#56: Exploring the Neighborhood

11.03.2020

Today we want to explore our neighborhood a bit. But first, we have to remove a frog from the bathroom again. It is sitting in the exact same spot as the day before, a spot that is actually difficult for a frog to reach. After Martin had to chase the frog through half of the bungalow, it can be released into freedom (the frog!).

For the exploration, we walk to the pier and then along the coast, this time in a northerly direction. Along the way, we see our furry neighbors again, climbing in the trees next door. The path along the coast leads up a small hill with many stairs through the forest. It seems that not many people walk here! At the top of the hill, we find a washroom with toilets and showers, which stands completely abandoned in the forest. Next to it is the Hornbill view point, from which you can see the famous hornbills and have a great view of the neighboring islands and the sea.

After enjoying the view for a while, we go down the stairs on the other side of the hill to the coast. There is a small beach with very fine, golden sand and many seashells. The forest reaches all the way to the sea, so some trees extend into the water. After a few meters along the beach, we find a nice bench to sit down on. It's just beautiful here. Koh Yao Noi will probably be our favorite island!

We walk a little further along the beach and then turn back. On the way back, we quickly withdraw some money and then have a meal at our landlady Poom's place. After that, we go to the small island offshore. We want to see the way over the sandbank to the island at high tide. When we arrive there, we wait for the water to recede a bit so that we can stand there with shorts on.

A little detour: The tidal range, i.e. the difference between high tide and low tide, is over 4 m here! That means the water level fluctuates more than 4 m in a day. Consequently, the sea also recedes quite far each time, sometimes over 50 m.

We are immediately called over by some locals who offer us a place in the shade and a cool drink while we wait. There, we start to chat a bit, especially with Bangdat, the owner of the property. He is a very friendly, lively, and rather inconspicuous but well-to-do man. He invites us to settle on his property whenever we are here. If we have a tent, we can also camp here.

After chatting for a while, we walk a bit into the shallower sea. The water reaches our knees. The sand in the water feels airy and soft. Bubbles of air escape from the ground with every step. It's wonderful here. After a while of walking around, we return home for a break from the heat and relax at the bungalow.

In the evening, we have dinner again at Poom's. The local food is as great as always. Then we go back to the pier. By now, the water has receded so much that many boats have been left dry. Now we also understand why the pier extends about 200 m into the sea: because the water recedes so far from the island during low tide. After a while, we walk back to the bungalow and end the day.