I love my life. After a wonderful holiday in Europe, I had a week to visit my Geordie bestie. She was my roommate and Spain and now she lives in Thailand. It was great to see her again.
After a quick reunion, we were on a three hour bus ride, heading 200km southeast of Bangkok. We jumped on a short ferry ride on the Gulf of Thailand to arrive at the island of Koh Samet. I was pretty happy to leave behind the garbage ridden coastline for the beautiful island.
Koh Samet is the driest spot in Thailand, even during the rainy season. It’s a small island surrounded by turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. Dirt roads with patches of paved areas circle the island. Speeding trucks with tourists loaded in the back, fly around curves to deliver their fares.
Koh Samet is not as built up as other Thai islands. Locals use it as a get away along with the tourists. It still has lots of rustic charm. I suppose one reason for this is that overnight stays were restricted until 1981. It was named a national park in the same year. The secret is out though because new construction is everywhere. There are even a few 7Elevens. Koh Samet will be very different in a few years.
The Island used to be a home to pirates and was the setting for the famous Thai poem Phra Aphai Mani. Statues of the characters, a flute-playing prince, a mermaid, and a scary female giant emerging from the sea, can be found around the island. The main character, Aphai Mani, is a prince who is exiled to an undersea kingdom ruled by a female giant. The giant changes into a beautiful woman to fool Aphai Mani into falling in love with her. He discovers her trickery and escapes with the help of a mermaid. They hide on the Magic Crystal Island (Ko Samet) and fall in love.
The female giant statue is huge and is the first thing to greet you after stepping off the ferry. She looks angry and beckons you towards the ocean.
We found a little bungalow and wasted no time in getting to the beach.
After a year in Taiwan, I felt a bit naked in the bikini. Got over that real quick though.
At night, we had dinner on the beach and watched fire shows.
After enjoying the nightlife of the island, we came across some freshly paved road.
We made our mark.
Advice: A bungalow with air conditioning can go for 1200 Baht a night (we talked them down to 900).
Escape From the American Dream 