THE THREE ALPHA TRAVEL

The first of the two late posts from my quick passing from Thailand (2 weeks)…

A beach in Koh Tao - people not included

So after Bangkok and for some strange reason we decide to go South. South in Thailand means beach, beach and beach. Oh yeah… did I mention The Beach? Well that as well. First stop; Koh Tao (Koh = Island, Tao = Turtle) which we thought it would be a nice and peaceful place to explore the beaches (remember?), lie down, read a book and talk with the locals. It is. But not when the full moon party in Koh Phangan has just finished. That was the case and it was even difficult to find a place to stay! When we did we rented a motorcycle and explored the island for one day. Still though the bitter taste of the all-for-the-party-tourist cake we ate there is still sour in our mouths. So we decided to try Koh Phangan itself. Typical tourists have a strange way of moving in a crazily similar pattern so we thought; let’s try and where the root of the evil is.

Sunset in Koh Phangan

When we arrived there I honestly thought I was in the wrong place. As it resulted it was only the wrong time (or for US the right one ). The full moon party had finished a week ago and everything was deserted… so we stayed for a bit. I reckoned Koh Tao as an island was more beautiful but the hangover faces of the “backpackers” made it uglier. Koh Phangan came as a relief. Nice, empty and cheap-priced. Even the locals seemed a bit relieved from the party wave having moved out – until the next full moon obviously. We thought; this is enough of the east coast and though the next logical visit would be Koh Samui ( the third big island in the row) we headed back to the mainland.

Talking about the people once more… Bangkok did not let me decide but seeing the two islands, Thais are definitely used to strangers. Prices are fixed. If you want it; good, if not; somebody else will. Are behaviors like that too? I was about to find out on my next visit the west coast of Thailand, leaving from Krabi.