819. Koh Samui Part 6 | Snapshots

Hi everyone! We are currently in Chiang Mai and have been here for a week already. So far we have just done a lot of walking around the city. It's very quiet and laid-back here; like Bangkok but way less hectic. I will post more about Chiang Mai eventually but for now I still have some Koh Samui posts left. Here are some random photos taken during our days there..I just realized it has only been a week since we left Koh Samui but already feels like a long time!

A cafe named Ling Coffee that was close to the place we stayed originally..so we came here quite a few times.

Taking their bull for a walk

This place named The Secret Brunch was close to where we stayed during the final days on the island. Their avocado bagel is amazing!! I don't usually order bagels (or sandwich types) like this but this was sooo good. I got it every time.

As you can see..the beaches were quite empty. Most of the time we were the only ones there, apart from a few locals fishing. It was really nice and peaceful. I've never been to Koh Samui before but I assume that in "normal times" it is way busier. I don't think I would enjoy it as much if it were full of tourists. It seems having the beaches to ourselves is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity there.

There is also this sad reality of many businesses around Thailand..especially in the tourist strips. Shut down and abandoned, no idea when or if they will be back in business again. I did say I enjoy it more when it's quiet but I hope things improve soon and that the businesses are able to survive. I would like to come back in some years to experience a livelier atmosphere.

When you want a lonely spot

I really like these roadside eateries. Often a small open space with plastic tables and chairs, with the food being served within minutes of ordering. They look super local and authentic. Usually the best tasting food can be found at these and for very cheap prices (~$2 per plate).

Feeding the street cats. It was only during our final days here (when we started staying at Wild Cottages/our second accommodations) that we saw a few street cats at this area near the end of our road. The rest of the island has a lot of street dogs so I usually carry around some dog treats to feed them. Here I got a pack of cat treats for the cats but this black one was more into getting pet:

She was soooo friendly and sweet.

I just realized now, looking back on these photos, that there is a flattened frog here beside her lol.

Miss this view!!

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818. Koh Samui Part 5 | Snapshots

I'm writing this post a couple hours before our flight. By tonight we will be in our next destination of Chiang Mai! I'm actually going to miss Koh Samui. Every single place we've visited on this trip, I am always sad to leave even though I know there are more adventures to come. Before Koh Samui we were in Bangkok which I really loved. I was sad/didn't want to leave and didn't think I would enjoy Koh Samui as much actually. But now I like it here..exploring empty beaches and relaxing at beach bars. It was a nice and relaxing month.

Due to COVID there are a lot less domestic flights. We were actually supposed to leave Koh Samui last week but due to availability of flights to Chiang Mai, we had to extend our stay until today. I am glad we did and wish we extended a bit longer. We booked this very beautiful place called Wild Cottages. It was an amazing stay and really exceeded my expectations. I wish we booked for longer. I will post more photos from our place in a future post!

Here are a random mix of photos from the past weeks. A small overview of life in Koh Samui! (I still have several more Koh Samui posts left which I will finish in Chiang Mai..)

One of my favourite beach bars - Coco Tam's

This stray dog came to join us

This lookout spot had the bluest water I've ever seen!

Another favourite beach bar - Chi



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817. Koh Samui Part 4 | Elephant Sanctuary

For many years, a popular tourism activity here in Thailand is elephant trekking/riding. In the not so distant past, people became more and more aware that this is in fact animal cruelty. The elephants kept in captivity are treated very poorly with their spirits broken in order to obey and remain submissive. Owners would often beat them, deprive them of sleep and food in order to "break" them. They are also kept in very small cages and not allowed to move much at all unless carrying around a customer. Elephants are not meant to carry humans on their backs as it harms their skin and bones over time. Elephants who have been through that often have lasting damage (both physically and mentally). It is very sad.

Now there are many elephant sanctuaries in Thailand that rescue these elephants. Tourists are now becoming more aware and choosing to visit sanctuaries instead of riding them. The one we visited rescues old and retired elephants (I think their average age was 60 years old!). They must pay a very high fee to the elephant's original owner in order to rescue one though.

It was a very fun and unique experience. I'm pretty sure it was my first time touching an elephant. First we made some food for the elephants (protein balls?), walked around and fed them. It was nice to see them rescued and able to live the final years of their lives much happier and "free". Unfortunately with COVID and the lack of tourists, the sanctuary has been receiving very little funds and unable to provide as much food as they'd like to the elephants. As you can imagine, it costs quite a lot to take care of and feed such large animals. We are visiting Chiang Mai next which is supposed to have the best elephant sanctuaries in the country, so I'm excited to see how they are there as well!



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