Thailand Adventure from Elephant Rides to Spa Resorts
Why dive onto a taxi boat in the middle of a storm? My tour group and I were off to the Full Moon Party. This is the evening after the December 26th tsunamis, and while it felt wrong to party after such a horrific disaster left nearby shores in devastation, we needed to pay homage to the event that saved our lives. That and we needed to dance to forget.
Had it not been for the date of the Full Moon Party, our group would have begun our Thailand adventure on Koh Phi Phi, an island all but obliterated by the monstrous waves.
Instead, while the tsunamis hit Koh Phi Phi, our tour group slept soundly on Koh Phangan Island in the gulf of Thailand; two days away from our Koh Phi Phi visit. Our tour guide called us together that afternoon to inform us Koh Phi Phi was “gone”.
After spending the previous five months as one of the only foreigners in a country town in Japan, the first thing I noticed about Thailand was that it was overrun with tourists. Thailand is most definitely not the road less traveled by.
Our stay began in Bangkok. After loosing my travel partner at the airport, I realized she held all the information, and I had no idea where the hotel was located. Thanks to the airport’s internet cafe, I looked up the address and found my way to the taxi queue.
My taxi driver liked to talk, and I hoped this wasn’t like in one of those movies where the female traveling alone gets abducted by the cab driver. We zoomed past brightly colored portraits of the Thai emperor. Overwhelming smog and pollution blanketed the city.
“Drop me off by the temple,” I told him.
“There’s the temple,” he called waving to it as we drove by despite my pleas to stop.
“Okay. Stop on Khao Sahn Road,” I told him.
“Where? There’s Khao Sahn Road.” He kept driving.
“Seven Eleven. I want to you stop when you reach the Seven Eleven. Here STOP!”
He finally stopped and asked for 300 baht. I realized suddenly I had no idea how much 300 baht was. It seemed like a lot. I was kicking myself for not being more prepared. I accidentally handed him 400 baht and trudged up the road to my hotel.
We stayed at the Wild Orchid Villa, where wooden elephant benches and monkey sculptures adorn the unenclosed lobby, adjoined by a restaurant and bar.
At the hotel, I reconnected with my travel partner. The first night, I felt like I was really roughing it. Our room was plain and dimly lit, but comfortable, and filled with the curry smell of Bangkok. As I tried to sleep, I felt as though bugs were crawling all over me, and my hands and feet seemed perpetually dirty. The bathroom shower lacked water pressure. My roommate and I laughed about what an exotic experience we were embarking on.
The next day began with a tour of Wat Pho Temple, the oldest and largest temple complex in Bangkok, and home to the famous Reclining Buddha. A must-see for all tourists, make sure shoulders are properly covered before attending.
Then we had just enough time for an eyebrow wax before we hopped a night train that would eventually connect us with our ferry to Koh Phangan. Throughout Bangkok, waxing, massage, and manicure shops dot every corner and offer extremely low prices.
Our group piled onto a cramped, dirty train that swayed as it rattled down the track. The overhead compartments folded down to make beds when it was time to sleep. I spent the night waking repeatedly, certain we were crashing or that I was rolling off the bunk. Green curtains hung down shielding each bed. I slept with my bag securely under my head.
Men and women with baskets of food marched through the train selling their wares, and then at edge of the last car, they sat with legs dangling over the side and hopped from the train once it slowed. My friends and I were shocked to see the first lady jump overboard. Until then the train seemed like a clown car, with so many new faces and baskets coming through. We soon realized that each time the train slowed and the people with baskets leapt off, a new group of basket carriers boarded.
A ferry ride later, we finally reached Koh Phangan, where we took a taxi boat to our beach Haad Yuan. The island paradise of Haad Yuan, where bright blue water licks the umbrella dotted beach, makes the perfect resort getaway. Not only because of its proximity to Had Rin, (which holds the bulk of tourists and tourist shops), but because all the tourists flock to Had Rin, leaving the small beach to those sleeping at Big Blue. At Big Blue Bungalows, the name of the resort on Haad Yuan, guests stay in large wooden bungalows. The restaurant offers an extensive and delectable menu of Thai and western dishes.
Relax on cushions and enjoy breakfast on a low table while watching the waves from the open lobby/restaurant. I recommend the hot ginger tea and a plate of fresh pineapple. CNN plays on the lobby’s TV sporadically throughout the day, and a nighttime movie draws a small crowd each night. An internet cafe sits a short walk down the beach or across the rocks on Haad Tien beach.
Leafy green foliage with brightly colored flowers line the short path from the beach and lobby to the bungalows. Two beds, a ceiling fan, and a dresser with mirror decorate the room. The toilets must be flushed using a bucket of water, and don’t use toilet paper, as the sewage system can’t handle it. This is true throughout Thailand. The shower spouts only cold water, but who needs hot water in a sunny island paradise such as this. The front porch offers the perfect place for hanging a hammock from which to read a book or sleep away a lazy afternoon.
Across the rocks sits Haad Tien, home of Sanctuary Spa. For the out of shape visitor, the rocks offer a bit of a challenge, but after braving the hill every morning to reach the taxi boats that come and go from Haad Tien, they no longer seemed like such a difficult obstacle.
