Ko Lanta

Quick thoughts on a quick getaway to Ko Lanta.

When: May 19-23, 2010.
Highlight: getting back on a scooter with D and rising around an island, stopping at beaches and bars and shops and massages. I felt free.

Flew into Phuket late night on Wednesday, stayed at Casa Brazil on Karon beach. We stayed here in 2008 as well for a couple of nights, and found it cute, cosy, clean, quiet and and inviting. Ok, no more alliteration.

We met a friend at 11pm, just as we got in. He rode from Phuket town where he stays to say Hi. We shared a few drinks, there were no places open for dinner anymore. The beginning of off season and the Bangkok troubles meant it was all pretty quiet. The same places we had seen alive and buzzing in December 2008 were shut now. Sang Soms done, we went back to our room for more chat.

Early morning we are picked up to go to Rasada Pier. Our journey to Ko Lanta is not going to be short.

The ferry sets off at 8.30, and we are at Phi Phi by 10.30. We must change ferries here, but there is a one hour wait. We pay the 20B each for the Phi Phi Island entry and say hello to it again. We had stayed here for a few days the previous trip. Its quieter, its hot, but the water is still as stunning. Mango shake, anyone?

on the ferry

Ko Lanta taken another hour from here, and our pickup has not arrived at the pier. A Thai couple who D asks about a public phone just make the call from the cell phone from us. A little while later we are on a make shift tuk tuk with two chatty young men. They drop us off at Nautilus, where we discover we are the only 2 people staying! I can’t see how thats a negative, especially considering we the get the best room, the one closest to the beach.

tuk tuk in ko lanta

our little corner of the island

Joom, the only one running the place right now, says its low season and they had a whole Danish group cancel on them because of the Bangkok trouble. Their cafe is shut so they wont serve us food, but luckily the place next door (about 15 steps from our room) is open. Its a family who runs its, husband, wife, mom, (young sister?). The first look at the sea, the first sight as I stretch my legs to ward the blue, the first sip of holiday beer...and I, predictably say, “This is the life.”

Killer spicy salad

at Kantiang Bay

We spend till Sunday in Ko Lanta. We rent a scooter, ride around, consume pleasant materials, eat absurdly spicy food and get absurd chilli rushes, drink some beer and SangSom, swim, read, talk, fool around, chill, get massages, meet an interesting French couple and their kid whose bar/cafe we spend time in, see some incredible sunsets, an approaching storm, a police ‘raid’ on a small local restaurant we are eating at, buy chappals....did I mention eat, consume, swim and get massaged?

afternoon storm

sunset at Phra Ae beach

the good ol' Sang Som bucket


Nui beach, which was all ours

more practical details on the trip here