Koh Phanang

Asking other travellers for advice on where to go in Thailand, every single person I've spoken to has suggested Koh Phanang to me--and, after figuring out the full moon party with its trance-house-dance-drug-style might not fit me, added "the northern parts--you'll love the northern parts of the island!" And they were right. Renting a moped to go around the most of the island, I drove the some 10 (or is it 15?) kilometres across it, from Ban Kai in the south where I stayed, to Ban Chalok Lam in the north. The latter is a small fisherman's village, and offered the feeling I guess I'd been expecting but hadn't found in Thailand yet: The everyday Thai life. By all means, Thailand is a beautiful country--but often I get the feeling it only lives off of tourism and its derivatives; shops, markets, accommodation, and food. Even the island's elephants are there mainly for the tourists these days; standing in cages to be fed bananas... However, in Ban Chalok Lam, as I enjoyed a fruit shake on the pier, I enjoyed a more typical everyday life that goes on when the foreigners have left, with small fishing boats and busy villagers glancing at you rather than eyeing you for business. Moving my way westwards to Hat Salad, I found an amazing spot with small bungalows right on the beach, palm trees, hammocs--and very little apart from only that. I wanted to gather my things and get a sea-side hammoc on the beach, but--as one should expect I guess-- the taxi business is as corrupt on Koh Phanang as any other place. In the end, however, my main goal for my stay in Thailand--swimming, relaxing in a hammoc and doing nothing, maybe read, tan a bit?--came back to me, and as the full moon faded and the tide rose the water to above waist level again, I found that I was already at a lovely beach, so no worries then! Staying for a few more days, Bong--the lady running the guest house, turned out to be amazingly chatty when she had the time. Being practically the only person at the Panang Rainbows for a few days I actually did get to see everyday life in Thailand, as well as knowing her family.