Koh Lanta

As koh lanta came into view it was evident already how different this island was going to be to phi phi. There was a small pier with few people in sight and some very basic wooden huts along the coast. But it was the sheer amount of greenery and rainforest in view that made us excited about what the island had to offer.

Two roads run down the 30 km island, one on each side. The restaurants and bars remind me of the places that locals eat in in Bangkok. Many had plastic chairs and felt like being in someone's front room. The hostel was amazing. Its centre was made up of a large social area with hammocks, cushions, fans, a view of the rainforest behind and a wishing well to top it all off. Around this were the metal containers where we slept. On the first night we felt a bit unsafe staying in accommodation made out of metal due to the lightning and thunder outside. Despite the quite empty streets and lack of tourists the hostel was busy with travellers, everyone was keen to chill and get to know one another. To add to the uniqueness of this edgy and social hostel, every morning and evening you would hear the mosque call for prayers on loud speakers.

We instantly got on well with two girls we met from Manchester and made plans with them to go out for drinks. We headed to an Irish bar which the hostel owner recommended. However it just so happened that Thailand had an alcohol ban that night because of the referendum being held the next day. So we settled with having soft drinks and enjoyed just chatting to them and hearing about their travels.

The next day it was very cloudy but this didn't stop us getting up early to start exploring the island. We had heard that kayaking was nearby and a good way to see monkeys. So we hired a tuk tuk to the canals where they rent out kayaks. The waters were so calm and easy to navigate. We followed some boats to where you can feed monkeys. We observed as the monkeys clambered over the boats in front of us. We were quite happy to keep a distance and let the other tourists attract the monkeys to their boats.

We got back to our hostel just as it started to chuck it down with rain. The rain was so loud as it fell on the metal roof. We were keen to try the nightlife that evening. So after a meal on the beach with everyone from the hostel we started drinking. It was nice how everyone got along and did things together. We had heard from various people and tuk tuk drivers that there was a mushroom party that night. Not sure what to expect we spent ages predrinking, then 11 of us packed into two tuk tuks to get there. It was beyond what any of us could have anticipated. It appeared that all the travellers from across the island had congregated at this party. Perhaps 50/60 people were in this wooden club on the beach. The wood had been decorated with neon paint and as soon as we walked in people were quick to cover us in neon patterns. The atmosphere was amazing, so many people dancing in a small place surrounded by neon colours with club music blaring out. Not to mention the chairs and decking that spilled onto the beach which meant that people could also sit and soak up the atmosphere. This is exactly how I imagined travellers would spend their time partying.

The next day we woke up to clear blue skies and sunshine. We couldn't have been happier, it was our last day and now we could experience the island in its full glory. We hopped on a tuk tuk and went to the old town. This area was slightly nicer than where we had been staying, the restaurants and bars were still huts but more established and offering more choice. We walked along the wooden pier and looking back really started to appreciate how green the island was. We also appreciated how the sun brought out the pure blue colour of the sea like we had seen in phi phi. What made this view different to other sea settings was that the whole horizon was made up of different land forms. Mainly small islands covered in rainforest.

We went to the restaurant recommended by the hostel owner called 'Fresh Restaurant'. We sat on for table right on the end next to the sea. We again got to see an amazing view but this time while we ate. We couldn't believe how unspoilt the setting was with few boats around. We got the same tuk tuk back towards the hostel but asked her to stop at long beach. The tuk tuk ride itself was an experience. The route gave us a sense of how the locals live as we drove past small 'gasoline' stalls which offered bottles of luminous orange liquid but also how we saw many livestock living on the side of the road including cows and goats. The beach was similar to the one opposite the hostel. Empty stretches of light sand with big waves making lots of noise as they crashed on the shore. This is the beach where I chose to sit and write this part of the blog. We found an old tree offering shade and large roots to sit on. I wanted to note in this blog entry that I'm often on a beach as I write this blog and it adds to the experience as I look back to everything we have discovered in each place. For the first time we are leaving one of our locations with some reluctance as we have to say goodbye to some really interesting people we have made friends with.