My husband is an enthusiastic but cautious motorcyclist. In Minnesota he ranges far up and down the state, and often into Wisconsin, seeking out winding country roads, woods, and lakes. However, we both had second thoughts about his renting a motorbike in Thailand. Watching the hordes of motorbikes zooming up and down Lat Phrao Road, swerving between lanes, squeezing between buses and vans, we saw the danger of renting anything in Bangkok.
On Koh Chang, however, the pace of life and traffic is slower. Much slower. The road never gets wider than two lanes, and traffic is often sparse outside of the few small towns. The road circles most of the island, and anything leading off of that is often simply a dirt track. So Phil decided to give it a try.
He has rented a nice little model for about $7/day and takes it for a spin every morning after breakfast, returning sometime in the afternoon. He has traveled all the way to the south of the island, exploring beaches and eating at roadside restaurants. He has seen monkeys and stray dogs, but no elephants. The wonderful thing about it is that he has been able to see almost everything there is to see on the island. Here are some of his photos:
Smaller islands lie to the south of Koh Chang.
The ferry that took us to Koh Chang.
The only danger lies in the steep inclines and twisting turns off the road—and some rough spots that could tip a bike. Rogue elephants might pose danger as well, but he hasn’t seen one elephant yet on his travels. We’ve thought about hiking some of the forested areas (this is a national park), but have been informed that we will need a guide if we go hiking. Too easy to get lost.
He’s met some interesting people along the way as well, including a young German woman who was hanging out, waiting for her Canadian boyfriend to get out of prison, evidently arrested for carousing a little too loudly. He has explored Lonely Beach, described as a backpacker’s paradise.
I’m just glad he returns every day in one piece!
*****
A sad addendum: Phil found the elephants, but only in a sort of stable, kept for giving tourists rides. Perhaps it’s the same as horse-riding stables in the States, but there’s something that grieves me about seeing these noble animals this way.
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