Got up early to go on all day boat tour to Ang Thong National Marine Park with Penny, Jenine, & Tahn. We had a lovely day, hot & sunny & the scenery was exhilarating. We were on a big speedboat packed with people, this was the major downer of the day: we were crammed in & there wasn't enough room for everyone to sit. Otherwise it was an awesome day. We rode around many green, rocky islands jutting out from the spectacular blue-green water. Our first stop was for snorkeling over a colorful reef with a multitude of fish. The coolest thing I found was a brown baby sting ray with sparkling blue spots, hiding under the ledge of a rock.
Next we stopped at an island where we climbed to see the emerald lake in the middle. It was actually a sinkhole, the water was a brilliant green, calm & glassy. There were some great views from the top of this island as well. We had a quick swim & headed to another island with a gorgeous beach for a buffet lunch, which I refrained from due to stomach issues which have hit. I admired the views & sat at the edge of the water staring at this paradise.
We sped on to another island where we had some time to swim in the warm water, at least it's a bit cooler than the beach at out bungalows. We got to go on a kayak tour as well, Penny & I shared & I did most of the paddling, wanting the exercise & thoroughly enjoying it. We paddled out around one island, then out to another. We maneuvered the kayak through caves & crevices along the edge, barely fitting at times. It was great fun & really beautiful. The guide had fun splashing us, as they all seem to do on any boat tours here; wet the white women!
Another bit relaxing in the ocean & we headed back to Koh Samui & our beach bungalows. I would love to return & see more of this island; those of us who did the boat tour were really glad we did, but we didn't get any time to explore this island or go to the famous Chaweng beach. We should've had another day here. Jenine & I went to the fisherman's market for dinner. It was an area with lots of shops & nice seafood restaurants right on the water. We chose one that was reasonably priced & had a set menu for 2 people. It was delicious & I couldn't have wanted a better menu: they served us spring rolls & chicken satay for appetizers, then 2 main dishes with rice: tom ka gai soup & a sweet shrimp curry with vegetables, & for dessert: my favorite- mango with sweet sticky rice. They also served us both Mai Tais included in the price, which ended up being about $15 each. It was excellent service, artistic presentation, & a lovely setting along the beach at sunset. Best dinner so far. Funny enough the power went out as we were eating so they brought us candles, and we watched people on the beach lighting lanterns they set adrift for luck, we could see them float high into the sky.
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