'... It's so hot, why don't we jump into the water?'
Every time this question pops into my head, my wallet suffers.
As an island hopper, I can't miss this island.
Let's go on a trip to Koh Thalu, Prachuap Khiri Khan, to enjoy the end of summer!

Koh Talu, located in Bang Saphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, is considered one of Thailand's most captivating diving destinations. A Google search for "Koh Talu" in Thailand reveals three primary locations:

- Ko Thalu, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province

- Ko Taloo, Rayong Province

- Koh Thalu, Chumphon Province

The island we are visiting, Ko Talut, boasts the largest natural arch in the area. Excitingly, just days before our trip, news broke of a whale shark sighting near the island. We hope for the chance to witness this magnificent creature with our own eyes. Fingers crossed for an unforgettable encounter!

First Day of Travel: May 10, 2017

After a long hiatus from reviewing, I'm back to kick off the year with a trip to help you beat the heat before the rainy season officially arrives (although, how many rainy days will we actually get?). Since this is my first year in a Master's program, my free time for travel is limited. Weekend getaways are out of the question, so I've turned to weekday adventures instead, perfectly aligning with the TAT's "Weekday Wonders" campaign. With a national holiday and two additional vacation days, a special trip was born. Stay tuned to find out what makes it so special! Don't get bored just yet. ;)

This trip begins at the BTS Mo Chit station. We will travel by van with the service of the company, Monsiri Travel Co., Ltd. Originally, we had to go to the Southern Bus Terminal, but on May 5, 2017, this service added another pick-up point, which is under the BTS Bang Wa station (going to Taksin Pier Phetchaburi).

Fortunately, our journey will be more convenient. We will go to buy van tickets there. Let's go, Mr. Suchart. ~

We arrived at Bang Wa around 6:30 AM, and the rain poured down to welcome our trip. If you are taking a van from Bang Wa, we recommend calling the van station in advance. The staff who are responsible for selling tickets tend to arrive late. If you call beforehand, they can arrange a van to pick you up at Bang Wa, saving you waiting time. The van fare from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan is 220 baht per person. Alternatively, if you prefer to board at the Southern Bus Terminal, you can contact counter number 4.

It took us approximately 6 hours to reach the destination in Prachuap. The roads were slippery due to the rain, and there were accidents along the way. Please drive with caution.

For those who prefer traveling by bus, there are services available at the Southern Bus Terminal (Bangkok - Bang Saphan). The journey takes approximately 5.30 hours.

Upon arrival, we purchased tickets for a van to Bang Saphan Noi Market (Channel 9), operated by Prachuap Samut Sakkee Transport Co., Ltd.

120 baht per person. Tell them you want to get off at Bang Saphan Noi Market.

Our next bus will depart at 13:30. If you have time, you can grab a bite to eat before boarding. There are food stalls and restrooms available at the bus stop, with affordable prices.

The journey takes approximately one hour. The van will drop you off in front of the 7-Eleven at the market. We recommend withdrawing cash and purchasing any necessary supplies, such as fresh seafood, snacks, or drinks. If you don't have your own vehicle, it can be inconvenient to buy things later, as there are no convenience stores or ATMs near the resort. However, if you have rented a motorbike, you can easily reach the market, which is about 7-8 kilometers from the resort (if you're comfortable driving). The resort provides free barbecue grills and can prepare seafood dipping sauce upon request. Along the way, there are tourist attractions such as Khao Ma Rong Cave Temple and Sai Khao Waterfall. We did not visit these places, but we have gathered information from locals for those who are interested.

Our accommodation, Sunrise Resort, is a small beachfront resort with a swimming pool, restaurant, and bicycle and motorbike rentals available for 50 baht per hour or 250 baht per day.

Sunrise Resort offers stunning views of the sunrise, hence its name. Room rates range from 1,300 to 2,000 baht (prices are lower during the low season).

The room we booked is a Superior Suite (sea view) for 1,700 baht per night, including breakfast for two people. It has a sea view and a balcony. You can book it separately or as a package. We booked a package with diving for 3 days and 2 nights from Blue Sea Tours for 2,100 baht per person (I'll give you the details of the package later).

