip when we spotted movement at the camp by the river just down from our tree house. A family of monkeys were rummaging around the camp and slowly began to make their way towards our house, moving along a cable that ran from our tree house directly to the camp. As they slowly approached it dawned on us that they were definitely planning on paying us a visit. We headed inside and shut our doors (as advised in the welcome book) and watched the chaos unfold. The monkeys began to swarm our terrace, looking in at us through the many windows – both of us examining one another as if both visitors to some kind of zoo. One or two even climbed up onto the roof to peer curiously at us through the gaps. Jen then mentioned that she heard similar sounds through the night, indicating that we were also being watched as we slept. Eventually the cheeky chaps moved on, and sadly so did we. We headed down the pathway from our tree house to reception one final time and checked out. |
A minivan awaited us and we were greeted by a very large Thai man in a dirty white vest. He gave us a cheeky grin as we climbed aboard but said little else. Inside we met some other travellers who were heading to the lake with us. Julian and Becky were a couple from London who’d been travelling around the area and Andrea from Zurich, who had previously been on a diving expedition around the West Coast of Thailand and had now swapped the ocean for the Jungle. As the big man began to drive us away from Our Jungle Treehouse, we all got chatting and swapping stories, instantly becoming friends. We all agreed that we were very pleased to be in the same group. We made one more stop in Khao Sok Village and picked up a family of four, which included Jon, his wife Ginny (if I remember correctly?) and two small daughters Amelie and Sophia. Whilst we initially all were a little skeptical of having children with us on our expedition (something we would soon completely take back!) the family were absolutely amazing and a welcome addition to our group. Again, we all swapped stories as we drove through the jungle.
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At one point the big man pulled up to a house where two children played outside. He began yelling something in Thai to the children and some kind of verbal exchange took place. We soon figured out that this was his home and they were his children! We drove away again and after some time stopped at a market in a small but bustling town. The big guy advised us that we should buy some long pants (if we don’t already have some) and a head torch. We all went about our business and made the appropriate purchases at the market. We also visited possibly the most disgusting toilet ever, in the back of a small building behind the market down an alley.
Still…a new experience I guess.
Still…a new experience I guess.
We set off once more and eventually arrived at the National Park entrance by an incredibly large lake. We walked towards a small pier, paid 300 baht per person to enter the park and waited for our boat. We boarded a long tail Dhow with a bunch of other travellers for a one hour boat trip across Cheow Lan Lake past some of the most incredible scenery ever, typically Thai mountains surrounding us as we passed through the behemoth of water, each one littered with trees. After quite some time, we spotted a long row of shacks on the lake with a large covered jetty in the centre. We moored up and disembarked.
We were each given a number, which indicated which small wooden shack we would be staying in. Walking away from the main jetty (which contained lots of seating as well as a small bar). We walked down the row of houses to ours. I was very basic, literally a wooden shack with two covered mattresses on the floor. This will do just fine. We spent some time swimming in the beautiful lake and once or twice climbing aboard the kayaks that were floating around the buoyed off area surrounding our houses. No phone service, no Internet, just us, the lake and the jungle. I was in heaven.
We were each given a number, which indicated which small wooden shack we would be staying in. Walking away from the main jetty (which contained lots of seating as well as a small bar). We walked down the row of houses to ours. I was very basic, literally a wooden shack with two covered mattresses on the floor. This will do just fine. We spent some time swimming in the beautiful lake and once or twice climbing aboard the kayaks that were floating around the buoyed off area surrounding our houses. No phone service, no Internet, just us, the lake and the jungle. I was in heaven.
After a while the dinner bell rang and we all sat down to a fantastic seafood and rice lunch, again getting to know one another. The big man introduced himself. “My name, Big Man.” We should have guessed.
