After a relaxing 11 day adventure on Koh Phangan we take a boat ride to island of Koh Tao (Turtle Island). The island is known for it's scuba and is a breeding ground for several sea turtles. Our hotel concierge will pick us up from the pier and bring us to our hotel. We decided to stay at the Chintakiri Resort. They are located on a hill and only a short walk to the ocean.
We plan on relaxing once again on the beach and near the pool. Seems like they have a nice pool area.
The preferred mode of transportation is motorbike since there aren't a large amount of paved roads. I'd personally rather walk..these things can be fatal. Jay wants to get his scuba certificate here, the island is known as a great scuba spot. I'm hesitant...I want to get it with my friend Annmarie who's been certified for years. If a shark decided to eye me for lunch, I think I'll feel better having her around!
We plan on staying on Koh Tao for 9 days. It's going to be 90 degrees and steamy. I've got two bottle of 50spf but I am looking forward to my psoriasis clearing up- last time I went to Thailand it completely disappeared. The sun and salt water helps. From here we head to Phuket, which most of you have heard of. It's a big honeymoon spot and is a large island- the size of Singapore. More to come about that island soon.
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Well our first leg of the trip is FINALLY booked and ready to go. Booking this trip has not been easy. We booked flights and then hotels, only to find out our flights were canceled and then we tried to cancel hotels and there is this fab tradition that they don't give deposit credits. Great! We have not even left and we are in the red.
Another crazy aspect of this trip is the amount of traveling we will be doing to get from one place to another. Since these are 3rd world countries (and some areas we are hitting in Laos are rarely seen by outsiders) their transportation systems are not what we are used to. Although, some hotels insist on sending someone to pick us up because it is safer, for most areas it takes several modes of transport to get there- cab to plane, to tuk tuk to boat, to tuk tuk to hotel. I'm not complaining really, because where we are going I consider paradise and no matter what a pain it may be to get there, I'll deal with it!
We leave NY on April 29th and hit the Bangkok airport on May 1st in the afternoon. Since we will be actually losing 1 day in our life and will be delirious from a 23 hour flight, we will most likely go straight to the hotel. Although, Jay seems to think he's going to want to sightsee for the day, I know I'm going to be thankful I can lay down in a bed.
For the first night we are staying at the Siam Piman It's only 15 minutes from the airport which is nice because we jet out of there early the next morning.
8am the next morning we get on a plane again. We take a short flight to the Southern Gulf of Thailand, on the east side of the country, Koh Samui (koh is 'island' in Thai). This beautiful, yet crowded island is the home of the only airport in this area. From here, we negotiate a rate with one of the clamoring tuk tuk drivers to take us to the pier where a boat to Koh Phangan leaves every 3 hours.
(Me on the boat a couple years ago! Happy to see Mel2)
An hour later we arrive in Koh Phangan...the beginning of our paradise adventure. Since I've been here before, I am familiar with the ins & outs of the island. We are staying in the famed Haad Rin Beach area, where the Full Moon Party is held. The island is full of small shops, eateries, bars, dive shops, and ice cream/crepe vendors. You can also get your clothing washed for $4~ excellent! We are staying at the newly renovated Drop Inn Club. Not the nicest joint on the island but for $65/night it will do for 10 days.
We arrive several days before Jay's bday which is also the same day as the birth and death of Buddha. So, I have a feeling there are going to be a ton of festivities and celebrations that week. I'm trying to 'prime' Jay up for what's in store for our 10 days on this island. Dirty feet (since you must take your shoes off when you enter any shop, store, restaurant, etc), cheap beer, amazing food, great people, amazing sights, bad plumbing, & cockroaches the size of your fist. But for some reason, this all seems to not matter after 1-2 days here. It's a 'throw your cares out the airplane window and join the ride' kind of thing. Plus all of those things make the trip what it is.
At night we'll head down the beach and sit on beach rugs, drink beer, and watch the entertainment they have showcased-
Full Moon party will be a blast. Starts after dinner and ends when the sun comes up. I'm sure we'll meet some interesting characters that evening.
Mostly though, I can't wait to sit by the pool, read a good book, meet some new friends, learn more about the culture, and of course- eat some great meals!
~ Next up: Koh TaoImagine a small tropical island with incredible snorkelling and scuba diving, a rich jungle in the centre and surrounded by remarkably quiet, palm tree laced beaches. You're imagining Koh Tao.'
This blog was created so we can share our sights, sounds, thoughts, tastes, and adventures while on our trip to SEAsia. We also hope it inspires you to travel!
It's only 15 minutes from the airport which is nice because we jet out of there early the next morning.
