Island exploring

Today has been fantastic! We booked onto a tour that takes you to Ang Thong National Marine Park, a collection of islands off the North West coast of Koh Samui. We were picked up from our hotel and happened to be in a mini bus with a girl we met previously at the airport when she was in our bus to go to the hotels. We drove to the pier and took a long boat ride to the first island. We had a light breakfast provided which was great and so nice to have coffee! At the island we were greeted with blue clear waters, white fine sand and stunning jungle covered cliff faces creating a dramatic beach scene. Our first task was to climb to a view point which we all did in our own time. There were 5 platforms along the 500 metre climb to stop to see the view and come back down if you wanted to. The climb was steep stone steps and in the 34 degree heat it was torture. Every time we do these climbs I realise how unfit I am! We pushed on higher and higher passing the many platforms until we got between the 3rd and 4th and I started to feel sick and faint which really didn't help. We took it slowly and finally made it to the top and boy was it worth it! The view was incredible. After soaking it in we made our way back down slowly. We saw monkeys, two huge processions of termites and some weird insects along the way. Back at the beach we changed and got into the sea which felt amazing after the climb. We got snorkels and gave that a go and it's harder to get the hang off then you think. We wished we had just brought our goggles. Unfortunately we didn't have long in the sea before being called back to the long boats. Once back on the big boat we had lunch which was also provided. Our next stop was for anyone who had paid more to kayak. Nick hasn't done it before and I only have at guides and in year 8 at school which was so long ago so it felt like a new experience to us and to do it in the open sea was brilliant. We saw all the islands up close, the overhanging rocks and small caves and cracks that had formed. We managed to get ourselves stuck on a rock at one point but luckily after a minute or so we pushed ourselves off without capsizing. We kayaked to the next beach where the other members of the boat had been dropped off. Here we were able to climb up to see an emerald lake which is so named because of the algae that blooms there turns the water green. It was a much easier climb than before and didn't take as long so it gave us an hour in the water to snorkel. Unfortunately we realised that this is actually coral and that a lot of it is ruined and covered in debris. I remember learning in school that coral dies if you touch it so it wasn't that nice seeing what had happened because of the tourists coming here. I swam further out and the reef was so alive and clear which was reassuring as not many people ventured out that far so hopefully this part continues to thrive. Seeing as they had a nice sign that says "take only photos, leave only footprints" it didn't really fit into that motto. After chilling at the beach a while it was back to the boat to head back. We had chocolate wafer snacks and sat back up on the top deck with the people we had been talking to all day. The ride back was long, 2 hours in total but the views did make up for that. Even though we applied factor 50 twice we felt like we'd burnt so covered up as we sailed back in the afternoon sun. We have burnt a bit but the whole day was definitely worth it! So many amazing memories created today.Baca selengkapnya