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Ko PhanganAfter a few days in Bangkok, it was time to move on and see a different side of Thailand. Given the great weather and the reputation of the Thai islands, it seemed to make sense to head for a beach somewhere (although not the beach, thankfully).Ko Phangan is very much a party island. The main town, Hat Rin, is packed with bars and restaurants, all showing the English soccer! The beaches are great and I can thoroughly recommend hiring a moped and seeing the rest of the island. I seriously doubt that they would pass an MOT in any other country, but this is Asia! The roads on the island can be quite scarey, especially when you meet the local drivers who are fearless. The South China Sea is very warm - its no good for cooling you down when you've been lying on the beach for too long. The North of the island is good for snorkelling and would make a good destination for people wanting a slightly quieter life with just the beach and snorkelling/diving. 
I spent a few days on the island doing a spot of sunbathing on the beach (trying to get rid of that just-arrived kind of pasty look!) and drinking in the bars.The accommodation in this part of the world consists of little huts on the beach or perched precariously on the rocks above the sea. There's nothing to keep the wildlife out so you would often end up facing a little Gecko or other creature when you woke up. Geckos were fine - they're actually quite cute little things, but the likes of spiders I could do without - thank you very much! Squatting on the ground to go the toilet is a whole new skill that needs to be learnt as well :-) After Ko Phangan, I moved on to The Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. |