Ko Samet
This past weekend, Anna and I decided to go to Ko Samet. We
heard Ko Samet was relatively easy to get to, and we decided it would be a good
place for our first solo adventure in Thailand. And the promise of picturesque
beaches was much too enticing... We also realised it would be a great
opportunity to meet up with some of our friends from Orientation who are
teaching in Rayong.
Anna, Ricky, Michelle and I at Ko Samet
Ko Samet is small island on the coast of the Thai province
of Rayong, about 220 km from Bangkok. The main attraction to the island is its
several beautiful beaches. It is a popular destination among and Thais as it’s
so easy to get to from Bangkok and other cities. Although it is quite a tourist
spot, the island isn’t overrun with massive hotels (like the Caribbean). Most
of the island is a national park called Khao Laem Ya/Ko Samet National park, so
building is more restricted.
Anyway, on Fridays, I finish my last class at 1:30pm. At our
school, we only have to be at school when we have a class to teach, which is
very nice. We decided to leave after I finished my last class (Anna is finished
on Fridays by like 11:00am!), in hopes that we would be able to catch one of
the last ferries to the island. After my class, I came back to my apartment,
grabbed my bag, and we were on our way! We took a taxi to Bangkok’s Ekkemai Bus
Station (Eastern bus station), where we would catch the bus to Ban Phe (where
you catch the ferry). The taxi ride took a looooong time, because traffic in
Bangkok is always terrible. We eventually arrived at the bus station, where we
found out that the bus was leaving in a few minutes. We bought our tickets,
then hurried onto the platform. We were beckoned to a mini-bus (or large van)
and hopped in. These mini-buses/vans are a common way of getting around in
Thailand. They are generally a bit more expensive than the large buses, but I
think the large bus was not going all the way to Ban Phe.
The bus/van ride took about 3 hours, and I slept for a large
chunk of it. All the other passengers disembarked in Rayong (city – the capital
of the provinces of Thailand is always a city with the same name), so the
driver took us to Ban Phe. Once we arrived, we realised that we had indeed
missed the last ferry (which, for future reference, is at 6pm). To get to the island,
we had to take one of the speedboats. Although these boats are faster and can
take you to different beaches, they are MUCH more expensive. But you’ve gotta
do what you’ve gotta do. And “expensive” in Thailand means about $10, so it
wasn’t the end of the world.
The boat dropped us off at Ao Hin Khok, one of the main
beaches. We asked for directions to the guest house that had been recommended
to us, and set off. We were directed to Ao Phai, the next beach over. The great
thing about Ko Samet is that the Eastern Side of the island is basically a
series of beaches, so we were able to walk along the beach to find our
accommodation. We decided to stay at Naga Bungalows, one of the cheaper
guesthouses. We went with the cheapest bungalow option, about 425 Baht/night
(divided by two ). The room was very basic – it had a bed, mosquito net, a
light, and a fan. But that was all we needed, and it was much better than
paying 1500-1800 Baht per night. We didn’t need air-conditioning at all – I was
even cold at night. Naga was also just across the road from the beach, which
was lovely. After we checked in, we had dinner at a near-by restaurant – small
tables and cushions on carpets right on the sand. It was very nice! A few fire
dancers also made their way down the beach, providing us with our evening
entertainment.
On Saturday, we got up pretty early and hit the beach before
the crowds. We basically had the entire beach to ourselves – it was fantastic.
The water at Ko Samet is perfectly clear: you could always see right down to
the bottom. Also! This was my first time ever swimming in the Pacific Ocean!
The ocean was also a great temperature; not cold, but not so warm as you feel
like you’re in the bath. The sand on the beaches was so fine it almost felt
like powder. Much of the island is still undeveloped, so there are lots of
trees near the beach and in the interior. Even as it got later, the beaches
were never super crowded. There were lots of Russian tourists, and various
others. We ran into a few other OEG people from Bangkok & area, and Rayong.
Although Ao Phai was lovely, we decided that in the afternoon we would wander
over to Ao Phrao, the only beach on the Western side of the island.
Our Bungalow at Naga
Ao Phai - early in the morning
The famous mermaid statues at Ao Phai
Around noon (I think? I didn’t look at my watch/cell phone
very much this trip), we met (read: ran into) Michelle and Ricky. After they
checked into their room, we made the trek to Ao Phrao. Ko Samet has a couple
roads through the island but they are unpaved and are more like roller
coasters. There are sawng-taos (two-rows)(AKA trucks with 2 benches on the back
that work as taxis) that will take you to the various beaches and whatnot, but
we decided this was a waste of money as it was only 2.5km to Ao Phrao. The walk
was quite nice, despite the swamp/large puddle crossing on the way.
Ao Phrao was everything it was supposed to be – much
quieter, fewer speed boats and fewer people. There were also more rocks, which
means more fish. The water was so clear, you could watch them from above water.
Michelle and Ricky are avid snorkelers/scuba divers, so they were able to name
many of the fish they saw. The downside of Ao Phrao is the only restaurants are
quite expensive, so we ventured back to the Eastern side to have lunch. I had a
shake with coconut ice cream, coconut, and pineapple. It was SO GOOD.
Anna and I at Ao Phrao
Ao Phrao
In the afternoon, we wandered south down the island, mostly
on the beach. The farther south you go, the quieter it gets. We passed by some
very nice, more natural beaches. In the evening, Anna and I walked back to Ao
Phrao to watch the sunset – very beautiful. At night, tide goes out and we saw
hundreds of little crabs digging their holes for the evening. It was really
neat. After the sunset, we went back to the same restaurant as the previous
night for dinner on the sand. I ordered stir fried chicken with cashew nuts
(delicious) and we all shared an order of French fries. (Note: if you ask the
students what they like to eat, they will answer: Pizza! French fries! Hamburger!
A large part of me always wants to say, “Really? Pizza? Where do you find pizza
in Phra Pradaeng? In case you didn’t know, pizza is relatively rare and
expensive in Thailand. It’s because of the cheese, which is also rare and
expensive). After dinner, we watched a passing fire show, bought a few beers,
and drank them right on the beach (as far as I know, there are no “NO drinking
in public” rules in Thailand. You can buy alcohol at 7-11s and drink them right
on the street.). All in all, it was a lovely day.
Walking South
Sunset at Ao Phrao
Fire!
On Sunday, we had crepes for breakfast – a popular food at
the Ko Samet hotel restaurants. I had a the banana and chocolate option, and it
was very tasty. Michelle and Ricky left after breakfast as they needed to go
shopping before returning to their school the next morning. Anna and I once
again walked to Ao Phrao for one last swim. I took a closer look at the rocks
this time, and saw lots of fish. Some zebra-striped ones, some bright blue
ones, and various others. In the afternoon, we took the ferry back to Ban Phe
(30 mins), the mini-bus/van back to Bangkok (3 hours) and the taxi back to Phra
Pradaeng (30 ish minutes). The only time we got lost this trip was in the taxi
ride back to the apartment: the driver didn’t really know where to go, and
drove past our road... Which took us a minute to figure out. But we made it
home, safe and sound. And so ended our first adventure in Thailand!
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