Koh Samet and Ayutthaya

island of koh samet

After my orientation was over Jani and I decided to go to Koh Samet on Tuesday because it was only about a five-hour bus ride there from Bangkok. We went with the mini-bus from our place to Ekkamai which is the eastern bus terminal, as well as one of the stops of SkyTrain (BTS). Minibus is faster than a standard bus, and both of them are really inexpensive, mini-bus a little more than one euro and usual bus is little less. From Ekkamai we took bus which departured 18.30 towards Ban Phe - the name of a town (port),  from which we would take a boat to Koh Samet. The bus arrived about 23:00 and we were the only ones on the harbor at that time and in need of a ride. The boat ride would have costed 1 000 bth, or 23 euros for two person. We didn't want to pay that much so we got accommodation from Diamond (7 € / night) and in the morning we got the ride to Koh Samet for 4 euros. So it was easier to do like this, because searching for accommodation from the island was nicer in the morning that it would have been during the night, I think.  

On the way to Koh Samet.

There was monster waiting for us at the harbour.

Colorful bungalows.

Our bungalow in Koh Samet.

In the island there was a fire show every night. Skilled guys.

Bucket bucket! It was happy hour so one bucket was only 200 bth so 4,6 €.

Fresh coconut milk! That cost 50 bth so 1,2 €. 

Lions of the beach.

The island was quite a tourist trap, but just to get to the beach was now the main thing. The food was very good but of course more expensive than here in the suburbs of Bangkok. For example Pad Thai was 80 bth (2 €) when in our street it is 40 bth (1€). So yeah not expensive but still double the price! We paid 500 bth for bungalow on the island, so about 12 € / night. We almost got a bungalow with our own balcony but some couple was there two minutes before us! And they took the last one. The bungalows were pretty neat, but the beach was some distance away. Now it is high season, so that the side was pretty full. But I really enjoyed my first beach trip in Thailand. There's nice atmosphere and people are relaxing and the sun and warm water is the best! 

Pinacolada mm'm. 

View to the ocean.

The water was so wonderfully clear and warm!

I really liked the lights.

Those triangle pillows are great, you can just hang out and relax.

Banana Pancake tasted good at the beach!

Beach!

Jani!

I had my then buy that kind of "loincloth"

Those vendors walking the beach to the other throughout the day, and they seemed that heat didn't bother them at all.

In the beach there was a fire limbo. Limbo was probably about 30 cm height from the ground. And he got under it!

AYUTTHAYA

We came back to the island as early as Saturday evening, as the AIT had the welcome party for new students. I went there and met some new people. We agreed at a party with a small group of exchange students that next day we would go to Ayutthaya's a national park which is in the pictures below. We went there by taxi, the trip was about 30 miles to the north, and it really didn't cost much (1.4 €/person) when we divided the sum between the four of us. Ayutthaya was not my thing and I would say if you are really interested about temples and such, go to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. If you still decide to go to Auytthaya, you should definitely take sightseeing tour. And not to do like us; just walk around the huge area under the hot sun and try to read the map by your self. It took so much time to walk from one attraction to another.

In the welcome party there was program number to mummify one member of the group.

In such a street kitchen they make a lot of food. There is a tasty banana pancake coming.

There was elephant safari.

Some ruins and Buddha in Ayutthaya.

Huge lying Buddha.

Monkey business.

Some sculptures.

More ruins. The view was quite beautiful.

Girls in Ayutthaya!

We wend to barbecue buffet with Jani. It was really cheap, about 4 euros all you can eat.

Jani also wanted to grill a crab. Eating (opening) of it was then another thing..

My favorite: all you can eat sushi-buffet! Sabushi by Oishi is the best. The cost for the whole buffet is about 10 euros, in Finland you can buy 10 pieces of sushi for 10 euros..

Susan and Jani in Sushi buffet.

My favorite dish were found from the restaurant just next to SkyView: laap kai and kao neo aka chicken "salad" and sticky rice, it cost about 50 bth so 1,2 €.