Tag Archives: ko phangan

It is time to move on

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It is curious how a month in China felt as such a long time, but three weeks in Hat Yuan flew just like that. My one-month Thai visa came to an end, so I had no other choice than to move on. Of course the next moment I bought a train ticket to Butterworth, Malaysia I regretted the choice and realized that I could have just extended my Thai visa without leaving the beach. Funny, how you always mourn something that could have been. Oh well. In the last few days I started thinking of scrapping my original plans and returning back to Hat Yuan equipped with a longer visa. Indeed, why not, I might as well do that. In the end it is all about enjoying what you do and not seeing as many places as possible. Anyways, the main reason I am going to Penang is a meditation retreat at MBMC (Malaysian Buddhist Meditation Center). I am going to spend x days there and hopefully it will bring some clarity to my further plans, Hat Yuan or not.

PS: The price of a three week stay in Hat Yuan is
– one lost towel
– one lost Nalgene bottle,
– one water-damaged Nexus One, which fortunately came back to life
– one salt water damaged Lumix LX5, which is still dead. The situation does not look good either with signs of corrosion. :/

Loved it nonetheless.

A transmission from Haad Yuan

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I visited Haad Yuan for the first time two years ago and immediately fell in love with the place. Haad Yuan is an isolated beach in the South-Eastern part of Ko Phangan reachable by boat or a two-hour walk through the dense jungle. It is only a short boat trip from the Haad Rin, the capital of the Full Moon party, but feels like a remote island with its own laws and customs. While the rest of Ko Phangan is rapidly developed, Hat Yuan does not change. Time is frozen here in a permanent state of bliss, tranquility and freedom. On a first sight Haad Yuan is like any other beach on Ko Phangan: white sand, turquoise sea, scattered resorts, bars and random activities. But the unique atmosphere and semi-permanent hippy community are what make Haad Yuan so special. Everybody seems to be on the same wave-length and share the same interests along the lines of chilling out, yoga, meditation and loud techno music. It feels like a mixture between Monkey Island (with pirates present of course, aaaarrrgghh!) and the mellowed out tropical Fusion festival all year around. Just beautiful.

I have been here a week and it looks like I will spend the rest of my Thai visa here. The place really pulls you in and once you land here you do not want to go any place else. Indeed, why go, when you know you can hardly top this.
New Year’s party at Guy’s Bar is lined up and hopefully some Ashtanga yoga, as soon as I get rid of my cold. Christmas Eve party was mind-blowing, despite the costs (water-damaged Nexus One and cold). Fingers crossed for the phone to come back to life.