Home » Thailand » Koh Tao: Ideal Thailand Finally Found

From the moment I stepped off the boat to Koh Tao and started to wander the beach, I fell in love with Koh Tao. Before coming many people told me that I had to go to Koh Tao because it was the best island in all of Thailand. I had this picture perfect place envisioned that was only real in my dreams....I was wrong. I enjoyed Koh Tao more than I ever expected. Before coming to Thailand I had this idealized idea of a country full of little bungalows, longtail boats lining the beaches, chill backpackers lounging at beach bars watching the sunset, fresh fish, cheap beer, and an absolute paradise. I guess I had been reading too many tourist books from the 80s and early 90s! Indeed the beauty of Thailand had surpassed anything I ever imagined, but the amount of tourism and westernization did surprise me. Yet Koh Tao....Koh Tao was what I imagined all of Thailand to be.

Koh Tao: Ideal Thailand Finally Found

Casey Lary
2006-02-20 15:10:38

Displayed times (last time: )

could possibly want in this market. Then we went to Wat Pra Keo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the Grand Palace. Both were absolutely beautiful...full of gold chedis, vibrant colors, and intricate Thai architecture. The emerald buddha was probably the size of a cabbage patch doll that sat atop a very ornate display. I am very fascinated by the Thai architecture because it is like none I have seen in other places I have traveled (mind you, this is my first venture into southeast asia!). After we visited Wat Po,

Now this is a typical Thai toilet. The bucket with water is to flush the toilet yourself. The trash can is to put your paper in, as the septic system can't handle the paper. But, not too many squatters like in Japan!one of the more famous of the cazillion wats (wat=temple) in Bangkok because of the HUGE reclinine golden buddha.

Two wats and a Grand Palace later Jeff and I had enough of them and went on a boat cruise down the river and saw some wats as the sun started to set. We got off to go check out the hotel called The Orient...voted one of the best hotels in the world. Jeff and I walk up to it and get stopped by the guard in the front who told us we could not go into the hotel. He points to the sign -
1). No sandals - both jeff and I are wearing sandals.
2). No sleeveless shirts - I am wearing a tank top
3). No backpacks - I have a backpack on
4). No backpackers - awe we were fucked! We screamed backpackers!

Talk about discrimination! :-) So that ended our orient experience a little shorter than we thought. We headed to a restaurant called Condoms and Cabbages. Some of the money from your dinner is given to a charity to promote safe sex in all of Thailand. It was very tasty, and for desert they give you a condom instead
Leah and I at sunsetof a mint!

Bangkok itself is a very large dirty city. It has some beautiful and interesting parts, but there are definitely better parts in Thailand. One of my favorite parts of Bangkok was walking the streets and seeing all the monks. They seem to be so important that I forget they have to do everyday things too. They were at the foodstalls, buying stuff from random street vendors, and taking tuk tuks around town (although I am sure the tuk tuks take them to their desired locations the first time!). They day in Bangkok was wonderful, but one was enough. We ended the day with Thai massages, relaxed and ready to get on the plan back to cold Hiroshima.

So this ends my trip to Thailand. What an amazing amazing country! The week I got back I wanted to start planning my next trip to Thailand. My travel partners and adventures spent with them were amazing. My favorite spots were Chiang Mai and Koh Tao and I would highly reccomend adding those to your itineraries to Thailand. Things I LOVED in Thailand: the beach, elephants, snorkeling, warm weather, lush forests, banana shakes, fresh fish and lobster, curry, non-japanese boys to