Here are some of my favourite snaps from my time in the Gulf of Thailand. It was three weeks of pure indulgence.
Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao
Koh Tao
Beautiful Coastal Walk on Koh Tao
Jansom Bay, Koh Tao
Koh Tao Coastal Walk
Fire Dancer in Chalok Bay, Koh Tao
Birthday Lunch In Mango Bay
Shark Bay, Haad Tien, Koh Tao
Cocktail Hour. Mai Tai Anyone?
The Birthday Girl!
Haad Yaun Beach, Koh Phangan
Haad Thian, Koh Phangan
The View Looking Down On Haad Yuan Beach
Bangkok would have to be one of my favourite cities in the world. From temples, to shopping, to lady boy cabarets, the city offers something for everyone. I could people watch for hours on end hustling and bustling on Khao San Road. Senses are always awakened by the pungent street smells rising from the humid pavements, and navigating through the busy streets often becomes a game of dodgems (mind your head), as you count the near misses from the seriously low electricity cables. No matter how dirty the city is, there’s just something about it that always leaves me wanting more.
This was my third time in Bangkok and having visited the major tourist attractions on previous occasions, it was nice to spend my final two days in Thailand as more of a local. Hailing from Melbourne, expats Georgie & Joseph kindly allowed me to stay in their apartment in Sukhumvit. From travelling on the Sky Train to strolling through Lumphini Park, it was great to get their recommendations on things to do in Bangkok. But one excursion that was non negotiable on my itinerary was a visit to one of my favourite places in the world, Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree hotel. Another place where hours seem to disappear, hypnostised by the mesmerising view and the city lights. So what do two expats recommend you should do when you’re visiting Bangkok, here are some of their top suggestions:
When you’re planning a holiday it’s always nice to hear peoples recommendations of where to stay. Often great little finds don’t appear when you’re trawling through websites and you often discover things too late. I find researching where to stay a time consuming process. Everyone’s tastes are different and you’re not always going to agree with their recommendations, but it’s nice to have a starting point. So here are some recommendations from my time in Thailand.
We stayed at the Haad Tien Beach Resort and loved it. There are two accommodation options to suit different budgets both situated in Thian Og Bay otherwise known as Shark Bay. It has it’s own private beach which is cleaned daily by staff, two pools, plus a diving pool if you want to get your Padi’s licence, plus a spa. My friends stayed in the villas in Haad Tien, while I was perched up in The Beach Club. There are shuttle buses that run from the resort into Mae Haad or for an extra charge to Sairee Beach. If you miss the shuttle buses, taxi’s can easily be ordered.
Happy hour is daily if you’re lounging by the pool or beach and meals are an easy option if you don’t fancy leaving the resort. It’s about a 15 min walk (up and down a steep road) into Chalok where there are some shops, restaurants, and it’s where we had a couple of massages and did a yoga class. Wonder another 5 mins further and you arrive at Chalok Baan Kao Bay where we had a fun night out.
The only slightly negative aspect of Haad Tien, is being at the southern tip of the island it does experience sea breezes which can churn the sand making the water clarity not always clear. But it’s a small price to pay for a beautiful location and with the two pools you can easily cool down if you need to. Otherwise hire a long tail boat and head up to the top of the island where there are great swimming and snorkelling spots and crystal clear waters. My favourites spots were Jansom Bay and Aow Muang (Mango Bay).
I stayed at the Pariya Resort & Villas in Haad Yuan which is the only resort in the bay. I felt it was over priced and the property was tired, plus wifi and 3G connections were non existent. There are only two ways to get to Haad Yaun, by boat or 4WD. Both options are an adventure! I arrived by boat at dusk and the sea was choppy which made it an experience when you’re lugging your bags with you on your own while getting wet. I suggest allow plenty of time if you need to get anywhere, the boats won’t leave until there are enough people to take the journey and they won’t go in rough weather after this incident a few years ago.
Don’t let that put you off though! The beach was lovely and very chilled compared to being on Haad Rin. It was slightly disappointing to see alot of rubbish around and with boats coming in and out regularly I only went for one swim in the ocean as I was put off by the grime from the taxi boats in the water. If I wasn’t travelling for such a long time my pick to stay in the area would have been The Sanctuary in Haad Thian. A friend had just stayed there and loved it. It’s an easy walk to access from Haad Yuan and the beach was lovely. (Note if you’re looking for absolute tranquility and piece and quiet then you may like to opt to stay elsewhere on the island. Koh Phangan is a party island and on weekends they do have all night parties in the area which you can’t escape from the noise.)
I transferred from the Pariya Beach Resort to the Bhundari Spa Resort & Villas on Koh Samui for better wifi access. I liked the location as it was 10 mins away from the hustle and bustle of Chaweng Beach. It was close enough to access the restaurants and shops, but far enough away to have some piece and quiet. With two pools it was a nice spot to relax at for a few days.
