True Japan is in ancient culture of Kyoto and Nara but not in Tokyo

Early in the morning a fast train took us away from Tokyo. The trip to Kyoto was quite short and not at all tiring. Instead it took us rather long to get to the hotel. Kyoto is not like Tokyo as there are a lot of great sights. The temples impress and we forget about the Thai Palaces. The Kyoto landscapes definitely prove that the Japanese are also very good at accomplishing and decorating not only designing w.c. rooms. I have never met such magnificence and beauty. It is not worthy trying to describe, you had better look through the photos yourselves. Otherwise not a camera, I present in detail in my blog, can really show the grandeur and the grace of the Japanese landscape. It’s fantastic! There are beautiful ponds full of red carps and gardens with blooming trees and bushes so neat and clean that we were happy to stay here longer than in suffocating Tokyo.
But as we had planned to travel to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, it was time to leave. Nara appeared a wonderful city but mostly for tourists, particularly Japanese. The color of the ancient city is rich, filled with the group of temples and palaces. They located everywhere: at the mountain bottoms, on the hills over the city and among the trees. Some deer stroll through the city. They put their muzzles into your hands begging for some food and petting without any threat. A lot of turtles swim and then warm on the rocks round the ponds, opening wide their feet. You only guess whether they get warm or dry or both. In an ancient temple we could buy a wooden plate for $7, write your wish on it and hang it on the wall inside there. It is extremely popular with the Japanese. Their requests may often get true I think. Because of that all the walls are covered with these tablets. Now our tablets are there as well, so we wait and see. It is great to watch the city of Nara from the top of the hills. It looks cozy and very beautiful even after a day visit. However to explore every cozy nook of Nara a week can be not enough. Visits to Kyoto and Nara always remain memorable to all tourists.
Rich Hotel Kyoto is conveniently situated in the core of the city. Rich Hotel Kyoto forms a convenient base for the travelers to explore the adjoining areas. Rich Hotel Kyoto gives you the worth of your money spent. There are 108 rooms all of them equipped with the modern amenities of comfort. Proper clean and comfortable rooms, room service at your beck and
call, 24 hours reception are here. Rich Hotel Kyoto is connected well with the airport. It pampers the guests with a clock radio and also a private telephone in the room, cable television, DVD players to watch movies of your own choice. From $54 incl. taxes and service charges.
Kyoto Tower Hotel Annex offers good value for budget conscious travelers. It is conveniently located near the Kyoto station and a shopping/restaurant district. The hotel is a 7-story, apartment-style building with two lifts. The 112 rooms in the hotel are very clean and have standard amenities. From $65 incl. taxes and service charges.
Apa Hotel Kyoto Ekimae is quite convenient to reach the hotel. You can just stroll from the JR Kyoto Station. You can also take the route of Kyoto station from the Kintetsu Line. It will take less than half an hour from Kyoto Minami IC on the Meishin Expressway. There are 192 decorated rooms in Apa Hotel Kyoto Ekimae. The rooms are air-conditioned. Each room is provided with certain facilities: television, telephone as well as internet connection, refrigerator, hair dryer etc. You can taste the tea and sweets also while relaxing in the hotel rooms. For lip smacking delicacies you can visit the in-house restaurant of Apa Hotel Kyoto Ekimae. Timings for checking in is 3pm and for checking out is 11am in Apa Hotel Kyoto Ekimae. You will definitely spend quality time in the Apa Hotel Kyoto Ekimae. From $66 incl. taxes and service charges.
Alpha Hotel in Kyoto is located in the soul of the metropolitan heart of the Honshu Island. This place of accommodation is located in the business center of the Nakagyou-ku prefecture. It earns most of the revenue from the business clients. Room facilities at Alpha Hotel Kyoto comprise of satellite television, music facilities, both electronic and magnetic keys for the safety of the visitors, safety vaults, non smoking rooms, voicemail service so that the visitors do not miss any of their significant information, work desk for the clients on business purpose, television sets for entertainment, mini bar, hair dryer, separate shower and other amenities to indulge the soul of the visitors. From $71 incl. taxes and service charges.
Kyoto Kokusai International Hotel, a western style semi deluxe hotel, one of the best 5 star hotels, promises you a magnificent vacation at this beautiful city of Kyoto. The hotel is located directly across from Nijo Castle. Staying at Kyoto Kokusai International Hotel means indulging in facilities like availing of conference rooms or banquet halls. Rooms are all well-fashioned at Kyoto Kokusai (International) Hotel. Here you will find Japanese restaurant, western restaurant, Chinese restaurant, coffee shop, tea lounge, Japanese style pub (Izakaya) or bar. The hotel attracts you as 5-star service and comfort costs suitably. From $78 incl. taxes and service charges.
Bakpak Japan Kyoto Hostel is Cheap Budget accomodation and backpackers youth hostel centrally located in DownTown Kyoto city. It is in front of the spectacular Kamogawa river. From $21 is not so terrible.