Big Man talked us through a map he had sketched on a piece of cardboard and told us we would be going on a jungle trek shortly with a possible visit to a cave. We finished lunch and prepped our gear and once again climbed into the two long tail boats, setting off into the jungle once more. After quite some time travelling down an increasingly narrow river surrounded by thick jungle on each side, we pulled up and disembarked. Thus began a few miles of trekking down a very narrow and very muddy path through thick jungle, crossing over rivers at several points. It was seriously cool and I honestly couldn’t have felt further from home. |
After what felt like a very long time trekking, we reached a large cliff wall with a river running out of it. We were told we’d be entering a cave through a very small hole in the cliff. We put on our head-torches and headed in. I always told myself that spelunking is NOT on my to do list so I was a little apprehensive, but headed in regardless. We trekked deeper and deeper into the cave, with our only light sources being from our headlamps, through water that was sometimes up to our necks (but mostly our wastes). In single file we headed deeper and deeper, climbing up rocks and battling the river that flowed against us. At one point I looked at Jen in front of me, neck deep in water in a dark bug filled cave in the middle of the Thai jungle and laughed when I remembered that this was supposed to be the poor girl’s honeymoon! I was very proud. After a while we turned around and made the long trek back. At one point passing the biggest spider I have ever seen (and a pretty big frog too). Eventually we hit daylight again, what a relief. The trek back through the jungle to our boats seemed more arduous this time due to the amount of rain that had fallen whilst we were in the cave (yes, we were in the cave during the rain, something Bear Grylls always warns against, but who were we to say no to Big Man). Eventually we made it back to the boats and travelled back to the safety of our floating community.
We dived into the lake to wash the mud and jungle off our clothes and had some more time to swim and relax as the sun began to set in this far away paradise. We had an evening meal at 8pm with the rest of the group and were told the plan for tomorrow. 6am Monkey safari followed by breakfast, then another trek to another cave! Bring it on.
We spent the remainder of the night sat at a table with our new friends Julian, Becky, Andrea and a couple of young Dutch travellers. Sipping beers and swapping excited stories about the experience we had all shared. We all agreed and joked that “we were not prepared” for today. Jen’s once white Converse shoes had turned tan, a worthy sacrifice for todays adventure. With the threat of an early morning and the excitement of an incredibly adventurous day behind us, we said our goodnights and walked over to our shack to hit the hay. What an incredible day (possibly one of the best days of my life...seriously). We were not prepared indeed. |
Day 10 - 27.4.17
Despite sleeping in a small floating chipboard shack in the middle of nowhere, the serenity of the lake accompanied by the crazy day before meant we both slept surprisingly soundly. We awoke at sunrise and headed across to the main deck for coffee. The other guide, a much smaller man (who we found out called himself ‘Small Man’) was sat on the deck, feet dangling over the lake playing an acoustic guitar and singing along in Thai. It was the perfect soundtrack to the most beautiful morning view. Serene and surreal. We sat and had coffee ahead of our morning ‘boat safari’. Boarding onto one of the long tail boats (with another group in another boat) we set out into the lake, stopping at various points along the shore for some monkey spotting. Big Man did his part to get the monkeys to come out by simply shouting ‘MONKEYS!’ very loudly. We actually saw quite a few in the trees high above the lake, jumping around from branch to trunk in small groups. Although having had our up close encounter in our tree-house, this wasn’t quite as impressive. Still a wonderful way to spend an early morning.
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Back at the lake houses we had breakfast, eggs, tomato and vegetables. We then had some more free time for a morning swim in the beautiful water. We eventually repacked our gear and somewhat sadly got back into the long-tail, leaving the lake houses for the last time. I tried to take a mental picture, but was still too stunned by its beauty. Before heading back to the real world, we would be undertaking one more jungle trek to another cave, although we were promised that this one would be a little dryer.
