Where the heck is Ko Tau?

[Pushka]

My year expires April 30. I need to visit the status run thread again.

I had to call FF centre as my points for Syd BKK in J didn't post at all. The flight also wasn't part of my booking when I checked in in Adelaide. Rather weird as it was all the same PNR. My return trip posted fine.

Have pm'ed RR to help re the 50% bonus as the call centre can only partially assist. They keep telling me the bonus takes a few weeks but I know that isn't right.

The thing I loved about QM2 was total discretionary time. That is so rare.

Nice 8 day QV trip next year - KI port. And we'd both be Gold.....

 

[Finch!]

Ah, Koh Tao. Murder Island... and the place I called home for a few years. I was there for a couple of weeks at the same time you were, although the place has lost its lustre for me. Sounds like you had fun, though

This boat was tipping in shallows. It was a snorkelling boat so when people try reboarding after snorkelling in deeper water I'm thinking it could get nasty.

Not quite - it's full of scuba divers! It's taking them from Sairee to one of the larger dive boats moored off shore. The bags up the front are full of dive gear - most of the tanks live on the bigger boats

The Thai manager just kept saying "sorry sorry" and the Hotel manager said the girl was new and learning. I just told him not to let it happen to anyone else and she should not be on her own.

Trip Advisor report I will do might need sensoring though.

Pinnacle Resort have been incompetent bordering on deceitful for years. Until recently they used to advertise that they were on Sairee Beach, which is clearly not the case. Some friends stayed there some time ago and had a similar experience to yours, except they claimed not to have been paid by Agoda or something and wanted my friends to pay in cash (they refused).

 

[Pushka]

Hey Finch. I agree with everything you say. Even about the boats which MasterP patiently explained to me later.

On the ferry when I had my Pinnacle encounter there were two English guys in their twenties. They heard the conversation I had with the Pinnacle Manager. Later they asked MrP the full details and were disgusted. Then they explained that they had come to visit Koh Tau to pay respects to their friend - he was the Brit who had been murdered.

They told him a few things. Which I probably can't post on the Internet. But at last the British Government is becoming more involved.

 

[Finch!]

I went to the memorial on the beach, too. It was good to see a big turn out from the Thai, Burmese, and Western communities on the island.

Although the recent spate of deaths on the island aren't the reason I've left, they're symptoms of why I no longer "live" there - I used it as a base when I was working in a different Asian city every few weeks.

Regarding the murders, well... I hope the two Burmese suspects are acquitted, but I don't think anybody believes the Thai justice system will allow that to happen. Not only does the Thai government have an interest in "proving" a Thai didn't/wouldn't do something like that (yet it was a Thai who committed the crime which saw alcohol banned on trains), there are very powerful forces at work on the island and plenty of money has changed hands.

With the doom and gloom out of the way, Koh Tao is a pretty cool place. There's plenty of great food - Western and Thai - and it's a very beautiful place if you stray from Sairee. There's plenty of hiking, loads of view points, it's easy to stay fit (there's at least six gyms I know of, including Muay Thai and Western boxing and Crossfit), it's a great place to learn how to dive and to gain experience and qualifications before moving on to more interesting diving, there's a vibrant live music and comedy scene, it's possible to party until dawn or be asleep by 9pm, and the long term expat community is very tightly knit. Idiots don't fit in and usually leave the island fairly quickly. Unfortunately, more and more full moon party morons are descending on the island, with their terrible music and fluorescent clothing and belligerent attitudes. They're easy to avoid, though - just stay away from the immediate beach area

 

[robd]

Thanks for posting. Another good TR. I loved Koh Samui airport. Looks like the Bangkok Airways lounge has been updated since I was there in 2008.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for posting. Another good TR. I loved Koh Samui airport. Looks like the Bangkok Airways lounge has been updated since I was there in 2008.

I think it has just been refurbished. It is very very nice.

 

[JohnK]

Very nice trip report.

Tourist bins of Pattaya? Not a fan of Thai food. I eat some Thai street food. Avoid the vendors where the food has been sitting out in heat all day.

My fiancee loves Thai BBQ buffet where you cook your own food. Have been to Sukontha Chiang Mai a few times. Only 209 baht including all you can drink soft drink.

Found one in BKK near Victory Monument. Name Pla Thong, costs 129 baht and we will more than likely go next Tuesday night. One in Pattaya as well for 99 baht but doesn't look as good. May walk past to check it out next week.

 

[Pushka]

Very nice trip report.

Tourist bins of Pattaya? Not a fan of Thai food. I eat some Thai street food. Avoid the vendors where the food has been sitting out in heat all day.

My fiancee loves Thai BBQ buffet where you cook your own food. Have been to Sukontha Chiang Mai a few times. Only 209 baht including all you can drink soft drink.

Found one in BKK near Victory Monument. Name Pla Thong, costs 129 baht and we will more than likely go next Tuesday night. One in Pattaya as well for 99 baht but doesn't look as good. May walk past to check it out next week.

No2 son refuses to go anywhere near the tourist places. He flew straight into Chiang Mai, his favourite place. He plans to be back in Thailand for Songkram.

Koh Tau, for such a tiny place, is really hitting the headlines in the last couple of days for all the wrong reasons!

An update re my phone. I took it into Apple genius today and was able to replicate the problem. They'd not heard of this before. Then the guy checked the Store phone and sure enough, same two spots. Then another techie checked his phone out and sure enough, same two dots! It's an issue with the lens. And probably on all iphones if you shine the camera into a light or try taking a picture of a sunset. They would still have replaced the lens if I'd asked them but figured there is no point. But if it gets worse they will do so free of charge.

