Boat Ride

After landing in the most beautiful airport in the world, we walked over to the Koh Samui Airport "Meeting Area" where our hotel representative was supposed to  be waiting for us with a sign.

My father usually doesn't use the hotel's airport transportation service (too much $$$) but our flight from Bangkok landed too late (2:35PM) to take the last public ferry to Koh Phangan of the day which left at 1:30PM.*

The hotel rep was holding up a sign that had my father's name and when we met him, he called the driver to pull up.

But after tracking down our checked bags, securing a luggage cart and pushing it from the baggage claim to the Meeting Area, he was sweating profusely through his shirt and jeans in the 90+ degree heat.  Luckily, the 5 minute van ride to Mae Nam Pier was air conditioned, and they gave him scented cold towels to cool down.

We arrived at a small pier with a waiting lounge for us to rest before the 4PM departure.  By now, it was closer to 3:15PM so we had plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and even Skype with my grandmother in Israel for a bit.

At 4PM, they asked us to get on board and we walked down the pier overlooking the aquamarine blue water and jungle trimmed beaches.

I've been to Florida, California and even Bermuda before, but this was something special.  My father saw the delight on my face and said I was in for a real treat. The hotel we were staying at (Buri Rasa) was right on Thong Nai Pan Beach.

*UPDATE:  Apparently, my father messed up.  There was another ferry that left from Nathon Pier (15-20 minute taxi ride from USM Airport) at 5:00PM.  

So for those of you who are planning to come with me to the Full Moon Parties when we're 18 years old, here's a schedule of ferries to Koh Phangan.

Seatran Discovery (departs Mae Nam Pier)

Koh Samui to Koh Phangan:  8:00AM and 1:30PM
Koh Phangan to Koh Samui:  11:00AM and 4:30PM

Lomprayah (departs Nathon Pier)
Koh Samui to Koh Phangan:  11:15AM and 5:00PM
Koh Phangan to Koh Samui:  7:15AM and 12:00PM