Tourist’s walk on Tokyo: hotels, shopping and restaurants

Our lot was a rather usual hotel: we could not afford the Hilton for that money. It’s not an ad to name the place besides we’ve changed it into a better and cheaper one. The room was not worse than in Bangkok. Truly, you are immediately surrounded with millions of nice and cozy things, the room’s built-in stove made us happy. The wonder of the engineering science – bathroom - impressed us best of all. Of course, we’ve heard about Japanese Hi-Tech, but could not help shooting it with my favorite Sony Alpha 100. If the w.c. pan electronics had not switched on only when you were sitting on it, my wife would have flooded the whole room. But then I realized what to give her as a Christmas present!
We saw nothing much walking around Tokyo. Bangkok’s beloved sights hide the views so the temples and the Emperor’s Palace seemed not more than nice. We felt lack of The Great Chao Praya River but saw only Edogawa River! However the air was much cleaner. The streets were overcrowded and the people dressed mostly in formal suits, looking like robots, tired us. What can be done with the cult of work in Japan! We met plenty of cool tech trifles and did not often understand their functions. Before visiting the parks we had got ready for fantastic, spectacular views but the short walk through some places finished disappointing us a little. They were nice but not stunning. But the local people felt absolutely relaxed here in the parks, lying on the lawns under the trees, reminding dear Barcelona.
Having looked through the menu we were greatly surprised as had been frightened by the stories of very high price. The soup, fish and rice with some salad and fruit juice for a drink cost about $5 for each. Although their English was not good enough and I could not read the hieroglyphs we had no difficulties ordering the meal. There were plastic displays in front of the restaurants representing the dishes served in there. It was enough to point to the ones you wished.
Wandering about we dropped into a supermarket, bought some Japanese snacks to test. They are alike: it looks like triangle seaweed rolls with various fillings inside. They turned out delicious but it was impossible to guess about the filling without speaking Japanese. It could be salt plum, tuna or something egg, etc. All were quite tasty for $1.5. We liked eating them and drinking great Japanese beer.
Later in the evening after a long walk we got very hungry. It seemed the nearest fish restaurant faced the inevitable ruin. It was nothing of the sort. $25 is the price to get stuffed and tired of fish till the end of the trip.

I’d like to present some not expensive hotels, which many tourists refused completely:
Akasaka Yoko Hotel is one of the most luxurious three-star hotels in the city that offers its guests best services at affordable prices. This Hotel is in the heart of the city. There are 245 well appointed rooms that are a cocoon of comfort. It costs from $61 incl. taxes and service charges.
Ryogoku Pearl Hotel is easily accessible. The fastest way to get to this hotel is by boarding the JR Sobu Express Line from the Tokyo Station and then transfer to the JR Sobu Line at JR Kinshicho Station
and finally getting off at JR Ryogoku Station. There are various places of interest near the hotel that include the Edo Tokyo Museum, Ryogoku National Sport Place and other places as well. Ryogoku Pearl Hotel in Tokyo is a brick colored building that stands twelve stories high. It costs from $62 incl. taxes and service charges.
Narita Excel Tokyu Hotel is located very close to the Narita Airport, also has the city of Tokyo in its proximity. The hotel gives the feel of an extravagant resort and constitutes of 712 guest rooms. Hotel has its own swimming pools, Spa club, gymnasium, tennis courts and also a Japanese Garden where you can take a leisurely stroll. It costs from $52 incl. taxes and service charges and it is a better choice for
those who like to fly.
Sky Court Asakusa Hotel offers strong an unequaled built-up location on Asakusa Taito-ku facing the Sumida River close to many other attractions and famous landmarks. This is a four-star hotel that guidelines global status as a sole property that portraying grace and elegance and sophistication of this delightful country. All guestrooms have standard features such as shower or bath, air-conditioning, electronic key card, broadband internet access, in-room electronic safe, and television with satellite. It costs from $48 incl. taxes and
service charges.

