Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Chang
Trip Start
Nov 08, 2004
1
11
27
Trip End
May 08, 2005
In the wake of the devastating tsunami disaster, we considered by-passing Thailand altogether, as reports of impending disease outbreaks circulated in the media. However the predicted epidemics never happened. It was certainly shocking hearing about the rising daily death toll, but damage was restricted to the western seaboard of Thailand, and the capital and Gulf of Thailand were not affected. Perhaps over-zealously the authorities announced that life in Phuket was returning to normal and tourists should not bypass the island, but we decided to head to Koh Samui instead after a few days in the crazy, colourful metropolis that is Bangkok ( The Royal Palace, Penninsula Hotel, and death-defying ride in a tuk-tuk were highlights ). Samui was totally fab, miles of endless white sand, elephant trekking and incredible food, as was the Ang Thong National Marine Park, a cluster of tropical islands that inspired Alex Garland's The Beach, as our tour guide kept reminding us. Koh Tao was more quiet, a divers' paradise, with even better beaches. We decided to miss the full-moon party at Kho Phang Ngang, as we were about ten years too old to be aving it large, and opted for the remote Koh Chang, near the Cambodian border, instead, which, yes, you guessed it, provided even more opportunities for shots of pristine white sand beaches..
