Thailand - Outside Bangkok

I wanted to write a general opinion piece on Thailand and this was the only heading that it fitted under. So, here goes...

I travelled to Thailand in the summer of 2000 for a hotel break in Pattaya (South East) for 3 weeks. Due to a number of totally unforeseeable circumstances (well, unforesseable according to the travel agents) we were totally devastated with the town that we were staying in. (see my opinion on 'Pattaya' for more details of our grissly fortune). We were thus forced to look elsewhere, travel around a bit. I felt that it was pointless to travel that far and be stuck in a nightmare - so we went out and found the Thailand we were looking for.

The Thailand that I am referring to is the 'beach' aspect of the country. Made so famous, of course, by the dramatisation of Alex Garland's novel 'The Beach'. I wouldn't be happy until I was stranded (well, at least close to) on a beautiful desert island, surrounded by palm trees, turcquiose water and white sand. This was the reason I chose to visit the country in the first place - and being very motivated, this is what I WAS going to have. (!)

After making several rather dodgy travel arrangements (it can be no other way in Thailand) we prepared ourselves for leaving the luxury of our 5* Hotel room and heading for the unknown. We were on our way to the tiny morooned island of Ko Samet, in the gulf of Thailand. My expectations were fat with excitement. We were nearly there.

The weather treated us like Gods, and the whole of our stay on Ko Samet was blessed with glorious asian sunshine. The scene was picturesque - the way I had dreamed - and nothing could spoil my utter bliss (and relief that we had finally found the Thailand I came for).

Nothing could spoil it but the mosquito's (isn't that always the way?) After applying 2 (yes, 2) coats for mossy repellent and settling down underneath a mosquito net (that appeared to have no holes) I was bitten a total of 35 times - in one night. My boyfriend did not suffer once. Typical.

But this (rather irritating) nagative aspect is the only I can think of (except having to leave utopia a few days later for our nightmare Pattaya).

I can only conclude by saying that this is the Thailand that is worth seeing. Forget the dirty side-streets, lined with prostitutes and intimidating poverty, and head for the islands. My memory of Thailand will always be of here.