:::: Survivor Thailand

survivor Thailand

Solitary strips of sand.
The welcoming vibe of locals. A hammock swinging in the shade. Each of these off-the-map islands offers a different lure, but all are worth expploring for a day or a week.

Ko Adang

While its big sister Ko Tarutao is famed for playing host to the TV show Survivor Thailand, Ko Adang is where true Survivor cannabis now tread. The island's rugged interior offers do-it-yourself trekking opportunities, splendid view- points and waterfalls that make for a rewarding frolic at the end of a tough walk. Break up your stay with a boat trip to nearby uninhabited Ko Hin Ngam, known for its fine snorkeling and polished lucky stone beach. But don't take a stone as a keepsake unless you want a lifetime of bad luck. One traveler was run down by a long-tail boat while snorkeling the day after she pocketed one. She survived and mailed the stone back the next day. Rumor has it that the National Park office receives hundreds every year. Apocryphal? Perhaps, but it's best not to take any chances. Accommodation is National Park fare, with camping also available.
A limestone boulder surrounded by teal Andaman waters- that's Ko Lao Hang. Kayak around the island in less than an hour and then take a well-earned swim on Lao Liang's solitary white strip of sand. The beach also hosts a resort,'' and both rest below a jungle-lashed cliff. Deluxe tents'' are where it's at, but think family-size affairs that you probably went on holiday in when geois bivouac.
bedroom, bamboo matted floors and mattresses with linen.

you were eight years old rather than a bourThey're roomy nonetheless, with a divided Most guests arrive as part of a multi-day package that combines your sleeping needs with snorkeling, scuba diving or rock-climbing expeditions-though you are welcome to just lay on the beach and count the grains of sand lao Liang Island, passes the southern, flat sprawl, and both areas have nary a tailor shop in sight. Compared to nearby Lanta, this is a low- key dreamland. Traditional and very conservative, the Muslim villages on the island have managed to keep the scene''
under control so if you're after slow-swinging hammock time, you're on the right path. Be sure to stop by one of the villages for breakfast-a hit of ko pii strong coffee with a slurp of condensed milk, accompanied by dim sum or roti To get back to basics head to one of the two original setups here,-joy Bungalows kohjum.com/joy; doubts from Bt300 or New Bungalows-go for one of their precarious
Wedged into the north of the Bay of Phuket, for years Ko Yao Noi was the off the map'' island on Thailand's Andaman coast despite being ringed by some of the south's hottest destinations. The conservative local villagers, however,

Ko Phuket

have allowed developers to slip the net, and resorts and private villas are now sprouting like mushrooms in the wet sea- son. Beaches are rocky and prone to mudflats at low tide, but when the water is in you won't need that infinity pool. Koh Yao Noi Eco-Tourism Club If Lao Liang's too contrived, seek out a true castaway experience on Trang's Ko Rok. You need to bring your own water, and this fact alone may be


your siren call. The twin islands of Ko Rok Nai and Ko Rok Nok boast splendid snorkeling in the slender azure channel that gushes between them. Ko Rok Nai has two pristine white sand beaches and the only permanent building in the area, a threadbare National Park office that is hit-and-miss in terms of being opened. You'll be camping in your own tent or sleeping on your yacht if you're over- nighting. Expect splendid starlit nights and be sure to take a midnight swim-the phosphorescence is amazing. Bring a lot of water-neither island has any natural spring-and a sharp machete for those coconuts.
Daytrippers can reach Ko Rok from Ko Lanta, Ko Muk or Ko Kradan Ko jum and Ko Pu, set midway between luxury hotspot Ko Lanta and the mainland town of Krabi, are in fact one island, so don't raise your eyebrows too much when backpackers swear Ko Pu is far less developed than Ko jum. Ko Pu refers to the northern, more hilly reaches, while Ko Jum encom' offers a range of earth-friendly and socially responsible
activities including village homestays fishing trips and sea canoeing.



Backpackers are well served at the long-running Sabai Corner sabaicornerbungalows.com; doubts from Bt1,000, flashpackers head to Koyao Island Resort coast. Grab a bicycle or motorbike and explore the island at your leisure. Hit one beach a day and you'll still have enough to keep you going for are the flashest digs on 3838,. doubles from Bt|6000).
a week. Elixir, with private pool villas, the island Buddhism runs deep in Thailand so when an island is named Ko Phra Thong, or Golden Buddha Island, it says a lot about the place. Spectacular beaches grace the island's western shore and provide both fiery sunsets and a landing strip for a
sea turtle population that returns each year, seemingly against all the