Tokyo hotels vs. Baiyoke Sky: it’s time to change Bangkok and Pattaya to Tokyo and Kyoto

It can’t be doubted that Thailand is a wonderful place. It is not good to restrict yourself with the only even so eminent and splendid site, the Kingdom of Siam. For more look through Economy Class Vacation in Pattaya. Although South Eastern Asia is a giant area, concealing fantastic Cambodia with the wonders of Angkor Vatt in utter jungles, my new destiny was super-modern Japan. It also happened thank to Air company special offers. Not only shit happens! The air tickets to Japan were one third of the price.
Fortunately Japan and Thailand Hotel Reservation Services are similar in the Net. So having looked through asiarooms I found a few suitable hotels in Tokyo. Again I followed the rule “we visit a country not a hotel.” Apropos the prices were not so frightening. I could choose among many $50-100 rooms. Still in comparison to cheap Bangkok ones I was not quite happy. The same money was for staying in Kyoto which I could not miss going to Japan.
As a matter of fact the idea to visit Japan had come to me as I was interested in the world traditions of bath procedures. But if I had great personal experience visiting such perfect places as Russian banya, Finnish sauna and Turkish hamman in their native countries, I had known Japanese bath ‘sento’ only going to Japanese-like bath places. For more look through my Banya vs Sauna or Spa blog. Hieroglyphs solely reminded me there of the native country culture and traditions. And even on the customary Japanese giant wooden baths became faintly visible the note: ‘made in China’. I could not miss such a chance. So a visit to the hot springs between Tokyo and Kyoto was not less important than a tour to the ancient capital of the Land of the Rising Sun.
First we intended to have a cool trip: Nara, Nikko Hot Spring in Japan, Kamakura, Yokogama and, of cause, the trek to Mount Fuji. But it is too much for an 8-day tour. We decided to see the two biggest cities and enjoy a short stay at the ocean shore. And then see what happens.
But some of us cried that they would not come back home without mounting the most famous peak in Japan – Fujisan. Still it was not included in our program because of two reasons: you can watch the mount from everywhere and the time was not for Fuji. The best period is from July to August when all the buses and railways work and the routes invite tourists. It is too hard to trek to the height of 3776 meters by yourself. Speaking in advance, I notice that a friend of mine, idiot Fuji-fan, nevertheless, ascended the peak without a camera. He took only a camcorder with low-charged batteries and managed to get lost on the way back. So his feat impressed his girlfriend solely who had to company him everywhere. They had a bad quarrel because she got exhausted. Secondly there were no pictures left.
The Narita International Airport in Tokyo disappointed me. I still remain an old Don Muang fan and even the new Bangkok gates - Suvarnabhumi Airport - don’t touch me much. However Narita service is great. Tourists are given free Tokyo maps which are easy to read and quite useful to find the hotel. Here the transfer from Narita Airport to the Tokyo hotel by train is more expensive than the taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya (or bus to Trat). For more look through: Thai girls have nothing in common with Pattaya girls. or Koh Chang Archipelago’s 52 coral Islands: Maak, Wai, Hood and Kham as residence of snorkeling and lonely hearts and Koh Larn - the easiest way to visit a tropical island and not to leave Pattaya for a long time. It was once we regretted about $270 JR Pass. It happened that JR Pass is valid in JR trains only: in the centre of Tokyo there are Yamanoto, Sobu and Tuo lines. It has an advantage if you travel through Japan from Narita to Tokyo and from Tokyo to Kyoto, Yokogama, Kamakura and Nikko. It’s not valid in Tokyo Metro. And if you are not going to live in the train it’s better to pay for each journey and walk a lot. It’s pleasant even in Tokyo city. The parks are nice but the architecture is quite ordinary. Cycling in Kyoto is the best.

Thai girls have nothing in common with Pattaya girls.

