What a week! There are three islands in the Gulf of Thailand, starting from top to bottom, smallest to largest: Koh Tao, the diving mecca that I call home, Koh Phangan, home to worldly hippies and world famous full moon parties, and Koh Samui, the big bustling jewel in the region’s tourism crown — and also home to its airport and government offices. This week would find me on all three. A mandatory visit to the immigration office might have been the catalyst for Ian and I’s trip to Koh Samui in the first place, but in the end that was just a blip on the radar of our fun and indulgent three day getaway there. We read by the pool, we ate literally all of the things, we checked out a gorgeous yoga studio, and we went on a tipsy booze tour of the island. Bliss! Next, it was onto Koh Phangan.

In Koh Phangan, we were met by five of our closest friends from Koh Tao to hole up in a villa for a few days of communal tan-appropriating, expat family dinners, and Cards Against Humanity charade marathons. It’s been a long while since I spent significant time on either island, and I loved my time on both — and am itching to plan returns already!

Yet I think it might be the sign of a successful trip when you’re sad to leave, but thrilled to come home. And that’s exactly how I felt heading back to Koh Tao. Now, I’m looking forward to a few quiet weeks here at Wanderland HQ. Work, working out, and the occasional hike or paddleboard are more or less the only things on the agenda until taking off on my next mini-adventure.

Happy Sunday!

Photo A

Code SamuiCode Hotel in Koh Samui

Photo B

Code SamuiA quiet slice of a busy island

Photo C

Sunset on Bang Po BeachSunset on Bang Po Beach

Photo D

Bay Villas Koh PhanganBay Villas in Koh Phangan

Photo E

Bay Villas Koh PhanganFriendship to infinity

Photo F

Haad Salad, Koh PhanganThe gorgeous Gulf of Thailand

Which photo is your favorite?

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46 Comments...
  • Gemma
    November 22 2015

    News reports of -15 in Metro Vancouver this week so it’s Photo B for me, I can almost smell the warmth! Looks like you are having a ball.

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Oof! I have to admit, I rarely get homesick when it’s winter in the US and Canada — I just can’t stand the snow!

  • Lc
    November 22 2015

    Photo C – beautiful sunset and endlessly impressed (and slightly jealous of) those who can pull off a decent headstand!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      We’ve been working a lot on our inversions lately… Ian is definitely a little more advanced than I am at this point!

  • becky hutner
    November 22 2015

    Love the framing on E! Would stoop pretty low right now for some Thai heat….no one told me winter hits the UK in November. BAHHHH!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Oh man. Winter! It feels so far away. And I have to admit, for that I am grateful!

  • Miriam
    November 22 2015

    Girl, this week’s photos are GORGEOUS! I just drove through a snow storm and had to push the car out of a snow pile in the middle of the highway. Getting a glimpse of your Thai heaven is just what I needed.

    I hope you got your computer fixed and that it won’t break down again.

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Still waiting for news on the laptop :-/ But thank you for the kind words — it was a technicolor beautiful week!

  • Dominique
    November 22 2015

    The combination of A,B and D would be my perfect apartment 🙂

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Tell me when you find it — I might move in!

  • Steve
    November 22 2015

    I’m choosing photo C. It is a stunning photo of a stunning sunset.

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Perhaps one of the best I’ve seen in Thailand. Just gorgeous.

  • Leah
    November 22 2015

    Photo B! That view is incredible!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Can’t beat pretty light time over that Thai jungle. Just gorgeous.

  • I love E. What a great photo! They look like they’re having a great time!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      We were so happy to be out in the sun 🙂

  • Emma
    November 22 2015

    An extra lovely set of photos this week, and I’ve been loving your shots of the Code hotel on Instagram too! Hard to choose, but I’ll go for photo E 🙂

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Thanks Emma! I’m going to have some great shots of Bay Villas coming up now too (just got back yesterday but didn’t have wifi at our villa, so I’m posting as latergrams 🙂 )

  • Elizabeth
    November 22 2015

    They are all so pretty it’s hard to say! B and C!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      I think it’s a good sign when it’s hard to pick. Thanks Elizabeth!

  • Kacy
    November 22 2015

    I wish all “errands” could revolve around such beautiful places and activities. Looks like both islands are simply stunning. I have to go with Photo F. Swoon.

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Definitely takes the sting out of going to an immigration appointment when you get to do it in an island that looks like Koh Samui!

  • Sarah
    November 22 2015

    Photo E because friendship AND Infinity-pool!

    • Alex
      November 23 2015

      Double whammy 🙂

  • Katie
    November 23 2015

    Photo E – loving all of those blues 🙂 Your Ko Phangan villas look stunning as well!

    • Alex
      November 25 2015

      It really was. Best part — filled with stunning people 😉

  • Anca | Globaloud
    November 23 2015

    After the hottest summer ever in my country (for 100 days the temperature went above 30C) I thought I would never wish for summer again, but after seeing your summerish photos it makes me wanna have summer again.

    • Alex
      November 25 2015

      I could live in an endless summer 🙂 I just love it!

  • Julia Nix
    November 23 2015

    ooh..so that’s BB doing the headstand? Ha, need daylight pics on him. lol

    • Alex
      November 25 2015

      I’ll try to work on that for next week 🙂

  • Marni
    November 23 2015

    Photo C! I can’t do that, I’ve never been there, and that sunset is phenomenally gorgeous!

    • Alex
      November 25 2015

      Indeed it was! We’ve been having a lot of cloudy evenings as it is monsoon, so it was pretty exciting to catch that one.

  • Photo F! Beautiful!

  • Marie
    November 24 2015

    Oh how I love each photo you post. I would love to experience them all on my next visit.

    • Alex
      November 25 2015

      Come on over, Thailand is waiting 🙂

  • Izy Berry
    November 26 2015

    My favorite Photo is the C you look so happy

    • Alex
      November 28 2015

      Well, that’s not me in the photo, but I definitely was happy behind the camera 🙂

  • Britt
    November 27 2015

    Photo B looks like pure paradise!

    It’s 1 degrees in Vienna at the moment, so that sun looks amazing to me! haha

    • Alex
      November 28 2015

      Oh man! I’m glad I won’t be seeing that number on the temperature dial for a nice long time 🙂

  • Priya
    November 27 2015

    Hey Alex!

    I love each photo you post. I would love to experience them all in my trip to Thailand whenever I visit there.

    • Alex
      November 28 2015

      Thanks Priya! I hope you get to do so as well 🙂

  • Erika R.
    November 27 2015

    I love photo C! So peaceful…

    • Alex
      November 28 2015

      Thanks for voting, Erika!

  • rebecca
    December 16 2015

    Beautiful. The balcony just so relaxing… let-alone the water

    • Alex
      December 23 2015

      I could sit on it all day!

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