The Southern Islands

After leaving Bangkok, Em, me, Tim and Traci took the 8 hour bus trip and 2-3 hour ferry to Kho Pa Ngang via Kho Tao. We stayed at Harmony Beach Resort where Tim and Traci knew the owner Dave, a pommy guy who was a legend. Apart from lazing around, swimming in the 31 degree ocean, eating, drinking and learning new card games, we also explored the many roads and beaches around the island on motor bikes. At first we just hired some semi auto scooter type things that were o.k. But soon Tim and I got the itch for a bit of dirk bike riding. We rode to a remote beach at the top of the island (with Emma squirming on the back as it was her first time on a dirt bike), dropped the girls off at a bar and went for a good old squirt. O.k, so my bike was a piece of crap but still it was a hoot. On the way to returning the bikes mine broke down - about 4 times - but I managed to get her back to the shop where it broke down again right in front of the owner. I pretended to have just hit the kill switch to make it look like I had just turned it off, so no extra charge for me. Phew! It just so happened that we were there at the time of the famous full moon parties. We went into Had Rin (tourist party central) at about about 3pm and got stuck into the red bull buckets. For those who don't know, these buckets are famous on the islands and consist of a mix of Thai Rum (Sam Song), coke and Red Bull syrup. Needless to say that after 3 or 4 buckets each, plus beers, we left the party by 1am. Not a very good innings for a group of Aussies. All good though, cos is was so cheesy and sleazy that we probably wouldn't have stayed longer anyway. We stayed a few more days at Harmony, where the ocean views were amazing and the company (including a gorgeous group of dogs) made the place feel like home. Then it was onward - we packed our bags and grabbed the ferry to Kho Tao.

Looking at Kho Tao as you enter by boat

Ah ... Kho Tao ... what a chilled out paradise. The beaches are beautiful, the food is cheap and the deep fried white snapper thai style is amazing. The four of us went for a walk to a great beach that's pretty much all reef and went snorkelling with the reef sharks. I highly recommend it to all of you. What a rush swimming with sharks! But to all you bigger guys (you know who you are) you better learn to suck in your guts cos it's real shallow for a long time and the coral can be damn sharp! The next day Tim and Traci went diving and Em and I tagged along with our snorkels. (I can't dive until I get my medical clearance for my asthma). I ended up doing some free diving to around 14 meters which was wicked. By now our 3 nights were up so it was time to say good bye to Kho Tao and head back to Bangkok to make our way to Kanchanaburi.