(Lack of) Travel Plan: Update
May 25, 2008 by Ubertramp
Filed under Southeast Asia, Thailand
2 days ago, I elected to travel to Indonesia. I’d head back up to the new airport and decimate my carbon karma with 2 more flights: one to Kuala Lumpur and then a connection to Banda Aceh. The plan being to travel down through Sumatra and cut back up to Malaysia before the Indo visa hit the stops.
That same evening I thought I’d hold off on Indonesia and head back to Cambodia instead. I figured that with a bus or two down to Trat/Hat Lek, I could cross borders near the coast and take the Koh Kong ferry straight to Sihanoukville. I know some snooky expats who swear by this route, and that’s as good a recommendation as I needed. In theory, I could be eating fresh mango on Independence Beach within 2 days.
The other overland option from Bangkok would be to head directly to Phnom Penh via the Poi Pet border. Nevertheless, having previously travelled this route, I’d prefer to gouge my eyes out with sharpened chopsticks than do it again – even more so in rainy season.
By my reckoning, and with a ridiculously early start the following morning, I could make the border by nightfall. Yesterday, the planned travel day, I woke up at 10 am. Bugger. Foiled again. I could have still made some headway, I suppose, and ended up somewhere near(ish) the border, but for some unknown reason (please don’t ask me why) I thought I’d completely change my mind for the 3rd time in 2 days.
I decided I’d now head south to the islands and beaches – probably around the Phi Phi/Ko Lanta area. So, that’s the plan as it stands right now – all I have to do now is sort out either a bus or train ticket before I changed my mind and ended up flying to Kota Kinabalu instead.
Koh Lanta is always worth a visit, I think. I just love that island. I’m heading back that way soonish as well. Just booked my ticket from Indo to KL (1.000.000 free tickets with Malaysian Airlines right now, yeah!). Now I just need a free ticket from New Zealand to Indo…
Thanks for the advice, Boris. I’ve never been there but, just like you, many other people have good things to say about it, too. Since I’ll be really near there I may well give it a shot before I leave Thailand. I’ll learn more when I get down that way no doubt.
I’ll keep an eye on your journey and if we’re both there at the same time you may get a kock on your door! lol.
Koh Lanta is nice but very quiet this time of year – not that is necessarily a bad thing, but things tend to be closed or have that post/pre high season fatigue – which, to think of it, is also not a bad thing.
Unnecessarily to say it’s developing quite fast, but duh, what isn’t on every Thai Island, anything with nice beaches.
Ah well, have a look; the food is ok (muslim, hence spicy; great fish and seafood), the people are ok, and hey say hello to the monkeys and white rabbits (don’t ask me, but it’s weird waking up with a hangover seeing all so white rabbits jumping under your hut). One thing, careful swimming there, the waves can be pretty impressive there in this season.
Cheers
Thanks for the tips, Conrad. I’m thinking more and more to go there now!
Like you, I think that off season can be just as good (if not better, sometimes) than high season. Lets hope Ko Lanta is no exception to the rule – oh, and I’ll watch out for those rabbits, too! lol
Thanks,
Nath
Don’t forget the cobras, Conrad. I accidentally drove over one during my time on Lanta… Bad Karma, I know…
Haha,
You are a traveler, Nath.
Never know where you are going other than crazy.
All about the path.
The only thing that travel has taught me is that destinations are just places to think up your next move haha.
Have fun,
Wade