After driving around half of Samui, passing views that I’ve missed thanks to my intense lack of sleep, we arrive at the ferry port and board our marine adventure. I am a lady with a boat fetish and proud to admit it. If you want to guarantee me a good day out, put me on a boat, or anywhere near water. I will be happy as a clam, even when everyone around me is dying of seasickness. I’m the lady who stands on the front of the top deck, wind whipping my hair in ecstasy.
So while the predominantly Asian and European crowd fled to the safety of the inner cabin, firmly clutching their life jackets, I sat in the front with my new best friends, three German travellers who regaled me with tales of the Thai islands they’d learned from extensive Lonely Planet bedtime reading. Being that the Europeans are lucky enough to have 6 weeks annual leave per year, these guys travel every year on a big holiday, usually to Asia. It’s one way to escape life as a software engineer, as all the German travellers I’d met so far seemed to be.
The Mo Ko Ang Thong Marine Park is the name for an archipelago consisting over 42 small islands. They all have the most beautiful beaches, limestone caves and rocky cliffs, leading to private lagoons much like the one on the famous cult novel and movie, “The Beach”, by Alex Garland. In fact, it is this area that inspired the movie, although filming took place on other islands.
Our first stop was Wua Talap island. In English, the word is “Sleeping Cow”, and I’ve never seen a more apt description. That’s because the sleeping cow was me, stretched out on the most private beautiful beach I’ve seen in my entire life. While one half of the group went kayaking and the other half climbed the 500 metres to a stunning lookout point, I opted to stick around on the beach, alone, for a spot of snorkeling.
Snorkeling soon gave way to just breathing. The beach was breathtaking, and it took an effort. The island itself was the typical Thai paradise, with coconut trees, traditional huts, a small tent camp, and a small kiosk selling coconuts and drinks. I waded out into the devastatingly clear water and looked out into the horizon. There was not a spot of ugliness ruining my perfect vision. Even our boat, bobbing a few hundred metres away from the shore (we had to clamber on a basic rowboat to go ashore each time, which freaked me out accordingly), just added to the picturesque view.
After hours of swimming, I was stretched on the beach and soon found myself napping. Now as all good Aussies know, sunscreen is only effective for a period of time, after which we get on with the whole reapplication dance. Being a good Aussie, I’m all over this - except when in paradise.
The sleeping cow drug overtook me, and soon I was sprawled on the beach, fast asleep with only the waves for company. I woke up prickling and burning, having missed my reapplication window by 30 minutes. Let me just say, I am still peeling from the sleeping cow sun. Drunk on relaxation, sunshine and sea, I lazily swam back out and chatted with some of my fellow tourists who had returned from kayaking at that stage. Although the view from the lookout was breathtaking, it was also very sharp and difficult, and hadn’t been recommended for those in thongs. Not everyone had heeded their advice, so when we got back on the boat, there was a certain pink-faced German tourist, who had run all the way down to make it to the boat wearing only uncomfortable wooden-soled thongs.
After lunch on the boat, it was time for the next island, where we visited the Emerald Lagoon. Little Thai men were working on the construction of the ladders and ramps required to scale the cliffs surrounding the lagoon, as we huffed and puffed our way up. Some bright soul had informed us to take life jackets with us - so each time the boat docked, there I was with my life jacket in tow. Until I realized that there wasn’t any actual need for it - being a swimmer, I was unlikely to drown while negotiating the shallow, clear, gorgeous waters of the bay. Turns out it was purely to test my endurance as I struggled to climb the ladders and staircases and head down to the Emerald Lagoon.
It was Peter Pan all over again. The emerald green waters are surrounded by limestone cliffs and caves, with precarious lookout points cordoned off only by a small barrier letting us know “Do Not Lean”. As I inhaled the beauty and serenity, despite my increasingly painful sunburn, I heard an Israeli tourist behind me ask whether I’d like him to take a photograph. Finding we had a language in common, we soon go to chatting and made our way back down to the beach together. Dror and I had similar professional interests and his sweet girlfriend had the better command of English, which gave us both a chance to practice. With Israel next on my trip, it was a great time to get back into the Hebrew speaking swing, leaving less awkward taxi driver moments on arrival in Jerusalem.
Back on the beach, I encountered the most gorgeous traditional Thai kiosk. The owner was slightly taken aback at my obsession with photographing it. I sat and drank my Chang beer, watching the waves and listening to the mixture of languages wash over me as Germans, Asians, Israelis and New Zealanders collectively marveled at the natural wonders before our eyes.
It was simultaneously fascinating but also pretty irksome - as I noticed on the ferry back, when I wanted nothing more than to chat about crap with young people. A crew of lively Europeans were sitting on the outside deck with me, but with my German limited to counting to ten, I couldn’t interrupt their banter to ask them to switch to their more stilted, yet grammatically perfect English.
As my first solo travel day, I met some lovely people but more importantly, saw some incredible sights. For only 1100 baht (not including Kayaking), Ko Ang Thong Marine Park is a great option for a day trip from Samui and is highly recommended from this novice nomad.
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