What do you know about Pattaya? You know that it's a funny brothel on the Seam Gulf coast. You know, the number of come-at-able girls, go-go bars with prostitutes, intimate massage salons and pip-shows is the greatest in the World. And you think that the whole Thailand looks like Pattaya. It's a wrong idea!
First of all for Thai people Pattaya is farther than Phnom Pen, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. This is a unique (for Thailand) place and you can travel over the Kingdom and never see anything like the Walking Street. Only two or three streets in Bangkok may look similar. For Thai people Pattaya is also an exotic Zoo just as for tourists. But instead of a duck-bill you can see a lady-boy (katoy). Moreover when I traveled with my family in the Trat province some Thai girls looked at my son with apprehensions because he had come from Pattaya. And he was surprised after girls' warm welcome in Pattaya.
As for the prostitutes, it's much better to visit Eastern Europe to strike up an acquaintance with a girl. Thai girls are more fastidious than their colleagues and they can say 'No' to all your money. It's important to please a Thai girl. If you try to get her love too hard she can make you acquainted with a policeman. Still it's a trouble in Thailand.
Thai girls know countless numbers of kinds of taking your money without making love with you. While walking around night Pattaya and looking at a great many young Thai girls who clamor alluring, you should know: they don't invite you to make an intimate acquaintance. They invite you to empty your valet with the help of a great many drinks which you will take in a bar they work for. It's their main business to make you pay for drinks because they get a profit. Of course you can pay abt.THB500 to the Pub and ask the girl to your room in the hotel. But can you do anything with a Thai girl after a lot of drinks languid with the tropical heat? Sorry, I can't.
I visited a Go-go bar with twenty or more young Thai girls in my first time in Pattaya. There was a lot of Scotch Vicky into me and I was naturally a little slack. I wanted to relax watching (only!) strip-tease with nice Thai girls. But when I only once stopped my eyes on one of them she jumped in my lap and ordered me a drink. During the following twenty minutes it happened a lot of times. And after every drink a nippy brought me the bill. By pure accident I looked at the bill and saw that I must pay for the drink as much as a bottle costs. Of course I'm not Paris (watch the 'Troy' movie) but you must be as groovy as Brad Pitt to give up the young lady who is sitting in your lap and to occupy bookkeeping.
I paid for drinks as much as I would spend on a Go-go girl and ran to the Beach Road to look at the freelancer girls. It was cheaper (abt.THB1800) and I had some freedom in choosing Thai girls. And what is more important I could stop drinking and save some energy for a nice Pattaya night.
For more information about Pattaya you can look at my previous posts: Why I choose the Jomtien beach and Map of Pattaya and Jomtien.

