Koh Samet

Just outside of Bangkok, about a 3 hr. drive, the island of Koh Samet lies just offshore and is accessed via a large ferry of sorts. We all needed a little more beach experience and this was the easiest so with few expectations we headed to the Gulf of Thailand where we were surprised by the beauty of the beach, white sand and calm, clear water. The accommodations left a lot to be desired--we tried renting a family room with beds for 6--but quickly moved to another hotel with slightly better facilities and definitely more privacy. Meals were basic and not very tasty but the children were out of the room by 7am and spent the day in the warm water and on the beach. They quickly shed their bathing suits which collected too much sand and didn't even wear their inflatable arm bands. There were boats to climb and jump from, fish to chase, new friends to play with. The twins loved it and so did the parents and grandparents!