"Koh Phaluai Mu Ko Angthong National Marine Park." Ko Phaluai by derekscott

My last visit to Koh Phaluai was at the end of March this year. We departed from Maenam, Koh Samui at 07.00 am on board my friend's long tail fishing boat. Meeht is the owner of the boat, a resident of the island and has been a fisherman in this area for more than 20 years.Before Koh Phaluai we stopped at Koh Wua Talap where the Park Ranger's Office is located, Meeht had to deliver some of his previous evenings catch for his friends lunch.We ate a breakfast of fresh fruit and beer before travelling onwards to our destination.About 10 minutes into this part of the journey I was lucky enough to catch my first fleeting glimpse of a small pod of 4 or 5 pink dolphins. I was excited by this but Meeht said he saw them on a regular basis.

Arrival

As we approached the island we entered a small man made looking channel which ran for about 70 or 80 meters where some local boys where awaiting us. They helped Meeht unload some provisions he had brought over from Samui. We then walked a short distance with the boys to the islands only restaurant.Here we were greeted by the owner of the restaurant, a very friendly Thai woman who speaks English. She directed us to sit down at a huge wooden table and in a short space of time we were eating some of the best fresh seafood I've ever tasted. After this splendid meal we walked through the village to the house of Meeht's family.As we walked the constant chatter of Minah birds can be heard. The locals breed and train these birds to talk. The best speakers are valuable when sold at market.

Restaurant

During the afternoon and early evening we sat outside of Meeht's house, where many friendly locals dropped by to say hello. As the light faded we all walked down to the beach where we built a fire and made a BBQ Thai style.A couple of the local guys brought a guitar and a drum and were soon playing some rhythms and beats which I must admit were a little alien to me, although very entertaining as a few whiskeys added to the enjoyment.After a few hour we returned to the house to sleep. As the island has no permanent electrical supply, power is only available for a few hours a day, which had already passed. A hot and sweaty broken sleep followed but I was pleased to have lived as a true tropical islander, if only for one day.

• Pros:Stunningly beautiful scenery and genuine friendly people.
• Cons:Electricity supply not available so no fan at bedtime.
• In a nutshell:Koh Phaluai is a true tropical island escape.Simply wonderful.