To Thailand: revisiting Koh Kood

Xiamen's winter was very mild this year, with a lot of sunshine and not nearly as cold as last year. Still, Ling Ling and me could not resist to escape to Thailand again. This time we would make the whole trip together, unlike last year, when we only spent the first few days in Bangkok and Chiang Mai together.
We decided to first head to the lovely island Koh Kood near the Cambodian border, where I spent the last part of my trip last year. I had booked ahead by email to make sure Cozy House would have a nice room for us, and also booked a room in Bangkok where we would arrive in the late afternoon, too late to continue onwards to Trat, the last stop before taking the ferry to Koh Kood.

In Bangkok we stayed at Udee House, a lovely guesthouse at the northern side of central Bangkok, easily reached from Don Mueang Airport (DMK), Bangkok's old airport, which now serves all budget airlines again. Last year it was still closed, after suffering damage from the heavy floods in 2011.
I found Udee House on hostelworld.com, where it has one of the highest rankings. A four storey house with roof terrace, finished in polished concrete and dark wood, with floor to ceiling windows, a double height atrium with mezzanine, and a Japanese style garden. Good value at 1000 Baht for a spacious double with ensuite bathroom, in tastefully sparse design with nice details. Located in a quiet side street of a not too busy road, yet within walking distance of Bangkok's efficient Skytrain and loads of nice local restaurants, without the burden of overcrowded backpacker hotspots.

The next morning we took the 9:30 bus to Trat, where we arrived at 3 pm. I had booked a room at Ban Jaidee guesthouse, another little gem of a guesthouse which I discovered last year. In Trat we spend the remainder of the day walking around this charming little town, and had dinner at the night market. I also bought a used book (60 Baht) and a lime green leather wallet (200 Baht, my old one was falling apart) from the guesthouse, where the French half of the couple running the place also hosts a bookstore. Last year I only had met his Thai wife, who remembered me. I remembered the wholesome bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt she served me for breakfast last year, and after finishing another the next morning, we were picked up for the half hour ride to the Laem Sok pier, to catch the Koh Kood Princess which brought us in an hour and half  to Ao Salad on Koh Kood.

From Ao Salad a pickup truck drove us to Cozy House, where we were welcomed by mr. Noi and his daughter. A happy welcome, almost like coming home.
Last year I had a small single room, which was perfectly adequate, but this year he had kept the largest room for us, right on the riverside. Spacious and with a private bathroom, affording us a bit more luxury and privacy.
Koh Kood has not changed much, fortunately. It is still a haven of peace and tranquility. The Viewpoint Cafe which was situated on the rocks at the south end of the beach was gone though. I soon discovered it has relocated to the other side of the beach, right next to the Sunset Bar, which has a new owner (unfortunately, this new owner is a fan of electronic dance music). Australian senior Dick who runs the Viewpoint Cafe with his wife Wan from Chiang Mai told me he was kicked out of his former location at 24 hours notice last year November, but was lucky to have found a new spot, also with a great view, at the point where the Klong Chao river runs into the sea. Great sunset views remain, the only downside is the noisy neighbour.
Jay, the tall and amiable New Caledonian who was the former owner of the Sunset Bar, has moved to Bangkok to pursue a career in acting. His beautiful Thai girlfriend (now his wife) has given birth to a baby, so they chose to leave Koh Kood and settle down in the city.

We spent a week on Koh Kood, enjoying the beautiful beaches and crystal clear water. Snorkeling, touring the island on our rented scooter, walking to the waterfall, and eating delicious food at Cozy House and elsewhere. I wonder how much longer this island will remain quiet. I noticed quite a few Russian tourists, and that's usually an early sign of a mass invasion. The crowd at the waterfall surely was a lot bigger than last year, but luckily they only appeared when we were just about to leave, having spent a quiet hour there while everybody else was having lunch.
Koh Kood is still popular with French people, and I actually met three Frenchmen whom I had already met last year in January. Two of them staying at Cozy House again, and another staying at a nearby budget resort this time, where he got a good deal for a long stay. The Dutch divers running the small PADI diving center at Bang Bao beach are also still there, and so are their two competitors (at other locations).

Before leaving Xiamen, I had the brilliant idea of bringing the smallest of our inflatable catamarans along, and making a demo video of how to travel with a Ducky 13, while enjoying the gorgeous and calm waters for daily sailing trips. It would have been fantastic!
However, the newly ordered boats were not in stock, and delivery will not happen before April. Imagine getting on a plane with two extra bags, just 35 kg in total, containing a complete catamaran sailboat big enough for two people, ready to sail half an hour after arrival. That's the great advantage of a Ducky cat over a Hobie cat (not to mention the lower price). Next time!