I DID get my beach massage the other day! I’d spotted a place a day earlier that looked like a good option, Dr. Thai Massage, so I walked up and they fit me right in. I got a full body oil massage for 350 Baht (about $14.) This was considerably cheaper than in Bangkok but a different experience, with other people getting massages just feet away but open air with the sound of waves hitting the beach. She was skilled and I enjoyed it enough that I’ll certainly be back for another.
That night, we had dinner at Chef Chalong, which is just across the street from where we’re staying. I’d read about how good the food is here and the reports are right. Very tasty, cheap and super friendly staff. We’ve gotten into a pattern where we have our huge Thai breakfast early at the villa, and I might have some fruit later on but nothing substantial until dinner. Wind will graze a bit in the day and have a fruit smoothie at dinner and some tastes from my meal. I always order a Som Tam salad now, with three chilies, which is at par with the locals’ grade of spicy.
Yesterday, we took a tuk-tuk into Saladan and went to Saladan Plaza for some shopping. We’re not vacation shoppers by nature, but the pandemic has hit Koh Lanta hard and the vendors are still not doing as much business as they were pre-Covid, so we made a point of dropping some cash here. I didn’t get her name, but the first vendor we visited was so kind and fun! She taught us some more Thai language and made the now common comment that we speak Thai well, much better than what is expected from first-timers here. We made friends with Rajar, another vendor. He’s a very kind young man who is Nepalese, from Myanmar, lives in Bangkok and works the high season here on Koh Lanta. He speaks at least five languages! He remarked that things are sad for him back home in Myanmar with the humanitarian crisis and armed conflicts. He’s never been to a nightclub or bar, preferring quiet places over a loud and confusing space were he can’t connect with people.
While Wind went to the spa for a 90 minute massage, I once again walked the full length of the beach, which I do every day here, barefoot with a couple of cold Chang beers in my dry bag–haha, not so dry!! I’ve visited the same bar two days in a row for a top-up beer and yesterday they charged me 70 Baht (jet sip Baht) instead of 80. I think it’s my speaking Thai and repeated patronage that’s inspired this welcomed discount.
For dinner, we walked about 8 minutes down the road to Kho Kwang Seafood on the north coast of Koh Lanta Yai. We walked by this place the other day on our first venture into Saladan. Perched right over the beach, Kho Kwang is famous for its incredibly fresh seafood. I devoured another spicy Som Tam with some garlic stir fried squid.
The day was capped by testing out the pool lights—still not working! We’ve had maintenance check it out twice now but with no remedy. It’s become a little side project of mine with the goal of a lit up night swim. Maybe tonight!