Conclusion

To come at a sensible conclusion to this South Thailand Beach Tour I have to ignore for the time being the circumstance that brought it to a premature end. Instead I consider whether it achieved the target I set for it, whether I could recommend it in part or in its entirety. This tour was the third long tour of this winter. After two intense tours which had already secured a vast amount of data I could afford to relax on this tour and treat it more as a holiday. It had worked on a previous tour to the south but would it work again? The simple answer to that was ‘No’. The main reason was selection of the primary destination which was the sparsely populated province of Ranong, I had literally taken my spirit for adventure too far.
The tour started with a stopover in Prachuap Khiri Khan of three days which had already deviated from the plan. However while it was starting to look like another tour this provided much of what I was looking for. Ao Manao was certainly a hit as were other attractions. Moving on to Ranong itself we moved away from a beach location but had chance to explore a town I only ever had used as a stopover before. Finally we moved down the coast to deserted beaches but there were no beach resorts here. There was only accommodation near the main highway No 4. While the deserted beaches were heavenly, it was not really what I was looking for. Running out of ideas we moved into Kuraburi in Phang Nga Province for an overnight stop. Here was proof that you can find solitude but at the expense of creature comforts that are demanded these days. Finally I realized what Ranong offers that tourists crave; the magnificent coral islands in the Andaman Sea. However reaching them required a substantial budget that I didn’t have. However, ‘when in Rome as they say………’ Returning to Kapoe in Ranong Province I decided to shorten the trip if necessary and charter a boat to islands in Laem Son National Park. The boat trip itself provided another big helping of what Southern Thailand has to offer but of course became marred by the medical issue. In terms of recommendation it really is a matter of individual choice. The more adventurous and perhaps affluent would go for the islands in the Andaman with the options for diving but this option is growing ever more popular. For a more relaxing location, Prachuap Khiri Khan has perhaps everything you may desire. I rated the Prachuap Khiri Khan visit a good 7/10 and despite lacking some direction, a similar score for the Andaman coast. The tour did however succeed in filling gaps along the Thai coastline of both the Gulf of Siam and the Andaman Sea. In terms of cost without the car hire it worked out just above the norm of 1500 baht/day. Interestingly I saved on fuel using the older vehicle but accommodation was more expensive and of course the boat trip made a difference.
Postscript as at 15th March......... Unfortunately having returned to Bangkok things did not go at all well and I was admitted to a private hospital the day after, spending two nights there. Curiously but happily due to the cost of treatment I was discharged only to find there was no improvement. After three days’ treatment as an outpatient at a government hospital, I was admitted to the hospital for further treatment, spending another six nights. Inevitably there was a knock on effect. My flight on 13 February had to be postponed. Then arrangements had to be made to extend by stay in Thailand after the 17th. I was given an extra 30 days temporary stay. For around 10 days after discharge from hospital, I did not feel well enough to make the journey back to the UK. Finally on 6 March, while still some way off complete recovery, I set about arranging a flight back home. Inevitably there was more expense as I needed to upgrade to get a seat but two days later I was on a flight to London. The flight, while not the most comfortable under the circumstances, brought me home safely. However the effect of the flight on my leg meant further treatment.