We Were Hoping for Paradise...

And instead we found a beach.

Hoping to finish our trip on a relaxing note, we headed down from northern Thailand towards the water. We were warned away from the (western) Andaman Coast because it tends to get much more of a rainy-seaon lashing than the eastern seaboard this time of year and the inclement weather generally precludes all beach-side activity. Therefore, we opted for the eastern Island of Koh Chang due to its proximity to Bangkok (nobody wants to spend more than 24 hours straight in transit) and its relatively more inviting climate. Koh Chang is not a spectacular beach, at not least by the pristine white sand and crystal-clear water standard expected in Thailand, but that statement is not meant to deprive it of its many merits. The sand, although not the unblemished white of Hawaii or Phuket lore, is clean (except for post-storm days, when the tempestuous sea upchucks a lot of the refuse that has been tossed into it); the water definitely has that inviting turquoise-green tinge to it; and the jungly hills that abut the sea make the whole scene feel more tropical. As for the weather, Koh Chang did its rainy-season damnedest to accommodate us. We had 3 or 4 days of pure unadulterated sunshine, a few days with bright, overcast skies, and only one real day of rain - all in all, it was better than we could realistically have expected!

And our time on the island was straight up relaxation. We alternated between walking on the beach, reading, napping, enjoying tropical drinks by the water, and lounging in our nicely air-conditioned room. We also found a German-style bakery that offered freshly made bread and pretzel rolls as well as plastically-elastic yet surprisingly palatable cheeses. It all made for some pretty good beach-side picnic lunches that were complemented by fresh fruit juices from a nearby restaurant-bar. We also were able to find the time out of our busy schedule to squeeze in a foot massage and some nice sunset viewings.