Date of Exploration : 14 Nov 2015
I love watching sunrises. Because it always feels like the universe is giving us a beautiful gift to start the day. And one of the best places to receive this present is at...
An offshore island in the Gulf of Thailand three hours by car from Bangkok, Koh Samed (also spelt "Ko Samet") offers a front row seat to enjoy an abduction of senses by the theatrics of dawn.
Since a majority of hotel and resort developments are along the east-facing coast of the T-shaped island stretching from Ao Lukyon to the popular Sai Kaew Beach and Ao Vongduen to the more remote Ao Karang ("ao" means "beach" in Thai), catching the sunrise is as simple as heading on to any of the beaches. Some sea facing resorts along this coastal stretch even have the vantage view of the sunrise knocking at their doors.
I had originally planned to catch the sunrise at Ao Lukyon, which is about 20 minutes on foot from Lima Bella Resort located in the Sai Kaew area. But you know how it is with waking up early... it's a tug-of-war between the will to get up and the body's attachment to the bed. By the time my will won the fight, the sky had already taken off its cloak of stars and began putting on the colours for the day.
It was about 6:00am (Thai time) when I left my resort and I knew I wouldn't make it in time to catch the moment when the sun emerges from the horizon if I were to walk to Ao Lukyon. So I decided to go with my instinct and entered the grounds of Baan Supparod Resort, which was opposite the entrance of Lima Bella resort.
I had no idea where I was heading and half expected to be stopped by security holding a super rod
(the resort is called "Supparod", get it? Haha. Okay, if you've been reading this blog, you know I'm prone to cheesy jokes with phonetics.). Thankfully, I was allowed in and after a short walk in the direction of the resort's reception, I was by the edge of a rocky coastline in time capture the day's first light!
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| Front row seats at Baan Supparod Resort's viewing deck to watch nature's colour show. I was happy to find some trees around to serve as foreground to shoot the sunrise. |
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| It would've been perfect to have someone special to share the magic of a sunrise with... but I was watching it alone. |
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| Glad that the tree in the previous photo actually has a companion to watch sunrises and weather storms with. |
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| Ta-da... the sun has risen! I shall christen this pair the Lover Trees (情人树) of Koh Samed :o) |
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| Framing nature with nature. |
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| I see a face with a pointed chin, one eye opened and another closed, and a head of wild hair. Do you? |
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| The sunrise was perfect that day without clouds obscuring the luminous yolk. |
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| All in about 20 minutes, the sunrise was over and a new day of making a difference begins... |
