During my time off the week before moving to Bangsaen, I essentially had two very different mini-vacations. First, Koh Samet with Demelza and Isabella. It rained for much of the 48 hours we were there, but we still had a grand time eating and talking, eating and talking. It cleared up at night so we could hang out by the ocean at the beach bars with their mats and low tables and fire shows and hookah pipes. If you visit Bangkok and don't have time to get down south to the top-ranked beaches and islands - Krabi, Phuket, Samui, Phi Phi, etc, etc - Koh Samet is a great alternative. It's not as breath-taking as the others (based on a little personal experience and a little hearsay) and has been over-developed despite its national park status, but still sports white sand and clear water. Because of its proximity to Bangkok - three to four hours on a bus, plus a 30-minute ferry ride - it can get crowded, especially on weekends. There's a lively nightlife scene with barbecues, bars and dance clubs, and a good mix of Thais, expats and travelers.
When Isabella and Demelza left to get back for Saturday classes, I stayed on for a couple of days in Ban Phe, the jumping off port town for Koh Samet. More specifically, I went about ten or so kilometers down the beach road to Laem Mae Phim, which feels like a hidden paradise. I don't think many foreigners have seen this part of Thailand as I saw three in the two days I spent there. If it's peaceful getaway you want, stop here rather than taking the ferry over to Samet. I met the woman in the picture above almost immediately. She was so good to me, even inviting me to stay in her home, though I declined, and her son (not the one pictured) drove me all the way to the bus station in Rayong. Very kind family.
A serene Buddhist temple sits atop a hill at the very end of Laem Mae Phim Beach.
The view from the temple.
A woman praying at the temple.
Children running out of the ocean at the end of the day. The beach was mostly deserted during the day, but in the late afternoon, large groups of Thais gathered to play sports on the sand or ride banana boats in the water. I happened upon one group of maybe 50 people, most of them wearing face paint and about half in orange shirts. I think they had just played some sort of game and I caught them picking up the course - five long, narrow lines created with dozens of scrunched up shirts, umbrellas, and other skinny objects. I sort of regret not lifting my camera because it was fascinating, but in the moment, I felt intrusive and was just too shy to start snapping away. Maybe next time.
During my time off the week before moving to Bangsaen, I essentially had two very different mini-vacations. First, Koh Samet with Demelza and Isabella. It rained for much of the 48 hours we were there, but we still had a grand time eating and talking, eating and talking. It cleared up at night so we could hang out by the ocean at the beach bars with their mats and low tables and fire shows and hookah pipes. If you visit Bangkok and don't have time to get down south to the top-ranked beaches and islands - Krabi, Phuket, Samui, Phi Phi, etc, etc - Koh Samet is a great alternative. It's not as breath-taking as the others (based on a little personal experience and a little hearsay) and has been over-developed despite its national park status, but still sports white sand and clear water. Because of its proximity to Bangkok - three to four hours on a bus, plus a 30-minute ferry ride - it can get crowded, especially on weekends. There's a lively nightlife scene with barbecues, bars and dance clubs, and a good mix of Thais, expats and travelers.
When Isabella and Demelza left to get back for Saturday classes, I stayed on for a couple of days in Ban Phe, the jumping off port town for Koh Samet. More specifically, I went about ten or so kilometers down the beach road to Laem Mae Phim, which feels like a hidden paradise. I don't think many foreigners have seen this part of Thailand as I saw three in the two days I spent there. If it's peaceful getaway you want, stop here rather than taking the ferry over to Samet. I met the woman in the picture above almost immediately. She was so good to me, even inviting me to stay in her home, though I declined, and her son (not the one pictured) drove me all the way to the bus station in Rayong. Very kind family.
A serene Buddhist temple sits atop a hill at the very end of Laem Mae Phim Beach.
The view from the temple.
A woman praying at the temple.
Children running out of the ocean at the end of the day. The beach was mostly deserted during the day, but in the late afternoon, large groups of Thais gathered to play sports on the sand or ride banana boats in the water. I happened upon one group of maybe 50 people, most of them wearing face paint and about half in orange shirts. I think they had just played some sort of game and I caught them picking up the course - five long, narrow lines created with dozens of scrunched up shirts, umbrellas, and other skinny objects. I sort of regret not lifting my camera because it was fascinating, but in the moment, I felt intrusive and was just too shy to start snapping away. Maybe next time.
