Lovely, amazing little Ko Tao... Our week long stay on Turtle Island has unquestionably been one of those life experiences that I will not easily forget! Not only did this place manage to live up to my expectations (and actually exceed them), but my confidence is partially restored in the Thai's ability to simultaneously develop a tourist infrastructure and sustain the fragile ecosystem... I hope that Ko Tao can remain as it is for future generations of travelers: wild, rugged, and fabulous beyond belief.
We had a (thankfully) uneventful ferry ride from Samui to Tao, and upon arrival, could immediately tell that things here were a little bit different: the pier itself was not made of concrete or steel, but old packing crates nailed precariously together... The island's main port is nothing more than a small cluster of fishing boats and water taxis, beached at the end of Ko Tao's single shopping street, aptly named "Pier Road." Although the main town of Mae Head Beach is still pretty rustic, we managed to eat incredibly well. There is no shortage of restaurants catering to western palates, our favorite being "El Gringo," which serves up a mean frozen pina colada with fresh coconut and delicious plates of nachos. I find it so crazy that the best Mexican food I've ever had outside of Mexico is on a tiny island in the Gulf of Siam!
We thoroughly loved our week long stay at the gorgeous Sensi Paradise Resort http://www.sensiparadise.com/, a highly polished operation catering to honeymooners and upmarket 40-somethings in search of seclusion... Located just a stone's throw from the main part of town, the only noise surrounding our little wooden bungalow was that of the various birds and animals that live in the jungle. A good bit of the local fauna managed to make it inside our room: our resident gecko Bellisimo and his gigantic spider friend did their very best to consume the majority of mosquitoes in our bathroom. Being used to camping in Kansas, this was not a problem for me... but Paul made his visits to the bathroom as short as possible.
Ko Tao is known for it's amazing diving and snorkeling sites... Just off the beach at Sensi Paradise is one of the best dive sights on the island: the only shipwreck on the Ko Tao coast. Sunk over 50 years ago, this former cargo vessel came a bit too close to the rocks... it is now home to tons of tropical fish and various soft corals that have attached to its massive steel hull. I spent one afternoon swimming alone just off the beach, exploring the wreck and watching the local fishermen watch me.
Later in the week, Paul and I hired a long-tailed boat piloted by a funny young guy named Baan, who took us around the entire island for the day... We stopped and snorkeled at 5 or 6 various sites, including Shark Bay, the super-secluded Mango Bay, and the small group of islands just off the Ko Tao coast, the Nang Yuan islands. The coral here is truly FANTASTIC and largely intact: Paul and I both agreed that it is nearly of the same quality and variety as the Great Barrier Reef. I am really very proud of Paul for overcoming his fears of swimming in the open ocean and he seemed to really loosen up and enjoy himself!
We were both a bit sad to leave this wonderful place, but are getting very excited about our upcoming adventures in Laos. We have purchased overnight train tickets from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the Thai border with Laos, on the night of Sunday, 20 May. From there, we will cross by land into Laos and continue north to Vientiane and eventually Luang Prabang. Hopefully we will be able to fly back into Thailand to begin our month-long stay in Chiang Mai, but we are still unsure about the availability of flights... Will keep you posted!
More soon. x Jason
0 comments:
Post a Comment