Back to the beach

What do you do after spending some time traveling in the north of Southeast Asia? You go to the south! I had already had a taste of the Andaman Coast, which was the reason why I decided to give the Gulf Coast a try. So after taking a bus, a transfer van, another bus and a boat, there I was swimming in the Gulf of Thailand for the very first time.

Koh Phangan is located between Koh Samui and Koh Tao and, much like its location, is the middle term between the business-savviness of the first and the spunky youth of the second. I stayed in a cosy bungalow by the beach, from where I could see both Koh Samui and Haad Rin.

Haad Rin, also known as the host of the Full Moon Party, and Haad Yao were the two areas of the island I managed to explore during my stay there. The rest of the time was spent at the beach either swimming or taking the sun.

It was by the beach that I met Luca, a German girl currently living in Munich. I had just come back from the water when she asked me if I knew anything about the Phangan Film Festival. It turns out that a series of films would start being projected the next day on a bungalow nearby, which was the reason why I had the opportunity to watch two very interesting documentaries - one on "Dharma Punx" and the other one on the Balinese way of life.

What I enjoyed the most about this trip?

- Waking up in the morning, going for a swim/walk by the beach and then enjoying a lazy breakfast;
- Walking by the beach at night with nothing but stars above and discreet little lights and sounds all around.

There were also things I did not enjoy at all - namely having to cope with a swollen right ankle again! - but that is another story.