After a lengthy boat ride across the vast expanse of the lake we pulled ashore and jumped off the boat. A number of National Park Rangers greeted us. Big Man stayed behind to prepare lunch whilst the Rangers led us up a fairly steep hill on our trek into the jungle. We hiked higher and higher, past chameleons, spiders, giant ants, all sorts. I chatted to Jon as we walked, turns out he’s a coastal engineer who works all over the world – currently on a project in Trinidad and Tobago. Fascinating to find out more. He also asked me about my job with interest. After a lengthy and tiring walk we eventually started to head down hill. Out of nowhere the jungle gave way to reveal a huge cave entrance at the bottom of a valley. We once again put on our head-lamps and slowly made our way in. |
At the cave’s entrance we saw a snake coiled up atop a stalactite. Almost like the guardian of the cave. One of the Rangers shone his torch at the snake and he began to slowly slither away, looking rather irritated. We could hear bats in the distance as we entered the darkness of the cave, and spotted something else. Spiders, large ones, as big as your hand. At first I just glanced a few lining the walls of the (thankfully) large cave. But the more we looked, the more we saw. Every few feet apart there seemed to be more, just sitting there motionless as we passed. If you want to see what the spiders looked like - just do a Google image search for 'Thailand cave spider'. The cave went deeper and deeper until we reached what seemed like the bottom. We shone lights at the top of the cave. My beam seemed the strongest and revealed hundreds of bats high above us. Examining the walls some more revealed just how many cave spiders were lining the walls, literally hundreds of them. It was like a scene from Aliens. We all turned our lights off for a moment to experience the true darkness, as we turned them back on the floor was practically moving with them. Jen and I weirdly managed to keep our cool, probably just in disbelief at how crazy this place was. I was particularly impressed at how interested the little girls were when one of the Rangers got one on his hand to show them. I watched from a safe distance. After a while we made our way back out of the cave to the safety of the jungle. We hiked back down the train once more, I spent some time talking to Andrea – what an awesome person she is!
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Back at the bottom Chef Big Man had lunch ready and waiting for us, egg fried rice with vegetables. We ate hungrily. The boats were waiting where we disembarked, but only now I realized we were close to a number of small floating shacks which created a small swimming hole, accompanied by a large rope swing high above. Naturally I used it a number of times (I wasn’t expecting to get wet again, but oh well). I also played with one of the young girls Sophia, splashing her and pushing her in. What a beautiful place to spend some time. Once again, I felt very off-the-grid and at peace.
Back on the long-tail one last time we took the long ride back through the incredible lake, surrounded by impossibly high mountains, covered in trees. Back at the pier, we said our good byes to Big Man with a high five. This time a coach (then switching to a minibus) took us back to Our Jungle Tree-house. We paid our bill for the night and ordered a shared taxi. We stopped first to have lunch at the restaurant with Julian, Becky and Andrea. We all agreed we had just shared an incredible adventure and were very sad to say our goodbyes. I hope we see them again soon. We all made a great team! The taxi ride back to Khao Lak was a bit of a nightmare. The guy accompanying the driver kept talking to me and trying to joke and banter, but didn’t really speak enough English to really pull it off. By the end it just got a bit boring. We stopped at one point to pick someone else up in a busy marketplace then drove towards Khao Lak. After driving through a pretty heavy storm we finally made it back to the main street and ambled back to our hotel. After the incredible adventure we had just had, it was kind of nice to be back, we just chilled in our room for a while. We both agreed we were too knackered to go eat out so I just walked to the local shop and bought a few snacks to eat in our hotel room as well as draw out some more money. |
For anyone who likes adventure, doesn’t mind simple accommodation (and a few large bugs), and truly wants to feel at one with nature, I cannot recommend both Our Jungle Tree-house and Cheow Lan Lake enough. It was truly one of the most incredible 48 hours of my life and something I will never, ever forget.