Economy Class Vacation in Pattaya

Here is my wife's story about her first visit to Pattaya. It doesn't make sense to spend money on expensive apartment in Thailand, all the more so in reckless Pattaya. I have learned that from experience. As my husband, having managed to travel through half of Thailand, indignantly rejected the expensive Royal Cliff (‘you are going to see the country, not the hotel!’), I opted for a casual White House Resort, $32 a double room. At the honor to Internet, one can examine in advance the interior, as well as the picture of the hotel taken from a satellite.
Our three-star White House Resort was by far not a new one, but small and very cozy: vast territory, planted land, two picturesque swimming pools and, as it turned out the next morning, a wide variety of delicious viands of predominantly Thai cuisine on the breakfast menu. Our room was large, with rattan furniture and a comfortable balcony with a pool view. It was here that we spent our evenings at supper.
The way to the ocean took about 3-5 minutes, leading through the red-light street with an endless row of cafes full with frilly Thai girls inviting ‘farangs’ (a word used to mark foreigners) to come in. Quite a vivid spectacle…
The ocean was hot. On the beach we sprawled in shadow, in the first line (a sunshade + 2 chaise longue + a bin = 1$ in total) and enjoyed that. Meanwhile, street vendors were scurrying about the beach with all possible ambrosia – from royal shrimps, crabs and mollusks of different kind $2,5 each, to exotic fruits and sweets. Surely, we had our dinner on the spot. If we wanted a soup, we had it right on the beach brought from a neighbor restaurant. Everyday we ordered a coco-nut served ice-cold. I mixed my own shake a-la Pina Colada: after having drunk about one-forth of coco-milk I filled up the nut with the same amount of whisky,– an astounding thing!
Besides the rest-time on the beach, we enjoyed walking in Pattaya, though not across the tourist sights, but in the places where farang never trod. We came to the districts inhabited purely with natives, who didn’t understand any language but Thai. We went to their picturesque markets, where one can buy everything from fruits, meat, fish and vegetables to mass consumption textile, handmade souvenirs and domestic animals. Furthermore, there is a “gormandizer mall” at all Thai markets with a great deal of exotic viands which compositions defying description.
Sometimes we sat in tiny cafés for Thais, where Caucasian visitors caused a flurry: all the neighboring people and their children came there to have a look at us. In one such café we tasted Tom Yam, the famous Thai soup with a huge amount of ingredients. It is very spicy, and Thais inquisitively observed us to see how we devoured it. We didn’t want to lose face in front of the Asians, so we ate everything including some strange tough vegetables (‘Cattle…’ I swore inwardly. ‘They have not boiled it as they should!’). As it became clear from the stories later told by people who know about the Thai cuisine, these vegetables (ginger root, some citron leaves etc.) are not supposed to be eaten and are used only as a seasoning. Just imagine the Thais having fun when they saw farangs eating the whole stuff!
As a matter of fact, I noticed, that Thais had a real cult of food. And their excellent seafood made me a glutton too: look at the post ‘The best seafood in Thai: only on Islands’.Although everybody was short and thin there, they ate from morning till night. As they came to the beach, they first of all pushed their small tables together and served many different viands. Somebody actually brought a handheld brazier to cook a meal. And that lasts all day long. Eating, then swimming, then again eating – that is the day regimen.
Once we observed a miniature Thai girl, whose weight was not more then forty kilos, eating 6 (six) different viands with meat, rice, noodles, seafood etc. before our eyes. Any of them would be enough for us two… However, many Thais dream of getting fat (and white), since for them that are signs of wealth, probably that is the reason why they eat so much and do not take the sun at all. In general, they are rather shy guys, although immediately getting drunk and then brave. Knowing just a couple English words, many of them tried to talk to us on the beach and give something, although unobtrusive.
By the way, having observed how the natives bathed, we understood why so many people had died in the south-eastern Asia after the tsunami. The absolute majority of Thais, although living in the very neighborhood of the ocean, could not swim! All of them splashed close to the shore in huge ring-buoys and with horror looked at us swimming without ring-buoys to the very beacons. My husband, who calmly lay in the water on his back, caused their particular interest. Poor guys tried to repeat this trick, but failed. As we found out from our conversations with Thais (which was not easy because of the language barrier), the fear of the ocean is there a kind of tradition.
Tonight, after having enough walk, we went to the mobile canteens to buy some Thai food and pineapples and then had a supper on the balcony at our hotel. By the way, eating in the cheapest snack-bars intended for the natives, we tasted a lot of delicious things and never had any problems with stomachs. A supper for two, together with drinks cost us $5-7.
The most fun we had, surely, during Songkran, the Thai New Year. All the week long Thais poured everybody with water (often mixed with ice) from dip-buckets, hoses etc. and soiled everybody with fragrant talc. According to the Buddhist religion, it helps wash all problems and bad thoughts. That is also their way to threaten the heat, since April is the hottest month. A great piece of luck is considered to water and soil farangs. It was impossible to walk in the street: the inhabitants followed us half a block long and we ran away dodging like rabbits. However we revenged ourselves. Having found a dipper of about two-liter volume, we took part in the battle too. We enjoyed it recalling our school time. But my husband was a little afraid for his loved Nikon and ‘dear’ Panasonic camcorder (look at his photo tramp’s blog).
In the town went a huge amount of small open-top Lorries with water-carts and groups of Thais, watering everybody they met. The passengers of the open taxis called took-took suffered most of all (I have firsthand knowledge about that): they are watered from all sides – from the curb and from the passing cars. The most spiteful hooligans are the Caucasian men at the venerable age, obviously living in Pattaya for several seasons. They use mostly huge vessels – buckets. One Norwegian even came in a lorry with a small fire-tank and had a lot of fun watering everybody with a thick fire-hose. We managed to film that with our camcorder, but still the film does not communicate the inimitable atmosphere of the hilarity reigning in the days of Songkran in Thailand.
A few words about Chinese: Our hotel was intended for 160 persons. However the number of guests was about 20-30. It was calmly and not crowded. But a bit later Chinese came – about 80 people, and then 80 more people, for several days. They were very organized. They went to the breakfast and to the beach in small groups about 75-100 persons, very organized. They were afraid of the wet festival reigning outdoors because of the Songkran and went from the hotel directly to their bus, in horror observing us, wet and soiled from top to toe.
It is worth telling about the shopping fun during the Songkran sales. In this time Thais set their stalls along the beach and sell everything for reduced price, from clothes to spectacles, jewelry and sweets. We bought here two pairs of jeans ($5 each) of perfect fabric and modern fashion; and besides that, exotic bags – one made of skate, and another one conventionalized like crocodile leather with pieces of elephant leather (less then $10); and in addition a plenty of different cool T-shirts ($2-3 each). Surely, everybody of us also bought a couple of watches fabricated like famous brands, which Thailand is known for. If one does not know about their origin, they look like the genuine ones – Rolex, Patek Philippe and Omega. What is more, in one of the private ateliers (there are thousands of them in Thailand) we hand-tailored two business suits of Thai silk from the Hugo Boss catalog. Together they cost us $150.Look at the post: ‘Tailor-salons in Pattaya? How to buy a new silk suit for less money’
If not counting the flight, our holiday in forty meters from the city Jomtien Beach cost us a peanut. But the emotions we got from this crazy merriment called Songkran Festival were enough for us till the very next trip. Where? In Thailand, certainly!
For example look at my husband's post: ‘Koh Chang Archipelago’s 52 coral Islands: Maak, Wai, Hood and Kham as residence of snorkeling and lonely hearts’.