Also I lied. I am going on another Overseas trip in March. Part work part play. Flying to NZ which will make me GOLD as I grabbed that special F Emirates offer Auckland - Brisbane for 120 credits at $900 NZD. Hooked on F now - ha ha.

MrP will be back to WP by then so I get my first taste of F lounge in Sydney. Breakfast. Trust they do champagne for breakfast?

 

[JohnK]

No2 son refuses to go anywhere near the tourist places. He flew straight into Chiang Mai, his favourite place. He plans to be back in Thailand for Songkram.

Have been during Songkran twice. Never again. In laws asked if I was planning to be there during Songkran tbis year. No.

I can't stand being cannon fodder for shirtless, drunk, big fat bald farangs pumping dirty icy water with their water cannons. Childish. For some this is the only reason they go to Thailand. No thanks.

 

[Pushka]

Have been during Songkran twice. Never again. In laws asked if I was planning to be there during Songkran tbis year. No.

I can't stand being cannon fodder for shirtless, drunk, big fat bald farangs pumping dirty icy water with their water cannons. Childish. For some this is the only reason they go to Thailand. No thanks.

Yep, I knew you were going to say that JohnK.

MasterP said the water comes from the disgusting canal too!

 

[JohnK]

Yep, I knew you were going to say that JohnK.

MasterP said the water comes from the disgusting canal too!

I know it does. Seen then pump it out and add huge blocks of ice. I have been hit in ear and had slight infection I know of someone who suffered longer for ~6 months or more after they went back to England.

 

[serfty]

Very nice trip report - I felt like i was there.

(saved up and just read it in its entirety ...)

 

[Pushka]

So New Zealand next. And another taste of Emirates F. Preceded by cattle class first.

 

[rogerkambah]

So New Zealand next. And another taste of Emirates F. Preceded by cattle class first.

Looking forward to that TR, commencing with another chauffeur drive to ADL.

 

[travelislife]

Have been during Songkran twice. Never again. In laws asked if I was planning to be there during Songkran tbis year. No.

I can't stand being cannon fodder for shirtless, drunk, big fat bald farangs pumping dirty icy water with their water cannons. Childish. For some this is the only reason they go to Thailand. No thanks.

Songkrahn is one of the best times of years in Bangkok, the place is deserted!

 

[JohnK]

Songkrahn is one of the best times of years in Bangkok, the place is deserted!

That maybe the case for Bangkok or even Chiang Mai. The water festival lasts 3 days.

It goes on for 9-10 days in Pattaya which is 9-10 days too long.

 

[dandandan]

In the champagne thread, just before Christmas BlackCat alerted people to an amazing Taittinger offer at Dan Murphy's - $37 a bottle. I jumped in and bought 6. I havent had one yet but have given a couple away as Christmas gifts.

View attachment 40373

Ashame you missed where I posted a few weeks later that the Taittinger was on sale for $35 as Dan Muphy's as there secret selection Champagne, it's very nice. Anyway the point of this post was to ask did you go to the small nearby island of Ko Nang Yuan when in Ko Tao? I did a half day trip to Ko Nang Yuan when staying on Ko Tao in January 2010 and this small little island is amazingly beautiful with the clearest of waters. I recommend the half day trip as a must do for anyone when staying on Ko Tao. I stayed at Anankhira when on Ko Tao and can vouch for that, not right on the beach (beach is not the best on Ko Tao that's why you go back to Samui) but it has its own plunge pool and outdoor living area and separate bedroom. https://www.anankhira.com. Thanks for sharing your trip report.

 

[Pushka]

In the champagne thread, just before Christmas BlackCat alerted people to an amazing Taittinger offer at Dan Murphy's - $37 a bottle. I jumped in and bought 6. I havent had one yet but have given a couple away as Christmas gifts.

View attachment 40373

Ashame you missed where I posted a few weeks later that the Taittinger was on sale for $35 as Dan Muphy's as there secret selection Champagne, it's very nice. Anyway the point of this post was to ask did you go to the small nearby island of Ko Nang Yuan when in Ko Tao? I did a half day trip to Ko Nang Yuan when staying on Ko Tao in January 2010 and this small little island is amazingly beautiful with the clearest of waters. I recommend the half day trip as a must do for anyone when staying on Ko Tao. I stayed at Anankhira when on Ko Tao and can vouch for that, not right on the beach (beach is not the best on Ko Tao that's why you go back to Samui) but it has its own plunge pool and outdoor living area and separate bedroom. https://www.anankhira.com. Thanks for sharing your trip report.

I did get it at that secret price, courtesy of Blackcat. I thought it was $37 but maybe it was $35? As this Christmas trip is always after a flat out year we tend to just stay put when we get to a nice place. Given we travelled: Adl - Sydney - BKK - Samui then (very rough) ferry to Ko Tau in just 48 hours and knew in a week we had to reverse it all, then the resort and "walking and taxi" was as much energy as we could muster. The beach at the resort had crystal blue water and nice sand so we were happy.

 

[dandandan]

I was the one who posted the deal so courtesy of me! http://www.australianfrequentflyer....re-latest-offering-42541-214.html#post1158623

I did get it at that secret price, courtesy of Blackcat. I thought it was $37 but maybe it was $35? As this Christmas trip is always after a flat out year we tend to just stay put when we get to a nice place. Given we travelled: Adl - Sydney - BKK - Samui then (very rough) ferry to Ko Tau in just 48 hours and knew in a week we had to reverse it all, then the resort and "walking and taxi" was as much energy as we could muster. The beach at the resort had crystal blue water and nice sand so we were happy.

 

[Pushka]

Ok. I'm not into Epiquire thread but saw Blackcats post in the Champagne thread.

She posted it on 1st December so I think she pipped you.