The resort offers a variety of activities for guests to enjoy, including beach volleyball, pétanque, table tennis, tug-of-war, and small seaside outings.

For those interested in learning more about accommodation options and diving packages, please inquire through the following channels...

For our first dinner here, we had to rely on the resort's food. The price of most dishes is around 150-350 baht per plate, which we think is normal for a tourist destination. Today, there was a group of people staying at the resort, so we had to wait quite a long time for our food. We were so hungry that we were no longer hungry. We ordered at 9 pm and didn't get our food until 11 pm. We ate our dinner while it was raining lightly. T^T Fortunately, there was a roti vendor selling roti in front of the resort, so we had some roti to fill our stomachs. A plain roti with egg costs 15 baht, and adding banana costs 30 baht.

Let's take a look at the dishes for this meal. The first meal cost 840 baht. The taste of the food is not bad, it's delicious, thumbs up! Let's start with…

Menu 1: Seafood glass noodle salad. However, the glass noodles were out of stock, so I received a seafood salad instead. But the cashier charged me for the seafood glass noodle salad, which is 20 baht cheaper. Seafood glass noodle salad is 150 baht, while seafood salad is 170 baht.

Menu 2: Deep-fried Sea Bass with Fish Sauce, priced at 350 Baht.

Menu 3: Tom Yum Goong with Coconut Milk. The soup was spicy and satisfying, but it could have been a bit more sour (I usually prefer a more sour Tom Yum). Price: 150 Baht.

Menu 4: Deep-fried prawns, priced at 170 baht.

Eating late-night dinner is not good. It makes me sleepless and my stomach works hard. The most important issue is 'getting fat' Y-Y .. I'm going to roll on the bed now. See you on the second day of the trip .. I pray that the rain will stop tomorrow and the sky will be clear. Because tomorrow we have an appointment to go diving. Yay! \^O^/

Day Two of the Journey: May 11, 2017

Last night, it rained all night, but it stopped raining in the morning so we could wake up to take pictures of the sunrise. But we accidentally turned off the alarm clock. When we woke up again at 6:10 AM, the sun had already risen above the horizon. So we only got this picture.

Today's schedule includes scuba diving. We changed into our swimsuits, packed our belongings into ocean packs, and prepared for the dive. (We didn't shower, but we did wash our faces and brush our teeth. We'll be in the water soon, so why bother showering? Haha!) The tour company's van will pick us up from the resort around 8:30 AM. In the meantime, we're having breakfast to hold us over. The resort's breakfast buffet offers a variety of options, including toast, orange juice, tea, coffee, Ovaltine, rice porridge, fruit, and rice. (Don't eat too much, or your breakfast will end up feeding the fish!) ^^'

However, the unexpected happened again. It started raining! And it didn't seem like it was going to stop. "My diving trip! I booked it two months ago! Why is it raining on me? Why did the monsoon have to come on the day I came to visit?" I cursed under my breath. But what could I do? The weather can't be controlled, right? =.=

Approximately 14 fellow tourists and I at the resort began to feel anxious as we had not received any updates from the tour company by 9 am. We contacted the company through the resort, and they informed us that they were monitoring the weather situation and were concerned about the safety of passengers if they were to set sail. While we understood their concerns, some tourists who had to depart that afternoon began to lose hope and considered canceling their diving trips (with partial refunds, as full refunds were only offered if the company canceled the trip). We returned to our rooms to wait for further news. At 11 am, a representative from the tour company arrived at the resort and announced the cancellation of the diving trip for the day. They offered lunch boxes and a refund of 350 baht per person, deducting 50 baht for the lunch box. We were devastated. It felt like our trip was ruined, as diving was our primary purpose for visiting. We had booked the trip two months in advance. We inquired with the tour company if we could join the trip the next day if the weather improved, and they agreed. We will have to wait and see if we can go diving tomorrow. In the meantime, we decided to order cocktails at the resort to lift our spirits. We ordered two cocktails, a Mai Tai and a Margarita, for 120 baht each. Freshly blended fruit juices are available for 60 baht each.

