Throughout my work life I have gone on many group tours, but this was my first solo trip to Koh Lan in Chon Buri. About a 90-minute drive from Bangkok, Koh Lan is the perfect destination for anyone wanting an island vacation without having to take a flight south.
Standing on Pattaya beach, the scene at Bali Hai Pier was the usual — a huge wave of tourists and speedboats racing for position at sea. Crew members were calling out to tourists along the path, offering them a 15-minute boat ride to the island for 150 baht. Not in a rush, I chose to pay 30 baht to hop on the ferry that would take 30 minutes.
When a boat pulled up to the Ta Waen Beach Pier at 9.30am, the lively atmosphere brought me back to my first trip here 12 years ago with friends. Time flies by so fast and so much has changed. However, the beach is still dotted with hundreds of umbrellas and chairs, and…
