10th of April, 2024.
Hitchhiking in Thailand: Jungle Trail and Mae Haad
The plan is hike through the jungle, all the way to a “nearby” beach, called Haad Khom. As you can see in Google Maps, it seems like a very short hike, of about one hour, but the conditions of the trail are uncertain, as you cannot know much about it. My plan is to spend my last night in Koh Phangan in a beach called Mae Haad, so it is very handy to go there via Haad Khom, taking the jungle trail, otherwise, I would be better off just going back all the way to Thon Sala Pier by the same way I came to Bottle Beach, and forget all about Mae Haad. I take my chances through the jungle. What a surprise!
The beginning of the trail is at the far-left end of Bottle Beach. There is an abandoned wooden building there, and by the rocks is where you start. Right at that point, there are already a few different trails. To ensure you keep on the right track, remain on the one nearest to the ocean, by the rocks. In fact, in many moments you will be by the cliffs, right at the rocks, with the view of the sea.
At certain point you will start seeing some marks for the trail: red dots. They are quite regular, and you can see them here and there. I don’t believe this is a very popular trail, as that apart from the red dots, the tracks are not really strong, like a much-used trail, if you know what I mean. For that reason, I am very grateful for whoever did these marks, they are precise and very useful!
It is a tough trail though. I love it because for me it is just like a jungle trail should be, full of ups and downs, almost the entire time; always surrounded by the trees, in between trees and all that; no infrastructure; and also, some lovely views. I really love it! But I almost died! It would be a dreamy trail, if I wasn’t carrying my backpacks. And they are not even full loaded! But with so many ups and downs, it is really hard. And by that I don’t only mean uphill or downhill, I mean climbing up or down gigantic rocks, with a lot of effort. The heat will dry you out; and it seems that not all the water in the world is enough to keep you hydrated. And that’s because I left Bottle Beach after 7 a.m., to avoid the hottest hours.
What was supposed to be a one-hour hiking, keeps stretching for longer and longer. I am allowing myself plenty of rest, of course, but still, I don’t believe that even without the backpacks, the whole trail could be completed in less than two hours. It takes me about three, and in many moments I though I would never see the end of it. Laugh. But I kept myself up at all times, knowing that everything would be OK in the end, and it did. What a joy at that moment when you finally see a road ahead of you.
By the end of the trail, my concerns now are if I will find a living soul around here to give me a lift back to society. Laugh. Soon enough I start seeing some houses so I know I will be alright. A man in his motorbike agrees on taking me to the nearest 7-Eleven, as he is going to town. I am saved!
I buy a very necessary vitamin drink. They are very popular here in Thailand, these tiny glass bottles, with a powerful vitamin dose, plus some other component, like let’s say, collagen, iron, etc. I also get a coconut water, just to make sure I will hydrate myself properly. I wait for a while until I have some breakfast, coffee, and then I start hitchhiking to Mae Haad.
A car with 3 women stops. That’s a great surprise! They are all Russians! Aleksandra, Maria and Dasha are going to pass by Mae Haad, so they can drop me off there. Yay! They are all very sweet and they seem truly surprised by my travel journey and life.
Mae Haad is a curious beach. It is very popular for the stripe of sand which connects this beach with a floating island called Koh Ma. In the online photos, it looks really gorgeous, and perhaps during some time of the year, due to the colour of the sea, the sky, and even the sand; or when the tide is lower, so you can see the stripe of sand better, it might really be beautiful. But during the time I was here, it is just OK. It is full of people though, and everybody seems to enjoy smoking weed. Loki, help me!
I walk further left of Mae Haad Beach, to a very tranquil and nice area. I find a perfect spot for camping, under some trees, up a flat bank sand, so no chances of tide. And the sea is just lovely!
After a while, a curious looking German, Eric, starts chatting with me. He just wants to know if there is a way out of here via the beach, as he came through the mountains, via a quite remote and difficult way; so he’s trying to find a easier way out. He sounds like me, breaking in into resorts through the jungle. Laugh. Unfortunately, I cannot be of more help, and it seems that nobody else’s, as he leaves a while after, through the same way which he came in. When I first saw him, I actually thought he was a life-guard, as he looked a lot like one. Quite cute too. Laugh.
My last dinner in Southern Thailand is a very Southern dish which I love: crispy vegetables with sweet chilly sauce. I also have a beer to celebrate my last night on the beaches.
Next morning, right outside the beach, I get a lift with a Russian man. He takes a very different route than I was planning, but it’s OK, I guess. Then, Leo, a very nice Thai lady, takes me all the way to the Thong Sala Pier in her motorcycle.
A few days ago, when I was in Koh Samui and my camera stopped working momentarily, I made the decision of not going to Koh Tao and Nang Yuan. These two spots are also very famous and popular in Thailand, the last one being just as famous as Maya Bay for a shooting spot. If you Google it, you will see. You can still do things in Koh Tao, as it is a small but regular island, and I even planned on visiting two beaches there. But the same is not true for Nang Yuan, the viewpoint being the most popular attraction. You can go snorkelling, and even swim with sea turtles, as Miles told me when we met at Koh Lanta; but as he also told me, do to the huge number of tourists there, the chances of actually seeing something, either sea turtles or corals, are very remote. And of course, I wouldn’t do any of this, only going around the islands and beaches. The thing about these two islands is that, they are fricking expensive. The costs to go there and to stay and eat there, are huge. The ferries from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao are the most expensive ones, for such short distances, something around 450 THB, for 1.30h ride. Then, from Koh Tao to Nang Yuan, you must take a tail boat, which costs 600 THB two ways. Meaning, I would spend 1500 THB just to go there, plus costs with food and water, which are the most expensive in Southern Thailand. I decided that it was a too high price to pay for a photograph.
10 Years Around the World 