In Thailand, I experienced both the majesty of the beaches and ancient wonder of the north. The reverent temples of Chiang Mai, the fiery sunsets of Koh Chang and the unbelievable karst formations of Ao Nang will live forever in my memory.
My time in Thailand began on the island of Koh Chang. Koh Chang is far less touristy and well-known than Phuket or Koh Samui most likely because it is a bit more difficult to travel to. We traveled by plane from Bangkok to Trat, then by car to the port and finally by ferry to the island.
Koh Chang is developed enough to provide plenty of entertainment, but as of now still lacks a road that connects all the way around the island. I have no doubt that it will arrive eventually. We stayed at The Chill Resort. We originally planned to stay for just 4 nights but enjoyed our time so much that we extended that to a full week. This extension allowed more time for relaxing, exploring, excursions and for Peter to have some suits made. Having a loose plan allows for changes without stress and the luxury of enjoying a perfect beach for as long as you like.
The rooms at The Chill were immaculate and the grounds were gorgeous and fragrant with orchids growing at each and every turn. The cost of our room included one meal at the on-site restaurant. The ability to order Pad Thai once a day at breakfast, lunch or dinner seemed like an unbelievable luxury. I thought by the end of the week I might tire of the dish but never did. Something else I never tire of is my yearly email from The Chill. When I completed the registration papers at check-in I was asked for my birthdate. They must have input this information into their automated email system and even now, two birthdays since my stay, I receive an email from them wishing me a happy birthday. A yearly reminder of my amazing experience complete with beautiful beach view photographs. How could I not be tempted to return? Someone on the marketing team did something very right!
Koh Chang provides plenty of sand for sunning, frisbee or just strolling. We spent one evening walking the length of the beach for as far as we could testing out each beach swing we encountered then rating them on a scale of 1-10. There was at least one swing outside of each hotel or resort along the beach offering us plenty of options. I felt like a kid traveling with my family on summer vacation making up games to pass the time before the invention of cellphones.
When we weren’t bumming around on the beach, we explored the island main road on the motorbike. This mode of transportation is by far my favorite way to get around. We spent most evenings just riding around stopping at local bars and restaurants to take in the sunset and a few drinks. There were so many beachfront spots with amazing views that we developed criteria for judging whether a spot was worth stopping. A location needed three things to be considered worthy of a visit — 1. Are the chair or seating comfortable? 2. Is the booze selection up to par? 3. Is there a secondary activity (darts, pool, live music) of any kind? If the establishment ticked all three boxes, we deemed it worthy of a stop. On our next to last night, we found The Funky Monkey Café. It had the best vibe and coolest decor of anywhere we found on the island. We were sad to have not visited before our next to last night and made sure to return on our last evening as well.
While on the island we also took a fishing trip. Our fishing experience was lackluster, but we had fun, soaked up some sun and drank beer. Fishermen swear that a bad day fishing is still better than a good day working, and that slogan universally applies anywhere in the world! The two little fish we caught along with the others caught by our guides on the boat were cleaned and cooked on the water. It doesn’t get any fresher and more delicious.
In Koh Chang, we also took a kayak trip through some mangroves on the edge of the island. I was happy to row my own boat, but Peter, always the gentleman, insisted on rowing our two-person kayak as I sat back and took it all in. As I surveyed the scenery, I decided that if there ever were unicorns that walked this Earth, they originated here. There were clams opening and closing all the time making a soft but very distinct clapping noise. I am certain that this is the sound delicate hooves would make as they walked on mangrove roots. The surroundings were so colorful they looked almost animated and the air so magically electric I was not convinced that the unicorns weren’t still there hiding among the trees just beyond my sight.
After Koh Chang, we traveled to Chiang Mai. In Chiang Mai, we spent our time riding bicycles through the streets and stopping along the way to admire the temples that dot each block. It was an experience that seemed plucked straight out of a Netflix Original travel special. Many of the temples offered the opportunity to once again test my fate with the fortune sticks. A local tradition I find never gets old.
We took a day trip to an elephant experience booked with Chai Lai Orchid. I did a lot of research on organizations that focused on the humane treatment of elephants. From all of my research Chai Lai Orchid emerged as the leading option. We trekked with the elephants through a small portion of the jungle, fed them sugarcane and bathed with them in the river. The elephants seemed to enjoy the attention and very much enjoyed the sugar cane.
From Chiang Mai, we flew to Krabi and took a car to Ao Nang on the Andaman Sea for my last few days in Asia. We continued to enjoy the go with the flow vibe that we had perfected over the last month while also trying to fit in as much as possible before I left. We spent a day in Krabi town walking around shopping for last-minute souvenirs, eating Thai food and using our previously determined criteria to find perfect beach bars.
Another day we borrowed kayaks from our hotel and paddled to Tonsai Beach. On Tonsai we turned into cookies on the beach. As I baked in the sun I decided that I must be experiencing exactly what it feels like to be a chocolate chip cookie in the oven — heating up from the outside in as I turned crispier, browner and sweeter with each passing moment. It was the closest I have ever been to heaven on Earth.
On my final day, we did an island hopping and snorkeling boat tour. We saw colorful and unique sea creatures that made me wish I had spent the money on a GoPro before my travels. We also ate food served from boats. Being from Austin I am very familiar with the food truck concept, but I had never before seen food boats. They pull right up to the beach and hungry tourists and locals alike dine on the cheap quick snacks. While at the National Park on Poda Island, one of the stops on the island hopping tour, I finished my emergency take along travel toilet paper stash. I was amazed and impressed with myself that it had lasted the duration of my trip.
Thailand was my last stop on this first trip to Asia and it was my time there that sealed my fate. The experiences and natural beauty were magnificent, but aside from that I had never before seen people so content with so little. They don't call Thailand "The Land of Smiles" for nothing. Everywhere you turn someone is ready to greet you with a warm and enthusiastic smile. The smiles do not seem forced or a requirement of working/interacting with a large tourist population. The people seem genuinely happy to see you, help you and engage. The people were positively delightful, and the children made my heart fly. It was like all the feel-good energy inside me grew wings each time a child standing in the yard or on the porch of their corrugated tin shanty would smile and wave at me as I passed by on the motorbike. I fell in love. I will forever have the people, the colors, and the smells imprinted on my heart. It was in Thailand that I decided that this experience would alter the direction of my life. I would return home and plot a course to return to Asia for an extended period.
