Tripping Down South: Ko Samui

On the ferry ride to Samui.

One of Thailand's famous islands - Ko Samui, which locals simply call Samui - is where we landed after an 8 hour bus ride from Bangkok to Surat Thani, then another bus ride to the ferry docks, and lastly, a 3 hour ferry ride to the island which left us sweaty and nauseous. Travelling like this is definitely not glamorous, but the hard work is almost always worth it (except when it isn't, and everything goes wrong, like our Tale of Bangkok Misfortune).

Waiting for our train at Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok.

Sleeping on trains is a valuable life skill.

Dirty train windows.

Finally, on the ferry, looking at Samui.

Monk on the ferry.

We're here!

Once we arrived at Samui's docks, we were immediately hassled by numerous taxi drivers in the usual Thai fashion, and eventually found one who understood our need for "cheap but not dodgy" accommodation. We were taken to a few overpriced bungalows which were too far from the beaches for our liking, until we found  a very basic one right on Mae Nam Beach.

The place was Palm Point Village, and the family running it were friendly enough, but seemingly tired of foreigners (this was something we were starting to learn about the south of Thailand). We got ourselves the cheapest option which was a fan bungalow for 600 Baht a night - still double what you'd pay in the north for a much better room, but we could never dream up this sort of location. The restaurant was basic as well, but we managed with plain egg and toast breakfasts and generic Thai dinners. There was no love in this kitchen, which always pulls at my foodie-heartstrings, but we soon learned we were in quite a deserted area compared to the rest of the island, which lacked traffic noise, party-going hooligans and the general madness of tourism.

We then spent the rest of the day exploring our surroundings a bit, and finding barely anything around us (not even a 7/11!), so we went back to our bungalows to veg out. This included plopping ourselves down in some hammocks, eating some delicious corn on the cob, making a new doggy friend, and praying to the lords of the islands we wouldn't get concussed by a falling coconut. When we'd had enough lazing around, we swam in the warm waters of Mae Nam beach - the first time our deprived bodies had touched the ocean since moving abroad. A perfect way to spend the day, in a perfect place.

Explorations in the wilderness.

A sad moo-moo and her baby trying to cool off. They were tied up on a random patch of land.

The main road, complete with messy electric cables.

The beautiful Mae Nam Beach.

You belong to me now, Mr Corn Cob!

We'll name him Edward.

Furry face.

Next, we ditch the traditional route, and get ourselves onto another ferry, where we're headed to a camping spot our own little private island.