The last couple of days have been pure heaven. After sightseeing and a lot of walking in Singapore we came to Koh Samet, an island a few hours drive east of Bangkok. It’s all about relaxing, eating good food and having a good time here. Which is exactly what we have been doing.This is not a party island, although some of the restaurants down by the main beach, called Diamond Beach, try to live it up a little at night, by playing loud music.

We are staying at Baan Ploy Sea in the Ao Noi Na Bay. This is a quiet place and with a short strip of white sand. The hotel is really good. With a pool and a big wooden terrace. The sun loungers are facing the sea which is only a few steps down from the terrace. Outside the hotel, on stilts in the water is the hotel’s popular restaurant. That’s where breakfast is served and one can go for lunch and dinner if not too lazy and ordering food to the sun terrace instead (like we did a few times).

To get to the restaurant one has to take a small boat attached to a cable way. It’s quick and easy. Each table at the restaurant has an open space in the floor, underneath the tables, which of course have glass table tops. Your feet hang down, but not far enough to reach the water. Underneath your feet it is like an aquarium. Fish of different kinds swim back and forth, and if you drop some food in the water there is quickly a frenzy of hungry fish right under your feet.

If you want to see more people, do some shopping and be able to pick and choose between the restaurants Saikaew Beach (or Diamond Beach, as it’s sometimes called) is the perfect place. In the small village here there are ATM’s, SevenEleven-shops, massage parlours, internet cafés, the usual Thai shops with clothes, beach wear, fake bags and sunglasses, and bars and restaurants. There’s even an Irish pub here, showing football (soccer for you Americans) on TV.

But the most popular places are the restaurants dotted along the beach. In the evening they all serve up a nice seafood BBQ and you can enjoy your food sitting on the beach, at low tables with puffy cushions behind your back.

As you sip on a cold drink and watch the waves and all the people, it will get dark. Lanterns and torches will be lit. After a while the fire shows will start. Men swinging balls of fire on strings will dance around on the beach. Sometimes they are not men but small boys, although very talented. No accidents happened when we were there at least.

Normally we go hiking or trekking, we go on boat rides and do excursions. We like to explore and see the rest of an  island or a place we visit, but this time we have been very happy just sunbathing by the pool.