Koh Phayam

Speaking of Koh Phayam, we actually only recently learned about this place. From the Blue Sky accommodation review on the Pantip website, it's like another Maldivian in Thailand. On this trip, we traveled by private car, a total of 4 people. Since our friend organized this trip, this is the first trip where we didn't do any research at all. We were just tourists who only traveled.

We traveled during the night of December 30, 2015, and arrived at the Pak Nam Municipality Pier in Ranong Province around 6:00 AM. So, let's start our journey from this point onwards.

There are two types of boats that cross to Koh Phayam: regular boats and speedboats.

For ordinary boats, the journey takes 2 hours and costs 200 baht per person.

The speedboat takes approximately 35 minutes and costs 350 baht per person.

We chose to travel by speedboat. After buying tickets and parking the car, we waited for the boat to depart and were ready to set off.

Finally, it's time to board the boat. Most of the passengers are tourists. This speedboat will pick up and drop off tourists at Koh Chang, which is closer than Koh Phayam.

We finally arrived at Koh Phayam.

Upon arriving at Koh Phayam, you'll notice that most tourists are backpackers from foreign countries. You'll also observe that there are no cars on the island, only motorbikes and tractors. The roads here are concrete, and we found them quite challenging to drive on due to their narrowness.

Today's plan was to go scuba diving at three different coral reefs: Koh Kam, Koh Khang Khao, and Koh Nui. So we had to take a motorbike taxi to Rabbit Bungalow to drop off our bags and go diving with the owner of the accommodation. When we arrived, he told us that the wind was too strong and the boat couldn't go out to dive. So he suggested a new plan: paddleboarding and diving around the island. However, the spots we would go to wouldn't be very beautiful. So we decided to go diving first and then come back to paddleboard. The owner of the accommodation, let's call him Lek, contacted a boat to take us diving and called a motorbike taxi for us. We had to go to N&N, a minimart on Koh Phayam that offers diving services.

Our diving trip was with our gang of 4 people, 500 baht each. When we were ready, we set off for our dive. The time we went diving was around 9 am, the waves were still strong, but the weather was not too hot. The water here is very emerald green. After enjoying the view for a while, the boat started to prepare diving equipment for us and gave us a brief explanation of how to use it.

The highlight of the trip was definitely here. The peak was when I was the only one who couldn't swim. At first, I didn't want to go down, but my friend told me to try it at least once in my life. I saw a foreigner who had been diving before standing up, and it was about waist-deep, so I thought it wouldn't be too deep. But when I went down, it was deep! The life jacket made me flip over on my back, and I choked on seawater several times. My friend didn't go down, but stood on the boat taking pictures and laughing. We laughed so hard, it was hilarious. I felt sorry for the other friend who kept dragging me around. I didn't even see any fish. After a while, we went back up on the boat to go see other places. This time, my friend said she wouldn't flip over on her back again, so she sat down and adjusted her life jacket more tightly.

The life jacket wasn't even adjusted yet, and we were already at the second dive spot. Did we have to go down again? This time, my friend went down with me and gave me a crash course in diving. I told him it was okay, that it was fine if I couldn't see anything. As long as I could stay afloat, I was happy.

This time we tried diving without using a snorkel. Because if we use a snorkel, we can't breathe properly. Asked if we saw any fish, well, no. But it was fun and funny. But the other people in the trip also enjoyed diving because they saw small fish. They also took pictures for us to see. The fish were like this, small black fish.

After that, the boat took us to Ao Kwang Pi. We thought this bay was very beautiful, the sea water was very clear. I like this place very much. If I have the chance, I would like to stay at this bay.

The diving trip has ended successfully. Due to strong winds and waves, some areas were not accessible for diving due to the murky water.

It was past noon when we arrived at the shore. Everyone was very hungry, so our first meal was a simple one. After eating, we rented a motorbike from Popeye's shop to pick up our bags and check into our accommodation. As a result, we were unable to go on our kayaking trip.

The accommodation we will be staying at tonight is called Phayam Sport Bungalow. It took us a while to get there, getting lost several times before finally finding it.

Upon arriving at the accommodation, we checked in. Electricity here is available from 6:00 PM to 3:00 AM. The accommodation has an activity area, including a pétanque court, a target shooting range, and a relaxation corner. It is surrounded by Indian almond trees, creating a peaceful atmosphere. The surrounding area has restaurants, massage spas, and other nearby accommodations. We then rested.

After we had some rest, we had a plan to watch the sunset at Ao Yai in the evening. So we set off to Ao Yai. When we arrived, the sun was just setting.

As we started to feel hungry, we decided to have lunch at a nearby restaurant recommended by our accommodation, called Lisa. We were impressed by the friendly and attentive service. The owner was particularly delighted to see Thai tourists visiting Koh Phayam, as we were only the second Thai group to dine at his restaurant. His joy was evident on his face. He shared that Koh Phayam has only recently become popular among Thai tourists, with an increase in visitors this year. Having lived in several countries, he fell in love with Koh Phayam and decided to settle here. He took a記念photo of our group and asked for our feedback on his restaurant. It was clear that he takes customer service very seriously. If you're staying at Phayam Sport Bungalow or nearby accommodations, be sure to support his restaurant.

After finishing our meal, we headed to the countdown party at a bungalow across from our accommodation called Bamboo Bungalow. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a predominantly foreign crowd, making us feel like we were in another country. The atmosphere was lively, but in our opinion, it had a romantic vibe. Most people were in couples, releasing lanterns and holding hands. This was our first time experiencing a countdown on the beach, and the atmosphere was incredibly romantic.

After that, we sat down to eat food and drink, and waited for the countdown.

5-4-3-2-1 The sound of fireworks explodes with beautiful sparks. The last night of this year, here, is so beautiful and happy.

Bidding farewell to this evening with hundreds of sparkling fireworks. We head back to our accommodation feeling elated and happy. Good night 2016.

As we start a new day of the year, we must say goodbye to Koh Phayam, a land of meaning. I remember the words of P'Lek, the owner of the Rabbit Resort, who said that this island should not be visited for only one day. It's true, because we haven't even finished exploring the island yet. And then we boarded the boat at 9:00 AM. As the boat left, we could only watch Koh Phayam fade into the distance. If we have the chance, we will definitely meet again... Koh Phayam... I will try my best to come back again.