09 43.652 N 098 23.087 E

On departing Ko Chang, we decided to sail on past our previous anchorage at Buffalo Bay on Ko Phayam and proceed to anchor at the next beach to the south….where we stayed for one nght….had an enjoyable dining experience….met a bunch more cruisers…and a lot more tourists.  This is a much busier beach….PADI dive operation….noisy night life with music going through to daylight >>>needless to say, for us, Buffalo Bay is our preference.

One boat, SV Wind Pony, had been anchored here for a month…they just love the location>>great, long, hard sand (easy waling) beach to use for exercies every day….and then roam the walkways through the forest over to the village….or over to Buffalo Bay where we have been. Their month of experience has led them to conclude that the best restaurant  is at Buffalo Bay….Klong Kleng, the French Restaurant next to Mr Gao's.

We would agree with Wind Pony (Dick and Lynn) after our few times now spent dining at the French Restaurant ….. host is Fabian ….who is married to a Thai. His mother in law was trying to make a go of the tourist bungaloos and the restaurant but was not doing well at all….he came up from Bangkok last year to see what he could do ….and he has turned it into a terrific success.  Their season is not long: 4 busy months Dec-March …and a bit of shoulder season business on each end…and that is it. The Southwest Monsoon season arrives in Apr/May and makes this coast a terrible place with rain/winds and seas blasting the shore. They come back in November and clean up the mess….have to put all the sand back to the beach….clearing it out of their restaurand and kitchen etc….to be ready for the next busy season.

We will head back to Buffalo Bay after this one night anchored here….much more peaceful and more enjoyable for us, for sure.

Our experience here ……with photos>>>

Ao Yai Bay

This is the bay right next to Buffalo Bay where we spent a couple of weeks.  We decided to see if the sand was better on the other side.  It certainly was different.  This is a nice long beach to walk along, no rocks to interrupt your walk.

These are individual bungalows along the sandy beach.

The water action leaves waves in the sand.

As you walk along the beach you see tiny balls all over the sand, the crabs when burrowing in the sand, roll the excess sand into a ball, push it out of their hole onto the

Sand.

Crab Balls

Padi Dive hut.

Sometimes you just need a photo to describe some things, this elephant was at the entrance to a bar and restaurant…named "Bamboo Bar"

The Parasols help to make the restaurant cheery.  We didn’t eat here we just had a drink then went to another restaurant for dinner.

This beach had a lot more activities to offer than our quiet beach, and you could surf in the bay as well a go diving.

Here we are back at Buffalo Bay and another pretty sunset.  The two boats are Sea Mist and Killkea.