I slowly dragged myself out of bed as I woke up effortlessly from a ten-hour sleep. I nudged the door and walked towards our private veranda. My buddy greeted me with a smile and motioned for me to join his musings while having his morning coffee. We didn’t spoke of anything but just relished that solitude moment. It was our fifth day on the third largest island in Thailand and we’re enjoying this seclusion we’re having at Boonya Resort Koh Chang.
Koh Chang was our second stop on the Thailand leg of Same Same Summer Trip 2017, our annual two-month summer backpacking trip. After showing our moms on our favorite spots in Malaysia and going around the underrated sites in Cambodia, we headed to Thailand through the Cham Yeam Border (Cambodia) to Hat Lek Border (Thailand). We stayed for a night at the quiet town of Trat and then traveled to the nearby island of Koh Chang.
Having been to the other famous islands in Thailand, such as Koh Pangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Rok and Phuket, we didn’t expect much as we thought every island in the country will all be the same in terms of the overall feel—the heavy volume of tourists felt like we weren’t in Thailand anymore. In Koh Chang (southeast of Bangkok), it was totally a different story (check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Bangkok).
The accumulated exhaustion was unbearable halfway through our backpacking trip. We yearned for a quick respite and I instantly felt it as we arrived on our home for three days, Boonya Resort Koh Chang.
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| Boonya Resort Koh Chang |
Coming from the town of Trat, we took a shared songthaew taxi to Center Point Ferry Pier (THB50.00 | USD1.50 per person) and hopped on to a ferry (THB80.00 | USD2.35) that brought us to Koh Chang. We settled first on the quiet side of the island at Serenity Resort. After our three-day retreat at this resort, we took a songthaew again (THB80 |USD2.53 each) straight to Boonya Resort, our next home for another three days.
Located along the main highway of Koh Chang, we easily found our refuge with the help of our songthaew driver. We were greeted with house dogs that were very friendly as we arrived. I was, at first, scared of them as I am not accustomed to having pet dogs at home. My buddy, who was a certified dog lover assured me that everything will be alright and that they are just welcoming us.
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| Our Hangout Area |
Checking in was a breeze as we had a prior online reservation. There’s this homey vibe as I slumped on the couch of the reception area that also serves as restaurant and lounge space. Trinkets from around the world were made as ornaments. It felt like, the soul of these charms built the hut and not the other way around—very hippieish.
There’s an elevated swimming pool set in the middle of the resort. You’ll feel like you’re one with nature as shrubs and trees surround the area. A play area with mini native hut rested on one corner and even if you’re not a kid, you’ll sure be enticed to laze around here.
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| One with Nature |
We were then ushered to our home for three days (check here for discounted room rates).
Billeted on a bungalow accommodation, our room had a double size bed, TV, individually-powered AC, wardrobe closet, vanity dresser and a private bathroom and toilet.
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| Our Lovely Bungalow |
The size and feel of our room resembled my own room at home. I jumped into bed and wanted to snooze right away when I heard my buddy shrieked. Apparently, he opened a door that led to a private balcony with a view of a river. We settled on the seats and heaved a heavy sigh, a soothing one as we were truly exhausted from our trip.
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| Private Toilet and Bath |
That afternoon, after we settled on our bungalow, we took a leisurely stroll to Klong Prao Beach. We had a hard time though as we searched for a public entryway and found none. We asked around and followed a path that led us to a resort on the way to the beach.
We had a relaxing time at the beach that afternoon. It was quiet and peaceful. We traced our steps back to the main road and had an early dinner on one of the restaurants around. What I noticed in Koh Chang was that the whole island wasn’t as packed with many tourists as compared to the other islands in Thailand. There are more Thai people who were engaging more with local tourists. This is surprising given that the country is the number one holiday destination in Southeast Asia.
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| We had two balconies! |
We had our regular beer sesh on our bungalow’s front balcony, yes, we have two balconies. We bought four cans of Chang Beer on a nearby minimart and ended our day with chitchats about this backpacking trip. The next day, we woke up later than usual as we’re lingering the unhurried moment we had.
Me and my buddy prepared our own meal for breakfast utilizing the common area for guests at Boonya Resort. I got used to the charming gestures of the house dogs that I always look for them. We chatted with a young German couple and shared travel stories around the world. We also had a nice talk with the owner, Christine, about traveling and life in general. It was an enjoyable morning as we get to learn different cultures from around the globe.
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| Relaxing Vibe |
And the cycle went on for the next two days. We’d intentionally wake up late and spend time lounging at Boonya Resort and discover nice beaches nearby in the afternoon. It was a lovely and quiet break from our backpacking trip.
With no itineraries and concrete plans, our stay in Koh Chang was fun because we made Boonya Resort as our home. Aside from the stunning beach sunsets and friendly locals, the stories shared during our lounge time at the resort were more memorable. The comfort of sharing your life to strangers that you don’t know if you will see again was very liberating.
Boonya Resort Koh Chang (check here for discounted room rates)
31/26 Moo 4, Klong Prao,
Koh Chang, Trat, Thailand
Contact Number: (+66) 925.651.048
Email Address: info@boonya-kohchang.com
Nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tyson! :)
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