In the afternoon, we had nothing to do. Everything went wrong. So we looked for activities at the resort. Fortunately, we chose a resort with a swimming pool. We jumped into the pool to relieve stress. Haha!

For tour companies that we book accommodation and diving packages, the name is Blue Sky Tour. There are many packages to choose from, both 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights. You can choose to stay with various resorts. Try visiting the Blue Sky Tour website. The website has instructions on how to book a package.

http://www.taludiving.com/diving-koh-talu-stay-sunrise-resort-3days-2nights.html

If you haven't booked a package with Sea Blue Tour, you can book directly with the resort for 400 baht per person. There are two main companies offering transportation to the resort: Sea Blue Tour and Gig Diving Koh Taloo. Gig Diving offers freshwater showers, while Sea Blue Tour does not. You can choose whichever company you prefer. It's recommended to inquire about the details of both companies before making a decision.

Let's move on to dinner. This meal cost us 640 baht. We didn't take pictures of all the dishes because it started raining and we had to move tables to avoid the rain. We ordered four dishes in total:

Menu 1: Shrimp in fish sauce 170 baht

Menu 2: Sour curry with shrimp, 150 baht

Menu 3: Minced pork omelet, 60 baht

Menu 4: Garlic Fried Pork - 120 Baht

The friend is eager to know why this trip is so special, as mentioned at the beginning. The answer is that tomorrow is the friend's 25th birthday, which is considered a significant milestone in Thai culture. As a surprise, the friend's significant other, in collaboration with the resort, brought a cake and sang Happy Birthday a day early. The friend expresses gratitude to the resort staff and their significant other for turning a bad day into a happy one, making them forget about the disappointment of not being able to go diving. They hope to wake up with the chance to go diving before returning to Bangkok.

Final Day of the Journey: May 12, 2017

~ Happy Birthday ~ Yes, today is my birthday. My birthday present this morning was going scuba diving. Yay! Although it was still raining, it was raining and stopping, unlike yesterday, when it was raining cats and dogs. At 8:30 a.m., the blue tour van picked us up in front of the resort to go to the blue tour office.

Upon arrival at the office, we must check in to receive diving equipment, including masks and life jackets (essential for safety). We will also need to pay the remaining balance (if you booked in advance, a 60% deposit is required). If you are prone to seasickness, it is advisable to take motion sickness medication beforehand. While waiting for others, you can enjoy bread, coffee, or Ovaltine as refreshments, which are provided.

Once you are ready, you can take a shared taxi to the pier. We share the pier with other tour boats to Koh Taloo.

The Blue Sky Tour boat, a two-story wooden vessel, will take us on a diving adventure in the Gulf of Thailand. The boat briefly ran aground on a sandbar before successfully navigating through. Today's conditions presented challenges with high waves, strong winds, and intermittent rain, causing some passengers to experience seasickness. For those prone to motion sickness, consider these tips: sit on the lower deck, gaze into the distance, and allow the wind to blow on your face. Most importantly, take motion sickness medication beforehand (the yellow pill is more effective than the blue one). These measures will significantly enhance your comfort during the journey.

The ship will stop for us to take selfies with the hole in the sea. However, it will only stop for a short time, around 5-15 minutes, as the waves are quite strong today, causing the ship to rock significantly.

Ao Thian Bay is a popular snorkeling spot with a large number of coral reefs. While the fish population is relatively low in this area, there is a sandy beach where you can stand. Sea Blue Tour will take you to this spot for drone photography (weather permitting). If you're in a group, you can even get a beautiful photo of everyone holding hands in a circle. Be careful not to step on the shells, as they are very sharp. I got a cut from one that still hasn't healed after a week!

The distance from the boat to the white sand beach is quite far. If you are not a strong swimmer, you can hold on to a foam board. Staff will be on hand to assist you. We will be at this location for approximately one hour.

When swimming, corals will be very close to us. We should not touch or step on corals unnecessarily, as this may damage or even kill them. The corals we see may not be as beautiful as those in documentaries. We should not expect too much, as global warming has changed the water temperature, causing coral bleaching.

