...and
three flights across one very large ocean and several seas, not to mention the International Date
line, one minivan ride and two ferries. Ko Lanta Yai's southern most edge is truly a slice of laid back rural Thai charm. Kantiang
Bay's Baan Laanta Resort perches atop a cliff, while down below stretches a kilometer-long arc of
beach.
After moving into our cottages, Sophie and I opted to go for
a Thai massage straight away before lunch.
A first for us both, Thai massage is combo of shiatsu and stretching and
some other cool techniques thrown in for decidedly good measure. More about that later...
Down the long stretch of beach we sauntered into a spot
called “Same Same, But Different", which we would later learn is a common expression here. At this point, we had eaten only what the plane and airport could offer, and were aching for "real" food. In
keeping with the laid back style of the island culture, we waited what seemed an eternity for a table, then sipped our Singha for a delightfully refreshing eternity until the
menus came our way.
The
food, while leisurely in its preparation and arrival at the table, was beautifully
presented and so fresh…we could smell the garlic, chilies and spices wafting from
the kitchen. Papaya salad with chicken was my first official Thai dish…as spicy as it
is cool and refreshing!
The few days before Christmas on the beach is a time for the restaurants and resorts to "decorate" Thai style. Each locale created a bamboo, grass and light structure...or two, and decorated them with various improvised lamps. The beach looked magical at night.
Sounds wonderful! Look forward to other posts!
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos and beautiful descriptions, Rosie. Thanks for sharing! Keep 'em coming... we're going to Thailand in the next year or two so this will be very helpful. :)
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