Koh Samet by Rachel

Our arrival was slightly surreal - we were ushered onto a speedboat and sped across the sea in pitch black of night from the mainland. This was after an extremely turbulant 10 hour flight and 2 and a half hour drive. Several slight Thai men then rolled a landing platform for us into the sea and managed to carry our embarrassingly large, heavy cases to our room.

Koh Samet is mainly national park, managed not in the well funded Australian way, but in a slightly chaotic charming Thai way. The area where our hotel is located has security guards at each end. It is very clean and luxurious compared to the rest of the island. We have tried to go beyond the perimeter as much as possible, and whilst I love the brightly coloured ramshackle village it is very pleasant to return to our room and a lounger by the pool or on the beach!!

There was an incredible fire show next to where we had dinner yesterday. James was mesmerised. I ruled out fire show performer as a potential career route for him. Amazingly talented people.

We have been snorkelling and James made up for his refusal to swim over the reef in Australia. The rocks and coral just off the beach are teeming with fish, crabs, anemones and the most exquisite sea urchins that seem to have glittering blue eyes at their centre.

We have adopted a lizard that sits above our door every evening. A wonderful place that could do with a few less mosquitoes.Read more