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Finding The Beach…

January 29, 2022 | Michael Turtle | 5 Comments

THAI ISLANDS

Koh Samui, Thailand

This isn’t the usual sort of post that I write, but I needed to share the stunning experience I had with some friends in Thailand.

There are certain days when you wonder how you’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by such amazing natural scenery. This was one of those days.

We’d been staying on Koh Samui, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, about an hour’s flight from Bangkok, when we decided to hire a boat and explore the surrounding islands.

There were a dozen of us friends, so it didn’t seem too extravagant to get our own speedboat (ok, it was a bit extravagant, but you need to do these things sometimes, don’t you?).

Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand

I was expecting a pleasant day of swimming, snorkeling and a few beers on a boat. What I was not prepared for was the beauty of the islands, rising from the water like an archipelago of Poseidons overseeing their kingdom.

Proud, timeless and shimmering under the burning sun, the striking rock faces melted into unkempt jungle that met golden beaches at the waterline.

And at times it seemed as if they were ours, and ours alone, to explore.

Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand

Our guide for the day was ‘Tony’, a name which was probably anglicised for our benefit, seeing as he introduced the other crewman as ‘Tony’ as well.

But both Tonys were as Thai as could be and knew these islands as they know a home they’re proud to show off to any interested tourists.

Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand

There are 42 islands in the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, an area of about 100 km2 of which about a fifth is land.

Its environment has been protected by government decree since 1980 but long before that is was attracting visitors in search of a temporal paradise.

It’s here that Alex Garland set his novel ‘The Beach’ on an uncharted island where a group of travellers decided there was no point travelling anymore because they had found their nirvana.

You can kind of understand why he chose it as the location. There’s something about being out on the islands that makes you feel like the rest of the world doesn’t exist and even if it did you would never want to go back to it.

There was a serenity about our day that’s hard to find, and that makes it even more magical when you do.

Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand
Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand

Although the island are now a popular tourist attraction and we saw plenty of other boats doing the same as us, there were also large tracts of time were we were all alone.

Snorkeling off one island, surrounded by an enormous school of fish close enough to touch was a highlight.

As was the ‘discovery’ of our own private beach, nestled in amongst a few small islands.

Finding The Beach from the movie from Koh Samui, Thailand

You really do have to pinch yourself sometimes.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. BGD |

    August 30, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Reply

    Stunning photos Turtle! Oh how I (and more likely you!) wish we had hired the boat instead of the bikes last time we were there.
    Love the new logo too!
    Safe travels 🙂

    • Turtle |

      August 31, 2011 at 1:44 am

      Reply

      The bike was an experience in itself! If only I’d been blogging then, the things I would’ve written about hanging on for dear life on the back of that motorbike!! 🙂

  2. Deb |

    November 21, 2011 at 4:15 am

    Reply

    What a great day! I can’t recall having a bad day in Southern Thailand, It is still one of the most beautiful locations in the world!

    • Turtle |

      November 21, 2011 at 6:26 am

      Reply

      Don’t you just want to build a little shack on one of the islands and stay there forever!!

  3. Virina |

    January 20, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    Reply

    How I want to immediately book a ticket and fly to this part of Thailand after I read your post.
    One of the best part of South East Asia !

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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