Koh Tao

Everyone told me to go to Koh Tao, Daan, Tara, and many others. "It's amazing." "Best island I've ever seen." So many great reviews, I had to see it. Was this going to be the island paradise I needed after months of intense travelling?

Apparently not. The island was beautiful! Incredible. Really, it was a great place, but I didn't like it. It is most famous for being the place to dive. I'm into to diving, so I found myself on the outside.

I was expecting an undeveloped, quaint little island, which it most was. The main drag was an eyesore, hugging the beach so closely, during high tide, there was no sand on which to stand. My first night was free, I was staying with a woman I met in transit who was taking a dive course, with a free bungallow. I moved on the next day since I didn't want to freeload on a complete stranger. To escape the development, I walked to the other side of the island. I love quiet, but I also love socializing, and the other side was deserted! Completely. Nobody at all. So I went to town again, to find everywhere either booked or too expensive. Finally, I found a dorm above a noisy bar that was bumping until late in the day.

I left after two days. I got a good snorkel, some nice hiking, but I couldn't connect to the place. On the boat there, I met three really cool people who were heading to a secluded bay on Koh Pha-ngan; seeing my hippie nature, they suggested I come and see it; a whole bay, filled with hippies, yogis, ravers. Liberalism and love. Sounded like my thing. So off I went to Haad Thien. I didn't realize this choice would change me forever and trap me for three months.