TrongpaiExpat
October 28th, 2008, 11:23
We flew from Bangkok to Surat Thani on Air Asia (http://www.airasia.com/) They have only one flight daily and it worked out fine other than they keep changing the departure times.
Nok air recently discontinued this route and Thai has two flight per day. It's a small nice little airport that's easy to get in and out of. We rented a car with Budget (http://www.budget.co.th/) for the week.
There is a bus that goes to the ferry terminal from the airport and another that goes to the bus terminal in Surat.
Our first stop was the The Cliff and River Jungle Resort (http://www.r24.org/thailandguidebook.com/nst/cliffriver/) It was a nice small cluster of bungalows situated at the base of a shear cliff with a small river running along the back of the property. They rent canoes and do local tours as well. The room had a great view, had all the usual amenities and was relatively comfortable, the mattress was a tad on the short side. The buffet breakfast at the scenic restaurant was miserable, all the food was stone cold and prepared hours if not days in advance.
Kha Sok National Park (http://www.khaosok.com/) is thick rain forest between soaring limestone cliffs and twisting rivers, streams and waterfalls. The hiking paths are moderate but this time of year it was wet and at times slippery. The paths range from 3k to 11k. No need to take a guide, they are easy to follow. I noticed a lot of tour companies advertising jungle overnight trips. Several rivers dot the area accessible from hwy 401 in both directions from the main park entrance where you can rent a canoe, do river rafting or rent other various boat flotation devises. They plop you in one of the rivers and then pick you up down stream in a truck.
On the northern edge of Khao Sok following the signs to the Ratchaprapha we hired a boat for a tour of the huge lake that is nestled between steep limestone island formations. There are short 3 hour tours to all day offering. Some can even drop you off if you are camping out and pick you up the next day.
After 4 days of exploring Khao Sok, kaeng Krung and Khlong Saen from our resort hotel base we drove to Don Sak to take the ferry to Kho Samui, it was about a three 1/2 hour drive. There's several ferry companies, all well marked from the road with one leaving every hour. . All the boats look about the same and take about an hour over and an hour and 1/2 back for some reason. 300B for the car includes driver and 80B for a single passenger.
Kho Samui:
I last visited Samui 5 years ago and I expected more change but it all looks pretty much the same. Some new resorts, a new Tesco and a Big C center but other than that, no major changes. The songtows like in Phuket have pretty much priced themselves out of much usage and Bangkok style meter taxi's (no meter) are also new and mostly empty driving around tooting at potential customers and then quoting outrageous rates. Motocy rentals of every type are still cheap and are the preferred mode of transport about the island. Though, many just seem to go to a packaged resort and remain in walking distance to that base. Samui is still very much a young persons destination along with popularity among Germans and Scandinavians.
We stayed at AKWA Guest House (http://www.akwaguesthouse.com/) on Chaweng in one of the deluxe rooms. The standard rooms are small but would be adequate for one person.. AKWA is rather unique and did not have the feel of a hotel. The room we had were above the bar/restaurant but all the rooms have separate entrances apart from the bar. AKWA, runs adds in gay mags but is not really a gay guest house. The bar/restaurant had a few bar ladies sitting around and most of the customers I noticed were husky young straight backpacker ladies in pairs and young backpacker couples eating pizza and drinking beer. The other guest did not appear very gay either. The owner, Doug, is quite strange but after paying him, I did not have to deal with him again. The AKWA is within easy walking distance to the gay bars on Chaweng. The beach is just across the street. I would stay there again, good value for the quality of the room.
Five years ago the gay bar scene consisted of a few dreary open shop house beer bars and a few show bars that attracted more straight customers than gay. Now, there's a more go-go type bar and a gay disco but both with a few different twists. The gay street is easier to find, look for the sign off the main Chaweng Beach road, 'Boy Zone'. The boys at the Boy Zone dress in white long pants, back tie, no shirt and a white touring hat. There's a stage inside facing a bar, some semi-private alcove seating and more open seating. There are three small rooms off the main bar used for private massage. There is a drink menu with prices ranging from 90B to 250 for some cocktails, with beer at 110B. There were about 20 boys of all types, some rotated on the stage dancing and others circulated. At 11:30 there is a show, boys in various costumes dancing, no lady boys, no lip-sync, no sex or nudity.. Off fee is 300B.
Directly across from the 'Boy Zone' is a disco now called Male Box but the sign is missing. It's a good size open floor disco with a stage and about 10 boys coyote dancers milling about and dancing from time to time. Off fee also 300B. There is a show at 12:00, boy dance numbers but with some lip-sync, no lady boys. They also offer massage.
Between these two bars during my 4 night stay there were just a hand full of customers. They are hoping that when high season comes there will be more customers. PLU sighting on all of Kho Samui were low. These two bars don't attract the straights.
Way down Beach road, opposite direction from AKWA is a lady boy Cabernet Bar. It attracts more straights than gays but does I am told have some boys available for off's. I don't know the name but when the show starts around 11 they come out to the Beach road to attract customers.
I used the current copy of Spice as a guide and already two listed venues are gone. The Star Club and K club are closed. One of the listed places to stay, Little Place had a for sale sign on it.
I went looking for a gay bar listed in Spice to be on Lamai beach but it was closed also.
Samui does have some nice beaches and pretty coves. You have to look far from the beach roads to get Thai food not prepaired and priced for farangs.
We added a day back in Surit Thani as not to risk missing the flight to Bangkok. We originally had a morning flight and a connection would have been risky. Ferries leave every hour but you have to wait for a space and going over and back was about a two hour wait. We spend our last night at 100 Islands Resort (http://www.roikoh.com/)
in Surat, nice place, good room, good value but horrible breakfast.
