After some beautiful autumn days in Japan, it was time for balmy beach days in Southern Thailand. Travel between these two countries was thankfully seamless with a bonus feast on delicious Chinese food at a lounge during our layover in Shanghai. Upon landing, we spent an evening at a campground near the Phuket airport (love that this idea exists) before embarking on the five-hour bus journey to Ranong. From there, we took a two-hour ferry to Koh Phayam. Whew. After this long, multi-stage journey, we were more than ready to embrace breezy, beach-bum days.
Koh Phayam
While we’re obviously tourists, we selfishly love finding places with fewer of “our kind.” It feels special to explore a destination before it becomes somewhat overrun and overly developed. Koh Phayam still feels a little secret, thanks to most travelers opting for islands closer to Phuket—and we loved every moment of our tranquil week here.
Our slow mornings consisted of workouts and leisurely sipping coffee on a balcony overlooking the Andaman Sea. Afternoons meant lunch at our daily favorite, Kivi Restaurant, followed by relaxing at one of the island’s beaches. Our personal favorite was Hin Talu, with its soft white sand, turquoise water, incredibly gentle waves, and shallow waters. For some reason, very few people seemed to spend time there, but we were more than happy to claim our own little slice of paradise.
The week of Christmas was spent swimming, strolling along beaches, hunting for seashells, reading, and fully embracing relaxation mode. In the spirit of the season, we treated ourselves to Thai massages (simultaneously relaxing, and at times, the complete opposite while getting your body thrown around) and discovered how far a $5 gift exchange budget could stretch—verdict: pretty dang far.
It’s unlikely we could’ve asked for a more serene way to kick off our time in Thailand. While we missed loved ones this holiday season, it was special to embrace something a little different this year.
Phuket
Leaving Koh Phayam for Phuket was bittersweet. We already missed our favorite beach and go-to curry spot, but there was plenty of excitement: it was finally time for Jack to complete his freediving course! After finishing part one of his certification back in Denver months ago, the final stage was here.
Jack braved choppy waters on certification day, diving down to 13 meters and passing all safety skills to officially become a Level 1 Freediver. Now, he can explore the underwater world with or without scuba gear. Watch out, ocean—there’s a new diver on the block. Meanwhile, Kim will just have to continue avoiding freediving documentaries and simply trust the training.
Koh Phaluai
Turns out, we’re not the only ones with the idea of a Thai island getaway this time of year. Since we’ve mostly traveled during off-seasons, we weren’t fully prepared for the high-season crowds. Our plan to visit Koh Lanta quickly became impossible, giving us a nice exercise in flexibility. Instead, we found a campsite on the even-less-traveled island of Koh Phaluai.
This tiny island is the opposite of developed. With only two standalone restaurants, fellow travelers were few and far between. However, the few campers we met became a little community. Ringing in the New Year here, over a barbecue and Thai beers, with a lovely mishmash of people felt incredibly special. The evening was spent chatting about everything from the toads singing us to sleep each night to the purpose of human consciousness and a bit of everything in-between. An end to 2024 we’ll always remember.
Throughout our time on Koh Phaluai, we explored with our lovely new friend, Lora from Ukraine, and a local guide, Tick (who provided both great insights and some practice navigating interpersonal conflict). Days were spent hiking to viewpoints, discovering hidden beaches, and taking a boat to explore some of the 30+ islands in Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park. Being surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and stunning turquoise water felt like living in a postcard.
While our time in Southern Thailand didn’t include as much scuba diving as we initially imagined, it was a journey well spent connecting with each other, our beautiful surroundings, and new travel friends. What’s not to love about a beach and mountain combo?
Eats & Drinks
• Thai Curries: Green, Penang, Massaman, yellow, and red. Gotta catch them all, but yes, this ranking is definitive. One of us loved the sweet, creamy coconut milk, while the other was all about the heat. Guess who?
• Pad Thai: After countless $1-2 plates of this sweet, peanut-topped dish, we fear a rude awakening when we crave it back home.
• Pad See Ew: Soy sauce and thick rice noodles—what’s not to love?
• Boat Noodles: A hidden gem we didn’t know existed. Customizing this rich, flavorful soup was a treat each time.
• Thai Tea: It tastes like melted ice cream. Is there tea in it? Not fully convinced. Do we care? Not at all.
• Snacks: 7/11 kept our snack game strong with truffle-flavored peanuts, peanuts with fried anchovies, and matcha rice snacks.