Day 11 - 28.4.17
Even after the adventure of the last few days, we weren’t resting just yet. Today we had a Snorkelling trip planned at the Similan Islands, just West off the coast of mainland Thailand. (booked through Khao Lak Explorer)
After breakfast, we waited for our transfer and were picked up from the hotel at 8:05am. A fairly brief drive later and we got off at a pier, along with a bunch of other small minivans full of people. The tours were run by a company called Wow Andaman! And this was the diving centre. We checked in and picked up our kit. The Similan Islands is a national park made up of an archipelago of of 11 Islands although the word ‘Similan’ translates as ‘nine’. Today, we would be visiting a number of them. We were introduced to our guide. A young guy named ‘Game’, he explained what would be happening today and we then climbed aboard the boat. A very bumpy 1:15 hour boat ride took us to Island 4. We hopped off the boat onto a small beach. We hung out on the beach and tested our snorkeling gear for a while as the beach gradually grew busier. After a while we hopped back onto our boat. Island 5 was next. The boat stopped just off the coast. We geared up and jumped in. I have to admit, whilst there were lots of interesting fish to look at, the coral for the most part looked dead. It seemed to me that years of visitors to the reef had caused the coral reef to mostly die and dry out. It was quite a sad thing to see. There was a small part of me that thought it might just be that the coral was covered in sand (partly true), but deep down I just felt like we shouldn’t be there. |
Back on the boat and another short boat ride later, we were at Island 7. Same again. After our second trip we headed to a large island, which we were told was number 8. We moored up on a beach along side lots of other boats and headed inland. The company had prepared a Thai lunch for us, which we hungrily ate on some benches in a clearing. Looking around we saw Chinese tourists, lots of them. After lunch we took a small hike up to a viewpoint overlooking the beach. A mix of there being no barriers/railings with the fact that Chinese tourists were so desparate to get photographs at any cost made the whole rock we were stood on feel very unsafe. I was glad to get us down. I’ve met many Chinese people over the years and they are lovely people. But on holiday, they are a nightmare in big groups!
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After a short while on the beach we got back onto our speed boat and began the long, bumpy boat ride back to the mainland. Once back we grabbed some more food, which the company had prepared at the pier. After a short while we got back onto our designated mini bus and were driven back to the hotel.
My honest opinion of the day was…meh. The snorkeling wasn’t particularly spectacular (or plentiful with only two stops) and made me feel like this ‘national park’ wasn’t being looked after and the flow of human interference not properly monitored. Quite frankly I could have personally given this trip a miss. Still pretty fun though.
Once back, we chilled at the hotel. Walking back out to town in the evening my flip flops broke. The poor things had just had enough. Considering the amount of places I had walked in them, I couldn’t blame them! I stopped in a small clothes shop nearby the hotel and bought a new pair. We decided we weren’t in the mood for a full meal, so just grabbed a Gyro from a street food vendor. We then finished our day with a night-cap at Monkey Bar, watching our favourite cowboy hat wearing house band.
Once back, we chilled at the hotel. Walking back out to town in the evening my flip flops broke. The poor things had just had enough. Considering the amount of places I had walked in them, I couldn’t blame them! I stopped in a small clothes shop nearby the hotel and bought a new pair. We decided we weren’t in the mood for a full meal, so just grabbed a Gyro from a street food vendor. We then finished our day with a night-cap at Monkey Bar, watching our favourite cowboy hat wearing house band.
Day 12 - 29.4.17
We couldn’t believe it, today was our last full day in Thailand. After the very active last few days, we decided that our last day would be a very relaxed one. After a leisurely breakfast we sat down by the pool and soaked up some sun. Once lunchtime hit, we had a nice cold drink too. What a pleasant morning. It was really nice just to switch off after the crazy week we had had.
Eventually we decided to hit the beach. We got another crazy taxi out to Kuek Khak Beach just up the coast and walked along the sand to Rim Lay 2 – the restaurant we had eaten at a few days prior. As we had promised the lady there that we would return, we were here to prove our word. The place was deserted, so they were pleased to see us. I had noodles with pork (and a large beer), Jen had a sandwich & smoothie. |
After a while we walked up some more to a slightly busier (or less deserted) part of the beach. Despite today being a beautiful day, a storm was approaching. We took shelter at Memories Bar, a cool little beach bar blasting out Reggae music (they sure do love Bob Marley here). We sat out the storm with another cold drink.