Ko Yao Noi

odds, to lay its eggs on these beaches. Ko Phra Thong was engulfed by the 2004 tsunami and the island's sole accommodation at the time, the Golden Buddha Resort, was devastated. The resort has since been rebuilt and the turtle hatchery project it oversaw prior to the 2004 devastation has recommenced. Activities include a healthy list of diving, hiking and river-boat trips-supposedly with crocodiles still in residence, though all we saw on a recent visit were clutches of monkeys-yet the island sees only a fraction of the tourists it While Ko Yao Noi is slipping into the grasp of developers, larger and more rugged Ko Yao Yai remains a more untainted destination. Separated by a narrow channel from its smaller namesake, the island is just as culturally conservative, but the beaches are better and more numerous. The best beach, Hat Loh Paret, is a fine affair but don't make the mistake of restricting Yourself to a single slice of sand here during your stay as dozens of kilometers of beach with barely a thatch shack in eyeshot line much of the island's Ko Phra thong western deserves. Once you're familiar with the island, it's easy to get even further off the map with a day or overnight-trip to Ko
Ra, a craggy almost-Jurassic jungle covered isle, just to the north. On Ko Phra Thong, rent out individually designed wooden houses at Golden Buddha Resort Club
same team who put together Krabi's Raileh Beach. One thing worth remembering: like many of these smaller spots to stay the resort is closed in june but re-opens once high sea-son kicks in again in October or November of offerings are clustered in the island's south. A car ferry plies a route to the island too. like Ko Phra Thong, this is also home to a turtle hatchery-it's amazing any make it considering the number of trawlers you'll see offshore Forever known as the other'' Ko Chang-a destiny that perfectly suits most Ko Changites-this blip of an island midway between Ranong and Ko Phayam attracts a steady trade of backpackers and flashpackers who eschew the
island's far more familiar namesake in eastern Thailand.

Ko Smui

Don't expect too many creature comforts-an air-con unit or a cocktail list that extends beyond Sangsom whiskey with a mixer qualifies as luxurious on this Ko Chang. The bulk of the accommodation graces four distinct west or southwest facing bays, with nearly all offering breathtaking views of the jagged St. Matthew Island (Zadetkyi Kyun in Burma. In April, the Loi Reua festival sees many sea gypsies-a nomadic sea people also known as Morgan, who inhabit islands in the Mergui Archipelago and further afield-set sail for the If Ko Phra Thong's cocktail distrust doesn't cut it, the wind- swept beaches and full service resorts on Ko Kho Klaao could be more to your liking. Its proximity to Phulket has seen a comprehensive range of lodgings appear and within range for a Bangkok weekender The northern grassy fields of the island hosted a Japanese airfield duringWorld War ll-rumor has it that persons of influence'' would love to see the secret landing strip rebuilt so they can exploit Ko Kho Khao whole- sale. So far that's on the distant horizon, and for now the bulk sunsets and a strip for sea turtles to lay their eggs Ko Surin island group. Their vessels sailing en masse between Ko Chang and St. Matthew's is a sight to behold. Sea gypsies and the island's one viewpoint walk aside, this is a strictly book-and-hammock destination. There's a lithe snorkeling, and resident dive shops can organize trips to Ko surin and further afield Ko Chang Resort is a good option
A mere 20 minutes off the south coast of Ko samui of Thailand's most popular islands-lies a little visited island where a coconut plantation is about as built up as it gets. Ko Taen offers a couple of glorious beaches, fine snorkeling, mangrove forests, caves filled with bats and, oddly for Thailand, not a single dog. A throwback to Samui of decades past, Ko Taen attracts far more daytrippers than overnight visitors but, if time allows, you'd be mad not to give this place a night or two. Lodgings are basic wooden and thatch bungalows-you might even need to squat-but the lack of amenities is more than made up for by the welcoming vibe and friendly locals. Much of the local population has moved to Samui in search of work, but those who remain can set you up to visit the caves when the thousands of bats fly in or out---supposedly the high pitch of the bat's call keeps the dogs away but the villagers' dislike of dogs is a more likely reason. You can also cycle across the island to the mangrove forest where boat trips are led among the low-slung trees It's a sleepy spot and a peek into what Samui once was. Get a transfer here from Ban Thong Krut on Samui's south coast.

Ko Chang

Almost within earshot of Ko Chang-the big, brash, boisterous one-Ko Wai begs the question, why not? It's a simple affair with a bunch of beaches and a handful of bungalow resorts. Ko Wai is a hit with daytrippers from Ko Change which lies a mere 5 kilometers to the north, and boatloads descend daily What makes the snorkeling good here is not so much the coral as the variety and number of fish see as great a range of fish here as on either Ko Tao or Ko Phi Phi in Thailand's south. You can also make your own feeding frenzy under the pier-ideal for the kids. While the main beach gets busy in the middle of the day these hours are best spent hammock-bound in the shade and once the last boat leaves, you'll have the island to yourself AII the accommodation is back-packer oriented with Ko Wai Pakarang restaurant being the pick of the bunch thanks to its good restaurant.