So here I am on another amazing island, only a short one hour speed catamaran ride from koh phangan. This island is known for its famous world class diving, and even though its no longer a backpackers secret hideaway, the long journey to get here, and the rough roads still make it quite remote on many parts of the island. I did not have a "plan" of where to stay on this island, as much fun as it sounds of just winging it, and finding a place when you arrive, it can be overwhelming when you get off the boat and all the locals are standing there waving their brochures.." lady, lady, bungalow ?" and your hot and tired, and settling for anything is usually what you end up doing in this case, but I like the cute places :) the places off the beaten path that you hear about from another traveler along the way, or read about on a blog such as this.
I wanted to stay somewhere quiet, but not too quiet since I'm traveling alone, and the really quiet places attract the couples and families looking for a remote getaway, I like the in between, so I can try different restaurants, and take walks, get lost, great ways to spend the days
.
I choose New Heaven Huts, a place pretty unknown, that is a on a private beach called Sai Daeng Bay. There is only one other resort on this beach. I got the coolest bungalow, up on a cliff with the most amazing view of the beach below, its really heaven. My bungalow is only 800 baht a night , and worth a lot more than that, but with its remote location, and Heaven Hut being fairly new, I got lucky.My bungalow is gorgeous, with a sunken bathroom attached, a wonderful canopy bed with a view of the ocean while your lying in bed . And of course.... A great hammock to swing on in the hot afternoons.
My first night there, as I was coming up from the beach, the owner said to me, " I'm sorry , today we have no electricity,,so sorry, later we bring you a torch" I understood, this happens from time to time , and sometimes even in big cities like Saigon, it happen to my friend Sara and I one night we were there, and I'm used to staying in remote places that only have power for a few hours every day anyways, run on a generator. So a torch, usually meaning a flashlight, I have with me already, I'm a prepared backpacker! But another one would be nice too, so I accepted the offer. About an hour later, as it was starting to get dark, I noticed a man, coming up to the stairs of my bungalow, with a real torch! Like on survivor! They placed it at the bottom of my stairs so I could find my way up, and left me a small gas lantern as well, it was very romantic at my hut that night
. With no lights really , I could lay in my hammock and stare at the hundreds of stars in the sky , pretty wonderful.
The next day I ventured out to a remote island by boat called Koh Naamg Yuan. Its named one of the top 10 islands in the world. Its unique that its actually 3 small islands attached by sand bars. The boat landing is a long wooden dock that connects to the island thru large boulders, as I walked along the bridge I felt as if I was walking into a ride at Disneyland, ready to board my boat to take me into Pirates of the Caribbean, but this was the real thing, this was not man made at all, this was made my nature itself, amazing. The island has a 100 baht entrance fee, its really a national park, which the money goes for conservation. Another thing, NO plastic bottles, or cans,,,,at all! In fact they check your back like security before you enter, and take anything you might be hiding! I have never been anywhere that was this conscience of bringing such items into somewhere, caring so much about the water, the fish, the environment, wanting to keep things beautiful, safe, and environmentally sound. Beautiful! They serve water in glass bottles, and usually back home this type of water served this way is very pricey, but here it costs the same, and it tastes wonderful.
The beaches and water were indescribable...so turquoise blue, and so many shells, and coral covering the beaches, you hardly see this anymore on beaches, everyone always takes them, not here, its not allowed
. The water was so clear, you didn't even need a snorkel, you could just walk into the water and the fish would swim all around you.
I spent the whole day there, it was so hard to leave. I had taken a taxi to town, the resort next door had a few daily shuttles for 100 baht each way, but since I stayed past their last scheduled taxi, I decided to walk back , I was told it could be done :)
To hire a taxi on my own is 300 baht, and a cute sun dress I saw in a shop that I passed by was also 300 baht.... so I decided to buy the dress and walk back for free :)
The walk back was nice, hard at times climbing ridiculously high dips in the rough dirt road, some even too hard for a motorbike. I was planning to rent a motorbike on this trip , I have always been the passenger and not the driver, so this trip I had planned to be brave and rent one myself, on most of these islands I visit, its really the only way to get around. Well, knowing my mom would not like this idea at all, and seeing many travelers with horrible scrapes on their legs from such bikes wipe outs, I decided to be brave another time, and learning to ride a motorbike, on rough dirt roads in a foreign country, not such a bright idea. And I'm a bright traveler mom! I knew that would make you smile! And its your birthday today too mom! Happy Birthday Mom!
So back to the walk home.... I took my time , had water with me, and besides I need to work off the banana shakes as well!
The road took me thru a jungle, filled with large boulders, green fields, and tall palms trees, I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. After the best Tom Kha Kha soup and a Chang beer for dinner , it was off to the hammock again, only a few more days left before I start the journey back to Bangkok, I want to enjoy every last moment.
Sometimes the lights go out in Paradise...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Ko Tao, Thailand
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Comments

2025-02-10
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marina
2010-02-14
Does ko tao beat out ko lipe?????? Fantastic fotos!!!! How will you ever adjust to Chicago???? It is heart day. I am off for a long walk to relax from midterms yesterday. Had a quick lunch with Sarah. She looks fantastic. Well, all the travel goddesses shone upon you every single day for a month. Welcome home!
peggymarcinia@aol.com
2010-02-14
Eliz, another fantastic travel blog from you! I'm going.....safe trip home. What a month you've had.