BY: KARI HOEL

When talking to someone who has been to Thailand, the subject of visiting the islands always comes up. There is a reason for that: Thailand has several islands that are worth the visit. This time, I visited two of them: Ko Samui and Ko Tao, situated on the south-eastern coast. They are close in proximity, but widely different in all other aspects.

Ko Samui

The choice of Ko Samui was based on two practical considerations: It has an airport, and it is easy to get to Ko Tao from Ko Samui. My husband and I flew from Siem Reap in Cambodia via Bangkok to Ko Samui. When we arrived, it rained heavily for a couple of hours, and we began to wonder if we had made a mistake in going to this island. But when the sun appeared, we were not in doubt anymore – it was a gorgeous place.

We stayed at the northern side of the island, and the “beach choice” was based solely on what our guide book, Thailand Travel Guide by Lonely Planet, said: “Our favourite beach on the island, Hat Bo Phut serves up the Samui you didn’t think existed anymore. World’s away from the clutter of Chaweng and Lamai, Bo Phut is a quiet and romantic spot.”
We stayed at Eden Bungalows, a charming hotel with 15 spacious rooms and a pool.

The eating and drinking options in Hat Bo Phut are of high quality and relatively costly compared to other parts of Thailand. All the restaurants and bars we visited were good. The best restaurant was by far Villa Bianca, a wonderful Italian restaurant. It has white walls and white linen-covered tables, but the candlelight, the decorations and the sound (and sight) of the beach contributed to a romantic atmosphere. We had aperitifs, pasta dishes for our main course, red wine and Irish Coffee, and the price was about 3 500 Baht (about 105 USD). It was probably our most expensive meal in Thailand, but worth it.

Renting motorbikes appeared to be the most common way to see the island, but we chose to rent a car instead. In one day, you get an impression of the island, although you do not get to know the island. My main impression was that I was really, really glad we were staying at Hat Bo Phut! There are many wonderful beaches on Ko Samui, but there are also many towns by these beaches that are not very charming, as McDonald’s, Burger King, 7-Eleven and shops that sell low-quality merchandise appear to have taken over some places.

After three days at Ko Samui we decided it was time to move on, and we were both very excited that we were going to Ko Tao again, four years after we were there last.

Ko Tao

Getting to Ko Tao from Ko Samui takes two-three hours on a boat. The boat also stops at Ko Pha-Ngan, well-known for its Full Moon parties. As we like to go to bed early and rise early, we decided not to check it out (I know…we are boring people).

Ko Tao is a diver’s paradise, but until lately, there has been little less to do than scuba diving. But things have changed! The main town (Ban Mae Hat) had grown noticeably, there were at least twice as many restaurants, hotels, diving schools, shops etc. as it was four years ago. And there are now tattoo parlors, massage places and internet cafes and all over the place. The good news is that Ko Tao has not lost its charming atmosphere.

(View of the sunset from our bungalow)

We stayed at the beach north of Ban Mae Hat, at Tommy’s Dive Resort. We stayed in the same bungalow as we did last time we were there, situated right on the water. It cost about 1 500 Baht (45 USD) per night, which is a bargain if you value a wonderful location more than high standard accommodation.

There are several good eating options in Ko Tao, and we ate most our meals at the beach north of our bungalow (Hat Sai Ri), and some days in the town Ban Mae Hat. Hat Sai Ri has a myriad of bars/restaurants situated right on the beach, In Touch being our favorite hangout. Generally, food and drinks are very cheap, and the menus are extensive: You can have anything from Thai dishes to Italian dishes and American pancakes, and it all tastes good. You can easily spend less than USD 10 on a main course. Some places, for instance Whitening in Ban Mae Hat, are a bit more expensive, but also a more “classy” beach restaurant than the ones in Hat Sai Ri.

So…what do you do except eating, drinking, scuba diving or swimming? Some years ago, the answer was “not much”. These days, it is easier. You can go on a snorkeling trip or a boat trip, rent a motor bike or a kayak, visit the shops (not much interesting stuff to buy, mind you) or hang out at a beach. Hanging out on the beach is one of my favorite things to do, so quite a few hours were spent doing that. We also rented kayaks, which is a nice way to get some exercise and see the parts of the island that are not accessible by road.

We walked across the island one day, which was a fun (and hot) adventure. On the way, we walked up to a viewpoint of the island, which was a nice detour. The eastern part of the island is more secluded and quiet than the western part of the island. By staying here, you gain tranquility, but lose the choice of great, inexpensive restaurants and bars that I appreciate so much.

We spent six days at Ko Tao, including Christmas. During the evening of Christmas day, several hundred paper lanterns were lit and floated across the sky, enhancing the already wonderful atmosphere of celebrating Christmas on a beautiful beach in Thailand with great food and drinks and my husband by my side. May all Christmases be as merry as this!