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Part 38: cultural tour...
My plan was to meet up with Oliver later that evening after I got back from the island tour.
Then suddenly, and without warning whilst getting ready, all the lights went out in my accommodation - it was a complete black out!
Turns out the whole islands power grid was down, in fact the whole south east coast of Thailand was effected.
With no wifi or air con in my room, I decided to head out, but soon discovered it was pretty pointless. The whole main street was in complete darkness - most shops and bars had closed for the evening and there wasn't really a lot else to do, so I decided to head back to my dark hot room.
The power kicked in again in the middle of the night around 4 hours later which was a relief, good job too because my room was beginning to feel like a furnace.
This turned out to be one of the worse power cuts in recent years and thankfully everything was back in working order.
The following morning I was ready for my cultural visit around Koh Samui island by bus- This would be a packed day with plenty of sightseeing, but not before going into a mad panic. I thought I'd lost my passport! Turning the room completely upside down, it was nowhere to be seen!
There were more than a few anxious moments before I finally realised the reception had it - what a relief!
After that initial worry and regaining my composure, my first stop was the high view point at Chaweng beach, over looking more than 7km of white sand coastline and crystal clear water - a much better way to start my day.
I breathed in, filling my lungs with the fresh early morning sea air, and sat down near the edge of a steep stair way that led down to the beach, surrounded by lush foliage and wildlife, then began adding to my hundreds of photos on my phone. I was certain to run out of space soon, but that didn't stop me capturing the magnificent views.
My next destination was to visit two fascinating granite rock formations - better known as the grandfather and grandmother rocks near Lamai on the islands south coast.
They have been a source of wonder on the island since they were discovered by the locals many years ago.
Let me explain - basically these huge rocks look respectively like giant male and female genitalia.
Set on the rocky coastline they raise embarrassed laughs from those who go to see them - this strange sight has understandably created a legend explaining how the rocks came into being, and was one tinged with sadness.
One day an elderly couple decided to sail to the neighbouring province of Prachuap to ask for the hand in marriage to a girl's family for their son
Sadly during the journey, their boat was seized by a storm and both perished at sea, turning into granite rocks where they stand to this day as a symbol of their love.
I must admit they did look remarkably and anatomically accurate - It was fun snapping pics and seeing people chuckle.
After this it was another short trip to see the mummified body of monk Loung Pordang at the Khunnaram temple.
He was still in the meditation position which he died in over 30 years ago.
This was quite an unusual sight and almost perfectly preserved.
Maybe for certain visitors, having a dead man in full view might be a shocking sight, but for Thai's it is something to reflect upon and revere. Far from being scared by death, most Thai's are highly accepting of the end of life as the natural order of things, and they view death as an opportunity to be reborn, with Loung Pordang's body serving as an inspiration to follow the buddhist path.
I did notice a few spelling mistakes on the golden plaques underneath the shrine, but that should not take away from the importance of this temple. Besides who am I to judge with my appalling grammar!
I was almost half way around the small island already and headed to Samui's capital, Nathon town, the largest and oldest town on the island, serving as the port where visitors take the ferry to the mainland.
I strolled around the old narrow streets where everything from food and local produce, to goods and clothes appeared far cheaper than the beach resorts. This is where the locals do their shopping and its easy to see why - there are not many tourists here.
I spent a good few hours wandering around, stopping for a cheap lunch and refreshing beer before I moved to the next stop of my day - the Namuang waterfalls.
They originate from the mountain in the heart of the island and involved a steep trek to get there. Most people opted for the 4x4, but my preference was the walk, through a lush tropical forest and up towards the mountain - as I neared the falls you could hear them loud and clear but not see them, until they were there, literally right in front of me.
The water fell from the cliff nearly 40 meters high, completely surrounded by thick forest and slippery rock - a wonderful sight!
I wasted no time jumping in either, there were a few people who did the same too. It was a natural pool and provided me an instant escape from the heat.
Namuang, or ‘Purple Waterfalls’, are so named because of the distinctive purple shade of their rock faces.
Although quite busy, I found a perfect places to sit with my feet dangling in the water so I could take several pictures - a gorgeous way to spend the afternoon.
A word of warning though - my advice to anyone is wear decent sturdy footwear as the rocks leading to the falls can be steep or slippery in places, so be sure to take care when walking up or down.
An entire day could be spent at the falls, which can be a cool alternative to the beach, but in order to continue my trip around Samui it was time to move on.
A 40 minute drive to a 100 year old temple complex - Wat Leam Suwanaram. Upon arriving you cannot miss the 20 meter high buddha statue in brilliant bright white,
with its many arms. Each arm represents a different area of Buddhism.
To get to the statue, you cross a charming white stone and marble bridge as the statue itself is located in the centre of a lake.
I asked a visitor to take a picture with the Buddha behind me, It certainly made for a stunning vista and great shot in the sun.
Afterwards I received a blessing from one of the monks.
Kneeling down at one of the alters, the monk proceeded to chant, granting me luck and prosperity, before tying a colourful string to each of my wrists.
Inside the building, the walls are covered with paintings of different scenes from Buddhist writings.
Just sitting quietly here you feel a great sense of peace and tranquility flood over you.
A mixture of structures floating on giant man made lotus leaves makes this an incredibly unique complex. Certainly, there is no other temple on the island quite like this - a thoroughly enjoyable stop on my island tour.
Lastly it was on to the most famous landmark on the island - the Big golden Buddha only a mile away.
Approaching the small village at its base, the imposing statue sits at the top of 73 steps. I made it to the top just in time for the sunset. As the sun fell behind the 15 meter high Buddha, it enhanced the scenery even more and with the sun rays flaring, made for a spectacular picture.
That concluded my tour and what a way to end the cultural visit.
Today I learned there was far more to Koh Samui than just bars clubs and beaches - I was really happy to have had the pleasure to discover an island of great natural beauty and variety.
- comments
Anna Banana nice, where are the pictures of grandfather and grandmother rocks?!! :)