Time for a bit of medium flashpacking I thought as I return to Koh Samui from my Cambodian visa run. I also decide to have a change of pace. Normally, I find somewhere that is by a beach and not too built up, but with shops and places I can easily walk to. This time I decide to go to Lipa Noi, a west coast area of Samui. About 15 minutes off the ring road so away from any public transport; it was a lot more isolated that usual for me. But my reward is that I find something that I had thought had disappeared from here many years ago.
I am rewarded with the mind's eye picture of a deserted Thai beach, warm clear bue sea, just a few low rise hotel tucked away amidst the palm trees and a few fishing boats plying in and out of the small fishing settlement at the southern end. The bay must be about two miles long and apart from a few sunbeds outside one of the hotels, you just didn't see anyone else. I check into the Sea Valley hotel and Spa, a complex of about 24 "villas" each with a small private pool. Heaven!
It seemed to be owned by a Greek Russian family, so the "understated Thai design" was made a little overstated by some of their own design touches. Greco Roman columns holding up the balcony roof covering and an ornamental pool of Vegas like design including spouting statues in reception..... But it was perfectly located, a few steps away from the white sand powder beach....
So days were spent wandering up and down the beach, peering into one of the spectacular villas and dreaming of having one when I win the Euromillions.... One major downside was the shocking wifi, many frustrating hours spent trying to sort out a dropping line and useless Facetime and iMessage. My kit worked perfectly up the road in another hotel, but sporadically here. Complaints to the Thai's on reception got only as far as a charming smile and apologies....but eventually even they got sick of my complaining and sent a technician from the telephone company to see me. Yes, they discover the problem, the hotel needs to get another phone line in. At that point, I gave up, and enjoyed the excuse of having to buy a beachside cocktail at the hotel up the beach so I could use theirs. Every cloud has a silver lining.....
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