Can You Keep a Secret ?

Buffalo Bay

We're anchored in a slice of paradise at Ko Phayam, near the Burmese border.  After a week, we now find a new excuse each day not to leave. There are a few jobs to finish where we need a quiet anchorage - tick. We have friends arriving soon...still waiting - tick. There is another side of the bay, yet to be explored - tick.  We could go on ....

We do love it here, and have to ask ourselves why it has taken us 7 years to sail here. It is some comfort that we met another boat that has been in Asia since the mid 1990's arrived here for the first time the same day we did.  Is this the best kept secret in Thailand?  Many say that Ko Phayam is now like Phuket was 30 years ago.

Our first anchorage was at Long Beach, which many cruisers have christened as "Wide Beach", as it shallows very slowly and at low tide the dinghy drag back from the high water mark is across a firm 50 meter beach. We rented a motor bike, criss crossed the island on the narrow concrete paths and dirt tracks.

There are no cars here, a few tractors that cart around drinking water and generator fuel, and many motor bikes. The paths took us through acres of cashew nut and rubber tree plantations and also natural jungle.

We rode across to the pier and the main village, purchased fresh fruit and vegetables, explored all points of the compass and then collapsed at the first village. Neil recovered with a massage, Ley with her book.

The next day we moved Crystal Blues around to Buffalo Bay, in the north west, so named as from the air the bay curves around like a pair of water buffalo horns. The extensive reef does provide wonderful protection, and we soon settled into long lunches on the beach at Saithong Bungalow, without doubt the best restaurant on the island, in fact one of the best we've found in Thailand! Beautiful fresh Thai food and seafood, for 80 or 90 baht a serve - less than $3.00.

So the sun shines, the wind blows, the temperature is just perfect, wonderful Thai food, great swimming and stunning sunsets every night........ so why leave?  Unfortunately Neil has to do a visa run, Ley has a medical check up in Phuket and we need to restock the  larder.  We'll head back to Phuket in a couple of days time, but plan to be back here soon.

The Sunset Bar On The Beach At Buffalo Bay.  A Very Happy Hippie Haven.