Koh Chang

Thailand's second largest island, Koh Chang has been declared a National Park-it includes an archipelago of almost fifty smaller islands, some inhabited, some not. It is in the Gulf of Thailand, close to Thailand's western border with Cambodia. Though not the "secret" that it was five years ago, Koh Chang still offers plenty of respite from crowded tourist beaches and bustling entertainment districts that show up in many of Thailand's other sandy spots.

Thanks to Jen and Randi, we stayed here, and although it was literally almost at the end of the road, we loved it so much that we stuck around for nine days! As we later found out, being so far removed from everything else on the island meant cheaper prices, less tourists, less overall hassle; not to mention the amazing benefit of being on the southern tip right at as an isthmus occurred allowed for sunsets AND sunrises from our cottages! The main fishing village was only a ten minute walk away, and we tried wonderful seafood at the restaurants on the pier.

Our visit just happened to coincide with the full moon, and as some of you may have noticed, it was a HUGE full moon, since the moon was at it's closest point of orbit for the year. So the tides were at their most extreme highs and lows of the year, varying as much as five to six feet, and washing out some pathways and flooding out the low spot of the pier as well!

The roads were something else, and combined with a "bug" of some sort they were enough to turn Ashley's stomach when we first arrived. Steeply ascending from the ferry pier, they begin to curve back on themselves almost immediately, which isn't so bad on the way up, but once you start coming down on the other side its another story. We rented a motor scooter on two separate occasions during our stay, and it was a lot of fun to ride around the island and zoom up and down the hills. But it is pretty clear why there is such a high rate of fatal motor scooter accidents among foreigners. Driving too fast, in the dark, or mildly inebriated, would be a sure way to end up at the bottom of a cliff!

Koh Chang was a great relaxer, and with Jen and Randi we had great company and we are going to miss them so much. Ashley looked at me today and said that she wished she had appreciated them more initially when our trip begun...and that she really enjoyed getting to know Randi, and even Jen too, to some extent. I loved the time we spent with both of them, as well as with Tyra in Chiang Mai. I know that I will be seeing my good friend Randi again, and to the other two girls I wish the best of life and hope to see them again as well. May all of our travels be safe and fulfilling!