I spent three entire weeks in Thailand being a beach bum, sampling the country’s island wares. I spent a week in Ko Tao learning how to dive, and then chilling with a turtle as we glided along the bottom of the ocean. I spent a week in Ko Pha-Ngan raving with every other tourist during the Full Moon Party, and then relaxing on the beach gaining my energy back. I spent three days in Ko Samui enjoying the beach life and visiting nearby Ang Thang National Park. Finally I spent most of a day traveling from east Thailand to west Thailand and the island of Phuket via a fast ferry, a comfortable bus, a not-so-comfortable bus, and a mini bus ride where the driver was intent on killing us all. I then layed low in Phuket for a few days before making a visa run (30 days in Thailand already?!) to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The most amazing part during these three weeks of beach time is the way the islands cater to the backpacker crowd. Long stretches of beach snuggle next to private, yet somewhat primitive, bungalows. However, these bungalows run cheap. Really cheap. I spent more than two weeks holed up in bungalows that cost either 400 baht ($13 USD) or 500 baht($16 USD). The bungalows I stayed in contained cold showers, either one double or two single beds, and an inviting porch to prop up your feet, watch the sunset, and indulge in a book or two. Or if you want to be closer to the sounds of the waves, walk about 50 yards and plop yourself in the sand with a towel and a good book.
Relaxing? Yes. Scenic? Absolutely. Cheap? Unbelievably so. I love the fact that these islands cater to backpackers. If there were stretches of sand like this in the US there is no doubt they would be transformed into boardwalks and hotels as far as the eye can see. In lovely Ko Taoh and Ko Pha-Ngan you can instead snag a bungalow and wile the hours away doing whatever your heart contents. A good book, a good beer, and the sounds of the waves lapping the beach as another incredible sunset closes the chapter on a great day. The perfect beach bumming life? Quite possibly.
If bungalows with cold showers and no aircon – just a fan – aren’t your thing, then you can spend a little more and get a bungalow with these luxuries. For about twice as much ($30 USD) these amenities are yours to have. The beach still beckons though. I think it’s time to say hello to another sunset and greet the sound of neverending waves yet again. Grab a beer, join me, and let’s close this day out the right way.
My kind of vacation!! I LOVE THE BUNGALOWS AND BEACH!!
So how cold is a cold shower? In Kenya on safari in 1985 we stayed at a couple of places that only had solar heating for showers. Basically the hot water was stored up on the roof where it could warm up in the sun. If you showered before sunset it was pretty okay. And in Dubai we had to turn our water heater off from May through October. The water from the cold tap was so hot that we used the water stored in the water heater as our cold water. So I guess a lot depends on the time of year.
No water heater, just cold water. It was ok after a day in the sun sitting on the beach – a cold shower actually felt good then. But I still don’t like to take it when I wake up early in the morning