Our second week in Koh Lanta, Thailand was just as magical as our first filled with precious time with my sisters, spectacular sunsets, delicious local food, swims in the sea and our pool, massages while listening to the waves crash nearby, playing games, making art together and a few special excursions.

On Saturday morning, we took a taxi to the southern tip of the island for a hike in Mu Ko Lanta National Park. We started off heading up the steep steps and winded our way through thick forest where we spotted birds, snakes, monkeys, lizards and so many bugs. Much of the hike was in dense forest, but towards the end we were rewarded with beautiful views! We had made a loop and as we headed back down to the beach, we spotted three big Asian water monitors! They were swimming and wandering the beach. Afterwards a few of us hiked up to the lighthouse viewpoint and others took a dip in the sea. It felt so good to move and explore; a great way to start the day!

After our hike, we were all ready for lunch in Lanta Old Town, followed by some shopping. Then it was time to pick up our batik creations, and we were all very happy with how they turned out.

On Monday, it was time to get back to school. The girls had taken the first week off as a “fall break” so they could spend more time with my sisters and because Hannah’s online program had the week off. But all good things come to an end and it was time to try and get a little bit of academic learning done! We did have a short school day because we headed out on a very fun excursion that afternoon–a boat trip through the mangroves and then sea kayaking. Again, I was blown away by the natural beauty of this area! I just can’t get over these jungly, green islands jutting out of the turquoise water in every direction. First we drove through the mangroves, then stopped at a mini-island where we walked around and swam a bit, then we drove to another island where the kayaks and some hungry monkeys were waiting. We paired off and headed over to a cave and then to a beach a bit further away. After we were done kayaking, we got back in the boat and as we headed back through the mangroves, the guides started throwing the leftover fruit overboard. A huge troop of monkeys came out of the forest, some jumping into the water and one boarding our boat! I did not know that monkeys could swim! The guide said that this troop was friendly, and they feed them daily.

Otherwise, like I mentioned, we just enjoyed our time together. We were there during “shoulder season” which meant things were calm, uncrowded and so relaxing. We spoke to a restaurant owner one night, and she said that from mid-December to early April the island is so crowded with lines down the block to get into restaurants, all boat trips overbooked and parties up and down the beaches. It is hard to imagine because I cannot emphasise how chill the whole island felt while we were there. We did get a few short rainstorms, some quite heavy during the second week, but nothing that kept us from having fun. They usually passed within half an hour. If you find yourself in this part of the world, I highly recommend a visit to Koh Lanta but make it during the off season. 🙂

I also cannot emphasise enough how special it was to have my sisters here for two weeks! To enjoy this island with them, to have these unique experiences together but also to have the time to enjoy the day to day together was priceless. We stayed at an apartment complex (Sai Naam Residence) and they each had a small bungalow (Lanta Castaway Beach Resort) just down the beach from us. We had a wonderful pool while they were beachside with best spa ever, and we all enjoyed sharing these amenities, walking back and forth along the beach a few times a day. An ideal set up! They had to leave on Thursday morning since the journey back to the US is considerable, and I have to say, the island wasn’t the same without them. (We stayed until Saturday.) It was duller. Less lively, less like home. So as sad as I was to leave this paradise, it also felt right. Time for our next adventure–Cambodia.