Most of the underwater footage was captured using a GoPro 5 and then edited with GoPro's software. Due to the unfavorable weather conditions, there was no sunlight, resulting in subpar underwater images. We apologize for this and will strive to improve by capturing still images instead of videos in the future.

Upon boarding the boat, the staff provided us with refreshments, including water, bread, and fruit. We were free to take what we wanted. The captain also distributed lunch boxes for us to enjoy. Today's options were shrimp fried rice and stir-fried pork with basil and a fried egg. We opted for the latter. Although it was a packed lunch, the taste was delicious. Moreover, the containers used were not styrofoam but Lock & Lock lunch boxes, which helped to protect the environment by reducing the use of styrofoam. When it was time, we moved on to the second diving spot, Ao Kruat. This bay was previously visited by whale sharks in early May. The staff told us that in their 8 years of working there, this was the first time they had seen them up close. We would have loved to see them too, but we weren't so lucky this time.

Ao Krud offers a captivating diving experience, teeming with vibrant coral reefs and an abundance of marine life. Notably, the site is renowned for its high concentration of angelfish.

This area is also a haven for sea anemones, which serve as a refuge for shy fish like the little Nemo, or clownfish. However, these are the maroon clownfish, which have a dark red color and a white stripe across their bodies. Clownfish tend to swim only in sea anemones because the anemones can protect them. This is because sea anemones are poisonous to all fish except clownfish, which are immune to their venom.

An animated version is also available for viewing. It is a video link from our Facebook page that we have posted.

Facebook post

https://www.facebook.com/popeyeyaibaa/posts/10212801443248857:0

Life jackets are recommended at this diving spot to help you float on the water's surface, preventing you from accidentally bumping into the coral. Additionally, they protect you from accidentally kicking sea urchins. Sea urchins at Ko Taloo typically reside around the boulder coral.

Parrotfish are commonly found in coral reefs. We believe the fish we photographed is a parrotfish, but why is it black? We have seen them in documentaries as blue or red. If we are wrong, please forgive us.

Tiger cowrie

Lettuce coral

In reality, we encountered a vast array of coral species, including massive brain coral, staghorn coral, and branching coral. However, we were unable to capture all of them in our photographs.

Note: Underwater photography is available at this location, free of charge! Our guide, Nut, will be happy to take your photos and chat with you.

The underwater photos taken by Nat will be sent via LINE. We can add Nat on LINE and inform her of the date we went diving. Then, we will receive beautiful underwater photos to show off to our friends.

After arriving at the shore, the songthaew dropped us off at the resort. We had to hurry to shower and change clothes to catch the 3:20 AM van. We timed it perfectly and rushed out to wait for the van at the pick-up point in front of Dara Color Lab. A kind driver from the resort dropped us off. The van arrived on time, accompanied by a light drizzle that saw us off on our way home. The return fare was 100 baht, cheaper than the ride in. I wonder what criteria they use to calculate the distance?

The majority of our travel trips involve choosing a van as our mode of transportation. However, our most recent van experience was exceptionally unique. Not only were we relegated to the back row, but we also had an unexpected travel companion that was neither human nor ghost. It was, believe it or not, a fighting cock! Oh no, this can't be happening, I thought to myself. The stench and the noise rendered me speechless. All I could think about was when we would finally arrive at the bus terminal. Upon arrival, we immediately purchased tickets from the same company at counter number 4 for a trip to BTS Bang Wa, which cost 220 baht.

This is our story of relaxation at Koh Taloo. It was simple, just like the island's slogan: "Morning relaxation, afternoon fun, perfect happiness at Koh Taloo."

Thank you to SONY A6000 + Lens kit 16-50 / 50 F1.8 / 35 F1.8 and Gopro HERO5 for providing us with beautiful photos throughout this trip.

Special thanks to the underwater camera and drone photos from P'Nut, Seefa Tour Company, for allowing us to use them in this review.

Edited with Lr program. (However, due to the weather conditions, the underwater photos are not as beautiful as they should be. We apologize for this and will try to improve our underwater photography skills in the future.)

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.. See you on the next journey ..