Once it cleared we headed back out onto the sand and went into sea for a while. We watched a number of locals trying to surf, but given that this was a protected bay with next to no waves, they weren’t having much luck. Had to admire their spirit thought. As the sun started to set, we walked back up to Memories Bar to watch it happen. As soon as the sun went down, crickets began to immediately chirp loudly. We had food at the bar, Phad Thai (I’ll never get bored of that!). We them ambled through the darkness and found a taxi through another hotel resort nearby. Once back at the hotel, we ambitiously planned to go back out to the bars, but decided to pack our gear first for the long trip ahead. However once this was done, so were we. We decided to call it on our last night.
To say we were sad to be leaving was an understatement. Good night Thailand. |
Day 13 - 30.4.17
As you can imagine, whilst a long and busy day, this wasn’t the most exciting. I’ll keep this brief. We checked out at 6:30am and said our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at the Bhandari resort. Our hotel transfer picked us up and began the long drive back to Phuket.
As we travelled, we watched with tired eyes as Thailand began to wake up around us with shops opening and children playing. My heart grew heavy.
Once at Phuket Airport (after arriving at the wrong terminal) we checked in on our short flight to Bangkok and then boarded our very long twelve hour flight back to Heathrow. Once back in the UK (very late at night) we embarked on our long drive up North to York. At one point I had to stop at a service station to take a quick power nap. Eyes were getting too heavy. Eventually, we made it.
It’s really hard for me to sum up our Honeymoon without being clichéd.
We had explored Buddhist temples, street food markets, thick jungles surrounded by monkeys, dark caves full of all kinds of creepy crawlies, idyllic lakes surrounded by incredible mountains, picture postcard beaches, a couple of very nice hotels and one tree-house. We’d managed to somehow combine a relaxing and luxurious honeymoon with an enriching and outrageous adventure, all whilst immersing ourselves in a culture very different to our own and even making a few new friends along the way.. One thing that I was reminded of is what a great team Jennifer and I make – particularly when it comes to making memories.
My advice to anyone thinking of visiting Thailand would be…Do it! Immerse yourself in the culture, the food, the great people, the natural beauty and stunning wildlife.
I’ll say it. This is the best holiday I’ve ever been on so far in my little 30 year-old life and I’m thankful every day for the fond memories we made.
JB.
As we travelled, we watched with tired eyes as Thailand began to wake up around us with shops opening and children playing. My heart grew heavy.
Once at Phuket Airport (after arriving at the wrong terminal) we checked in on our short flight to Bangkok and then boarded our very long twelve hour flight back to Heathrow. Once back in the UK (very late at night) we embarked on our long drive up North to York. At one point I had to stop at a service station to take a quick power nap. Eyes were getting too heavy. Eventually, we made it.
It’s really hard for me to sum up our Honeymoon without being clichéd.
We had explored Buddhist temples, street food markets, thick jungles surrounded by monkeys, dark caves full of all kinds of creepy crawlies, idyllic lakes surrounded by incredible mountains, picture postcard beaches, a couple of very nice hotels and one tree-house. We’d managed to somehow combine a relaxing and luxurious honeymoon with an enriching and outrageous adventure, all whilst immersing ourselves in a culture very different to our own and even making a few new friends along the way.. One thing that I was reminded of is what a great team Jennifer and I make – particularly when it comes to making memories.
My advice to anyone thinking of visiting Thailand would be…Do it! Immerse yourself in the culture, the food, the great people, the natural beauty and stunning wildlife.
I’ll say it. This is the best holiday I’ve ever been on so far in my little 30 year-old life and I’m thankful every day for the fond memories we made.
JB.