Ko Chang (Noi) – the small island lost off the coast of Ranong

Here we are on April 13th, the official day of Songkran, although the festivities depending on the place generally start the day before or before and last until April 15th in most cities, basically it lasts about a week, but with a standard of April 13th, 14th and 15th, which incidentally is my birthday (the 15th)!

What I find is particularly fun to celebrate in these conditions. So we decided to go to one of the surrounding islands, after hesitating a bit, the choice fell on Ko Chang (number 2, since I already said it, there are 2 islands with the same name in Thailand… one being much larger and off the coast of Trat, near Cambodia).

So we head to the docks to take the boat, as the first water jet exchanges begin early in the morning.

The pier to go to Ko Phayam and Ko Chang.

A view of the port from where we left.

Heading to Ko Chang!

As the Burmese border is within reach, a guard stops us to ask us to get a visa, except that our boarding dock is not on that side (we didn't really know where to go to be honest) and that in any case, the island we are going to is Thai, not Burmese. After asking for directions, we arrive at the right place and get our tickets, all that remains is to wait for departure.

We left around 9:30 am, normally giving ourselves time to relax, far from the hustle and bustle of this crazy day, knowing that the boat for the return is at 15 pm, at least that's what we thought...

We're off for an hour's crossing.

Once at the end, question: how do we move from the quay? First, we learn that it is not the usual arrival point, normally, we are supposed to arrive on the other side of the island and disembark directly on the beach (to summarize we disembarked to the east when normally we arrive directly to the west of the island, well after that it is only a little more than 2 km wide). Editor's note: According to Google Maps, the quay is however located well to the northeast of the island and not towards the main beach...

There, apparently, the waves were too strong, so we were dropped off there, and no one to take us to the other side. People are there with their motorbikes, helping tourists by taking them, but not enough for everyone, including us who are left stranded... A car was there too, but originally for a delivery of fresh produce for the restaurants on the island. Finally, the owner of the car finally decided to take us, plus a few other Thais for a fee (200 baht for 4).

There is no real road, just aligned concrete slabs serving as a path for the few (very few) motorbikes on the island and its few inhabitants. They dropped us off in the middle of a coconut grove, in fact in the middle of nowhere... Here we are walking in the middle of the island in a row like good little scouts, scouts always!

We were a little tight in the back of the pickup.

One, two, one, two.

In the coconut grove, it seems as if time has stood still here.

Here we are finally on the beach, a restaurant is right there, perfect, we were starting to get hungry.

The waves supposedly preventing people from landing here are tiny... They must not land here often then...

We are far from the real estate madness of Ko Samui.

Not many people…

A pad kra pao, the staple in Thailand!

At our table, starting to wonder what to do…

While eating, we asked a little about the return, we were already told that it would be at 14 p.m. and not 15 p.m.... Given the time it was, it left little time for relaxation, especially since we had to walk to reach the beach where we would take the boat (not the same place from where we had disembarked).

On the way, we are told "ah no the last boat is at 13:30 p.m. today", ah look, the noose is tightening... In addition to not being sure about our departure point from the island, we have little time...

On a walk, towards our return boat… or so we hope…

We come across a bungalow to sleep in… if ever…

I could have dozed off there for a while...

The island has remained very wild (and that's good for Mother Nature).

Small stone bridge.

They look like castaways desperately waiting for a boat to arrive.

Arriving at a nearby stretch of beach, we took a break, the time for the girls to find out what was going to happen next. We stayed there for a while hanging around on this beach where we were advised to keep an eye out in case a boat passed by…

A boat did come to drop off people, but they couldn't pick us up because they didn't return to the quay where we were going... So we left a little further after a x-th person told us that there might be a boat, what a great idea this island is... (in hindsight, no regrets of course!)

There is still internet!

The children are having fun.

Meow!

Looking further.

A small cove with mangroves.

And finally, our walk to the end of the island will not have been in vain, as we see a boat. We are first told that it is not available, it being in the process of delivering bricks, passenger transport not being their function that day.

After some discussion/negotiation, it's finally ok, for a fee. Obviously higher than an "official" rate would be, but not really having a choice, because in any case, it's clear that there won't be any other opportunities.

So we take this boat to return to the continent, as best we can but relieved not to have to stay stuck here for a night (and relieved of 2000 Baht).

Leaving the small island of Ko Chang.

Phew, it's just goodbye!

Here we are safely arrived (that's the right word!), we take the car again, towards our hotel, but with the aim of taking our things, because we had decided to change hotels for the last night, in the meantime, it's the buckets of water and corks of Songkran that have rounded off this end of the day.