In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.
Way back in 2012 when I found out I was coming to Thailand and I was making preparations like packing and stocking up on underwear and riap roy clothes, I also had a couple conversations with my dad mostly centered about the topic of travel.
Would I want to come back to the States to visit? (I originally said no, changed my mind once I got here and then changed it again, then got a trip back as a Blog It Home winner.) Would my parents come to visit me in Thailand? (Yes, but in 2014 because they were already planning on a cruise of the Mediterranean for 2013.)
I was a little skeptical that they would come, but earlier this month they touched down for their first time ever in Asia (on the same day that I got back from Bhutan! Told you it’s been a whirlwind) and we hit some highlights of Thailand. First stop: the beaches of Koh Ngai, one of the Trang Islands in the Andaman Sea.
Getting to Koh Ngai
Rather than spend at least 12 hours on a bus or a train, which I knew would not appeal to my parents, we instead hopped on a one hour flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueng Airport down to Trang, where we caught a van to the pier and then chartered a long tail boat out to Koh Ngai.
It was the very, very beginning of tourist season and so the ferries weren’t running. We also practically had the island and resort to ourselves the whole time. The first night, a group of Thai elders showed up for the night and my parents guffawed in disbelief when I told them it was likely they would leave the next day. Sure enough, the next morning they were all back on a boat.
What to Do on Koh Ngai
The beach on the island had the softest sand that I have ever felt in Thailand and the waters were a beautiful aquamarine. We ended up chartering a three-island tour to Koh Muk (to visit the Emerald Cave), Koh Roak and Koh Ma (both for snorkeling). My parents agreed that this was the biggest highlight of their trip, in spite of some jellyfish stings on our way into the Emerald Cave. I wish I had had a chance to go SCUBA diving, but again, being so early in the season the dive shop was closed. No worries though – I got to swim in a couple schools of fish while snorkeling.
These islands are all limestone, and the karsts that rise out of the Andaman Sea to create these various islands are breathtaking and amazing. My dad really liked looking at them and the stratifications and figuring out how some parts of them collapsed to make the varied topography of some of the larger islands.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Koh Hai Fantasy Resort, which was wonderful. Our room opened right up to the beach, the staff was extremely attentive and helpful and the amenities were great. We watched as they put some of the final preparations on to get ready for the high season as we relaxed on the beach. One downside coming so early in the season was that some afternoons it rained, but it was really neat to watch the storms roll in and to catch up on some reading inside.
If you are looking for a quiet island, a little more off the beaten path, I would definitely recommend checking out any of the Trang Islands.