Koh Chang, Thailand (02/07/2011-02/09/2011)

I started a new step in my professional life and figured I wouldn't have a chance to relax for a while. So, given all the political instability going on, I figured I'd go somewhere remote, affordable, and safe that had already surmounted a little bit of political turmoil - Thailand!  Having gone to Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai, I figured I'd first visit a relatively undeveloped island, and then go to the Golden Triangle (border regions of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar) to see a relatively secluded, unplugged, and pristine areas of the country.

Koh Chang was my first stop - a relatively small island reachable by ferry from Trat in the eastern Gulf of Thailand. I stayed at a small villa (purpose was to relax, after all) next to a quaint fishing village. Getting around the island was impossible by foot so I rented a small scooter, which was quite fun, especially after getting a flat tire.  The air was clean, the sights were beautiful, the weather perfect, and the seafood was excellent. It was the first time I ever ate a mantis shrimp (see here for a humorous description) - and one could definitely see how they got their name.