Having finally having washed the stink of Phuket out of our clothes, we are so glad to discover that a few places in Thailand have managed to actually develop a thriving tourism industry, without killing themselves in the process... Can Khao Sok National Park develop at a pace that is sustainable? Can Ko Samui survive the thousands of visitors that pack its shores? The answer to these question is: probably not. But we are certainly glad to be on Planet Thailand for the beginning of the end! We left Phuket (now dubbed "Poop-ket" and also "Puke-ket") in a very bad mood, needless to say... The bus-to-ferry combination ticket could have tried the patience of Mother Theresa herself, after being shoved around by pushy touts and forced into several unscheduled stops at restaurants, most likely owned by the bus driver's cousin. ("Now you EAT!")
Khao Sok National Park is a true diamond in the rough, and when I say "rough," I mean RUFFFFF. Located in a pristine rain forest in the mountainous center of Southern Thailand, the park has yet to be "discovered" by western tourists and remains somewhat unaffected by the fever of mass tourism... ie: no Internet. Surrounded by limestone cliffs, gorgeous waterfalls and dense jungle, contact with the outside world is very limited: most of the products and services on hand were distinctly Thai in origin. Pretty cool! We checked into the Rainforest Lodge expecting something a bit more... hmmm, lets say, enclosed. The accommodations here were perfectly suitable... for a caveman. No electricity (hence no air conditioning or fans), no hot water, and no one to hear our screams, Paul and I checked in for a rather long 2 night stay. The national park is a real treasure, and I really appreciate the experience of being in rural Thailand... but after a few days, our spoiled western asses were ready for something a bit more, ahem, civilized.
Several cold beers on the ferry ride from Surat Thani town and the beautiful scenery from the boat's deck added to the excitement of heading to Ko Samui. Upon arrival at Sumui's main port, we were glad to have NOT purchased a pre-paid taxi voucher to our hotel (one of the many "purchase suggestions" forced upon us en-route), as several others on our boat found that these vouchers were totally worthless, and the contact numbers printed on the ticket were bogus. When approached, the sleepy-eyed tourist policeman at Ko Samui's port mumbled a few things in Thai, and slowly walked away. Hmmm. Our hotel on Ko Samui, the Jungle Park Resort, is absolutely lovely. Situated smack on Lamai beach, the views from the property are stunning and the grounds themselves are perfectly landscaped with little fountains, flowering trees, a huge swimming pool, and lots and lots of greenery. Most of the other guests staying in the Jungle Park are French, and most of them seem to be absolutely miserable. We both faced our fears of two-wheeled motorized vehicles and actually rented two little motor bikes for our 4 days on the island! Today was our first day out, and we quickly gained confidence zipping along the narrow roads. We initially headed towards an elephant camp on the southern end of the island, but were put off by the exorbitant prices for a ride (800 Baht for 30 minutes!!!) and we just hung around for a while instead. It must have been good fortune that we continued up the same road, and discovered the most beautiful hilltop restaurant, where we stopped and had lunch. The views from the top were amazing: we could see beaches to both sides of us and unlimited visibility... Gorgeous!
Ko Samui does indeed have a Starbucks, loads of Internet access, and a more than a few girlie bars, but somehow manages to retain plenty of wildlife and it's unique local flavour, unlike the ruined Phuket. Next up is Ko Tao, the tiny diver's island 2 hours north from here, and I have high hopes that it will be the one of the best destinations Southern Thailand has to offer... More soon! x Jason
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