Day 37: Monkey Magic and Moving On

Day 37: Monkey Magic and Moving On

Before going out for breakfast, we ventured down to the river just a short path away from our bungalow. We stumbled across the playground for all the local monkeys. They had come to the river in family groups to bathe, play, eat, and hang out. There must have been over a hundred of them. We stood with our coffee watching them for a long time (until one family got a bit too close for my liking and we scarpered).

Travel days are always a mix of anticipation and farewells, and today was no exception. We left the relaxing embrace of our jungle home in Khao Sok, heading for Khuek Khak beach in Phang Nga province.

Before hitting the road, we ate an indulgent breakfast on the Khao Sok village street. It started with the most incredible fruit shakes we’ve had on this trip—so good we immediately went back for seconds. Then came the pièce de résistance: roti pancakes stuffed with bananas, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and crowned with the utterly addictive Carnation sweetened milk. The Thais truly know how to turn pancakes into pure joy, and our children are now confirmed street food roti addicts.

The taxi journey took around an hour, and soon we arrived at our new home for the next four days: an eco-resort set about 1.5 km from Khuek Khak beach. As is our now-established tradition, we wasted no time dumping our bags and heading straight out to explore.

Under the blazing sun, the walk to the beach felt long and hot, but the reward was a refreshing swim in the warm sea. The waves were playful, and we swam as the sunset painted the sky in golden and pink hues finishing with its huge red fireball finale. Dinner followed, right by the ocean on the sands—a feast of beef in spicy red curry sauce, chicken in garlic and pepper sauce, fluffy white rice, and, for the kids, a rare indulgence in burgers and fries. They were delighted, and honestly, so were we.

Our accommodation turned out to be a huge hit with the children. We have a small house within the eco-resort, which feels positively massive compared to some of our recent stays. The kids were ecstatic to discover bunk beds for each of them—no more sharing single beds! Their excitement rivalled anything we saw at Christmas.

Meanwhile, Lorne and I have a separate bedroom, complete with an aquarium. Yes, an actual aquarium in the room, stocked with vibrant tropical fish. No need for more snorkelling here. I have tropical fish in my room!