Bangkok is just over an hour flight from Yangon and I visited it four times during my first year in Myanmar. However, getting out of the city and exploring more of the country was definitely on the to-do list. For my fall break this year, I wanted something relaxing and easy to plan since I was in the deep woods of my Master's research. A writing retreat, yoga and beach time on a Thai island seemed like the ideal break.
I'll share some stories and photos in this blog, but I'm also including information about how I got around and where I stayed... in case you want to copy my trip to Koh Lanta. By the way, "koh" means island in Thai.
I flew out of Yangon on a Saturday morning. After a short layover in Bangkok, I boarded a plan south to Krabi airport. With carry-on only luggage, I was ready to go as soon as the plane touched down.
I booked a shuttle with this company - I set it up about a week before. The representative found me quickly at the airport and gave me a few minutes to reload my Thai SIM card, buy a bottle of water and bag of nuts and then I was off in the shuttle. The day was a bit overcast, but that didn't affect my excitement - I was island-bound!
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| View from one of our two ferry crossings |
The entire journey took about 5 hours. We had to wait in line for awhile at the second ferry and the roads on these islands aren't exactly freeways. It was a relief to get to my bungalow right around sunset.
I was greeted warmly at Cha Ba Bungalow and Art Gallery and I quickly settled into a cozy, but spacious bungalow, complete with mini-fridge, a double bed and my own private patio. I had dinner at their Picasso restaurant, cocktail in hand and toes in the sand.
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| Night shot of Picasso |
The next five days were filled with sand, sun, writing, the occasional rain shower (a good reminder to get out of the sun and back to my pages!), wandering the town and, of course, delicious Thai food. My bungalow was right next to Oasis Yoga and I highly recommend the classes at this studio. The space is beautiful and the teachers are knowledgeable and friendly. They also have a little cafe where you can get smoothies, homemade crackers and other snacks.
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| Beachside Breakfast |
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| Sunset stroll |
I wish I had more photos to share with you, but I had an unfortunate incident with my camera on my first snorkeling trip. I was so excited to get underwater shots and I checked the instructions for taking it swimming with me, but it promptly died as soon as I jumped into the water. To their credit, Amazon has been kind enough to replace it, so look forward to some fishy photos next time!
Interested in snorkeling or diving? Check out Go Dive for trips to nearby islands.
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| Spirals in the sand made by little crabs |
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| Last dinner at Klong Dao beach |
I loved my location, but since I had a week, I wanted to check out more of the island. I headed south to Kantiang Bay. Again, I had reserved a room right at the beach, this time at Kantiang Bay Resort. They sent a truck to pick me up and I enjoyed my view from the back as we made the half hour journey south.
When I got there, I decided to spend a few extra dollars a night and upgrade to a beach view bungalow and the change was very much worth the extra Thai baht.
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| My room by the bay |
This accommodation is in a beautiful setting; you can walk into town (I loved working with a coffee or grabbing a bit at the Drunken Sailors), walk along the beach and swim in the warm waters of the bay. I didn't see it, but I heard that at some times of year there is bioluminescence glowing in the water at night.
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| Another sunset :) |
The location is ideal in many ways as you can probably already imagine. The plus/minus depending on your point of view is the Why Not Bar right next door. My first night there I enjoyed dinner, live music and fire dancers. However, the party goes on late into the night, so if you are looking for a tranquil spot after dark, this might not be the bungalow for you.
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| Live music and kitty company at Why Not Bar |
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| Fire dancers |
I hope the above video works; these guys were amazing!
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| Walkway to the beach |
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| There are lots of mini-sand dollars here. |
I decided to do one last snorkeling trip to the nearby Koh Rok National Park. If you go to Koh Lanta, this trip is a true not-to-miss! Sparkling clear turqouise waters, fishes in all colors of the rainbow, the softest sand I have ever touched...a real paradise! My recommendation would be to arrange an overnight stay at the park. You must go through a travel agent since it is a national park and they limit the number of visitors. I imagine the stars would be amazing out there at night and it would be so much fun to have this beach to yourself after the day trippers leave.
Kantiang Bay Resort helped me arrange travel back to the airport on my last day. I was sorry to leave this place, but I have a feeling I'll be back!
Email me for more info on Koh Lanta, or check out their site! Thailand is a really easy place to be a tourist and it offers so much variety.
I'm glad that I went for the Master's in Education capstone this fall, but it was a lot of work! I'm happy to be done and back to my own reading. Here's what's been on my kindle since then:
- El bebedor de lágrimas by Ray Loriga
- Spoiled Brats by Simon Rich (One of the most creative and fun books I've read in a while; thanks for the rec, S!)
- Human Dark with Sugar by Brenda Shaughnessy (Thanks for the rec, Y!)
- Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (I can't believe I didn't find this one sooner!)
- My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem (loved it, loved it, loved it)
