angthong national marine park

so i said i wouldn-t write unless i was inspired. well hot damn, thailand has done it again. today i booked a tour of the marine park near samui (featured in the book and movie, The Beach, which i haven't read nor seen, but will now.) absolutely incredible! the boat ride took about 2 hours and then we kyacked from the big boat to shore while taking in these breathtaking rock caves and rock formations. then beach, then back to the boat for lunch. after lunch, we had our choice of kyacking, snorkeling, or hanging out on a different beach. well, on this beach there is a fantastic view point. but, to get there, you have to hike 400 meters up rock. our tour guide said it was difficult and would take a long time. these 3 german guys (one of whome had been my kyacking partner) were going up. i decided to tag along. and it was worth it! first of all, it was really a strenuous hike. there were ropes lining the pathway to help you get up. but it was almost verticle climbing. but once at the top (evenutally) you could see a breathtaking panoramic view of all the islands. green mountain islands surrounded by blue/green water. so worth it.

leaving tomorrow, back to bangkok. then back to my real life, whatever that may be.

here is some brief information about the park:
http://www.amazingsamui.com/angthong.htm