Koh Phayam

In our efforts to be independent travellers we skipped the well trodden path of Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and headed north. Our destination: Koh Phayam, a little-known, little-developed island said to be like Koh Samui in the early traveller days. Where electricity stops at 10pm and the beaches look just as they always have done, which in this case means crawling with miniature crabs!

Our guesthouse was fantastic; Bamboo Bungalows was the busiest on the island with a fantastic set of staff and kitchen cooking brilliant Thai and Western food - a blessing given the weather we faced: days of rain and overcast skies. The beach was empty, apart from its resident crab population, but as sunbathing was off the agenda, we were left to play cards, lots of cards stopping only for the occasional sea kayaking session and beach party.