Nok air recently discontinued this route and Thai has two flight per day. It's a small nice little airport that's easy to get in and out of. We rented a car with Budget (http://www.budget.co.th/) for the week.
There is a bus that goes to the ferry terminal from the airport and another that goes to the bus terminal in Surat.
Our first stop was the The Cliff and River Jungle Resort (http://www.r24.org/thailandguidebook.com/nst/cliffriver/) It was a nice small cluster of bungalows situated at the base of a shear cliff with a small river running along the back of the property. They rent canoes and do local tours as well. The room had a great view, had all the usual amenities and was relatively comfortable, the mattress was a tad on the short side. The buffet breakfast at the scenic restaurant was miserable, all the food was stone cold and prepared hours if not days in advance.
Kha Sok National Park (http://www.khaosok.com/) is thick rain forest between soaring limestone cliffs and twisting rivers, streams and waterfalls. The hiking paths are moderate but this time of year it was wet and at times slippery. The paths range from 3k to 11k. No need to take a guide, they are easy to follow. I noticed a lot of tour companies advertising jungle overnight trips. Several rivers dot the area accessible from hwy 401 in both directions from the main park entrance where you can rent a canoe, do river rafting or rent other various boat flotation devises. They plop you in one of the rivers and then pick you up down stream in a truck.
On the northern edge of Khao Sok following the signs to the Ratchaprapha we hired a boat for a tour of the huge lake that is nestled between steep limestone island formations. There are short 3 hour tours to all day offering. Some can even drop you off if you are camping out and pick you up the next day.
After 4 days of exploring Khao Sok, kaeng Krung and Khlong Saen from our resort hotel base we drove to Don Sak to take the ferry to Kho Samui, it was about a three 1/2 hour drive. There's several ferry companies, all well marked from the road with one leaving every hour. . All the boats look about the same and take about an hour over and an hour and 1/2 back for some reason. 300B for the car includes driver and 80B for a single passenger.
Kho Samui:
I last visited Samui 5 years ago and I expected more change but it all looks pretty much the same. Some new resorts, a new Tesco and a Big C center but other than that, no major changes. The songtows like in Phuket have pretty much priced themselves out of much usage and Bangkok style meter taxi's (no meter) are also new and mostly empty driving around tooting at potential customers and then quoting outrageous rates. Motocy rentals of every type are still cheap and are the preferred mode of transport about the island. Though, many just seem to go to a packaged resort and remain in walking distance to that base. Samui is still very much a young persons destination along with popularity among Germans and Scandinavians.
We stayed at AKWA Guest House (http://www.akwaguesthouse.com/) on Chaweng in one of the deluxe rooms. The standard rooms are small but would be adequate for one person.. AKWA is rather unique and did not have the feel of a hotel. The room we had were above the bar/restaurant but all the rooms have separate entrances apart from the bar. AKWA, runs adds in gay mags but is not really a gay guest house. The bar/restaurant had a few bar ladies sitting around and most of the customers I noticed were husky young straight backpacker ladies in pairs and young backpacker couples eating pizza and drinking beer. The other guest did not appear very gay either. The owner, Doug, is quite strange but after paying him, I did not have to deal with him again. The AKWA is within easy walking distance to the gay bars on Chaweng. The beach is just across the street. I would stay there again, good value for the quality of the room.
Five years ago the gay bar scene consisted of a few dreary open shop house beer bars and a few show bars that attracted more straight customers than gay. Now, there's a more go-go type bar and a gay disco but both with a few different twists. The gay street is easier to find, look for the sign off the main Chaweng Beach road, 'Boy Zone'. The boys at the Boy Zone dress in white long pants, back tie, no shirt and a white touring hat. There's a stage inside facing a bar, some semi-private alcove seating and more open seating. There are three small rooms off the main bar used for private massage. There is a drink menu with prices ranging from 90B to 250 for some cocktails, with beer at 110B. There were about 20 boys of all types, some rotated on the stage dancing and others circulated. At 11:30 there is a show, boys in various costumes dancing, no lady boys, no lip-sync, no sex or nudity.. Off fee is 300B.
Directly across from the 'Boy Zone' is a disco now called Male Box but the sign is missing. It's a good size open floor disco with a stage and about 10 boys coyote dancers milling about and dancing from time to time. Off fee also 300B. There is a show at 12:00, boy dance numbers but with some lip-sync, no lady boys. They also offer massage.
Between these two bars during my 4 night stay there were just a hand full of customers. They are hoping that when high season comes there will be more customers. PLU sighting on all of Kho Samui were low. These two bars don't attract the straights.
Way down Beach road, opposite direction from AKWA is a lady boy Cabernet Bar. It attracts more straights than gays but does I am told have some boys available for off's. I don't know the name but when the show starts around 11 they come out to the Beach road to attract customers.
I used the current copy of Spice as a guide and already two listed venues are gone. The Star Club and K club are closed. One of the listed places to stay, Little Place had a for sale sign on it.
I went looking for a gay bar listed in Spice to be on Lamai beach but it was closed also.
Samui does have some nice beaches and pretty coves. You have to look far from the beach roads to get Thai food not prepaired and priced for farangs.
We added a day back in Surit Thani as not to risk missing the flight to Bangkok. We originally had a morning flight and a connection would have been risky. Ferries leave every hour but you have to wait for a space and going over and back was about a two hour wait. We spend our last night at 100 Islands Resort (http://www.roikoh.com/)
in Surat, nice place, good room, good value but horrible breakfast.