Edventures with The Moon: Quiet Koh Phayam

Having been in Thailand for a duration similar to our stay in Japan, I've gained perspective on the diffences between these countries and their people. To draw an analogy, if each country were a person, the Japanese might resemble a purpose-driven adult with a serious demeanor, dressed in black and focused on getting down to business. In contrast, the Thai people could be likened to a carefree teenager wearing shorts and an 'I love New York' tank top, with a big smile, ready to play. This is, of course, a generalization. Being able to enjoy the differences between two cultures, each with their own type of richness, diversity and history is the reason Moon and I travel.

Onto Ranong, southwest of Bangkok, on the coast. Ranong sits a couple miles from the Thai-Myanmar border. Our desire to visit Myanmar, (Burma), has been longstanding. Unfortunately, the country has a troubled history and is currently ruled by a military junta. The US State Department says it’s a no go. Mines, kidnapping and/or arresting foreigners, lousy healthcare, civil unrest, and the military trying to kill off a portion of its ethnic citizenry are a few good reasons to stay away. I suppose when there is news that Starbucks and Mickey Ds start opening up, it’ll be safe for a visit.

At the docks in Ranong, we stepped onto a a 42 foot speed boat with two 250 hp Yamaha outboards and sped off down the river and out into the Andaman Sea for a quick 40 minute ride to the Island of Koh Phayam. Our other choice was a “ferry” that would have taken. 2 1/4 hours. That piece of work looked like it could have been christened “Dubious”, which would have fit perfectly with its ramshackle appearance. No thank you.

We arrived at the docks on the east side of the island and headed to our bungalow on the west side via TukTuk, a 3 wheeled motorcycle. There were no cars on this island. So scooters, Tuk Tuks, and small tractor equipment that looks as if it does all the heavy lifting type work on the island.

Our beach bungalow was located on a long, expansive beach that was essentially deserted, save for a handful of people. It stayed that way throughout our trip, a stark contrast to Chiang Mai, which was bustling with humanity from end to end. The fresh salt air, warmth of the sun, and the sand between our toes created an ideal beach experience—relaxing and peaceful.

There were three things this island had in abundance: butterflies, mangy looking dogs, and scooters. I can understand the scooters because it’s the only way to get around and do business here for the 500 or so people that live on the island full time and probably that many visitors during the high season. Thats how everyone gets from one place to another here. It makes sense.

Then there are the dogs of Koh Phayam. They are everywhere; at the pier, on the streets, in the restaurants, on the beach. They probably outnumber scooters. Their favorite pastime is to lay right in the middle of the street as the scooters whiz by their heads at 20 mph. Those streets are about 2/3s the width of one lane of a Seattle side street, so not very wide at all. And they don’t even flinch. If it were me laying in the middle of the street trying to nap, with scooters zooming by me at 20 mph I’d be a nervous wreck. It’s silly of me to nap in the middle of the road but you get the picture. It’s a delicate dance between the scooters and the dogs.

Then, there are the dogs of Koh Phayam. They're everywhere; at the pier, in the restaurants, at the beach and in the streets. They probably outnumber the scooters. Their favorite pastime is lounging right in the middle of the street as scooters whiz by at 20 or 30 mph. These street are about one quarter the width of a Seattle side street, so quite narrow. Surprisingly, they don’t even flinch. If it were me, trying to nap in the middle of the street with scooters zooming by at 20 mph, I'd be a nervous wreck. Admittedly, it’s absurd to nap in the middle of the road, but you get the picture. It's a delicate dance between the scooters and the dogs and each knows their place to stay safe.

Lastly, there were butterflies. Throughout our stay, no matter where we were on the island, they were constantly fluttering about. The hotel manager mentioned that they feed on tiny light purple flowers found on specific bushes, and those bushes are scattered all around the island.