The Gulf of Thailand:
Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan
I flew down to the Gulf of Siam to an island group known as Muu Koh Samui, a set of six inhabited islands. The airport was located on the largest island, Koh Samui. Once upon a time, before the airport, this was an unspoiled tropical paradise, but now there are more people, more noise, more pollution and more reason to head right over to the slightly harder to get to, and therefore slightly less spoiled, Koh Pha Ngan.
So the instant you get off the plane, walk on over to Big Budda Beach (Hat Phra Yai in Thai, but Big Budda Beach has kind of a ring to it). There will be taxis ready to take you to the wharf there, but you'll get that 'ripped off' kind of feeling when you realize it's about a two minute walk away. Then you wait. And wait. There might be some more waiting after that. The boat to Hat Rin leaves but twice a day, on a more relaxed schedule of morning and afternoon.
The leisurely boat ride to Koh Pha Ngan takes less than an hour, and most passengers spend the time sunning themselves on the roof, or leaning up against their backpacks in the small stretch of shade by the bridge. Before you know it, the boat has docked next to a rickety piece of wood connecting you to the sunset side of Hat Rin, which straddles a peninsula on the southeast corner of the island.
Khao San Road
Pat Pong
The Grand Palace
Jim Thompson's House
Hat Rin
A Cycle Ride
Full Moon Party
