Riding Motorbike up the coast to Haad Khom

Since I got a motorbike I am able cruise up and down the roads of the island and check out the different beaches and scenic spots. After having read one of the guide books to the island and the section under hikes I was intrigued by one of the hikes suggested in the northern end of the island leading to one of the most remote, isolated, and beautiful beaches on the island, Bottle Beach or Haad Khuat. Haad means beach in Thai language. Looking at the map the hike starts near another remote beach, Haad Khom which I could assess by my motorbike.

The first day I got my motorbike I decided to ride north up the coast to check out different beaches, some waterfalls, and to find out where the trailhead for Bottle Beach starts. The views were spectacular and it was so nice to be out of the hectic pace, noise, and pollution of Bangkok. The road, which alternated between being paved and just dirt in different sections, was far enough away from the coastline in most spots that one couldn't see the beach. There were signs and turns available throughout the route allowing access to different beaches and notable resorts present at them. The first beach I arrived at was at the town of Baan Chaloklum. It is a huge bay with beautiful bluish/green waters and great coral reefs. I was looking to make the proper turn for the beach of Haad Khom but turned incorrectly down the wrong road going south and drove past signs for Paradise Waterfall. I decided this was worth checking out and drove up a road for about 5 mins arriving at a small restaurant and lounge where the path starts. I did a 20-25 min hike up a path through the forest wearing flip flops with some Germans and arrived at the waterfall which was very nice but not at its finest and fullest flow. During the rainy season several months ago I'm sure it would be amazing but it was still worth checking out. I think the name, Paradise Waterfall, made it sound more epic than it was. There are some other waterfalls on the island which I look forward to visiting that are supposed to be amazing, one in particular on the eastern side of the island which has carvings by past kings of Thailand. It is a series of 3 waterfalls and is considered to be sacred by the Thais.

After leaving the waterfall I drove past a Buddhist temple, or Wat, and decided to check it out. As I made my way into the main temple area where the primary Buddha figure resides, I took some pics and noticed to the side of the Buddha was what appeared to be a wax figure of an old monk sitting in a chair. I walked up closer to examine the figure and was startled to discover that it was an actual Buddhist monk sitting deep in meditation. I wasn't sure for several moments whether or not it was an actual real person or a wax figure as the monk was completely motionless and didn't appear to be lifelike. Something about the color of his skin and the absolute still and calmness made him appear unreal.

As I made my way back to the beach I drove up some beat up and rutted dirt roads and finally made it too Haad Khom, the area in which the hike to Bottle Beach would begin. I wasn't planning on doing the hike at the moment, which was late afternoon, but just wanted to get an idea of where to go the following day. Haad Khom is a pretty isolated and beautiful beach itself with only a small number of guest houses but with a very laidback and peaceful feel about itself. As I was walking on the beach I noticed not too far in the distance a familiar looking guy with snorkel gear and a large tattoo on his right shoulder. It was Eelco, the Dutch guy who I had met on the way to the island and shared a room with the first night. It had been about 2 days since we had parted ways. It was pretty amazing just happening to bump into him in one of the more smaller and isolated beaches on the island. We spoke for a little bit and I told him my plans of making a hike the following day to Bottle Beach. He told me he had heard a story that day or the previous of a British couple who had gotten lost on the path and had spent the night out in the forest/jungle by themselves with no food or flashlight. That would have to be a pretty scary situation being out there without any of the essential supplies and in complete darkness and noise with all the animals, reptiles, and insects. We promised to keep in touch and go snorkeling together sometime.