Island Paradise

Trip Start Aug 11, 2007
1
6
22
Trip End Sep 21, 2007


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
shadow
Where I stayed
Emb@ssy
(Nathon hotels)

Flag of Thailand  ,
Tuesday, August 28, 2007

So dispite our initial idea of getting a cheap flight to Koh Samui, we instead opted to take the night train as it was about a quarter of the price, and also saved on a nights accomodation. It was actually really enjoyable and definitely a highlight in itself! The train car was clean and comfortable. The toilet however, was something else altogether. Two footplates and a hole! Not just a hole into a tank, but a hole straight through the bottom of the train onto the tracks! I'm sure a small child could fall through that hole!! We left at around 5.30pm and arrived in Surat Thani pretty much 12 hours later. We needed to wait for a few hours for the first ferry to take us over to Koh Samui. It took a little longer than expected, but I was really enjoying the sunshine!

We arrived in Koh Samui and bartered with a taxi driver, saving over 50% on his original quoted price of 500bhat. Again we have scored for a cracking guesthouse in a great location. This one is called Embassy and we have air con, fridge, tv and DVD player. It's right near the best beach and only about a 15 min walk from the bars.

Being so limited on time in Thailand, we can't really go too far. Which is a shame really! We've spent quite alot of time on Chaweng beach, which is absolutely fantastic. The beaches here are the sort of things you would only ever see on TV and actually have to be seen to be believed - like a total tropical paradise island kind of place! Palm trees, white sand, crystal clear green water. Being one for all things with engines in I had a blast on a Jet Ski for the first time which was just over a £10 for 20 mins. Great fun, and i managed not to fall off.

Wandering round the markets at night bartering with the traders has been amusing and has resulted in some bargains. Nights out have been great too - lots of partygoes here. Ate some insects the other night...interesting texture. Most annoying thing here are these vans that drive around advertising Thai Boxing and just repeat over and over in a voice that remarkably is even more monotonous that the talking clock. And every night is the fight of the year/best fight ever - amazing that it just keeps getting better and better eh!

The food is great here too. Some very nice restaurants around and they are cheap. OK, so perhaps they arn't quite as cheap as the street vendors in Bangkok, but they are still cheap!

We're off to a Full Moon party tonight and these are supposedly legendary so i'm sure that it will be a good way to finish off our time here. It's in Koh Phangan so it's another ferry trip! We have arranged a speedboat to take us there and back. Then after that it's back on the night train to head up to Bangkok before we fly back to Japan.

More on that from Bangkok airport probably!
Slideshow Print this entry