I first visited Thailand in 2005, only three weeks after the terrible Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. The Khao Lak, Phi Phi and Phuket resort areas had been heavily damaged, but the rest of Southern Thailand was eagerly welcoming the few tourists who had not canceled their plans. We had pristine beaches and popular restaurants all to ourselves, but we also saw sobering evidence of recent events, such as pieces of shattered furniture floating in bays where we snorkeled, and clothing deposited on beaches overnight. Despite these sad reminders, the trip was tremendously rewarding: beautiful scenery above and below the water, fantastic Thai food, and a warm welcome from the Thai people we met throughout the country. And our group was a lot of fun.
Over the past ten years, I returned five times, and have now spent nearly 24 weeks in Thailand — more than any other destination I’ve visited. Still, I couldn’t help returning to Thailand one more time, to revisit favorite haunts and explore new reefs. Hopefully it will be as interesting for you as it is for me.
Posts for this trip can be found on this page: http://www.jeffersonscher.com/ttw/category/southern-trip-2015/ (newest first)
Please, no Facebooking until the trip is over. Thanks.