Upon our arrival at Haad Tien, a group of Thai men from Big Blue Bungalows met us and took our backpacks. Each man piled three to five packs on his back, and plowed up the hill toward Haad Yuan beach, faster than we could without luggage.
At The Sanctuary Spa, cheap massages and manicures remove any lingering stress from the outside world. Choose from a variety of procedures, including full body Thai, Sweetish, or aromatherapy massages. Make an appointment early, as timeslots disappear quickly.
The Sanctuary offers morning yoga classes. Our yoga instructor continuously zoned out and forgot about her class, only to realize she’d left us in an uncomfortable posture for an extremely long time. Needless to say, we did not go back a second day.
On the way back to Haad Yuan, stop at Bamboo Restaurant, which offers an amazing array of dishes. The Full Moon Party, on Had Rin, equals ten-thousand people dancing on the beach while a variety of music blasts from at least eight different clubs. The clubs range from chill to techno to house to hip-hop, so there is something for everybody. The beverage of choice is buckets of Red Bull, whiskey, and sprite, with extra straws for meeting new friends. The Full Moon Party occurs, you guessed it, every time there is a full moon.
The taxi boat drivers can usually be negotiated with, but they run a monopoly on beach transportation, and charge exorbitant rates at night. The best bet is to wait until morning and take a boat home, when staying late on Had Rin.
Koh Samui, an island to the south of Koh Phangan was the next stop on our trip. Here we visited Big Buddha Beach. While not extremely impressive, Big Buddha Beach contains a variety of statues including the Big Buddha which stands 12 meters high.
My favorite part of Koh Samui is Spa Resort in Lamai, which sits surrounded by trees. Visit for a day or stay overnight in the spa’s bungalows and experience a bevy of very inexpensive treatments. I enjoyed a steam room, full body massage (1 hr), facial and body wrap all for the equivalent of $30. Afterwards the spa provided us with a fruit plate and a glass of watermelon to help replenish us.
The land is great for taking hikes and there are yoga, cleansing and meditation classes available as well as an extensive menu of healthy foods, and fasting plans.
By night, party at the Green Mango or one of countless clubs. I recommend cabs for transportation. We almost asphyxiated in the back of the exhaust filled taxi trucks on more than one occasion. Regular cabs have the bonus of being air-conditioned. We stayed at Chowkoh Hotel, and while clean, some rooms were overrun with ants, and it was far from the center of town.
Next we found our way to the jungle of Khao Sok where our group stayed at Smiley Bungalows. We slept in tree houses, or wooden cabins on stilts. Mosquito netting covered the bed. Our shower was a bamboo pipe that spouted cold water, which felt good in the humid weather and added to the ambiance of our jungle surroundings.
For a late night adventure, try the night safari through Khao Sok National Park, advertised in many a road side shop. My stomach gripped my throat as we pushed off the trail and into the trees in the black of night. For all my anxiety, we didn’t see anything, unless you count wild elephant poop and the glowing eyes of a bullfrog. Go for the thrill of trekking the jungle at night.
Elephant rides abound, ask the people at Smiley to direct you. Our group road elephants through a park to a small waterfall, where the elephants rested and cooled off in the water. The man who lead our elephant made us silly hats out of banana leaves to wear on our journey. Before and after the ride, we fed the elephants bananas that can be purchased at the front of the park. A picture of you on the elephant can be added for a small fee.
In the afternoon, we trekked through Khao Sok National Park, which offers several trails from which to choose. On our exhilarating hike to a waterfall we met with land leeches that attacked our shoes and tried to suck our blood. Check your feet after crossing water and stay away from things that look like inchworms.
Finally, we returned to Bangkok. After spending ten days becoming acclimated to Thailand, the same night train seemed very safe and quite luxurious.
Our old hotel, Wild Orchid Villa, seemed like the Ritz with flushable toilets, towels and hot water. Wild Orchid Villa’s location to Khao Sahn Road makes it an ideal place to stay. In addition, the hotel offers a beautiful lobby, excellent food, friendly staff, clean rooms that lock properly, and showers with hot water.
Khao Sahn Road, the major shopping road where Thai folk sell their wares, cannot be missed. Be sure to bargain, as they always up the price for foreigners. From photo albums, to spices to the most comfortable Thai pants, Khao Sahn Road has it all. Be sure to inspect any bags you buy as the zippers tend to break.
We spent our last night at Bed Supper Club, a restaurant and club that resembles a spaceship from the outside. Inside Supper Club, recline on white beds and enjoy an amazing three course meal brought by waitresses in blue and white stripped dresses. But this is far from a pajama party. Dress your best (flip-flops not allowed). Drinks average $11. A meal runs 800 baht, and vegetarian dishes are available upon request. Dance off dinner at Supper Club’s two floor dance club, located just outside the restaurant.
For more information about the places mentioned above, visit the following websites:
Koh Phangan
www.phanganexplorer.com
Big Blue Bungalows
(662)09-871-6214
Email: bigbb@ksc.th.com
The Sanctuary
www.thesanctuary-kpg.com
The Spa Resort
www.spasamui.com
Smiley Bungalow
www.krabidir.com Click on A-Z list on the bottom of the screen. Look under K for Khao Sok Smiley Bungalows.
Email: smileylandsmiley@hotmail.com
Khao Sok National Park
www.khaosok.com
Bed Supper Club
www.bedsupperclub.com
