The mystical land of Koh Phangan

The great road reveils itself..... 

My footsteps echo across the various pavements and turfs of my terrain as I find myself immersed in the ever present moment. From country to country, town to town a new sense of home appears before my eyes, the people, their smiles, and the stories they share with all their heart.

My final destination in Thailand, was the exotic land of Koh Phangan, a small island just North of the famous Koh Samui. I am greeted by a small motorbike that carries a passenger tray on its side, it moves slow, yet the sites are so startling, that I could only wish that the journey to my hotel would last longer.  We reach our final destination located on the North Western part of the island Salad Beach. Koh Phanagan, is often known as the party island where young teens travel far and wide to party each month at the full moon party. Lucky for me, a traveller whom relishes the silent moments and dives deeply into the succulent expressions of nature, hears that the full moon party has just passed and my destination, is among the quietist on the island. I reached my destination and my jaw dropped wide consumed by the site of paradise. I had once visioned this beach in my dreams, was I living a dream? It appeared so….

I was staying at the Salad Beach Resort and greeted by the delightful manager,  his smile was so large that I believe he could possibly be the happiest man on the island. I guess I would be as well, if I got to live in his house everyday. The hotel was magnificent, steps away from the white sandy shores and accompanied by luxurious living for a minimal cost.

After my recent travels along the border of Burma, I was grateful for a little rest and relaxation. I immediately head to the beach for my first sunset, it was lit by the most enchanting colors of red, orange and pink and as I lay in the luke warm water my body surrendered into an eternal moment of joy. Never before, had I experienced a beach so beautiful.

 

The days were swept away by the afternoon breeze and I began to explore the enchanted island. Scooters on the island are a minimal cost of around five US dollars a day, quite a splendid price, to see the whole island. The roads are windy and at times the hills are steep, so it is advised to only get a scooter, if you are a confident driver. Yet the allure of such adventure is strong for many travellers, me being one of them! I decided to take the journey slow and as a result any pot holes of windy corners were gracefully missed.

At dusk there is a stir in the air as the night time marketplace opens on the main beach (name of beach), it is a fabulous place for picking up some locally designed crafts, along with the standard tourist pieces to take home for memory! Night time seems to last forever with the endless choice of restaurants tucked away on every corner of the island and the delightful warmth that seems to keep you out for hours past nine.

My time in Koh Phangan lasted 7 days, and since I had promised myself time for deep relaxation , I decided to join a local yoga school on the island, called Agama Yoga. It is a fabulous yoga center, that offers both drop in classes to full curriculum and teacher training courses. The first day was free and it consisted of morning yoga and discussion and an early evening discussion, yoga and meditation class. The first day was enough to get me hooked and I decided to spend the rest of my holiday attending their courses.

Each day became richer than the last as I found myself experiencing intimate spaces of relaxation and connection. Perhaps it was the combination of the tropical sounds that surrounded the yoga hall and the sweet teachers that were all donating their time for the bettermeant of the college, or the unbeatable price of just 7 US dollars a day!

By the time my trip came to a close, my heart had been swept away by a love that one feels in deep romance, I had been captivated by this paradise and my smile will always mirror the memories shared on this island, the hands I held, the laughter which sung from my soul and the deep presence that guided me into such surrender. 

Thank you Koh Phangan, for sharing your beauty with me. You are a paradise that brings such special gifts to the fortunate traveller, who stumbles upon your shores!