Sensi Paradise Koh Tao , Coco Hut Koh Phangan , Tamarind Springs Koh Samui Silavadee Pool Spa Resort Koh Samui , Anatara Bophut Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Siam @ Siam Design Hotel Bangkok , Hotel Muse Bangkok , Anatara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa
Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on flights getting to and from Koh Samui. The boat and bus trip from Bangkok is well organised and really affordable if you can spare a day travelling. My one tip would be if you suffer from sea sickness and are on a Lomprayah boat, sit up on the top decks as many people sitting in the lower cabin were suffering from sea sickness. I travelled on both Lomprayah and Seatran ferries and the Seatran was a lot smoother if you’re sitting down below.
Thailand as a holiday destination was pure indulgence for me. For nearly three weeks my days consisted of eating, drinking, sleeping and lounging by the resort pools. Having been to Thailand twice previously, this holiday for me was not about sightseeing or shopping, it was about spending time with friends and relaxation, and that’s exactly what I did.
I spent the first part of my journey on the island of Koh Tao celebrating a friends 40th birthday. Melenie and her husband Richard had been to the island previously which meant when it came to making decisions about what to do and where to eat, it was generally covered. I was more than happy to go with the flow.
Koh Tao was definitely my pick of the trip. The clear waters make it a popular spot for diving and snorkelling. It has a lovely laid back vibe, great restaurants to eat at and it has enough of a nightlife to get your fix if you feel up to it. Like anywhere in Thailand there are plenty of places to get a massage to help you unwind, places to do yoga and coastal walks off the beaten track if you feel like an adventure. Topped off with great company and lots of laughter which is always good for the soul, it was an idyllic 10 days.
The second half of my time spent in Thailand was split between Koh Phangan & Koh Samui. I wasn’t intending to go to Koh Phangan having experienced the full moon party years ago, but two friends had recommended Haad Yuan beach and The Sanctuary in Haad Thian. I was keen to spend the week doing yoga, meditating and lying on the beach. But unfortunately The Sanctuary only had one room available and with months of travel ahead of me, sadly the room was over my budget. Instead I stayed at the Pariya Beach Resort in Haad Yuan. Having not planned anything for India apart from an arrival flight into the country, I had visualised spending the week in Haad Yuan organising the first part of my trip and attending The Sanctuary’s daily yoga and meditation classes (which are open to anyone) in preparation for conquering India. However with poor wifi and 3G connections after four days in Haad Yuan I moved to wifi heaven in Koh Samui, and this is where the pure indulgence of my holiday really kicked in. I had absolutely no desire on Koh Samui to go sightseeing, or party away in Chaweng Beach. I ate, I slept, I lounged by the pool and caught up on episodes of House Of Cards. Pure heaven. I only ventured into Chaweng Beach twice and it was enough to prepare and ease me back into reality in preparation for my last stop on the itinerary, Bangkok.
When not one, but two major life changing events knock you sideways leaving you breathless and dazed as to what’s just happened, you need to take a step back to try to make sense of everything. The path I thought I was heading down had come to an abrupt dead-end on a personal level. On a professional level, I could have kept clocking in and clocking out (often a lot later than I would have liked), I had a great job and career. But having not had a decent holiday in nearly three years, during a period of my life where I was experiencing for the very first time what grieve truly was, it was time for a change of pace and lifestyle. With two special birthdays on the horizon, in two different countries, they were just the excuse I needed to take some time out.
Taking a leap into the unknown, I’ve resigned from my role at Viva magazine, put everything I own into storage and I’m taking what initially was four months off to travel. With an open ticket and opportunities for further travel continuing to present themselves it’s hard to imagine where I could possibly be this time next year. I know you don’t get many opportunities in life to do this and I’m lucky to be able to set of on a journey and see where the wind will take me, it’s a pretty liberating feeling.
When I told my people what I was doing many said they were jealous, others joked and said I was heading off to have my “Eat, Pray, Love” moment. It’s not the case. I consumed enough wine over the past 18 months, to substitute any weight gain from eating too much. Yes I’m going to India as part of my journey and I’m keen to explore meditation more. It’s a new concept to me and has definitely made a difference with the few times I’ve tried it and I’m looking forward to having the time to do it more often. And Love, well if that happens it’s a bonus, but it’s not my core objective, which is to have a holiday, and a long one at that.
Not The Jealous Kind is aimed not to make you jealous (I’ve earned this), but to share with you what I’ve been up to, and what others have shared with me along my journey while enjoying the things I love the most, travel, photography, beauty, fashion and wellbeing. It seemed appropriate that the last issue I should work on at Viva magazine was The Vitality Issue. As I waited to board the plane to commence my adventure and pondered what lies ahead for me, I read its cover line “How to Squeeze The Most Out Of Life”, and I thought to myself, that’s exactly what I intend to do.
Enjoy.
Jx
NB: All photos have been snapped on a Fujifilm X100T or iPhone 4s.
Not The Jealous Kind 