Beautiful, secluded resort

We were quite surprised at first that this resort was at the north end at the island. The folks at the ferry terminal informed us that we could ONLY reach town by ferry or longboat, which would cost us. It was disappointing, we thought, that we would be so far away from things.

HOWEVER, it turned out that we picked the best resort on the whole island. After spending a day in town, we decided that the dirty beaches, frenetic atmosphere, and crowded accommodations were not for us. The next day, we spent exploring our resort. The beach is amazing, the breakfast is an enormous buffet, and there is much to explore on the island. One downside would be the price of dinner at the resort restaurant. Don't be afraid to explore--there are restaurants nearby that are cheaper and delicious!
In fact, on our third day we decided to explore the island. We started walking south, past the Holiday Inn (which looked nice but very cookie-cutter and expensive. our place was much more welcoming), and along a cobbled path that wound along the seaside for about forty minutes. Then we came upon a little town with a TON of little shack-restaurants. We chose to eat at a place (called Happy Restaurant, maybe?) with shell curtains instead of windows. It was our best meal in Thailand.

We also discovered that the footpath leads ALL THE WAY to town (Tonsai Pier)! So, on our last day we decided to walk there instead of taking the boat. Be warned: although the path to the middle of the island is cobbled, the rest of the way to town is up and over a mountain, through the bush. If you have backpacks, two hours, and lots of water, it is definitely worth the view. Otherwise, take the ferry.