Here are some of our favorite photos from the trip (each photo is a thumbnail linked to a higher quality picture.):
40) After our night on.the peaceful island of Koh Pitak it was back to the mainland for a van ride up the coast to the provincial capital of Chumphon. Along the way we stopped at the hilarious roadside attraction called Toilet World and the more solemn temple dedicated to the Prince of Chumphon. Our final stop before checking into our hotel was the Khao Matsee overlook from which we could get an overview of the port, look down on the coastline and see out into Gulf Of Thailand.
41) Our hotel in Chumphon was right on the coast at Thung Wua Lean beach. We had a lovely evening walk on the beach where we could enjoy the relative cool of the ocean breeze and later had dinner out on the patio of a beachside restaurant.
42) The next day was a much anticipated excursion - a snorkeling trip into Mu Ko Chumphon National Park. The cruise visited three different spots all of which were reef areas that were protected by barrier islands. The water was warm and relatively clear, the coral was vibrant and the reefs were teeming with tropical fish.
43) Our most scenic stop on the snorkeling trip was this island which is possibly named Ko Wang Ka Chio. It is one of only a few islands in the park which are home to starlings. The buildings on the island are seasonal residences for people who win a lottery in order to come collect the starling nests. The nests are a delicacy in many parts of Asia when used in Bird's Nest Soup. The white sand beach, the dense jungle fauna and the beautiful coral reefs all combined for a breathtaking stop.
44) Unfortunately, Alan's snorkeling came to a premature end when his wedding ring caught on a hook while decending a ladder into the water and ripped his finger open. A makeshift bandage closed the wound until the trip was over and he could visit an Emergency Room in Chumphon to get stitched up.
45) Meanwhile Nok, Rosie and Jonna enjoyed two more snorkeling spots. They even entertained those onboard by making a "starfish" while floating alongside the boat at the final stop.
46) The next day we again boarded a ferry but this time it was a much larger one capable of making the trip out to the island of Koh Tao. After checking out the touristy Sairee Beach area around our hotel we called it a day. The next morning we boarded another dive boat for an all day cruise around Koh Tao with multiple stops for snorkeling and a (disappointing) stop at the nearby private island of Koh Nangyuan.
47) Dinner that night was one of the highlights of the entire trip. We took a songthaew into the mountainous center of the island. There we had delightful meal dining outside on a deck with a 360 degree view out over the island.
48) The true climax of the day, however, was the sunset. It was the most vibrant sunset we'd ever seen and the color changes as the sun dropped had us gasping. The beauty continued as the sky went dark because hundreds of squid fishing boats started to turn on thier lights making the water around the island look like a star-filled night sky.
49) The last day of the tour started with another ferry ride to the island of Koh Samui. We checked into our beachside hotel, swam, relaxed and then set out to explore the main city's waterfront. Dinner that night was a somewhat sad affair because it marked the end of our tour and it was our final meal with our newfound friend Nok. The next day we made an excursion on our own, booking a speedboat trip out to Ang Thong National Marine Park with Insea Speedboat Ltd . The highlight of this trip was an hour of sea-kayaking through some of the 42 islands in the park enjoying the rocky karst cliffs topped with lush jungle.
50) After our final night in the islands we boarded a plane and flew back to Bangkok. We arrived at mid-day and checked into our hotel. However, we still had an afternoon that we didn't want to waste so we headed back out. After getting the stitches removed from Alan's finger we hopped the train into downtown Bangkok were we visited Bangkok Art & Culture Centre . The museum had a special exhibit of art honoring King Bhumibol Adulyadej which was really amazing. It was also our last sightseeing stop of our time in Thailand. Early the next morning we boarded a plane and flew back to the US.
51) Leaving Thailand and returning to the US wasn't the end of our vacation. Our return to the US was via the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Jonna's brother (and Rosie's father) was celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary by bringing his family together for a week in Hawaii. Among the highlights of our time in Kauai was a sea-kayaking trip in Hanalei Bay.
52) The sea-kayaking trip also included a snorkeling stop on Hideaways Beach where we saw lots of tropical fish and a sleeping Monk Seal.
53) We also got out for a day hike on the famed Napali Coast Kalalau trail.
54) Our last excursion on Kauai was another sea-kayaking trip, this one up the Wailua River to Secret Falls.
55) The trip to Secret Falls included a short hike through the rainforest. At a stream crossing we stopped for a family photo with the stream's cascades as a scenic backdrop.
56) The morning of our final day of vacation we were greeted with a rainbow out over Hanalei Bay. From there we drove to the airport and boarded the first of the flights that brought us back home to Colorado. We'd had a wonderful time traveling in Thailand with our niece Rosie and helping our brother Jamie celebrate his anniversary in Hawaii.
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