31 January to 3 February Koh Phayam

Koh Phayam is an intriguing and beguiling little island. We arrived in Aow Yai bay for a couple of days and stayed four. It's a fine place for a log walk on the beach at sunset or a cold beer at any of the bars or a bite to eat at one of the many beach side restaurants. We did them all.

We also went for a spontaneous dip in the sea when we broached on a breaking wavelet approaching the beach. One minute we were going slowly, getting ready to lift the outboard motor and propeller as the beach shelved and the next we were falling backwards into the water as a rogue wavelet (it was small) picked up the rear and flipped the dink. Dinghy didn't turn over but we did in a foot of water. The worst part was David lost his favourite sunglasses, knocked off in the tumble and hungrily eaten by the ebbing wave, got a sand grave on his back. All I lost was the respect of the sunbathers watching our acrobatics.

drinks as the sun sets

Not to be beaten by a dunking we returned to big boat for a change of clothes and a replacement pair of sunglasses and then made a perfect approach and landing. It was late in the afternoon by now but not too late to rent a motorbike for 24 hours, we'd have a couple of hours of daylight now and a whole day tomorrow which would make it seem like two days. Koh Phayam is small, four miles from one side to the other and about 8 from one end to the other and criss crossed with a network of cement roads one car, or two motorbike wide. There are no cars here, a couple of small tractors and a fleet of taxi bikes to give you and your luggage a ride. I liked riding, or pootling, around the island. No hurry and plenty of time to look around at the trees, cashew nut trees are everywhere. They are a main crop of the island. We stopped to see the Buddhist temple and saw he monks having their lunch sitting on the sea wall, looked at each of the anchorages including Buffalo Bay on the west side. Buffalo Bay is pretty and the restaurant and guest houses more 'hippy' than Long Beach where we're based for this visit.

cashew crop

 

Aow Yai beach

 

easy riders!

On Aow Yai beach there's a new 'boutique' guest house which is very chi-chi. A fine deck to watch the sunset from, small meals and a pool table which is free for guests. I challenged David to a game never expecting to win as I'm no Hustler but in a major upset I walked away the winner, 3 games to 2!