Ko Lanta, Thailand

March 17.18.19, 2009

Ko Lanta is a small island in the Andaman Sea. Most of it is long and narrow and, for many years, it was an undiscovered vacation paradise. Now it is kinda of discovered but it hasn’t suffered from the massive development and crowds that afflict Phuket.

The rule here is that no building can be higher than the palm trees and the resorts are all small and family run. Our place, the Andaman Sunflower, has about 15 bamboo huts with room for a bed and a bathroom. The size of the bathroom determines the price of the room. The cheapest ones have a toilet and a showerhead in the same small room (very common in Southeast Asia). Ours has the shower and the toilet in separate cubicles with a sink in the middle.

All of the washrooms have a roof but are open to the outside air meaning that you might meet a small gecko (small lizard) there at night. The roofs are made of woven palm fronds. The beds are covered with large mosquito nets since the walls are meant to let in air and the bugs come along with it. This resort isn’t on the beach but that is only a one minute walk away.

The owners name is a German named Norm, who was raised in Brazil and Nigeria, and who used to run a multi national. Norm is an interesting guy and, most of the time, can be found manning the small bar and talking politics with the guests.

Right now it is really slow here so the big open common area/restaurant (made of bamboo and palm fronds) is empty most of the time.

Life here is slow and without distraction (except for the guys building a house on the next lot). We went snorkelling on the reef one day. Laid on a beach the next with the beach bar in the background. Took some bikes down to the town area one morning just to see if we could survive in the traffic. Chatted with an Austrian couple who work in Islamabad and who come here all the time on holiday.

One night Norm made everyone dinner and, despite being German, made a noodle and pork dish that was excellent.

The staff don’t speak much English but they are extremely helpful. They know where all the guests are and any request from doing your laundry to bringing you a beer is done right away. You never have to tell them the hut number or give them your name. It just appears.

Because it was the slow season we got a really good rate and were able to do this for a hut rate of $20 CN per day. That doesn’t include the beer of course.

The single road down the island is littered with “resorts”. All of them small and with their own bar and restaurant. Of course the staff that clean the rooms also work in the kitchen or the bar but that doesn’t matter. The are a lot of tourists here so the main road has a every kind of food you could name. Irish, German, Swedish etc etc are all represented. Many of the places are run by the Germans, the Irish or the Swedes but it the same Thai chef in the kitchen. I can only imagine the first time someone told them how to cook beans on toast.

Of course the best food and the cheapest is the Thai food. For about $4 CN you have order a main course that will really fill you up. Order a pizza and its twice that.

Going to miss this place.

Looked at the weather in BC and Ontario and see that the highs are back to the 3-9C range. Everyone there should be breaking out the swim suits there soon. Here it is about 30C but, if it is any consolation we did get some rain overnight.

Leaving for Malaysia tomorrow.