Koh Chang Archipelago’s 52 coral Islands: Maak, Wai, Hood and Kham as residence of snorkeling and lonely hearts

Of course, Koh Chang Island is not as civilized as Koh Samui, Koh Samet or Koh Phuket. On the other hand it's not so dull as Koh Larn Island (look at my previous post). But there are some urban attributes such as 7/11 stores, cash machines, Wi-Fi and Disco bars. All Koh Chang beaches are any shallow and not so much interesting for true snorkeling fans. But if you stay on this Island you must look around. There are some islands where you can stay for a few nights: Koh Maak, Koh Wai, Koh Hood, Koh Rung and Koh Kham. There are some coral islands where you can probably stay several nights too: Koh Kradat, Koh Rang Yai and Koh Mai Si Yai. And there are a lot of small coral islands where you can have adventures of Robinson Crusoe. In this case you will experience assuredly a lot of loneliness, fresh tastiest sea food and magic underwater trips.
The first step to these islands you can make even from the continent. There are a lot of ferries from any Trat’s pier. From Laem Ngop Pier you can go to Koh Wai, Koh Maak, Koh Kham and certainly to Koh Chang. The Ferry to Koh Maak and Koh Kham leaves every day at 3.00 A.M. and sails to the islands for 3 hours.
War Choke Wuttchai ferry leaves to Koh Kood Island from Dan Khao Pier.
It departs at 10.00 P.M. every Tuesday and Friday. It goes back to Koh Kood Island at 10.00 P.M. every Sunday and Friday.
One-way ticket costs THB200.
You can buy standard 3-day (or longer) tour in any tourist agency in the city of Trat or even in Pattaya. This is a model of 3-day tour to Koh Kham Island.
3 days/2 nights
3,600 Baht/Boat
4,200 Baht/Speed Boat
Seven Meals
Round trip transfer
Boat trip / on the second day
Accommodation with private bathroom
First day:
6.00 - from Komluangchoumporn Pier
8.30 - Arriving Koh Kham / Breakfast (Boiled rice)
12.00 - Lunch / Boat trip & Snorkeling around Koh Kham (Equipments prepared)
18.00 - Dinner with unlimited seafood
Second day:
8.00 - Breakfast / American breakfast
9.30 - Boat trip & Snorkeling to Rang island (Equipments prepared with
Lunch box)
15.00 - Back to Koh Kham
18.00 – Dinner
Third day:
8.00 - Breakfast
10.00 - Back to Trat
What about a visit to a coral island and snorkeling all three days? I heard such a cry from one German guy: 'Dieses ist Fhantasie!!!’ And I completely agree with him, they were really magic days. The variety of the forms of corals was striking! There were round coral, branchy coral, flat coral and coral with such psychedelic forms! They can have so magic colors: from tenderly yellow and pink to brown and blue. But you must know that they have their beauty only when they are alive. After dying they lose their soft integument tissues and you have only white calcium skeleton.
There were some problems with the sea urchins. Luckily, a Thai fisherman with lemon and sharp knife rescued me and my leg stopped aching in an hour. But I was sick for a long time after that trip: I was so stupid that I didn’t have an underwater box for my camera.
There is the most interesting way to coral islands from Chang’s beauty place. It is through Bang Bao fisher village. But I would like to write a special post about my stop in Bang Bao and on the other coral islands.
For more information about Koh Chang look at my previous posts: The best seafood in Thai: only on Islands, Koh Chang: the Island of the grate Waterfalls, lagoons and beaches, Koh Chang Island. The long walk to Kai Bae Beach and Koh Chang Island – the best alternative of Pattaya and Phuket for lovers, divers and other Thai addicts.